1  Son, you should not cheat the poor out of alms, nor should you avert your eyes from a poor man.

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

2  You should not despise the hungry soul, and you should not aggravate a poor man in his need.

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

3  You should not afflict the heart of the needy, and you should not delay an offer to someone in anguish.

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

4  You should not make requests of one who is greatly troubled, and you should not avert your face from the indigent.

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

5  You should not avert your eyes from the needy out of anger. And you should not abandon those who seek help from you, so that they speak curses behind your back.

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

6  For the pleadings of him who speaks curses of you, in the bitterness of his soul, will be heeded. For the One who made him will heed him.

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

7  Make yourself a friend to the congregation of the poor, and humble your soul before an elder, and humble your head before the great.

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

8  Turn your ear without sadness toward the poor, and repay your debt, and respond to him peacefully in meekness.

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

9  Free him who suffers injury at the hand of the arrogant, and do not carry animosity in your soul.

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

10  In judging, be merciful to the orphan, like a father, and be merciful to their mother, like a husband.

10  Be 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.

11  And then you shall be like an obedient son of the Most High, and he will take pity on you more than a mother would.

12  Wisdom breathes life into her sons, and she lifts up those who are seeking her, and she will precede them in the way of justice.

Sir4:11  Wisdom exalteth her children, and layeth hold of them that seek her.

13  And he who loves her loves life. And those who watch for her shall embrace her delights.

Sir4:12  He that loveth her loveth life; and they that seek to her early shall be filled with joy.

14  Those who hold to her will inherit life. And whatever place she enters, God will bless.

Sir4:13  He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; and wheresoever she entereth, the Lord will bless.

15  Those who serve her will yield to what is holy. And God loves those who love wisdom.

Sir4:14  They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One: and them that love her the Lord doth love.

16  He who listens to her shall judge the nations. And he who gazes upon her will remain secure.

Sir4:15  Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations: and he that attendeth unto her shall dwell securely.

17  If he believes in her, he will inherit her, and whatever arises from him will be confirmed.

Sir4:16  If a man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her; and his generation shall hold her in possession.

18  For she walks with him through temptation, and she chooses him from the beginning.

Sir4:17  For 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.

19  She will lead fear and dread and trials over him, and she will crucify him with the tribulation of her doctrine, until she has tested him in his thoughts and she can trust in his soul.

20  And then she will strengthen him, and lead him along a straight path, and rejoice in him.

Sir4:18  Then will she return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets.

21  And she will disclose her secrets to him, and she will store up treasure, of the knowledge and understanding of justice, in him.

22  But if he has wandered astray, she will leave him behind, and she will deliver him into the hands of his enemy.

Sir4:19  But if he go wrong, she will forsake him, and give him over to his own ruin.

23  Son, be continually observant, and keep away from evil.

Sir4:20  Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; and be not ashamed when it concerneth thy soul.

24  For the sake of your soul, you should not be ashamed to speak the truth.

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

26  You should not accept a face contrary to your own face, nor should you accept a lie contrary to your own soul.

Sir4:22  Accept no person against thy soul, and let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall.

27  You should not enjoy the fall of your neighbor.

28  Neither should you withhold words at an opportunity for salvation. You should not conceal your wisdom in her beauty.

Sir4:23  And refrain not to speak, when there is occasion to do good, and hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.

29  For wisdom is discerned within speech. And understanding and knowledge and doctrine are discerned in the words of those who understand and by their steadfastness in the works of justice.

Sir4:24  For by speech wisdom shall be known: and learning by the word of the tongue.

30  You should not contradict a word of truth in any way. Otherwise, by a falsehood born of ignorance, you will be confounded.

Sir4:25  In no wise speak against the truth; but be abashed of the error of thine ignorance.

31  You should not be ashamed to confess your sins, but do not subject yourself to any man because of sin.

Sir4:26  Be not ashamed to confess thy sins; and force not the course of the river.

