Sirach 4

¹My son, don’t deprive the poor of his living.

Don’t make the needy eyes wait long.

²Don’t make a hungry soul sorrowful,

or provoke a man in his distress.

³Don’t add more trouble to a heart that is provoked.

Don’t put off giving to him who is in need.

⁴Don’t reject a suppliant in his affliction.

Don’t turn your face away from a poor man.

⁵Don’t turn your eye away from one who asks.

Give no occasion to a man to curse you.

⁶For if he curses you in the bitterness of his soul,

he who made him will hear his supplication.

⁷Endear yourself to the assembly.

Bow your head to a great man.

⁸Incline your ear to a poor man.

Answer him with peaceful words in humility.

⁹Deliver him who is wronged from the hand of him who wrongs him;

Don’t be hesitant in giving judgment.

¹⁰Be as a father to the fatherless,

and like a husband to their mother.

So you will be as a son of the Most High,

and he will love you more than your mother does.

¹¹Wisdom exalts her sons,

and takes hold of those who seek her.

¹²He who loves her loves life.

Those who seek her early will be filled with gladness.

¹³He who holds her fast will inherit glory.

Where he enters, the Lord will bless.

¹⁴Those who serve her minister to the Holy One.

The Lord loves those who love her.

¹⁵He who listens to her will judge the nations.

He who heeds her will dwell securely.

¹⁶If he trusts her, he will inherit her,

and his generations will possess her.

¹⁷For at the first she will walk with him in crooked ways,

and will bring fear and dread upon him,

and torment him with her discipline,

until she may trust his soul, and try him by her judgments.

¹⁸Then she will return him again to the straight way,

and will gladden him, and reveal to him her secrets.

¹⁹If he goes astray, she will forsake him,

and hand him over to his fall.

²⁰Watch for the opportunity, and beware of evil.

Don’t be ashamed of your soul.

²¹For there is a shame that brings sin,

and there is a shame that is glory and grace.1

²²Don’t show partiality, discrediting your soul.

Don’t revere any man to your falling.

²³Don’t refrain from speaking when it is for safety.

Don’t hide your wisdom for the sake of seeming fair.

²⁴For wisdom will be known by speech,

and instruction by the word of the tongue.

²⁵Don’t speak against the truth

and be shamed for your ignorance.1

²⁶Don’t be ashamed to confess your sins.

Don’t fight the river’s current.

²⁷Don’t lay yourself down for a fool to tread upon.

Don’t be partial to one who is mighty.

²⁸Strive for the truth to death,

and the Lord God will fight for you.1

²⁹Don’t be hasty with your tongue,

or slack and negligent in your deeds.

³⁰Don’t be like a lion in your house,

or suspicious of your servants.

³¹Don’t let your hand be stretched out to receive,

and closed when you should repay.