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WEBC: World English Bible, Catholic Edition

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Day 212 of 365

about 12 minutes

Sirach 8-11

Sirach Chapter 8

¹Don’t contend with a mighty man, lest perhaps you fall into his hands. ²Don’t strive with a rich man, lest perhaps he overpower you; for gold has destroyed many, and turned away the hearts of kings. ³Don’t argue with a loudmouthed man. Don’t heap wood upon his fire. ⁴Don’t make fun of a rude man, lest your ancestors be dishonored. ⁵Don’t reproach a man when he turns from sin. Remember that we are all worthy of punishment. ⁶Don’t dishonor a man in his old age, for some of us are also growing old. ⁷Don’t rejoice over anyone’s death. Remember that we all die. ⁸Don’t neglect the discourse of the wise. Be conversant with their proverbs; for from them you will learn discipline and how to serve great men. ⁹Don’t miss the discourse of the aged, for they also learned from their parents, because from them you will learn understanding, and to give an answer in time of need. ¹⁰Don’t kindle the coals of a sinner, lest you be burned with the flame of his fire. ¹¹Don’t rise up from the presence of an insolent man, lest he lie in wait as an ambush for your mouth. ¹²Don’t lend to a man who is stronger than you; and if you lend, count it as a loss. ¹³Don’t be surety beyond your means. If you give surety, think as one who will have to pay. ¹⁴Don’t go to law with a judge; for according to his honor they will give judgment for him. ¹⁵Don’t travel with a reckless man, lest he be burdensome to you; for he will do as he pleases, and you will perish with his folly. ¹⁶Don’t fight with a wrathful man. Don’t travel with him through the desert, for blood is as nothing in his sight. Where there is no help, he will overthrow you. ¹⁷Don’t consult with a fool, for he will not be able to keep a secret. ¹⁸Do no secret thing before a stranger, for you don’t know what it will cause. ¹⁹Don’t open your heart to every man. Don’t let him return you a favor.

1: Don’t contend with a mighty man, lest perhaps you fall into his hands.

2: Don’t strive with a rich man, lest perhaps he overpower you; for gold has destroyed many, and turned away the hearts of kings.

3: Don’t argue with a loudmouthed man. Don’t heap wood upon his fire.

4: Don’t make fun of a rude man, lest your ancestors be dishonored.

5: Don’t reproach a man when he turns from sin. Remember that we are all worthy of punishment.

6: Don’t dishonor a man in his old age, for some of us are also growing old.

7: Don’t rejoice over anyone’s death. Remember that we all die.

8: Don’t neglect the discourse of the wise. Be conversant with their proverbs; for from them you will learn discipline and how to serve great men.

9: Don’t miss the discourse of the aged, for they also learned from their parents, because from them you will learn understanding, and to give an answer in time of need.

10: Don’t kindle the coals of a sinner, lest you be burned with the flame of his fire.

11: Don’t rise up from the presence of an insolent man, lest he lie in wait as an ambush for your mouth.

12: Don’t lend to a man who is stronger than you; and if you lend, count it as a loss.

13: Don’t be surety beyond your means. If you give surety, think as one who will have to pay.

14: Don’t go to law with a judge; for according to his honor they will give judgment for him.

15: Don’t travel with a reckless man, lest he be burdensome to you; for he will do as he pleases, and you will perish with his folly.

16: Don’t fight with a wrathful man. Don’t travel with him through the desert, for blood is as nothing in his sight. Where there is no help, he will overthrow you.

17: Don’t consult with a fool, for he will not be able to keep a secret.

18: Do no secret thing before a stranger, for you don’t know what it will cause.

19: Don’t open your heart to every man. Don’t let him return you a favor.

