Sir 22:8 He that telleth a tale to a fool speaketh to one in a slumber: when he hath told his tale, he will say, What is the matter?

Sir 22:9 If children live honestly, and have wherewithal, they shall cover the baseness of their parents.

Sir 22:10 But children, being haughty, through disdain and want of nurture do stain the n.o.bility of their kindred.

Sir 22:11 Weep for the dead, for he hath lost the light: and weep for the fool, for he wanteth understanding: make little weeping for the dead, for he is at rest: but the life of the fool is worse than death.

Sir 22:12 Seven days do men mourn for him that is dead; but for a fool and an unG.o.dly man all the days of his life.

Sir 22:13 Talk not much with a fool, and go not to him that hath no understanding: beware of him, lest thou have trouble, and thou shalt never be defiled with his fooleries: depart from him, and thou shalt find rest, and never be disquieted with madness.

Sir 22:14 What is heavier than lead? and what is the name thereof, but a fool?

Sir 22:15 Sand, and salt, and a ma.s.s of iron, is easier to bear, than a man without understanding.

Sir 22:16 As timber girt and bound together in a building cannot be loosed with shaking: so the heart that is stablished by advised counsel shall fear at no time.

Sir 22:17 A heart settled upon a thought of understanding is as a fair plaistering on the wall of a gallery.

Sir 22:18 Pales set on an high place will never stand against the wind: so a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool cannot stand against any fear.

Sir 22:19 He that p.r.i.c.keth the eye will make tears to fall: and he that p.r.i.c.keth the heart maketh it to shew her knowledge.

Sir 22:20 Whoso casteth a stone at the birds frayeth them away: and he that upbraideth his friend breaketh friendship.

Sir 22:21 Though thou drewest a sword at thy friend, yet despair not: for there may be a returning [to favour.]

Sir 22:22 If thou hast opened thy mouth against thy friend, fear not; for there may be a reconciliation: except for upbraiding, or pride, or disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound: for for these things every friend will depart.

Sir 22:23 Be faithful to thy neighbour in his poverty, that thou mayest rejoice in his prosperity: abide stedfast unto him in the time of his trouble, that thou mayest be heir with him in his heritage: for a mean estate is not always to be contemned: nor the rich that is foolish to be had in admiration.

Sir 22:24 As the vapour and smoke of a furnace goeth before the fire; so reviling before blood.

Sir 22:25 I will not be ashamed to defend a friend; neither will I hide myself from him.

Sir 22:26 And if any evil happen unto me by him, every one that heareth it will beware of him.

Sir 22:27 Who shall set a watch before my mouth, and a seal of wisdom upon my lips, that I fall not suddenly by them, and that my tongue destroy me not?

Sir 23:1 O Lord, Father and Governor of all my whole life, leave me not to their counsels, and let me not fall by them.

Sir 23:2 Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over mine heart? that they spare me not for mine ignorances, and it pa.s.s not by my sins:

Sir 23:3 Lest mine ignorances increase, and my sins abound to my destruction, and I fall before mine adversaries, and mine enemy rejoice over me, whose hope is far from thy mercy.

Sir 23:4 O Lord, Father and G.o.d of my life, give me not a proud look, but turn away from thy servants always a haughty mind.

Sir 23:5 Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and thou shalt hold him up that is desirous always to serve thee.

Sir 23:6 Let not the greediness of the belly nor l.u.s.t of the flesh take hold of me; and give not over me thy servant into an impudent mind.

Sir 23:7 Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth: he that keepeth it shall never be taken in his lips.

Sir 23:8 The sinner shall be left in his foolishness: both the evil speaker and the proud shall fall thereby.

Sir 23:9 Accustom not thy mouth to swearing; neither use thyself to the naming of the Holy One.

Sir 23:10 For as a servant that is continually beaten shall not be without a blue mark: so he that sweareth and nameth G.o.d continually shall not be faultless.

Sir 23:11 A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall never depart from his house: if he shall offend, his sin shall be upon him: and if he acknowledge not his sin, he maketh a double offence: and if he swear in vain, he shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of calamities.

Sir 23:12 There is a word that is clothed about with death: G.o.d grant that it be not found in the heritage of Jacob; for all such things shall be far from the G.o.dly, and they shall not wallow in their sins.

Sir 23:13 Use not thy mouth to intemperate swearing, for therein is the word of sin.

Sir 23:14 Remember thy father and thy mother, when thou sittest among great men. Be not forgetful before them, and so thou by thy custom become a fool, and wish that thou hadst not been born, and curse they day of thy nativity.

Sir 23:15 The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will never be reformed all the days of his life.

Sir 23:16 Two sorts of men multiply sin, and the third will bring wrath: a hot mind is as a burning fire, it will never be quenched till it be consumed: a fornicator in the body of his flesh will never cease till he hath kindled a fire.

Sir 23:17 All bread is sweet to a wh.o.r.emonger, he will not leave off till he die.

Sir 23:18 A man that breaketh wedlock, saying thus in his heart, Who seeth me? I am compa.s.sed about with darkness, the walls cover me, and no body seeth me; what need I to fear? the most High will not remember my sins:

Sir 23:19 Such a man only feareth the eyes of men, and knoweth not that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, beholding all the ways of men, and considering the most secret parts.

Sir 23:20 He knew all things ere ever they were created; so also after they were perfected he looked upon them all.

Sir 23:21 This man shall be punished in the streets of the city, and where he suspecteth not he shall be taken.

Sir 23:22 Thus shall it go also with the wife that leaveth her husband, and bringeth in an heir by another.

Sir 23:23 For first, she hath disobeyed the law of the most High; and secondly, she hath trespa.s.sed against her own husband; and thirdly, she hath played the wh.o.r.e in adultery, and brought children by another man.

Sir 23:24 She shall be brought out into the congregation, and inquisition shall be made of her children.

Sir 23:25 Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall bring forth no fruit.

Sir 23:26 She shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her reproach shall not be blotted out.

Sir 23:27 And they that remain shall know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord, and that there is nothing sweeter than to take heed unto the commandments of the Lord.

Sir 23:28 It is great glory to follow the Lord, and to be received of him is long life.

Sir 24:1 Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.

Sir 24:2 In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.