Sirach 5

¹Do not choose to seek iniquitous possessions, and you should not say: “I have all I need in life.” For it will be of no benefit to you in the time of retribution and darkness.

²You should not pursue, in your strength, the desires of your heart.

³And you should not say: “How powerful am I?” or, “Who will cast me down because of my deeds?” For God will vindicate with vengeance.

⁴You should not say, “I sinned, and what grief has befallen me?” For the Most High is a patient recompensor.

⁵Do not be willing to be without fear concerning a forgiven sin, and you should not add sin upon sin.

⁶And you should not say: “The compassion of the Lord is great; he will take pity on the multitude of my sins.”

⁷For both mercy and wrath go forth quickly from him, and his wrath sets its gaze upon sinners.

⁸You should not delay being converted to the Lord, and you should not set it aside from day to day.

⁹For his wrath will approach suddenly, and in the time of vindication, he will destroy you.

¹⁰Do not choose to be anxious for unjust wealth. For these things will not benefit you in the day of darkness and retribution.

¹¹You should not winnow in every wind, and you should not go forth into every path. For so is every sinner proven by his duplicitous tongue.

¹²Be steadfast in the way of the Lord and in the truth of your understanding and knowledge, and let words of peace and justice overtake you.

¹³Be meek when listening to a word, so that you may understand. And offer a true response in wisdom.

¹⁴If you understand, then answer your neighbor. But if you do not, then let your hand be over your mouth, so that you are not caught by an inept word, and then confounded.

¹⁵Honor and glory are in the words of those who understand, yet truly, the tongue of the imprudent man is his undoing.

¹⁶You should not be called a whisperer, and you should not be caught by your own tongue, and then confounded.

¹⁷For confusion and remorse is upon a thief, and a wicked mark is upon the double-tongued; but for the whisperer, there is hatred and animosity and disgrace.

¹⁸Justify the small and the great similarly.

Sirach 5

¹Set not thy heart upon unjust possessions, and say not: I have enough to live on: for it shall be of no service in the time of vengeance and darkness.

²Follow not in thy strength the desires of thy heart:

³And say not: How mighty am I? and who shall bring me under for my deeds? for God will surely take revenge.

⁴Say not: I have sinned, and what harm hath befallen me? for the most High is a patient rewarder.

⁵Be not without fear about sin forgiven, and add not sin upon sin:

⁶And say not: The mercy of the Lord is great, he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins.

⁷For mercy and wrath quickly come from him, and his wrath looketh upon sinners.

⁸Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day.

⁹For his wrath shall come on a sudden, and in the time of vengeance he will destroy thee.

¹⁰Be not anxious for goods unjustly gotten: for they shall not profit thee in the day of calamity and revenge.

¹¹Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for so is every sinner proved by a double tongue.

¹²Be steadfast in the way of the Lord, and in the truth of thy judgment, and in knowledge, and let the word of peace and justice keep with thee.

¹³Be meek to hear the word, that thou mayst understand: and return a true answer with wisdom.

¹⁴If thou have understanding, answer thy neighbour: but if not, let thy hand be upon thy mouth, lest thou be surprised in an unskilful word, and be confounded.

¹⁵Honour and glory is in the word of the wise, but the tongue of the fool is his ruin.

¹⁶Be not called a whisperer, and be not taken in thy tongue, and confounded.

¹⁷For confusion and repentance is upon a thief, and an evil mark of disgrace upon the double tongued, but to the whisperer hatred, and enmity, and reproach.

¹⁸Justify alike the small and the great.