Sirach Chapter 9

¹Don’t be jealous over the wife of your bosom, and don’t teach her an evil lesson against yourself. ²Don’t give your soul to a woman and let her trample down your strength. ³Don’t go to meet a woman who plays the prostitute, lest perhaps you fall into her snares. ⁴Don’t associate with a woman who is a singer, lest perhaps you be caught by her tricks. ⁵Don’t gaze at a virgin, lest perhaps you stumble and incur penalties for her. ⁶Don’t give your soul to prostitutes, that you not lose your inheritance. ⁷Don’t look around in the streets of the city. Don’t wander in its deserted places. ⁸Turn your eye away from a beautiful woman, and don’t gaze at another’s beauty. Many have been led astray by the beauty of a woman; and with this, passion is kindled like a fire. ⁹Don’t dine at all with a woman who has a husband, or revel with her at wine, lest perhaps your soul turn away to her, and with your spirit you slide into destruction. ¹⁰Don’t forsake an old friend; for a new one is not comparable to him. A new friend is like new wine: if it becomes old, you will drink it with gladness. ¹¹Don’t envy the success of a sinner; for you don’t know what his end will be. ¹²Don’t delight in the delights of the ungodly. Remember they will not go unpunished to the grave. ¹³Keep yourself far from the man who has power to kill, and you will not be troubled by the fear of death. If you come to him, commit no fault, lest he take away your life. Know surely that you go about in the midst of snares, and walk upon the battlements of a city. ¹⁴As well as you can, aim to know your neighbors, and take counsel with the wise. ¹⁵Let your conversation be with men of understanding. Let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High. ¹⁶Let righteous people be companions at your table. Let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord. ¹⁷A work is commended because of the skill of the artisan; so he who rules the people will be considered wise for his speech. ¹⁸A loudmouthed man is dangerous in his city. He who is reckless in his speech will be hated.

1: Don’t be jealous over the wife of your bosom, and don’t teach her an evil lesson against yourself.

2: Don’t give your soul to a woman and let her trample down your strength.

3: Don’t go to meet a woman who plays the prostitute, lest perhaps you fall into her snares.

4: Don’t associate with a woman who is a singer, lest perhaps you be caught by her tricks.

5: Don’t gaze at a virgin, lest perhaps you stumble and incur penalties for her.

6: Don’t give your soul to prostitutes, that you not lose your inheritance.

7: Don’t look around in the streets of the city. Don’t wander in its deserted places.

8: Turn your eye away from a beautiful woman, and don’t gaze at another’s beauty. Many have been led astray by the beauty of a woman; and with this, passion is kindled like a fire.

9: Don’t dine at all with a woman who has a husband, or revel with her at wine, lest perhaps your soul turn away to her, and with your spirit you slide into destruction.

10: Don’t forsake an old friend; for a new one is not comparable to him. A new friend is like new wine: if it becomes old, you will drink it with gladness.

11: Don’t envy the success of a sinner; for you don’t know what his end will be.

12: Don’t delight in the delights of the ungodly. Remember they will not go unpunished to the grave.

13: Keep yourself far from the man who has power to kill, and you will not be troubled by the fear of death. If you come to him, commit no fault, lest he take away your life. Know surely that you go about in the midst of snares, and walk upon the battlements of a city.

14: As well as you can, aim to know your neighbors, and take counsel with the wise.

15: Let your conversation be with men of understanding. Let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High.

16: Let righteous people be companions at your table. Let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord.

17: A work is commended because of the skill of the artisan; so he who rules the people will be considered wise for his speech.

18: A loudmouthed man is dangerous in his city. He who is reckless in his speech will be hated.

Sirach Chapter 10

¹A wise judge will instruct his people. The government of a man of understanding will be well ordered. ²As is the judge of his people, so are his officials. As the city’s ruler is, so are all those who dwell in it. ³An undisciplined king will destroy his people. A city will be established through the understanding of the powerful. ⁴The government of the earth is in the Lord’s hand. In due time, he will raise up over it the right person at the right time. ⁵A man’s prosperity is in the Lord’s hand. He will lay his honor upon the person of the scribe. ⁶Don’t be angry with your neighbor for every wrong. Do nothing by works of violence. ⁷Pride is hateful before the Lord and men. Arrogance is abhorrent in the judgment of both. ⁸Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation because of injustice, violence, and greed for money. ⁹Why are dirt and ashes proud? Because in life, my body decays. ¹⁰A long disease mocks the physician. The king of today will die tomorrow. ¹¹For when a man is dead, he will inherit maggots, vermin, and worms. ¹²It is the beginning of pride when a man departs from the Lord. His heart has departed from him who made him. ¹³For the beginning of pride is sin. He who keeps it will pour out abomination. For this cause the Lord brought upon them strange calamities and utterly overthrew them. ¹⁴The Lord cast down the thrones of rulers and set the lowly in their place. ¹⁵The Lord plucked up the roots of nations and planted the lowly in their place. ¹⁶The Lord overthrew the lands of nations and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth. ¹⁷He took some of them away and destroyed them, and made their memory to cease from the earth. ¹⁸Pride has not been created for men, nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women. ¹⁹Whose offspring has honor? Human offspring who fear the Lord. Whose offspring has no honor? Human offspring who break the commandments. ²⁰In the midst of kindred he who rules them has honor. Those who fear the Lord have honor in his eyes. ²²The rich man, the honorable, and the poor all glory in the fear of the Lord. ²³It is not right to dishonor a poor man who has understanding. It is not fitting to glorify a man who is a sinner. ²⁴The prince, the judge, and the mighty man will be honored. There is not one of them greater than he who fears the Lord. ²⁵Free men will minister to a wise servant. A man who has knowledge will not complain. ²⁶Don’t flaunt your wisdom in doing your work. Don’t boast in the time of your distress. ²⁷Better is he who labors and abounds in all things, than he who boasts and lacks bread. ²⁸My son, glorify your soul in humility, and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worthiness. ²⁹Who will justify him who sins against his own soul? Who will honor him who dishonors his own life? ³⁰A poor man is honored for his knowledge. A rich man is honored for his riches. ³¹But he who is honored in poverty, how much more in riches? He who is dishonored in riches, how much more in poverty?

