Sirach - Chapter 14

Passage

Blessed is the man that has not slipped by a word out of his mouth, and is not pricked with the remorse of sin. Happy is he that has had no sadness of his mind, and who is not fallen from his hope. Riches are not comely for a covetous man and a niggard, and what should an envious man do with gold? He that gathers together by wronging his own soul, gathers for others, and another will squander away his goods in rioting. He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and he shall not take pleasure in his goods. There is none worse than he that envies himself, and this is the reward of his wickedness: And if he do good, he does it ignorantly, and unwillingly: and at the last he discovers his wickedness. The eye of the envious is wicked: and he turns away his face, and despises his own soul. The eye of the covetous man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity: he will not be satisfied till he consume his own soul, drying it up. An evil eye is towards evil things: and he shall not have his fill of bread, but shall be needy and pensive at his own table. My son, if you have any thing, do good to yourself, and offer to God worthy offerings. Remember that death is not slow, and that the covenant of hell has been shown to you: for the covenant of this world shall surely die. Do good to your friend before you die, and according to your ability, stretching out your hand give to the poor. Defraud not yourself of the good day, and let not the part of a good gift overpass you. Shall you not leave to others to divide by lot your sorrows and labors? Give and take, and justify your soul. Before your death work justice: for in hell there is no finding food. All flesh shall fade as grass, and as the leaf that springs out on a green tree. Some grow, and some fall off: so is the generation of flesh and blood, one comes to an end, and another is born. Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end: and the worker thereof shall go with it. And every excellent work shall be justified: and the worker thereof shall be honored therein. Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom, and that shall meditate in his justice, and in his mind shall think of the all seeing eye of God. He that considers her ways in his heart, and has understanding in her secrets, who goes after her as one that traces, and stays in her ways. He who looks in at her windows, and hearkens at her door. He that lodges near her house, and fastening a pin in her walls shall set up his tent high to her, where good things shall rest in his lodging for ever. He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches: He shall be protected under her covering from the heat, and shall rest in her glory.