Sirach 13
Associating with the arrogant or wealthy can lead to contamination and burden. The rich and poor are not compatible, and the wealthy often take advantage of the poor. One should be cautious when interacting with those more powerful, as they may use flattery to gain information or exploit others. True friendship and love are found among those who are similar, and humility is often despised by the arrogant. The rich are often given favor and justification, while the poor are rebuked and overlooked. Ultimately, a good heart and a good face are rare and difficult to find.
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
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