Sirach

Chapter-11

Sirach 11:1 The wisdom of one who is humble will exalt his head, and will cause him to sit down in the midst of great men.

 

Sirach 11:2 You should not praise a man for his beauty, and you should not despise a man for his appearances.

 

Sirach 11:3 The bee is small among flying things, but its fruit holds the summit of sweetness.

 

Sirach 11:4 You should not glory in clothing at any time, and you should not let yourself be extolled in the day of your honor. For the works of the Most High alone are wondrous; and glorious and hidden and unseen are his works.

 

Sirach 11:5 Many tyrants have sat upon a throne, and one whom no one would admire has worn a diadem.

 

Sirach 11:6 Many powerful men have been powerfully cast down, and the illustrious have been handed over into the hands of others.

 

Sirach 11:7 Before you inquire, you should not place blame on anyone; and when you have inquired, reprove justly.

 

Sirach 11:8 Before you listen, you should not respond a word; and you should not interrupt in the middle of a discourse.

 

Sirach 11:9 You should not contend in a matter which does not concern you, and you should not sit in judgment together with sinners.

 

Sirach 11:10 Son, you should not be involved in many matters. And if you become rich, you will not be free from transgression. For if you pursue, you will not apprehend; and if you run ahead, you will not escape.

 

Sirach 11:11 There is an impious man who labors and hurries and grieves, but all the more will he be without abundance.

 

Sirach 11:12 There is a debilitated man in need of recovery, who is lacking in strength and abundant in poverty.

 

Sirach 11:13 Yet the eye of God has looked with favor upon him for his benefit, and he has lifted him up from his humiliation, and he has exalted his head. And many have wondered at him, and they have honored God.

 

Sirach 11:14 Good things and misfortune, life and death, poverty and wealth, are from God.

 

Sirach 11:15 Wisdom, and discipline, and knowledge of the law are with God. Love and the ways of good things are with him.

 

Sirach 11:16 Error and darkness have been created by sinners. And those who exult in evil, grow old in evil.

 

Sirach 11:17 The gift of God remains with the just man, and his advancement will have success unto eternity.

 

Sirach 11:18 There is one who is enriched by spending sparingly, and this is the extent of his reward.

 

Sirach 11:19 About this, he says: “I have found rest for myself, and now I alone will eat from my goods.”

 

Sirach 11:20 But he does not know how much time will pass before death approaches, and then he must leave everything behind to others and die.

 

Sirach 11:21 Stand fast in your covenant, and become familiar with it, and grow old in the work of your commandments.

 

Sirach 11:22 You should not spend time in the works of sinners. Instead, trust in God and remain in your own place.

 

Sirach 11:23 For it is easy, in the eyes of God, to make a pauper suddenly rich.

 

Sirach 11:24 The blessing of God hurries to reward the just man, and in a fleeting hour his advancement bears fruit.

 

Sirach 11:25 You should not say: “What do I need?” or, “What good will there be for me in this?”

 

Sirach 11:26 You should not say: “I have enough for myself,” or, “What could be worse than this?”

 

Sirach 11:27 In a day of good things, you should not be forgetful of misfortunes. And in a day of misfortunes, you should not be forgetful of good things.

 

Sirach 11:28 For it is easy, in the sight of God, on the day of one’s passing, to repay each one according to his ways.

 

Sirach 11:29 The affliction of an hour causes one to forget great delights, and in the end of a man is the uncovering of his works.

 

Sirach 11:30 You should not praise any man before death. For a man is known by his children.

 

Sirach 11:31 You should not bring every man into your house. For many are the snares of the deceitful.

 

Sirach 11:32 For as a stomach with a bad smell vomits, and as a partridge is led into a cage, and like a deer led into a snare, so also is the heart of the arrogant. And it is like a bystander watching his neighbor fall.

 

Sirach 11:33 For it lies in ambush, and then turns good into evil, and it will place the blame on the elect.

 

Sirach 11:34 From one spark, a great fire grows; and from one deceitful man, much blood flows. But a very sinful man lies in ambush for blood.

 

Sirach 11:35 Pay close attention to yourself before a harmful man, for he fabricates evils. Otherwise, he may lead over you a whispered reproach unceasingly.

 

Sirach 11:36 Receive a stranger to yourself, and he will overthrow you with a whirlwind, and he will alienate you from what is your very own.