Sirach 10

¹A wise judge will judge his people, and the leadership of an understanding man will be steadfast.

²As the judge of the people is, so also are his assistants. And whatever kind of man the ruler of a city is, of such a kind also are those who live in it.

³A foolish king will be the ruin of his people. For cities will be inhabited through the understanding of those with power.

⁴Power over the earth is in the hand of God, and, in due time, he will raise up a helpful leader over the earth.

⁵The prosperity of a man is in the hand of God, and he will place his honor above the face of the scribe.

⁶You should forget all injury done to you by your neighbor, and you should do nothing among the works of injury.

⁷Arrogance is hateful in the sight of God and of men. And all iniquity among the nations is abominable.

⁸A kingdom is transferred from one people to another because of injustices, and injuries, and contempt, and every kind of deceit.

⁹But nothing is more wicked than a greedy man. Why should that which is earth and ashes be arrogant?

¹⁰There is nothing more iniquitous than to love money. For such a one has sold even his own soul. For in his life, he casts aside his innermost being.

¹¹All power is of short life. A prolonged sickness is of grave concern to a physician.

¹²A physician causes a sickness to be shortened. So also, a king is here today, and tomorrow he will die.

¹³For when a man dies, he will inherit serpents, and wild beasts, and worms.

¹⁴The beginning of the arrogance of man is apostasy from God.

¹⁵For his heart has withdrawn from the One who made him. For arrogance is the beginning of all sin. Whoever holds to it, will be filled with evil words, and it will overthrow him in the end.

¹⁶Because of this, the Lord has dishonored the gatherings of the evil, and he has destroyed them, even unto the end.

¹⁷God has destroyed the seats of arrogant leaders, and he has caused the meek to be seated in their place.

¹⁸The roots of arrogant nations, God has dried up, and the humble among these nations, he has planted.

¹⁹The Lord has overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and he has utterly destroyed them, even to their foundation.

²⁰He has dried up some of them, and he has utterly destroyed them, and he has caused their memory to depart from the earth.

²¹God has abolished the memory of the arrogant, and he has left behind only the memory of those who are humble in mind.

²²Arrogance was not created for men, nor was an angry temperament created for the gender of women.

²³Those who fear God among the offspring of men will be honored. But those among the offspring who ignore the commandments of the Lord will be dishonored.

²⁴In the midst of his brothers, a ruler has honor. And those who fear the Lord will have honor in his eyes.

²⁵The fear of God is the glory of the wealthy, and of the honorable, and of the poor.

²⁶Do not choose to despise a just man who is poor, and do not choose to magnify a sinful man who is rich.

²⁷The great man, and the judge, and the powerful have honor. But no one is greater than he who fears God.

²⁸Those who are free will serve an understanding servant. And a prudent and disciplined man will not murmur at correction. But an ignorant man will not be honored.

²⁹Do not choose to extol yourself in doing your work, and do not be unproductive during the time of distress.

³⁰He who works, and so abounds in all things, is better than he who boasts, and so lacks bread.

³¹Son, preserve your soul in meekness, and give it honor according to its merit.

³²Who will justify one who sins in his soul? And who will honor one who dishonors his soul?

³³The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear. And there is a man who is honored because of his substance.

³⁴But if someone is glorified in poverty, how much more in substance? And whoever is glorified in substance, let him fear poverty.

Sirach 10

¹A wise judge shall judge his people, and the government of a prudent man shall be steady.

²As the judge of the people is himself, so also are his ministers: and what manner of man the ruler of a city is, such also are they that dwell therein.

³An unwise king shall be the ruin of his people: and cities shall be inhabited through the prudence of the rulers.

⁴The power of the earth is in the hand of God, and in his time he will raise up a profitable ruler over it.

⁵The prosperity of man is in the hand of God, and upon the person of the scribe he shall lay his honour.

⁶Remember not any injury done thee by thy neighbour, and do thou nothing by deeds of injury.

⁷Pride is hateful before God and men: and all iniquity of nations is execrable.

⁸A kingdom is translated from one people to another, because of injustices, and wrongs, and injuries, and divers deceits.

⁹But nothing is more wicked than the covetous man. Why is earth, and ashes proud?

¹⁰There is not a more wicked thing than to love money: for such a one setteth even his own soul to sale: because while he liveth he hath cast away his bowels.

¹¹All power is of short life. A long sickness is troublesome to the physician.

¹²The physician cutteth off a short sickness: so also a king is to day, and to morrow he shall die.

¹³For when a man shall die, he shall inherit serpents, and beasts, and worms.

¹⁴The beginning of the pride of man, is to fall off from God:

¹⁵Because his heart is departed from him that made him: for pride is the beginning of all sin: he that holdeth it, shall be filled with maledictions, and it shall ruin him in the end.

¹⁶Therefore hath the Lord disgraced the assemblies of the wicked, and hath utterly destroyed them.

¹⁷God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes, and hath set up the meek in their stead.

¹⁸God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of these nations.

¹⁹The Lord hath overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and hath destroyed them even to the foundation.

²⁰He hath made some of them to wither away, and hath destroyed them, and hath made the memory of them to cease from the earth.

²¹God hath abolished the memory of the proud, and hath preserved the memory of them that are humble in mind.

²²Pride was not made for men: nor wrath for the race of women.

²³That seed of men shall be honoured, which feareth God: but that seed shall be dishonoured, which transgresseth the commandments of the Lord.

²⁴In the midst of brethren their chief is honourable: so shall they that fear the Lord, be in his eyes.

²⁵The fear of God is the glory of the rich, and of the honourable, and of the poor.

²⁶Despise not a just man that is poor, and do not magnify a sinful man that is rich.

²⁷The great man, and the judge, and the mighty is in honour: and there is none greater than he that feareth God.

²⁸They that are free shall serve a servant that is wise: and a man that is prudent and well instructed will not murmur when he is reproved; and he that is ignorant, shall not be honoured.

²⁹Extol not thyself in doing thy work, and linger not in the time of distress;

³⁰Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself and wanteth bread.

³¹My son, keep thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to its desert.

³²Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own soul?

³³The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear, and there is a man that is honoured for his wealth.

³⁴But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in wealth? and he that is glorified in wealth, let him fear poverty.