1: A wise judge will instruct his people. The government of a man of understanding will be well ordered.

2: As is the judge of his people, so are his officials. As the city’s ruler is, so are all those who dwell in it.

3: An undisciplined king will destroy his people. A city will be established through the understanding of the powerful.

4: The government of the earth is in the Lord’s hand. In due time, he will raise up over it the right person at the right time.

5: A man’s prosperity is in the Lord’s hand. He will lay his honor upon the person of the scribe.

6: Don’t be angry with your neighbor for every wrong. Do nothing by works of violence.

7: Pride is hateful before the Lord and men. Arrogance is abhorrent in the judgment of both.

8: Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation because of injustice, violence, and greed for money.

9: Why are dirt and ashes proud? Because in life, my body decays.

10: A long disease mocks the physician. The king of today will die tomorrow.

11: For when a man is dead, he will inherit maggots, vermin, and worms.

12: It is the beginning of pride when a man departs from the Lord. His heart has departed from him who made him.

13: For the beginning of pride is sin. He who keeps it will pour out abomination. For this cause the Lord brought upon them strange calamities and utterly overthrew them.

14: The Lord cast down the thrones of rulers and set the lowly in their place.

15: The Lord plucked up the roots of nations and planted the lowly in their place.

16: The Lord overthrew the lands of nations and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.

17: He took some of them away and destroyed them, and made their memory to cease from the earth.

18: Pride has not been created for men, nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women.

19: Whose offspring has honor? Human offspring who fear the Lord. Whose offspring has no honor? Human offspring who break the commandments.

20: In the midst of kindred he who rules them has honor. Those who fear the Lord have honor in his eyes.

22: The rich man, the honorable, and the poor all glory in the fear of the Lord.

23: It is not right to dishonor a poor man who has understanding. It is not fitting to glorify a man who is a sinner.

24: The prince, the judge, and the mighty man will be honored. There is not one of them greater than he who fears the Lord.

25: Free men will minister to a wise servant. A man who has knowledge will not complain.

26: Don’t flaunt your wisdom in doing your work. Don’t boast in the time of your distress.

27: Better is he who labors and abounds in all things, than he who boasts and lacks bread.

28: My son, glorify your soul in humility, and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worthiness.

29: Who will justify him who sins against his own soul? Who will honor him who dishonors his own life?

30: A poor man is honored for his knowledge. A rich man is honored for his riches.

31: But he who is honored in poverty, how much more in riches? He who is dishonored in riches, how much more in poverty?

