Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 7

Proverbs for Life

¹Do no evil, and no evil will happen to you;

²avoid wickedness, and it will stay away from you.

³My child, don’t plant in the field of injustice;

otherwise you will harvest its crop sevenfold.

⁴Don’t ask the Lord for a high position,

or the king for the seat of honor.

⁵Don’t try to justify yourself before the Lord

or try to appear wise before the king.

⁶Don’t seek to be made a judge,

for you may not be able to root out injustice,

or you may be partial to the powerful.

Then you would lose your integrity.

⁷Don’t commit an injustice against the community;

don’t disgrace yourself before the people.

⁸Don’t plan to repeat a sin,

for you will be punished even for one sin.

⁹Don’t say, “God will respect my many offerings;

the Most High God will accept what I offer.”

¹⁰Don’t grow weary of praying,

and don’t neglect to give to the poor.

¹¹Don’t ridicule someone who is bitter about something,

for the same God who humbles a person can also exalt him.

¹²Don’t make up lies about your brother

or about your friend.

¹³Refuse to tell any lie,

for it is a habit that does no good.

¹⁴Don’t talk on and on before the elders

or repeat yourself in prayer.

¹⁵Don’t despise hard work or farm work,

which was ordained by the Most High.

¹⁶Don’t join the ranks of sinners;

remember, punishment will soon follow.

¹⁷Humble yourself as much as you can,

for the ungodly will be punished by fire and worms.

Regarding Relationships

¹⁸Don’t betray a friend for money

or despise a true brother for all the gold of Ophir.

¹⁹Don’t leave a wise and good wife,

for her gracious presence is worth more than gold.

²⁰Don’t hurt servants who work faithfully

or hired laborers who are devoted to their work.

²¹Love wise servants as you love yourself;

don’t deny them their freedom.

²²Do you have livestock? Look after them,

and if they are profitable, keep them.

²³Do you have children? Instruct them,

and make them obedient from childhood.

²⁴Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their chastity,[#7:24 Greek their bodies.]

and don’t be too indulgent with them.

²⁵Giving your daughter in marriage is the culmination of a great task;

but be sure to give her to a sensible man.

²⁶If you have a wife who pleases you, don’t divorce her;

but if you don’t love her, don’t trust her.

²⁷Honor your father with your whole heart,

and don’t forget the pain your mother endured to give you birth.

²⁸Remember that you owe your very life to them;

how can you repay them for all they have done?

²⁹Fear the Lord with all your soul,

and revere his priests.

³⁰Love your Creator with all your strength,

and don’t forsake his servants.

³¹Fear the Lord and honor the priest.

As it is commanded, give the priest his portion:

firstfruits, guilt offerings, shoulder offerings,

sanctification sacrifices, and firstfruits of the holy things.

³²Stretch out your hand to help the poor,

so your blessing may be complete.

³³Be generous to all the living,

and honor even the dead.

³⁴Don’t turn away from those who weep;

share the grief of those who mourn.

³⁵Don’t hesitate to visit the sick,

because you will be loved for doing such things.

³⁶If you always live in light of your approaching death,

you will never sin.