Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

1Whoso toucheth pitch, it shall cleave to his hand (?); And he that hath fellowship with a scorner will learn his way.

2What is too heavy for thee wherefore shouldest thou lift? And wherefore have fellowship with one that is richer than thou? What fellowship shall earthen pot have with kettle, When if this smite that, it is dashed in pieces? What fellowship shall the rich have with the poor?

3The rich doeth a wrong, and he boasteth himself of it (?): The poor is wronged, and he must entreat withal (?).

4If thou be right for him, he will make thee serve him; And if thou be brought low, he will be sparing of thee.

5If thou have substance (?), he will speak thee fair; And he will impoverish thee, and will not be sorry.

6Hath he need of thee? then he will toy with thee (?); And he will smile upon thee, and encourage thee.

7So long as it profiteth he will cajole thee. Twice or thrice he will shew thee reverence (?); And then he will look at thee and pass thee by (?); And will wag his head at thee.

8Take heed that thou be not urgent (?) overmuch; And be not like to them that lack intelligence.

9Doth a noble draw near? be thou distant; And so much the more he will approach thee.

10Come not near, lest thou be put far off; And stand not far off, lest thou be forgotten (G).

11Make not bold to be free (?) with him; And mistrust thou his much talk. For with his much talk maketh he trial of thee; And he will smile upon thee, and search thee out.

12He that is cruel will speak peace (?) and spare not; While he plotteth a plot against the life of many.

13Take heed and beware; And go not with men of violence.

14All flesh loveth its kind; And every man him that is like unto him.

15The kind of all flesh consorteth therewith; And a man will have fellowship with his kind.

16What fellowship shall wolf have with lamb? Such is the wicked to the righteous; And so is the rich unto a man that is destitute.

17How should there be (?) peace between hyena and dog? How should there be peace between rich and poor?

18Wild asses of the wilderness are food for the lion: So the poor are the prey of the rich.

19Lowliness is the abomination of pride; And the needy is the abomination of the rich.

20A rich man when he is shaken is held up (?) of a friend; But the poor when he is shaken is thrust from evil to evil (?).

21The rich speaketh, and his helpers are many; And his unseemly words are overlaid (?).

22A poor man speaketh (G S), and they hoot at him (?); Though he be wise that speaketh, there is no place for him.

23When the rich speaketh, all keep silence; And (?) they extol his wisdom to the clouds.

24When the poor speaketh, Who is this? say they; And if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.

25Good is wealth, if it be without iniquity; And evil is poverty in the mouth of arrogancy.

26The heart of a man changeth his countenance; Whether for good or for evil.

27A token of a merry heart is a bright countenance; And study and meditation is wearisome thought (?).