Sirach

¹ He that toucheth pitch, shall be defiled with it: and he that hath fellowship with the proud, shall put on pride.

² He shall take a burden upon him that hath fellowship with one more honourable than himself. And have no fellowship with one that is richer than thyself.

³ What agreement shall the earthen pot have with the kettle? for if they knock one against the other, it shall be broken.

⁴ The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he will fume: but the poor is wronged and must hold his peace.

⁵ If thou give, he will make use of thee: and if thou have nothing, he will forsake thee.

⁶ If thou have any thing, he will live with thee, and will make thee bare, and he will not be sorry for thee.

⁷ If he have need of thee he will deceive thee, and smiling upon thee will put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair, and will say: What wantest thou?

⁸ And he will shame thee by his meats, till he have drawn thee dry twice or thrice, and at last he will laugh at thee: and afterward when he seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.

⁹ Humble thyself to God, and wait for his hands.

¹⁰ Beware that thou be not deceived Into folly, and be humbled.

¹¹ Be not lowly in thy wisdom, lest being humbled thou be deceived into folly.

¹² If thou be invited by one that is mightier, withdraw thyself: for so he will invite thee the more.

¹³ Be not troublesome to him, lest thou be put back: and keep not far from him, lest thou be forgotten.

¹⁴ Affect not to speak with him as an equal: and believe not his many words: for by much talk he will sift thee, and smiling will examine thee concerning thy secrets.

¹⁵ His cruel mind will lay up thy words: and he will not spare to do thee hurt, and to cast thee into prison.

¹⁶ Take heed to thyself, and attend diligently to what thou hearest: for thou walkest in danger of thy ruin.

¹⁷ When thou hearest those things, see as it were in sleep, and thou shalt awake.

¹⁸ Love God all thy life, and call upon him for thy salvation.

¹⁹ Every beast loveth its like: so also every man him that is nearest to himself.

²⁰ All flesh shall consort with the like to itself, and every man shall associate himself to his like.

²¹ If the wolf shall at any time have fellowship with the lamb, so the sinner with the just.

²² What fellowship hath a holy man with a dog, or what part hath the rich with the poor?

²³ The wild ass is the lion’s prey in the desert: so also the poor are devoured by the rich.

²⁴ And as humility is an abomination to the proud: so also the rich man abhorreth the poor.

²⁵ When a rich man is shaken, he is kept up by his friends: but when a poor man is fallen down, he is thrust away even by his acquaintance.

²⁶ When a rich man hath been deceived, he hath many helpers: he hath spoken proud things, and they have justified him.

²⁷ The poor man was deceived, and he is rebuked also: he hath spoken wisely, and could have no place.

²⁸ The rich man spoke, and all held their peace, and what he said they extol even to the clouds.

²⁹ The poor man spoke, and they say: Who is this? and if he stumble, they will overthrow him.

³⁰ Riches are good to him that hath no sin in his conscience: and poverty is very wicked in the mouth of the ungodly.

³¹ The heart of a man changeth his countenance, either for good, or for evil.

³² The token of a good heart, and a good countenance thou shalt hardly find, and with labour.