Sirach Chapter 11

¹The wisdom of the lowly will lift up his head, and make him sit in the midst of great men. ²Don’t commend a man for his good looks. Don’t abhor a man for his outward appearance. ³The bee is little among flying creatures, but what it produces is the best of confections. ⁴Don’t boast about the clothes you wear, and don’t exalt yourself in the day of honor; for the Lord’s works are wonderful, and his works are hidden among men. ⁵Many kings have sat down upon the ground, but one who was never thought of has worn a crown. ⁶Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced. Men of renown have been delivered into other men’s hands. ⁷Don’t blame before you investigate. Understand first, and then rebuke. ⁸Don’t answer before you have heard. Don’t interrupt while someone else is speaking. ⁹Don’t argue about a matter that doesn’t concern you. Don’t sit with sinners when they judge. ¹⁰My son, don’t be busy about many matters; for if you meddle much, you will not be unpunished. If you pursue, you will not overtake, and you will not escape by fleeing. ¹¹There is one who toils, labors, and hurries, and is even more behind. ¹²There is one who is sluggish, and needs help, lacking in strength, and who abounds in poverty, but the Lord’s eyes looked upon him for good, and he raised him up from his low condition, ¹³and lifted up his head so that many marveled at him. ¹⁴Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and riches, are from the Lord. ¹⁷The Lord’s gift remains with the godly. His good pleasure will prosper forever. ¹⁸One grows rich by his diligence and self-denial, and this is the portion of his reward: ¹⁹when he says, “I have found rest, and now I will eat of my goods!” he doesn’t know how much time will pass until he leaves them to others and dies. ²⁰Be steadfast in your covenant and be doing it, and grow old in your work. ²¹Don’t marvel at the works of a sinner, but trust the Lord and stay in your labor; for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord to swiftly and suddenly make a poor man rich. ²²The Lord’s blessing is in the reward of the godly. He makes his blessing flourish in an hour that comes swiftly. ²³Don’t say, “What use is there of me? What further good things can be mine?” ²⁴Don’t say, “I have enough. What harm could happen to me now?” ²⁵In the day of good things, bad things are forgotten. In the day of bad things, a man will not remember things that are good. ²⁶For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord to reward a man in the day of death according to his ways. ²⁷The affliction of an hour causes delights to be forgotten. In the end, a man’s deeds are revealed. ²⁸Call no man happy before his death. A man will be known in his children. ²⁹Don’t bring every man into your house, for many are the tricks of a deceitful man. ³⁰Like a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the heart of a proud man. Like a spy, he looks for your weakness. ³¹For he lies in wait to turn things that are good into evil, and assigns blame in things that are praiseworthy. ³²From a spark of fire, a heap of many coals is kindled, and a sinful man lies in wait to shed blood. ³³Take heed of an evil-doer, for he plans wicked things, lest perhaps he ruin your reputation forever. ³⁴Receive a stranger into your house, and he will distract you with arguments and estrange you from your own family.

1: The wisdom of the lowly will lift up his head, and make him sit in the midst of great men.

2: Don’t commend a man for his good looks. Don’t abhor a man for his outward appearance.

3: The bee is little among flying creatures, but what it produces is the best of confections.

4: Don’t boast about the clothes you wear, and don’t exalt yourself in the day of honor; for the Lord’s works are wonderful, and his works are hidden among men.

5: Many kings have sat down upon the ground, but one who was never thought of has worn a crown.

6: Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced. Men of renown have been delivered into other men’s hands.

7: Don’t blame before you investigate. Understand first, and then rebuke.

8: Don’t answer before you have heard. Don’t interrupt while someone else is speaking.

9: Don’t argue about a matter that doesn’t concern you. Don’t sit with sinners when they judge.

10: My son, don’t be busy about many matters; for if you meddle much, you will not be unpunished. If you pursue, you will not overtake, and you will not escape by fleeing.

11: There is one who toils, labors, and hurries, and is even more behind.

12: There is one who is sluggish, and needs help, lacking in strength, and who abounds in poverty, but the Lord’s eyes looked upon him for good, and he raised him up from his low condition,

13: and lifted up his head so that many marveled at him.

14: Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and riches, are from the Lord.

17: The Lord’s gift remains with the godly. His good pleasure will prosper forever.

18: One grows rich by his diligence and self-denial, and this is the portion of his reward:

19: when he says, “I have found rest, and now I will eat of my goods!” he doesn’t know how much time will pass until he leaves them to others and dies.

20: Be steadfast in your covenant and be doing it, and grow old in your work.

21: Don’t marvel at the works of a sinner, but trust the Lord and stay in your labor; for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord to swiftly and suddenly make a poor man rich.

22: The Lord’s blessing is in the reward of the godly. He makes his blessing flourish in an hour that comes swiftly.

23: Don’t say, “What use is there of me? What further good things can be mine?”

24: Don’t say, “I have enough. What harm could happen to me now?”

25: In the day of good things, bad things are forgotten. In the day of bad things, a man will not remember things that are good.

26: For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord to reward a man in the day of death according to his ways.

27: The affliction of an hour causes delights to be forgotten. In the end, a man’s deeds are revealed.

28: Call no man happy before his death. A man will be known in his children.

29: Don’t bring every man into your house, for many are the tricks of a deceitful man.

30: Like a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the heart of a proud man. Like a spy, he looks for your weakness.

31: For he lies in wait to turn things that are good into evil, and assigns blame in things that are praiseworthy.

32: From a spark of fire, a heap of many coals is kindled, and a sinful man lies in wait to shed blood.

33: Take heed of an evil-doer, for he plans wicked things, lest perhaps he ruin your reputation forever.

34: Receive a stranger into your house, and he will distract you with arguments and estrange you from your own family.

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Scripture text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (WEBC) — public domain

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