The Book of Jesus Sirach

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

- Chapter 13 -

Cautions in the choice of company.

He who touches pitch will be defiled. He who has fellowship with a proud man will become like him.

Don’t take up a burden above your strength. Have no fellowship with one who is mightier and richer than yourself. What fellowship would the earthen pot have with the kettle? The kettle will strike, and the pot will be dashed in pieces.

The rich man does a wrong and threatens. The poor is wronged and apologizes.

If you are profitable, he will exploit you. If you are in need, he will forsake you.

If you own something, he will live with you. He will drain your resources and will not be sorry.

Does he need you? Then he will deceive you, smile at you, and give you hope. He will speak kindly to you and say, “What do you need?”

He will shame you by his delicacies until he has made you bare twice or thrice, and in the end he will laugh you to scorn. Afterward he will see you, will forsake you, and shake his head at you.

Beware that you are not deceived and brought low in your enjoyment.

If a mighty man invites you, be reserved, and he will invite you more.

Don’t press him, lest you be thrust back. Don’t stand far off, lest you be forgotten.

Don’t try to speak with him as an equal, and don’t believe his many words; for he will test you with much talk, and will examine you in a smiling manner.

He who doesn’t keep secrets to himself is unmerciful. He won’t hesitate to harm and to bind.

Keep them to yourself and be careful, for you walk(a) in danger of falling.

(b)

Every living creature loves its own kind, and every man loves his neighbor.

All flesh associates with their own kind. A man will stick to people like himself.

What fellowship would the wolf have with the lamb? So is the sinner to the godly.

What peace is there between a hyena and a dog? What peace is there between a rich man and the poor?

Wild donkeys are the prey of lions in the wilderness; likewise poor men are feeding grounds for the rich.

Lowliness is an abomination to a proud man; likewise a poor man is an abomination to the rich.

When a rich man is shaken, he is supported by his friends, but when the humble is down, he is pushed away even by his friends.

When a rich man falls, there are many helpers. He speaks things not to be spoken, and men justify him. A humble man falls, and men rebuke him. He utters wisdom, and is not listened to.

A rich man speaks, and all keep silence. They extol what he says to the clouds. A poor man speaks, and they say, “Who is this?” If he stumbles, they will help to overthrow him.

Riches are good if they have no sin. Poverty is evil only in the opinion of the ungodly.

The heart of a man changes his countenance, whether it is for good or for evil.(c)

A cheerful countenance is a sign of a prosperous heart. Devising proverbs takes strenuous thinking.

Footnotes

(a)13:13 Gr. along with.

(b)13:14 The remainder of verse 13, and verse 14, are omitted by the best authorities.

Cautions in the choice of company.

He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him.

Burden not thyself above thy power while thou livest; and have no fellowship with one that is mightier and richer than thyself: for how agree the kettle and the earthen pot together? for if the one be smitten against the other, it shall be broken.

The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he threateneth withal: the poor is wronged, and he must intreat also.

If thou be for his profit, he will use thee: but if thou have nothing, he will forsake thee.

If thou have any thing, he will live with thee: yea, he will make thee bare, and will not be sorry for it.

If he have need of thee, he will deceive thee, and smile upon thee, and put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair, and say, What wantest thou?

And he will shame thee by his meats, until he have drawn thee dry twice or thrice, and at the last he will laugh thee to scorn afterward, when he seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.

Beware that thou be not deceived and brought down in thy jollity.

If thou be invited of a mighty man, withdraw thyself, and so much the more will he invite thee.

Press thou not upon him, lest thou be put back; stand not far off, lest thou be forgotten.

Affect not to be made equal unto him in talk, and believe not his many words: for with much communication will he tempt thee, and smiling upon thee will get out thy secrets:

But cruelly he will lay up thy words, and will not spare to do thee hurt, and to put thee in prison.

Observe, and take good heed, for thou walkest in peril of thy overthrowing: when thou hearest these things, awake in thy sleep.

Love the Lord all thy life, and call upon him for thy salvation.

Every beast loveth his like, and every man loveth his neighbor.

All flesh consorteth according to kind, and a man will cleave to his like.

What fellowship hath the wolf with the lamb? so the sinner with the godly.

What agreement is there between the hyena and a dog? and what peace between the rich and the poor?

As the wild ass is the lion’s prey in the wilderness: so the rich eat up the poor.

As the proud hate humility: so doth the rich abhor the poor.

A rich man beginning to fall is held up of his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust away by his friends.

When a rich man is fallen, he hath many helpers: he speaketh things not to be spoken, and yet men justify him: the poor man slipped, and yet they rebuked him too; he spake wisely, and could have no place.

When a rich man speaketh, every man holdeth his tongue, and, look, what he saith, they extol it to the clouds: but if the poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? and if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.

Riches are good unto him that hath no sin, and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly.

The heart of a man changeth his countenance, whether it be for good or evil: and a merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.

A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart that is in prosperity; and the finding out of parables is a wearisome labour of the mind.