Sirach 28

¹He who takes vengeance will find vengeance from the Lord,

and he will surely make his sins firm.

²Forgive your neighbor the hurt that he has done,

and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.

³Does anyone harbor anger against another

and expect healing from the Lord?

⁴Upon a man like himself he has no mercy,

and does he make supplication for his own sins?

⁵He himself, being flesh, nourishes wrath.

Who will make atonement for his sins?

⁶Remember your last end, and stop enmity.

Remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments.

⁷Remember the commandments, and don’t be angry with your neighbor.

Remember the covenant of the Highest, and overlook ignorance.

⁸Abstain from strife, and you will diminish your sins,

for a passionate man will kindle strife.

⁹A man who is a sinner will trouble friends

and sow discord among those who are at peace.

¹⁰As is the fuel of the fire, so it will burn;

and as the stoutness of the strife is, so it will burn.

As is the strength of the man, so will be his wrath;

and as is his wealth, so he will exalt his anger.

¹¹A contention begun in haste kindles a fire;

and hasty fighting sheds blood.

¹²If you blow on a spark, it will burn;

and if you spit upon it, it will be quenched.

Both of these come out of your mouth.

¹³Curse the whisperer and double-tongued,

for he has destroyed many who were at peace.

¹⁴A slanderer has shaken many,

and dispersed them from nation to nation.

It has pulled down strong cities

and overthrown the houses of great men.

¹⁵A slanderer has cast out brave women

and deprived them of their labors.

¹⁶He who listens to it will not find rest,

nor will he live quietly.

¹⁷The stroke of a whip makes a mark in the flesh,

but the stroke of a tongue will break bones.

¹⁸Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,

yet not so many as those who have fallen because of the tongue.

¹⁹Happy is he who is sheltered from it,

who has not passed through its wrath,

who has not drawn its yoke,

and has not been bound with its bands.

²⁰For its yoke is a yoke of iron,

and its bands are bands of brass.

²¹Its death is an evil death,

and Hades is better than it.

²²It will not have rule over godly men.

They will not be burned in its flame.

²³Those who forsake the Lord will fall into it.

It will burn among them, and won’t be quenched.

It will be sent against them like a lion.

It will destroy them like a leopard.

²⁴As you hedge your possession about with thorns,

and secure your silver and your gold,

²⁵so make a balance and a weight for your words,

and make a door and a bar for your mouth.

²⁶Take heed lest you slip with it,

lest you fall before one who lies in wait.