Sirach 31

¹Watching for wealth consumes the flesh, and thinking about it takes away sleep.

²Anticipation in thought distracts the mind, and a grievous infirmity makes the soul sober.

³The rich man has labored in gathering wealth, and in his rest, he will be filled with his goods.

⁴The poor man has labored in his lowly way, and in the end, he may still be in need.

⁵Whoever loves gold will not be justified. And whoever pursues consumption will be consumed by it.

⁶Many have been caused to fall because of gold, and it became their ruin by its beauty.

⁷Gold is a stumbling block to those who sacrifice for it. Woe to those who pursue it eagerly, for all the imprudent will perish by it.

⁸Blessed is the rich man who is found to be without blemish. And blessed is he who has not gone after gold, nor placed his hope in money or treasures.

⁹Who is he? For we should praise him. For he has done wonderful things in his life.

¹⁰He has been tested by it, and has become perfect; he will have eternal glory. He was able to transgress, but he has not transgressed. He was able to do evil, but he has not done evil.

¹¹Therefore, his good things are established in the Lord, and the entire Church of the saints will proclaim his almsgiving.

¹²Are you seated at a great table? You should not open your mouth over it first.

¹³You should not speak in this way: “There are many things that are upon it.”

¹⁴Remember that a wicked eye is evil.

¹⁵What has been made more wicked than the eye? Therefore, when it sees, it will shed tears over the entire face.

¹⁶You should not extend your hand first, for then, having been corrupted by envy, you would be ashamed.

¹⁷You should not press forward at a feast.

¹⁸Understand which things are your neighbor’s and not your own.

¹⁹Make use of the things that are set before you, just as a frugal man would. Otherwise, if you eat much, you will be hated.

²⁰Cease eating first, for the sake of discipline. And do not eat to excess, lest you offend.

²¹And if you sit in the midst of many, you should not extend your hand before they do, and you should not be the first to ask for a drink.

²²How sufficient is a little wine for a well-taught man! For in sleep, you will not labor because of it, and you will not feel pain.

²³Worry, and disease, and torment are with an intemperate man.

²⁴A healthy sleep is with a temperate man. He will sleep until morning, and his soul will be delighted with him.

²⁵And if you have been coaxed into eating too much, rise up, go outside, and vomit. And it will refresh you, and you will not bring sickness upon your body.

²⁶Listen to me, son, for you should not spurn me. And in the very end, you will discover my words.

²⁷In all your works, be prompt, and then no infirmity will befall you.

²⁸The lips of many will bless the splendid in bread. For the testimony of his truthfulness is faithful.

²⁹The city will murmur against the wicked in bread. For the testimony against his wickedness is true.

³⁰Do not choose to provoke those who love wine. For wine has destroyed many.

³¹Fire tests the hardness of iron; similarly, drinking wine to inebriation will rebuke the hearts of the arrogant.

³²Drinking wine in sobriety gives a contented life to men. If you drink it in moderation, you will be sober.

³³What is life to him who is diminished by wine?

³⁴What can cheat him of his life? Death.

³⁵From the beginning, wine was created for cheerfulness, but not for inebriation.

³⁶Wine taken in moderation lifts up the mind and the heart.

³⁷Sober drinking is healthful to mind and body.

³⁸Wine taken in excess stirs up conflict and anger, and brings many to ruin.

³⁹Wine taken in excess is bitter to the soul.

⁴⁰The effects of inebriation are a stumbling block to the imprudent, diminishing strength and causing wounds.

⁴¹You should not argue with your neighbor during a banquet of wine. And you should not spurn him in his cheerfulness.

⁴²You should not speak words of reproach to him. And you should not press him with repeated requests.

Sirach 31

¹Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the thought thereof driveth away sleep.

²The thinking beforehand turneth away the understanding, and a grievous sickness maketh the soul sober.

³The rich man hath laboured in gathering riches together, and when he resteth he shall be filled with his goods.

⁴The poor man hath laboured in his low way of life, and in the end he is still poor.

⁵He that loveth gold, shall not be justified: and he that followeth after corruption, shall be filled with it.

⁶Many have been brought to fall for gold, and the beauty thereof hath been their ruin.

⁷Gold is a stumblingblock to them that sacrifice to it: woe to them that eagerly follow after it, and every fool shall perish by it.

⁸Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish: and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures.

⁹Who is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful things in his life.

¹⁰Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting. He that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed: and could do evil things, and hath not done them:

¹¹Therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the church of the saints shall declare his alms.

¹²Art thou set at a great table? be not the first to open thy mouth upon it.

¹³Say not: There are many things which are upon it.

¹⁴Remember that a wicked eye is evil.

¹⁵What is created more wicked than an eye? therefore shall it weep over all the face when it shall see.

¹⁶Stretch not out thy hand first, lest being disgraced with envy thou be put to confusion.

¹⁷Be not hasty in a feast.

¹⁸Judge of the disposition of thy neighbour by thyself.

¹⁹Use as a frugal man the things that are set before thee: lest if thou eatest much, thou be hated.

²⁰Leave off first, for manners' sake: and exceed not, lest thou offend.

²¹And if thou sittest among many, reach not thy hand out first of all, and be not the first to ask for drink.

²²How sufficient is a little wine for a man well taught, and in sleeping thou shalt not be uneasy with it, and thou shalt feel no pain.

²³Watching, and choler, and gripes, are with an intemperate man:

²⁴Sound and wholesome sleep with a moderate man: he shall sleep till morning, and his soul shall be delighted with him.

²⁵And if thou hast been forced to eat much, arise, go out, and vomit: and it shall refresh thee, and thou shalt not bring sickness upon thy body.

²⁶Hear me, my son, and despise me not: and in the end thou shalt find my words.

²⁷In all thy works be quick, and no infirmity shall come to thee.

²⁸The lips of many shall bless him that is liberal of his bread, and the testimony of his truth is faithful.

²⁹Against him that is niggardly of his bread, the city will murmur, and the testimony of his niggardliness is true.

³⁰Challenge not them that love wine: for wine hath destroyed very many.

³¹Fire trieth hard iron: so wine drunk to excess shall rebuke the hearts of the proud.

³²Wine taken with sobriety is equal life to men: if thou drink it moderately, thou shalt be sober.

³³What is his life, who is diminished with wine?

³⁴What taketh away life? death.

³⁵Wine was created from the beginning to make men joyful, and not to make them drunk.

³⁶Wine drunken with moderation is the joy of the soul and the heart.

³⁷Sober drinking is health to soul and body.

³⁸Wine drunken with excess raiseth quarrels, and wrath, and many ruins.

³⁹Wine drunken with excess is bitterness of the soul.

⁴⁰The heat of drunkenness is the stumblingblock of the fool, lessening strength and causing wounds.

⁴¹Rebuke not thy neighbour in a banquet of wine: and despise him not in his mirth.

⁴²Speak not to him words of reproach: and press him not in demanding again.