Sirach 4

¹Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from the poor.

²Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the poor in his want.

³Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to gibe to him that is in distress.

⁴Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy face from the needy.

⁵Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back.

⁶For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him.

⁷Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble thy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a great man.

⁸Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness.

⁹Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and be not fainthearted in thy soul.

¹⁰In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother.

¹¹And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother.

¹²Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice.

¹³And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her, shall embrace her sweetness.

¹⁴They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing.

¹⁵They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God loveth them that love her.

¹⁶He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that looketh upon her, shall remain secure.

¹⁷If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall be in assurance.

¹⁸For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she chooseth him.

¹⁹She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by her laws, and trust his soul.

²⁰Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to him, and give him joy,

²¹And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon him treasures of knowledge and understanding of justice.

²²But if he go astray, she will forsake him, and deliver him into the hands of his enemy.

²³Son, observe the time, and fly from evil.

²⁴For thy soul be not ashamed to say the truth.

²⁵For there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame that bringeth glory and grace.

²⁶Accept no person against thy own person, nor against thy soul a lie.

²⁷Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall:

²⁸And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.

²⁹For by the tongue wisdom is discerned: and understanding, and knowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and steadfastness in the works of justice.

³⁰In nowise speak against the truth, but be ashamed of the lie of thy ignorance.

³¹Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but submit not thyself to every man for sin.

³²Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not strive against the stream of the river.

³³Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee.

³⁴Be not hasty in thy tongue: and slack and remiss in thy works.

³⁵Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy household, and oppressing them that are under thee.

³⁶Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldst give.

Sirach 4

¹My son, defraud not the poor of his living, and make not the needy eyes to wait long.

²Make not an hungry soul sorrowful; neither provoke a man in his distress.

³Add not more trouble to an heart that is vexed; and defer not to give to him that is in need.

⁴Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; neither turn away thy face from a poor man.

⁵Turn not away thine eye from the needy, and give him none occasion to curse thee:

⁶For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul, his prayer shall be heard of him that made him.

⁷Get thyself the love of the congregation, and bow thy head to a great man.

⁸Let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear to the poor, and give him a friendly answer with meekness.

⁹Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor; and be not fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment.

¹⁰Be as a father unto the fatherless, and instead of an husband unto their mother: so shalt thou be as the son of the most High, and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.

¹¹Wisdom exalteth her children, and layeth hold of them that seek her.

¹²He that loveth her loveth life; and they that seek to her early shall be filled with joy.

¹³He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; and wheresoever she entereth, the Lord will bless.

¹⁴They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One: and them that love her the Lord doth love.

¹⁵Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations: and he that attendeth unto her shall dwell securely.

¹⁶If a man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her; and his generation shall hold her in possession.

¹⁷For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline, until she may trust his soul, and try him by her laws.

¹⁸Then will she return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets.

¹⁹But if he go wrong, she will forsake him, and give him over to his own ruin.

²⁰Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; and be not ashamed when it concerneth thy soul.

²¹For there is a shame that bringeth sin; and there is a shame which is glory and grace.

²²Accept no person against thy soul, and let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall.

²³And refrain not to speak, when there is occasion to do good, and hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.

²⁴For by speech wisdom shall be known: and learning by the word of the tongue.

²⁵In no wise speak against the truth; but be abashed of the error of thine ignorance.

²⁶Be not ashamed to confess thy sins; and force not the course of the river.

²⁷Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man; neither accept the person of the mighty.

²⁸Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord shall fight for thee.

²⁹Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss.

³⁰Be not as a lion in thy house, nor frantick among thy servants.

³¹Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest repay.