Sirach - Chapter 19

Passage

A workman that is a drunkard shall not be rich: and he that despises small things, shall fall by little and little. Wine and women make wise men fall off, and shall rebuke the prudent: And he that joins himself to harlots, will be wicked. Rottenness and worms shall inherit him, and he shall be lifted up for a greater example, and his soul shall be taken away out of the number. He that is hasty to give credit, is light of heart, and shall be lessened: and he that sins against his own soul, shall be despised. He that rejoices in iniquity, shall be censured, and he that hates chastisement, shall have less life: and he that hates babbling, extinguishes evil. He that sins against his own soul, shall repent: and he that is delighted with wickedness, shall be condemned. Rehearse not again a wicked and harsh word, and you shall not fare the worse. Tell not your mind to friend or foe: and if there be a sin with you, disclose it not. For he will hearken to you, and will watch you, and as it were defending your sin he will hate you, and so will he be with you always. Have you heard a word against your neighbor? let it die within you, trusting that it will not burst you. At the hearing of a word the fool is in travail, as a woman groaning in the bringing forth a child. As an arrow that sticks in a man's thigh: so is a word in the heart of a fool. Reprove a friend, lest he may not have understood, and say: I did it not: or if he did it, that he may do it no more. Reprove your neighbor, for it may be he has not said it: and if he has said it, that he may not say it again. Admonish your friend: for there is often a fault committed. And believe not every word. There is one, that slips with the tongue, but not from his heart. For who is there that has not offended with his tongue? Admonish your neighbor before you threaten him. And give place to the fear of the most High: for the fear of God is all wisdom, and therein is to fear God, and the disposition of the law is in all wisdom. But the learning of wickedness is not wisdom: and the device of sinners is not prudence. There is a subtle wickedness, and the same is detestable: and there is a man that is foolish, wanting in wisdom. Better is a man that has less wisdom, and wants understanding, with the fear of God, than he that abounds in understanding, and transgresses the law of the most High. There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust. And there is one that utters an exact word telling the truth. There is one that humbles himself wickedly, and his interior is full of deceit: And there is one that submits himself exceedingly with a great lowliness: and there is one that casts down his countenance, and makes as if he did not see that which is unknown: And if he be hindered from sinning for want of power, if he shall find opportunity to do evil, he will do it. A man is known by his look, and a wise man, when you meet him, is known by his countenance. The attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the gait of the man, show what he is. There is a lying rebuke in the anger of an injurious man: and there is a judgment that is not allowed to be good: and there is one that holds his peace, he is wise.