Sirach 33

¹No evils will befall one who fears the Lord. Instead, God will preserve him during temptation and will free him from evils.

²A wise man does not hate the commandments and the justices, and so he will not be thrown about violently, like a ship in a storm.

³A man of understanding puts his faith in the law of God, and so the law is faithful to him.

⁴Whoever would resolve a dispute will prepare a word, and so, having prayed, he will be heard. And he will observe discipline, and then he will respond.

⁵The heart of a fool is like the wheel of a cart. And his thoughts are like a turning axel.

⁶A friend who is a whisperer is like an untamed horse: he neighs under anyone who sits upon him.

⁷Why does day follow after day, and light follow after light, and year follow after year, in accord with the sun?

⁸By the knowledge of the Lord, they were arranged, after the sun was made, in keeping with his command.

⁹And so, the seasons changed, with their feast days. And according to them, they celebrated the feast days, in their hour.

¹⁰Some of them, God exalted and magnified. And some of them, he set amid the ordinary days. And all men are from the ground, and from the earth, from which Adam was created.

¹¹With a multitude of disciplines, the Lord has distinguished them and diversified their ways.

¹²Some of them, he has blessed and exalted. And some of them he has sanctified and placed close to himself. And some of them, he has cursed and brought low, and he has turned them from their station.

¹³Just as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so as to form and to shape it,

¹⁴so are all his ways in accord with his dispensation, and so is man in the hand of the One who made him. And he will repay him according to his judgment.

¹⁵Good is against evil, and life is against death; so also is a sinner against a just man. And so should you consider all the works of the Most High: two and two, and one against another.

¹⁶And I awakened at the very end, and I was like one who gathers grapes after the grape-gatherers.

¹⁷I, too, have hoped in the blessing of God. And I have filled the winepress like one who gathers grapes.

¹⁸Consider how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking discipline.

¹⁹Listen to me, you great ones, with all the peoples. And incline your ears, you rulers of the Church.

²⁰You should not give authority over yourself to a son or wife, to a brother or friend, in your life. And you should not give your estate to another, lest perhaps you may regret it, and then you would be begging for the same.

²¹While you are still living and breathing, let no one among all flesh change you.

²²For it is better if your children petition you, than if you look toward the hands of your children.

²³In all your works, be pre-eminent.

²⁴You should not allow a blemish upon your glory. On the day of the consummation of the days of your life, at the time of your passing, distribute your inheritance.

²⁵Fodder and a rod and a burden are for a donkey; bread and discipline and work are for a servant.

²⁶He works under discipline, and he seeks rest. Allow his hands to be idle, and he seeks liberty.

²⁷The yoke and the strap bend a stiff neck, and continual labors bend a servant.

²⁸Torture and chains are for a malevolent servant; send him to work, so that he may not be idle.

²⁹For idleness has taught much evil.

³⁰Appoint him to a task. For this is fitting for him. And if he will not be obedient, bend him with chains. But you should do no more than any flesh can bear. Truly, you should do nothing grievous without judgment.

³¹If you have a faithful servant, let him be to you like your own soul. Treat him like a brother. For you have obtained him by the blood of your soul.

³²If you harm him unjustly, he will turn away and flee.

³³And then, when he lifts himself up and departs, you will not know whom to ask, or in what way to seek him.

Sirach 33

¹No evils shall happen to him that feareth the Lord, but in temptation God will keep him and deliver him from evils.

²A wise man hateth not the commandments and justices, and he shall not be dashed in pieces as a ship in a storm.

³A man of understanding is faithful to the law of God, and the law is faithful to him.

⁴He that cleareth up a question, shall prepare what to say, and so having prayed he shall be heard, and shall keep discipline, and then he shall answer.

⁵The heart of a fool is as a wheel of a cart: and his thoughts are like a rolling axletree.

⁶A friend that is a mocker, is like a stallion horse: he neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.

⁷Why doth one day excel another, and one light another, and one year another year, when all come of the sun?

⁸By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished, the sun being made, and keeping his commandment.

⁹And he ordered the seasons, and holidays of them, and in them they celebrated festivals at an hour.

¹⁰Some of them God made high and great days, and some of them he put in the number of ordinary days. And all men are from the ground, and out of the earth, from whence Adam was created.

¹¹With much knowledge the Lord hath divided them and diversified their ways.

¹²Some of them hath he blessed, and exalted: and some of them hath he sanctified, and set near himself: and some of them hath he cursed and brought low, and turned them from their station.

¹³As the potter's clay is in his hand, to fashion and order it:

¹⁴All his ways are according to his ordering: so man is in the hand of him that made him, and he will render to him according to his judgment.

¹⁵Good is set against evil, and life against death: so also is the sinner against a just man. And so look upon all the works of the most High. Two and two, and one against another.

¹⁶And I awaked last of all, and as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers.

¹⁷In the blessing of God I also have hoped: and as one that gathereth grapes, have I filled the winepress.

¹⁸See that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that seek discipline.

¹⁹Hear me, ye great men, and all ye people, and hearken with your ears, ye rulers of the church.

²⁰Give not to son or wife, brother or friend, power over thee while thou livest; and give not thy estate to another, lest thou repent, and thou entreat for the same.

²¹As long as thou livest, and hast breath in thee, let no man change thee.

²²For it is better that thy children should ask of thee, than that thou look toward the hands of thy children.

²³In all thy works keep the pre-eminence.

²⁴Let no stain sully thy glory. In the time when thou shalt end the days of thy life, and in the time of thy decease, distribute thy inheritance.

²⁵Fodder, and a wand, and a burden are for an ass: bread, and correction, and work for a slave.

²⁶He worketh under correction, and seeketh to rest: let his hands be idle, and he seeketh liberty.

²⁷The yoke and the thong bend a stiff neck, and continual labours bow a slave.

²⁸Torture and fetters are for a malicious slave: send him to work, that he be not idle:

²⁹For idleness hath taught much evil.

³⁰Set him to work: for so it is fit for him. And if he be not obedient, bring him down with fetters, but be not excessive towards any one, and do no grievous thing without judgment.

³¹If thou have a faithful servant, let him be to thee as thy own soul: treat him as a brother: because in the blood of thy soul thou hast gotten him.

³²If thou hurt him unjustly, he will run away:

³³And if he rise up and depart, thou knowest not whom to ask, and in what way to seek him.