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Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 20
Sir
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Chapter 20
Silence and speech
1
There is the rebuke that is untimely, and there is the man who keeps quiet, and he is the shrewd one.
2
But how much better to rebuke than to fume!
3
The man who acknowledges a fault wards off punishment.
4
Like a eunuch longing to take a girl’s virginity so is he who uses force to argue cases.
5
There is the man who keeps quiet and is considered wise, another incurs hatred for talking too much.
6
There is the man who keeps quiet, not knowing how to answer, another keeps quiet, because he knows when to speak.
7
A wise man will keep quiet till the right moment, but a garrulous fool will always misjudge it.
8
The man who talks too much will get himself disliked, and the self-appointed oracle will make himself hated.
Paradoxes
9
There is the man who finds misfortune the saving of him, and the lucky find that may turn to loss.
10
There is the gift that affords you no profit, and the gift that repays you double.
11
There is the honour that leads to humiliation, and there are men in a low state who raise their heads.
12
There is the man who buys much for little; yet pays for it seven times over.
13
The wise man will win love by his words, while fools may shower favours in vain.
14
A stupid man’s gift will bring you no advantage, his eyes look for seven times as much in return.
15
He gives little and reviles much, he opens his mouth like the town crier, he lends today and demands payment tomorrow; he is a detestable fellow.
16
The fool will say, ‘I have no friends, I get no gratitude for my good deeds;
17
those who eat my bread have malicious tongues’. How often he will be laughed at, and by how many!
Inappropriate talk
18
Better a slip on the pavement than a slip of the tongue; this is how ruin takes the wicked by surprise.
19
A coarse-grained man is like an indiscreet story endlessly retold by the ignorant.
20
A maxim is rejected when coming from a fool, since he does not utter it on the apt occasion.
21
Take a man who is prevented from sinning by poverty; no qualms of conscience disturb his rest.
22
Take a man who destroys himself out of false shame, destroys himself for the sake of a fool’s opinion.
23
Take a man who, out of false shame, makes promises to a friend, and so makes an enemy for nothing.
Lying
24
Lying is an ugly blot on a man, and ever on the lips of the ignorant.
25
A thief is preferable to an inveterate liar, but both are heading for ruin.
26
Lying is an abominable habit, so that disgrace is the liar’s for ever.
The wise man: his dignity and his dangers
27
A wise man advances himself by his words, a shrewd man will please princes.
28
He who tills the soil will have a full harvest, he who pleases princes will secure pardon for his offences.
29
Presents and gifts blind wise men eyes and stifle rebukes like a muzzle on the mouth.
30
Wisdom concealed, and treasure undiscovered, what use is either of these?
31
Better a man who conceals his folly than a man who conceals his wisdom.
Chapters of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
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