Jul 17 - Sirach 13-15
Sirach
1Whoever touches pitch will be contaminated by it. And whoever associates with the arrogant will be clothed by arrogance2Whoever associates with those more honorable than himself sets a burden on himself. And so, you should have no fellowship with someone who is wealthier than you3What will the cooking pot have in common with the earthen vessel? And when they collide with one another, one will be broken4The rich man has suffered no injustice, and yet he fumes. But the poor man, though he has been wounded, will remain silent5If you are generous, he will take you up; and when you have nothing, he will cast you aside6If you possess, he will feast with you, and he will empty you, and he will not grieve over you7If he has need of you, he will deceive you; and while smiling, he will give you hope. He will converse with you pleasantly, and he will say: "What is it that you need?8And he will impress you with his foods, until he has drained you two or three times, and in the very end, he will ridicule you. And afterward, when he sees you, he will abandon you, and he will shake his head at you9Humble yourself before God, and wait for his hands10Be careful. Otherwise, having been seduced into foolishness, you will be humiliated11Do not choose to be low in your wisdom, otherwise, having been brought low, you will be seduced into foolishness12If you are invited by someone who is more powerful than you, you should decline. Otherwise, he will invite you all the more13You cannot be rude to him, lest you be pushed away. And you cannot stray far from him, lest you be forgotten14You cannot hold a discussion with him as with an equal. You should not trust his many words. For by much talking, he will probe you, and while smiling, he will question you about your secrets15His cruel mind will store up your words; and he will not spare you from affliction, nor from prison16Be cautious of yourself, and attend diligently to what you are hearing. For you are walking toward your own destruction17Yet truly, while listening to these things, consider it as if it were a dream, and you will awaken18Love God for your entire life, and call upon him for your salvation19Every animal loves its own kind; so also every man loves those closest to himself20All flesh will join with whatever is similar to itself, and every man will associate with whomever is similar to himself21If a wolf would at any time have fellowship with a lamb, so also would a sinner have fellowship with the just22What fellowship does a holy man have with a dog? Or what portion do the wealthy have with the poor23In the desert, the wild donkey is the prey of the lion. So also are the poor the pasture of the rich24And just as humility is an abomination to the arrogant, so also does the rich man abhor the poor man25When a wealthy man has been shaken, he is strengthened by his friends. But when a lowly man has fallen, he is expelled even by those who know him well26When a rich man has been deceived, many will help him recover; he has spoken arrogantly, and yet they justify him27When a poor man has been deceived, in addition he is rebuked; he has spoken with understanding, and no place is given to him28The rich man has spoken, and all remain silent, and they repeat his words, even to the clouds29The poor man has spoken, and they say: "Who is this?" And if he stumbles, they will overthrow him30Substance is good for him who has no sin on his conscience. And poverty is called very wicked by the mouth of the impious31The heart of a man changes his face, either for better or for worse32You will find, with difficulty and much labor, the sign of a good heart and a good face
1Blessed is the man who has not slipped because of a word from his mouth, and who has not been stung by grief because of an offense2Happy is he who does not have sadness in his mind, and who has not fallen away from his hope3Substance is senseless for a greedy and stingy man. And what would a spiteful man do with gold4Whoever acquires unjustly, according to his own mind, gathers for others. For another will spend his goods lavishly5Whoever is wicked to himself, to whom will he be good? For he will not take enjoyment in his own goods6Whoever has ill will toward himself, nothing is more worthless than he is. But such is the reward of his wickedness7And if he does good, he does it ignorantly and unwillingly. And in the very end, he realizes his own malice8The eye of the spiteful man is wicked, and he averts his face and despises his own soul9The eye of the greedy man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity. He will not be satisfied until he has consumed his own soul, withering it away10An evil eye is directed at evil things. And he will not be satisfied by bread; instead, he will be needy and grieving at his own table11Son, if you have anything, do good to yourself, and offer worthy oblations to God12Remember that death has not been delayed, and that the covenant of the grave has been revealed to you. For the covenant of this world will pass away in death13Do good to your friend before you die. And according to your ability, extend your hand and give to the poor14Do not cheat yourself out of a good day, and do not let the smallest good gift pass you by15Should you not leave it to others to divide your sorrows and labors by lot16Give, and receive, and justify your soul17Before your passing, accomplish justice. For in death, there is no food to be found18All flesh grows old like the grass, and like the foliage that springs forth from a green tree19Some spring up, and others fall away. Such is the generation of flesh and blood. One is finished, and another is born20Every corruptible work will fail in the end. And its worker will go with it21But every excellent work will be justified. And whoever worked it will be honored by it22Blessed is the man who will abide in wisdom, and who will meditate on her righteousness, and who, in his mind, will consider the circumspection of God23He considers her ways in his heart, and he finds understanding in her secrets. He goes after her like an investigator, and he is constant in her ways24He gazes through her windows, and he listens at her door25He rests next to her house, and, fastening a peg in her walls, he sets up his cottage by her hands. And so, good things will find rest in his cottage as time passes26He will station his sons under her covering, and he will abide under her branches27He will be protected by her covering from the heat, and he will rest in her glory
1Whoever fears God will do good. And whoever holds to justice will obtain it2And like an honorable mother, she will meet him, and like a virgin bride, she will receive him3She will feed him with the bread of life and understanding. And she will give him to drink from the water of salvific wisdom. And she will be confirmed in him, and he will not waver4And she will hold to him, and he will not be confounded. And she will exalt him, along with those closest to him5And in the midst of the Church, she will open his mouth, and she will fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and she will clothe him with a robe of glory6She will store up in him a treasure of rejoicing and exultation, and she will cause him to inherit an everlasting name7But foolish men will not take hold of her. And though understanding men will meet her, foolish men will not catch sight of her. For she is far from arrogance and deceit8Lying men will be wary of her. But men who speak the truth will be found with her, and they will have success, even when examined by God9Praise is not beautiful in the mouth of a sinner10For wisdom was sent from God. And praise will stand before the wisdom of God, and praise will abound in the mouths of the faithful, and the sovereign Lord will give praise to wisdom11You should not say: "It is because of God that wisdom is absent." For you should not do what he detests12You should not say: "He has led me astray." For the impious are of no use to him13The Lord hates all abominable error, and those who fear him will not love such things14God established man from the beginning, and he left him in the hand of his own counsel15He added his commandments and precepts16If you choose to keep the commandments, and if, having chosen them, you fulfill them with perpetual fidelity, they will preserve you17He has set water and fire before you. Extend your hand to whichever one you would choose18Before man is life and death, good and evil. Whichever one he chooses will be given to him19For the wisdom of God is manifold. And he is strong in power, seeing all things without ceasing20The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, and he knows each one of the works of man21He has commanded no one to act impiously, and he has given no one permission to sin22For he does not desire a multitude of unfaithful and useless sons