Sirach 6

¹Do not be willing to become an enemy instead of a friend to your neighbor. For an evil man will inherit reproach and disgrace, as will every sinner who is envious and double-tongued.

²You should not extol yourself, like a bull, in the thoughts of your soul, lest perhaps your strength may be cast down through foolishness,

³which would consume your leaves, and destroy your fruit, and leave you behind like a dry tree in the desert.

⁴For a wicked soul will destroy the one who has it. For it gladly provides enemies to him, and it will lead him to the fate of the impious.

⁵A sweet word multiplies friends and mitigates enemies. And thankful words abound in a good man.

⁶Allow many to be at peace with you, but allow one out of a thousand to be your counselor.

⁷If you would obtain a friend, test him before you accept him, and do not trust him readily.

⁸For there is a friend according to his own time, but he will not remain in the day of tribulation.

⁹And there is a friend who can be turned to animosity. And there is a friend who will reveal hatred and ridicule and insults.

¹⁰And there is a friend who is a companion at table, but he will not remain in a day of need.

¹¹A friend, if he remains steadfast, will be to you as you are to yourself, and he will act with faithfulness among those of your household.

¹²If he humbles himself before you and hides himself from your face, you shall have a noble and harmonious friendship.

¹³Distance yourself from your enemies, and pay attention to your friends.

¹⁴A faithful friend is a strong shelter, and whoever has found one has found a treasure.

¹⁵Nothing is comparable to a faithful friend, and no weight of silver or gold is worth more than the goodness of his fidelity.

¹⁶A faithful friend is a medicine for life and immortality; and those who fear the Lord will find one.

¹⁷He who fears God will have a similar good friendship, because his friend will be like him.

¹⁸Son, from your youth receive instruction, and then you will find wisdom, even to your grey hairs.

¹⁹Approach wisdom like one who plows and sows, and then wait for her good fruits.

²⁰For in doing her work, you will labor a little, but you will soon eat from her produce.

²¹How exceedingly harsh is wisdom to unlearned men! And so, the witless will not remain with her.

²²She will be to them like a great stone of trial, and they will cast her away from them without delay.

²³For the wisdom of doctrine is in accord with her name, and she is not manifest to many. But she continues with those by whom she is recognized, even in the sight of God.

²⁴Listen, son, and accept an understanding counsel, for you should not discard my advice.

²⁵Set your feet in her fetters and your neck in her chains.

²⁶Incline your shoulder, and carry her, for you will not be grieved by her bindings.

²⁷Approach her with all your soul, and serve her ways with all your strength.

²⁸Examine her, and she will be revealed to you, and when you have obtained her, you should not abandon her.

²⁹For, in the very end, you will find rest in her, and she will turn into your delight.

³⁰Then her fetters will be a strong protection and a firm foundation for you, and her chains will be a robe of glory.

³¹For in her is the beauty of life, and her bindings are a healing bandage.

³²You will be clothed with her as with a robe of glory, and you will set her upon your head like a crown of rejoicing.

³³Son, if you heed me, you will learn. And if you adapt your mind, you will be wise.

³⁴If you incline your ear, you will receive doctrine. And if you love to listen, you will be wise.

³⁵Stand among the multitude of prudent elders, and join yourself to their wisdom from the heart, so that you may be able to hear every discourse about God, and so that the proverbs of praise may not flee from you.

³⁶And if you see a man of understanding, stand watch for him, and let your feet wear down the steps of his doors.

³⁷Set your thoughts on the precepts of God, and be entirely constant in his commandments. And he himself will give a heart to you, and the desire of wisdom will be given to you.

Sirach 6

¹Instead of a friend become not an enemy to thy neighbour: for an evil man shall inherit reproach and shame, so shall every sinner that is envious and double tongued.

²Extol not thyself in the thoughts of thy soul like a bull: lest thy strength be quashed by folly,

³And it eat up thy leaves, and destroy thy fruit, and thou be left as a dry tree in the wilderness.

⁴For a wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and maketh him to be a joy to his enemies, and shall lead him into the lot of the wicked.

⁵A sweet word multiplieth friends, and appeaseth enemies, and a gracious tongue in a good man aboundeth.

⁶Be in peace with many, but let one of a thousand be thy counsellor.

⁷If thou wouldst get a friend, try him before thou takest him, and do not credit him easily.

⁸For there is a friend for his own occasion, and he will not abide in the day of thy trouble.

⁹And there is a friend that turneth to enmity; and there is a friend that will disclose hatred and strife and reproaches.

¹⁰And there is a friend a companion at the table, and he will not abide in the day of distress.

¹¹A friend if he continue steadfast, shall be to thee as thyself, and shall act with confidence among them of thy household.

¹²If he humble himself before thee, and hide himself from thy face, thou shalt have unanimous friendship for good.

¹³Separate thyself from thy enemies, and take heed of thy friends.

¹⁴A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found him, hath found a treasure.

¹⁵Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend, and no weight of gold and silver is able to countervail the goodness of his fidelity.

¹⁶A faithful friend is the medicine of life and immortality: and they that fear the Lord, shall find him.

¹⁷He that feareth God, shall likewise have good friendship: because according to him shall his friend be.

¹⁸My son, from thy youth up receive instruction, and even to thy grey hairs thou shalt find wisdom.

¹⁹Come to her as one that plougheth, and soweth, and wait for her good fruits:

²⁰For in working about her thou shalt labour a little, and shalt quickly eat of her fruits.

²¹How very unpleasant is wisdom to the unlearned, and the unwise will not continue with her.

²²She shall be to them as a mighty stone of trial, and they will cast her from them before it be long.

²³For the wisdom of doctrine is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto many, but with them to whom she is known, she continueth even to the sight of God.

²⁴Give ear, my son, and take wise counsel, and cast not away my advice.

²⁵Put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chains:

²⁶Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bands.

²⁷Come to her with all thy mind, and keep her ways with all thy power.

²⁸Search for her, and she shall be made known to thee, and when thou hast gotten her, let her not go:

²⁹For in the latter end thou shalt find rest in her, and she shall be turned to thy joy.

³⁰Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and a firm foundation, and her chain a robe of glory:

³¹For in her is the beauty of life, and her bands are a healthful binding.

³²Thou shalt put her on as a robe of glory, and thou shalt set her upon thee as a crown of joy.

³³My son, if thou wilt attend to me, thou shalt learn: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be wise.

³⁴If thou wilt incline thy ear, thou shalt receive instruction: and if thou love to hear, thou shalt be wise.

³⁵Stand in the multitude of ancients that are wise, and join thyself from thy heart to their wisdom, that thou mayst hear every discourse of God, and the sayings of praise may not escape thee.

³⁶And if thou see a man of understanding, go to him early in the morning, and let thy foot wear the steps of his doors.

³⁷Let thy thoughts be upon the precepts of God, and meditate continually on his commandments: and he will give thee a heart, and the desire of wisdom shall be given to thee.