Sirach 37

¹Every friend will say: “I also am a close friend.” But there is a friend who is a friend in name only. Is this not a grief even unto death?

²But a companion and friend may turn into an enemy.

³O wicked presumption! From what were you created that you would cover the dry land with your malice and deceitfulness?

⁴A companion may rejoice with his friend in good times, but in a time of tribulation, he will be an adversary.

⁵There is a companion who commiserates with a friend for the sake of the stomach, but he will shield himself from the enemy.

⁶You should not forget your friend in your soul, and you should not be unmindful of him in your wealth.

⁷Do not choose to consult with someone who waits in ambush for you. And hide your counsel from those who rival you.

⁸Every counselor offers advice, but some are counselors only for themselves.

⁹Guard your soul from a counselor. And know beforehand what his interests are. For he will form thoughts from his own soul.

¹⁰Otherwise, he may set a signpost in the ground, and he may say to you:

¹¹“Your own way is good.” But then he will stand at a distance to see what befalls you.

¹²Do not discuss holiness with an irreligious man, nor justice with one who is unjust. You should not speak with a woman about her who is a rival, nor with a coward about war, nor with a merchant about exaggeration, nor with a buyer about selling, nor with a spiteful man about giving thanks,

¹³nor with the impious about piety, nor with the dishonest about honesty, nor with the field worker about other kinds of work,

¹⁴nor with a worker hired for a year about the end of the year, nor with a lazy servant about great works. You should pay no heed to these persons in any matter of counsel.

¹⁵But be continually with a holy man, with anyone whom you know to observe the fear of God,

¹⁶whose soul is in agreement with your own soul, and who, when you falter in the dark, will share your sorrows.

¹⁷And establish a heart of good counsel within yourself. For there is nothing of greater usefulness to you than this.

¹⁸At any time, the soul of a holy man declares more truths than seven vigilant watchmen sitting in a high place.

¹⁹But concerning all things, pray to the Most High, so that he may direct your way in truth.

²⁰In all your works, let a true word precede you, with steadfast counsel before every deed.

²¹A wicked word can change the heart. From the heart four kinds of things arise: good and evil, life and death. And the tongue is continually their ruler. There is a man who is an astute teacher of many, and yet this is useless to his own soul.

²²A man of experience has taught many, and this is pleasant to his own soul.

²³Whoever speaks mere rhetoric is hateful; he will be deceived in every matter.

²⁴Grace is not given to him from the Lord. For he has been deprived of all wisdom.

²⁵There is a wise man who is wise within his own soul, and the fruit of his understanding is praiseworthy.

²⁶A wise man instructs his own people, and the fruit of his understanding is faithful.

²⁷A wise man will be filled with blessings, and those who see will praise him.

²⁸The life of a man is in the number of his days. But the days of Israel are innumerable.

²⁹A wise man will inherit honor among the people, and his name will live in eternity.

³⁰Son, test your own mind in your life, and if it is lacking, you should not give it authority.

³¹For not all things are fitting for all persons, and not every kind of thing is agreeable to every soul.

³²Do not choose to be eager during any feast, and you should not act with excess toward any food.

³³For in excessive eating there will be infirmity, and gluttony will continue even unto illness.

³⁴By excessive drinking, many have passed away. But he who abstains will add to his life.

Sirach 37

¹Every friend will say: I also am his friend: but there is a friend, that is only a friend in name. Is not this a grief even to death?

²But a companion and a friend shall be turned to an enemy.

³O wicked presumption, whence camest thou to cover the earth with thy malice, and deceitfulness?

⁴There is a companion who rejoiceth with his friend in his joys, but in the time of trouble, he will be against him.

⁵There is a companion who condoleth with his friend for his belly's sake, and he will take up a shield against the enemy.

⁶Forget not thy friend in thy mind, and be not unmindful of him in thy riches.

⁷Consult not with him that layeth a snare for thee, and hide thy counsel from them that envy thee.

⁸Every counsellor giveth out counsel, but there is one that is a counsellor for himself.

⁹Beware of a counsellor. And know before what need he hath: for he will devise to his own mind:

¹⁰Lest he thrust a stake into the ground, and say to thee:

¹¹Thy way is good; and then stand on the other side to see what shall befall thee.

¹²Treat not with a man without religion concerning holiness, nor with an unjust man concerning justice, nor with a woman touching her of whom she is jealous, nor with a coward concerning war, nor with a merchant about traffic, nor with a buyer of selling, nor with an envious man of giving thanks,

¹³Nor with the ungodly of piety, nor with the dishonest of honesty, nor with the field laborer of every work,

¹⁴Nor with him that worketh by the year of the finishing of the year, nor with an idle servant of much business: give no heed to these in any matter of counsel.

¹⁵But be continually with a holy man, whomsoever thou shalt know to observe the fear of God,

¹⁶Whose soul is according to thy own soul: and who, when thou shalt stumble in the dark, will be sorry for thee.

¹⁷And establish within thyself a heart of good counsel: for there is no other thing of more worth to thee than it.

¹⁸The soul of a holy man discovereth sometimes true things, more than seven watchmen that sit in a high place to watch.

¹⁹But above all these things pray to the most High, that he may direct thy way in truth.

²⁰In all thy works let the true word go before thee, and steady counsel before every action.

²¹A wicked word shall change the heart: out of which four manner of things arise, good and evil, life and death: and the tongue is continually the ruler of them. There is a man that is subtle and a teacher of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul.

²²A skilful man hath taught many, and is sweet to his own soul.

²³He that speaketh sophistically, is hateful: he shall be destitute of every thing.

²⁴Grace is not given him from the Lord: for he is deprived of all wisdom.

²⁵There is a wise man that is wise to his own soul: and the fruit of his understanding is commendable.

²⁶A wise man instructeth his own people, and the fruits of his understanding are faithful.

²⁷A wise man shall be filled with blessings, and they that see shall praise him.

²⁸The life of a man is in the number of his days: but the days of Israel are innumerable.

²⁹A wise man shall inherit honour among his people, and his name shall live for ever.

³⁰My son, prove thy soul in thy life: and if it be wicked, give it no power:

³¹For all things are not expedient for all, and every kind pleaseth not every soul.

³²Be not greedy in any feasting, and pour not out thyself upon any meat:

³³For in many meats there will be sickness, and greediness will turn to choler.

³⁴By surfeiting many have perished, but he that is temperate, shall prolong life.