32  Do not choose to stand against the face of the powerful, for you should not strive against the current of the river.

Sir4:27  Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man; neither accept the person of the mighty.

33  Suffer for justice, on behalf of your soul, and struggle, even unto death, on behalf of justice, and God will fight against your enemies on your behalf.

Sir4:28  Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord shall fight for thee.

34  Do not choose to be quick with your words, nor unproductive or neglectful in your works.

Sir4:29  Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss.

35  Do not choose to be like a lion in your house, distressing those of your household, and oppressing those who are subject to you.

Sir4:30  Be not as a lion in thy house, nor frantick among thy servants.

36  Do not let your hand be open when receiving, but closed when giving.

Sir4:31  Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest repay.

5:1  Do not choose to seek iniquitous possessions, and you should not say: “I have all I need in life.” For it will be of no benefit to you in the time of retribution and darkness.

1  Set thy heart upon thy goods; and say not, I have enough for my life.

5:2  You should not pursue, in your strength, the desires of your heart.

2  Follow not thine own mind and thy strength, to walk in the ways of thy heart

5:3  And you should not say: “How powerful am I?” or, “Who will cast me down because of my deeds?” For God will vindicate with vengeance.

3  And say not, Who shall control me for my works? for the Lord will surely revenge thy pride.

5:4  You should not say, “I sinned, and what grief has befallen me?” For the Most High is a patient recompensor.

4  Say not, I have sinned, and what harm hath happened unto me? for the Lord is longsuffering, he will in no wise let thee go.

5:5  Do not be willing to be without fear concerning a forgiven sin, and you should not add sin upon sin.

5  Concerning propitiation, be not without fear to add sin unto sin

5:6  And you should not say: “The compassion of the Lord is great; he will take pity on the multitude of my sins.”

6  And say not His mercy is great; he will be pacified for the multitude of my sins: for mercy and wrath come from him, and his indignation resteth upon sinners.

5:7  For both mercy and wrath go forth quickly from him, and his wrath sets its gaze upon sinners.

5:8  You should not delay being converted to the Lord, and you should not set it aside from day to day.

Sir5:7  Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance.

5:9  For his wrath will approach suddenly, and in the time of vindication, he will destroy you.

5:10  Do not choose to be anxious for unjust wealth. For these things will not benefit you in the day of darkness and retribution.

Sir5:8  Set not thine heart upon goods unjustly gotten, for they shall not profit thee in the day of calamity.

5:11  You should not winnow in every wind, and you should not go forth into every path. For so is every sinner proven by his duplicitous tongue.

Sir5:9  Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for so doth the sinner that hath a double tongue.

5:12  Be steadfast in the way of the Lord and in the truth of your understanding and knowledge, and let words of peace and justice overtake you.

Sir5:10  Be stedfast in thy understanding; and let thy word be the same.

5:13  Be meek when listening to a word, so that you may understand. And offer a true response in wisdom.

Sir5:11  Be swift to hear; and let thy life be sincere; and with patience give answer.

5:14  If you understand, then answer your neighbor. But if you do not, then let your hand be over your mouth, so that you are not caught by an inept word, and then confounded.

Sir5:12  If thou hast understanding, answer thy neighbour; if not, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

5:15  Honor and glory are in the words of those who understand, yet truly, the tongue of the imprudent man is his undoing.

Sir5:13  Honour and shame is in talk: and the tongue of man is his fall.

5:16  You should not be called a whisperer, and you should not be caught by your own tongue, and then confounded.

Sir5:14  Be not called a whisperer, and lie not in wait with thy tongue: for a foul shame is upon the thief, and an evil condemnation upon the double tongue.

5:17  For confusion and remorse is upon a thief, and a wicked mark is upon the double-tongued; but for the whisperer, there is hatred and animosity and disgrace.

5:18  Justify the small and the great similarly.

Sir5:15  Be not ignorant of any thing in a great matter or a small.