Sirach 8

¹You should not quarrel with a powerful man, lest perhaps you may fall into his hands.

²You should not contend with a wealthy man, lest perhaps he may bring an action against you.

³For gold and silver have destroyed many, and have reached and corrupted even the hearts of kings.

⁴You should not quarrel with a man who is full of words, for you should not cast wood upon his fire.

⁵You should not confide in an ignorant man, lest he speak evil about your family.

⁶You should not despise a man who turns himself away from sin, nor reproach him with it. Remember that we are all subject to correction.

⁷You should not spurn a man in his old age. For we are all subject to growing old.

⁸Do not be willing to rejoice at the death of your enemy, knowing that we all die, and that we do not want others to rejoice over us.

⁹You should not despise the discourse of those who are old and wise; instead, ponder their proverbs.

¹⁰For from them, you will learn wisdom and intelligent doctrine, so as to serve great men without blame.

¹¹Do not allow the discourse of your elders to pass you by. For they have learned from their fathers.

¹²And from them, you will learn understanding, and you will learn what response to give in a time of necessity.

¹³You should not kindle the coals of sinners by arguing with them. For you might be scorched by the flame from the fire of their sins.

¹⁴You should not stand against the face of a contemptuous person, otherwise he may sit down as if waiting in ambush against your words.

¹⁵You should not lend to a man who is stronger than you. But if you do lend, consider it lost.

¹⁶You should not promise beyond your ability. But if you do promise, consider how to fulfill it.

¹⁷You should not judge against a judge. For he judges according to what is just.

¹⁸You should not go forth on the way with an audacious man, lest perhaps he may burden you with his evils. For he goes forth according to his own will, and you will perish with him in his folly.

¹⁹You should not start a conflict with an angry man, and you should not go into the desert with an audacious man. For shedding blood is nothing to him, and in a place where there is no help for you, he will overthrow you.

²⁰You should not hold counsel with the foolish. For they are not able to love anything except what pleases them.

²¹You should not take counsel in the sight of an outsider. For you do not know what he will do next.

²²You should not reveal your heart to every man, lest perhaps he may offer a false kindness to you, and then speak reproachfully about you.

Sirach 8

¹Strive not with a powerful man, lest thou fall into his hands.

²Contend not with a rich man, lest he bring an action against thee.

³For gold and silver hath destroyed many, and hath reached even to the heart of kings, and perverted them.

⁴Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon his fire.

⁵Communicate not with an ignorant man, lest he speak ill of thy family.

⁶Despise not a man that turneth away from sin, nor reproach him therewith: remember that we are all worthy of reproof.

⁷Despise not a man in his old age; for we also shall become old.

⁸Rejoice not at the death of thy enemy; knowing that we all die, and are not willing that others should rejoice at our death.

⁹Despise not the discourse of them that are ancient and wise, but acquaint thyself with their proverbs.

¹⁰For of them thou shalt learn wisdom, and instruction of understanding, and to serve great men without blame.

¹¹Let not the discourse of the ancients escape thee, for they have learned of their fathers:

¹²For of them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give an answer in time of need.

¹³Kindle not the coals of sinners by rebuking them, lest thou be burnt with the flame of the fire of their sins.

¹⁴Stand not against the face of an injurious person, lest he sit as a spy to entrap thee in thy words.

¹⁵Lend not to a man that is mightier than thyself: and if thou lendest, count it as lost.

¹⁶Be not surety above thy power: and if thou be surety, think as if thou wert to pay it.

¹⁷Judge not against a judge: for he judgeth according to that which is just.

¹⁸Go not on the way with a bold man, lest he burden thee with his evils: for he goeth according to his own will, and thou shalt perish together with his folly.

¹⁹Quarrel not with a passionate man, and go not into the desert with a bold man: for blood is as nothing in his sight, and where there is no help he will overthrow thee.

²⁰Advise not with fools, for they cannot love but such things as please them.

²¹Before a stranger do no matter of counsel: for thou knowest not what he will bring forth.

²²Open not thy heart to every man: lest he repay thee with an evil turn, and speak reproachfully to thee.