Sirach 6

¹Nile thou for a freend be maad enemye to the neiybore; for whi an yuele man schal enherite vpbreidyng and dispisyng, and ech synnere enuyouse and double tungid.

²Enhaunse thee not in the thouyt of thi soule, as a bole doith; lest thi vertu be hurtlid doun bi foli,

³and it ete thi leeues, and leese thi fruytis, and thou be left as a drye tree in deseert.

⁴Forsothe a wickid soule schal leese hym that hath it, and it yyueth hym in to the ioie of the enemye, and it schal leede forth in to the part of wickid men.

⁵A swete word multiplieth frendis, and swagith enemyes; and a tunge wel graciouse schal be plenteuouse in a good man.

⁶Many pesible men be to thee, and oon of a thousynde be a counselour to thee.

⁷If thou hast a frend, haue hym in temptacioun, and bitake not liytli thi silf to hym.

⁸For ther is a frend bi his time, and he schal not dwelle in the dai of tribulacioun.

⁹And ther is a frend which is turned to enemytee; and ther is a freend, that schal schewe opynli hatrede, and chiding, and dispisyngis.

¹⁰Forsothe ther is a frend, felowe of table, and dwellith not in the dai of nede.

¹¹If a frend dwellith stidfast, he schal be as a man euene with thee, and he schal do tristili in thi meyneal thingis.

¹²If he mekith hym silf bifore thee, and hidith hym fro thi face, thou schalt haue good frendschip of oon acord.

¹³Be thou departid fro thin enemyes, and take heede of thi frendis.

¹⁴A feithful frend is a strong defendyng; forsothe he that fyndith him, fyndith tresour.

¹⁵No comparisoun is to a feithful frend; weiyng of gold and of siluer is not worthi ayens the goodnesse of his feithfulnesse.

¹⁶A feithful frend is medicyn of lijf, and of vndeedlynesse; and thei that dreden the Lord, schulen fynde hym.

¹⁷He that dredith the Lord, schal haue euenli good frendschip; for whi his frend schal be at the licnesse of hym.

¹⁸Sone, fro thi yongthe take thou doctryn, and til to hoor heeris thou schalt fynde wisdom.

¹⁹As he that erith, and that sowith, neiye thou to it, and abide thou the goode fruytis therof.

²⁰For thou schalt trauele a litil in the werk therof, and thou schalt ete soone of the generaciouns therof.

²¹Wisdom is ouer scharp to vntauyt men, and an hertles man schal not dwelle there ynne.

²²As the vertu of a stoon, preuyng schal be in hem; and thei schulen not tarie to caste awei it.

²³Forsothe the wisdom of techyng is bi the name therof, and it is not opyn to many men; but it dwellith with hem, of whiche it is knowun, til to the siyt of God.

²⁴Sone, here thou, and take the counsel of vndurstondyng, and caste thou not awei my counsel.

²⁵Set in thi foot in to the stockis therof, and thi necke in to the bies therof.

²⁶Make suget thi schuldir, and bere it, and be thou not anoied in the boondis therof.

²⁷In al thi wille go to it, and in al thi vertu kepe the weies therof.

²⁸Enquere thou it, and it schal be maad opyn to thee; and thou made holdinge wisdom forsake not it.

²⁹For in the laste thingis thou schalt fynde reste ther ynne, and it schal turne to thee in to deliting.

³⁰And the stockis therof schulen be to thee in defence of strengthe, and the foundementis of vertu, and the bie therof in a stoole of glorie.

³¹For whi the fairnesse of lijf is in wisdom, and the boondis therof ben heelful byndyng.

³²Thou schalt `were it as a stoole of glorie, and thou schalt sette on thee a coroun of thankyng.

³³Sone, if thou takist heede to me, thou schalt lerne wisdom; and if thou yyuest thi wille, thou schalt be wijs.

³⁴If thou bowist doun thin eere, thou schalt take teching; and if thou louest for to here, thou schalt be wijs.

³⁵Stonde thou in the multitude of prudent preestis, and be thou ioyned of herte to the wisdom of hem; that thou maist here ech telling of God, and the prouerbis of preisyng fle not awey fro thee.

³⁶And if thou seest a wijs man, wake thou to hym, and thi foot trede on the greeces of his doris.

³⁷Haue thou thouyt in the comaundementis of God, and be thou most bisi in his heestis; and he schal yyue to thee herte, and coueitise of wisdom schal be youun to thee.

Sirach 6

¹Instead of a friend become not an enemy; for thereby thou shalt inherit an ill name, shame, and reproach: even so shall a sinner that hath a double tongue.

²Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart; that thy soul be not torn in pieces as a bull straying alone.

³Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and lose thy fruit, and leave thyself as a dry tree.

⁴A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and shall make him to be laughed to scorn of his enemies.

⁵Sweet language will multiply friends: and a fairspeaking tongue will increase kind greetings.

⁶Be in peace with many: nevertheless have but one counsellor of a thousand.

⁷If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first and be not hasty to credit him.

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

⁹And there is a friend, who being turned to enmity, and strife will discover thy reproach.

¹⁰Again, some friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of thy affliction.

¹¹But in thy prosperity he will be as thyself, and will be bold over thy servants.

¹²If thou be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide himself from thy face.

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

¹⁴A faithfull friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure.

¹⁵Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is invaluable.

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

¹⁷Whoso feareth the Lord shall direct his friendship aright: for as he is, so shall his neighbour be also.

¹⁸My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age.

¹⁹Come unto her as one that ploweth and soweth, and wait for her good fruits: for thou shalt not toil much in labouring about her, but thou shalt eat of her fruits right soon.

²⁰She is very unpleasant to the unlearned: he that is without understanding will not remain with her.

²¹She will lie upon him as a mighty stone of trial; and he will cast her from him ere it be long.

²²For wisdom is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto many.

²³Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refuse not my counsel,

²⁴And put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain.

²⁵Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds.

²⁶Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with all thy power.

²⁷Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee: and when thou hast got hold of her, let her not go.

²⁸For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be turned to thy joy.

²⁹Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chains a robe of glory.

³⁰For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are purple lace.

³¹Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy.

³²My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent.

³³If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding: and if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt be wise,

³⁴Stand in the multitude of the elders; and cleave unto him that is wise.

³⁵Be willing to hear every godly discourse; and let not the parables of understanding escape thee.

³⁶And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door.

³⁷Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord and meditate continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine owns desire.