Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 22

¹ An idler is comparable to a stone covered in filth, everyone whistles at his disgrace.

² An idler is comparable to a lump of dung, anyone picking it up shakes it off his hand.

³ It is a disgrace to have fathered a badly brought-up son, and the birth of a daughter is a loss.

⁴ A sensible daughter is a treasure to her husband, but a shameless one is a grief to her father.

⁵ An insolent daughter puts father and mother to shame, and will be disowned by both.

⁶ An untimely remonstrance is like music at a funeral, but a thrashing and correction are wisdom at all times.

⁹ You are gluing the broken pieces of a pot together if you try to teach a fool, you are rousing a man who is besotted with sleep.

¹⁰ A fool is the same as a drowsing man if you have to explain anything to him, when you have finished he will say, ‘What is it all about?’

¹¹ Shed tears for the dead man, since he has left the light behind; shed tears for the fool, since he has left his wits behind; Shed quieter tears for the dead, since he is at rest. For the fool, life is sadder than death.

¹² Mourning for the dead lasts seven days, for the foolish and ungodly all the days of their lives.

¹³ Do not waste many words on a stupid man, do not go near a dolt. Beware of him, or he will give you trouble; and will leave you soiled by contact with him. Avoid him, and you will find rest and not be exasperated by his folly.

¹⁴ What is heavier than lead, and what is its name if not ‘fool’?

¹⁵ Sand, and salt, and a lump of iron are all easier to bear than a dolt.

¹⁶ A tie-beam bonded into a building will not be dislodged by an earthquake; so too, a heart resolved after due reflection will not flinch at the critical moment.

¹⁷ A heart founded on intelligent reflection is like a stucco decoration on a smooth wall.

¹⁸ Pebbles placed on top of a wall will not stand up to the wind; no more can the heart of a fool frightened at his own thoughts stand up to fear.

¹⁹ Prick an eye and you will draw a tear, prick a heart and you bring its feelings to light.

²⁰ Throw stones at birds and you scare them away, revile a friend and you break up friendship.

²¹ If you have drawn your sword on a friend, do not despair; there is a way back.

²² If you have opened your mouth against your friend, do not worry; there is hope for reconciliation; but insult, arrogance, betrayal of secrets, and the stab in the back – in these cases any friend will run away.

²³ Win your neighbour’s confidence when he is poor, so that you may enjoy his later good fortune with him; stand by him in times of trouble, in order to have your share when he comes into a legacy.

²⁴ Fire is heralded by the reek of the furnace and smoke, so too bloodshed by insults.

²⁵ I will not be ashamed to shelter a friend, nor will I hide from his face;

²⁶ and if evil comes to me through him, everyone who hears about it will beware of him.

²⁷ Who will set a guard on my mouth, and a seal of prudence on my lips to keep me from falling, and my tongue from causing my ruin?