Sirach 37

¹Every friend will say, “I also am his friend”;

but there is a friend which is only a friend in name.

²Isn’t there a grief in it even to death

when a companion and friend is turned into an enemy?

³O wicked imagination, why were you formed

to cover the dry land with deceit?

⁴There is a companion who rejoices in the gladness of a friend,

but in time of affliction will be against him.

⁵There is a companion who for the belly’s sake labors with his friend,

yet in the face of battle will carry his buckler.

⁶Don’t forget a friend in your soul.

Don’t be unmindful of him in your riches.

⁷Every counselor extols counsel,

but some give counsel in their own interest.

⁸Let your soul beware of a counselor,

and know in advance what is his interest

(for he will take counsel for himself),

lest he cast the lot against you,

⁹and say to you, “Your way is good.”

Then he will stand near you, to see what will happen to you.

¹⁰Don’t take counsel with one who looks askance at you.

Hide your counsel from those who are jealous of you.

¹¹Don’t consult with a woman about her rival,

with a coward about war,

with a merchant about business,

with a buyer about selling,

with an envious man about thankfulness,

with an unmerciful man about kindliness,

with a sluggard about any kind of work,

with a hireling in your house about finishing his work,

or with an idle servant about much business.

Pay no attention to these in any matter of counsel.

¹²But rather be continually with a godly man,

whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments,

who in his soul is as your own soul,

and who will grieve with you, if you fail.

¹³Make the counsel of your heart stand,

for there is no one more faithful to you than it.

¹⁴For a man’s soul is sometimes inclined to inform him

better than seven watchmen who sit on high on a watch-tower.

¹⁵Above all this ask the Most High

that he may direct your way in truth.

¹⁶Let reason be the beginning of every work.

Let counsel go before every action.1

¹⁷As a token of the changing of the heart,

¹⁸four kinds of things rise up:

good and evil, life and death.

That which rules over them continually is the tongue.

¹⁹There is one who is clever and the instructor of many,

and yet is unprofitable to his own soul.1

²⁰There is one who is subtle in words, and is hated.

He will be destitute of all food.1

²¹For grace was not given to him from the Lord,

because he is deprived of all wisdom.1

²²There is one who is wise to his own soul;

and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy in the mouth.

²³A wise man will instruct his own people.

The fruits of his understanding are trustworthy.

²⁴A wise man will be filled with blessing.

All those who see him will call him happy.

²⁵The life of a man is counted by days.

The days of Israel are innumerable.

²⁶The wise man will inherit confidence among his people.

His name will live forever.

²⁷My son, test your soul in your life.

See what is evil for it, and don’t give in to it.

²⁸For not all things are profitable for all men.

Not every soul has pleasure in everything.

²⁹Don’t be insatiable in any luxury.

Don’t be greedy in the things that you eat.

³⁰For overeating brings disease,

and gluttony causes nausea.

³¹Because of gluttony, many have perished,

but he who takes heed shall prolong his life.