Ecclesiasticus / Sirach - The Old Testament

¹ My child, do not refuse the poor a livelihood, do not tantalise the needy.

² Do not add to the sufferings of the hungry, do not bait anyone in distress.

³ Do not aggravate a heart already angry, nor keep the destitute waiting for your alms.

⁴ Do not repulse a hard-pressed beggar, nor turn your face from the poor.

⁵ Do not avert your eyes from the needy, give no one occasion to curse you;

⁶ for if someone curses you in distress, his Maker will give ear to the imprecation.

⁷ Gain the love of the community, in the presence of the great bow your head.

⁸ To the poor lend an ear, and courteously return the greeting.

⁹ Save the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor, and do not be mean-spirited in your judgements.

¹⁰ Be like a father to the fatherless and as good as a husband to their mothers. And you will be like a child to the Most High, who will love you more than your own mother does.

¹¹ Wisdom brings up her own children and cares for those who seek her.

¹² Whoever loves her loves life, those who seek her early will be filled with joy.

¹³ Whoever possesses her will inherit honour, and wherever he walks the Lord will bless him.

¹⁴ Those who serve her minister to the Holy One, and the Lord loves those who love her.

¹⁵ Whoever obeys her rules the nations, whoever pays attention to her dwells secure.

¹⁶ If he trusts himself to her he will inherit her, and his descendants will remain in possession of her;

¹⁷ for though she takes him at first through winding ways, bringing fear and faintness on him, trying him out with her discipline till she can trust him, and testing him with her ordeals,

¹⁸ she then comes back to him on the straight road, makes him happy and reveals her secrets to him.

¹⁹ If he goes astray, however, she abandons him and leaves him to his own destruction.

²⁰ Take circumstances into account and beware of evil, and have no cause to be ashamed of yourself;

²¹ for there is a shame that leads to sin and a shame that is honourable and gracious.

²² Do not be too severe on yourself, do not let shame lead you to ruin.

²³ Do not refrain from speaking when it will do good, and do not hide your wisdom;

²⁴ for your wisdom is made known by what you say, your erudition by the words you utter.

²⁵ Do not contradict the truth, rather blush for your own ignorance.

²⁶ Do not be ashamed to confess your sins, do not struggle against the current of the river.

²⁷ Do not grovel to the foolish, do not show partiality to the influential.

²⁸ Fight to the death for truth, and the Lord God will war on your side.

²⁹ Do not be bold of tongue, yet idle and slack in deed;

³⁰ do not be like a lion at home, or cowardly towards your servants.

³¹ Do not let your hands be outstretched to receive, yet tight-fisted when the time comes to give back.