Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 33

¹ If a man fears the Lord, evil will not come his way, again and again he will be rescued in his trials.

² The man who hates the Law is not wise, if hypocritical in observance, he is like a ship in a storm.

³ A man of understanding will put his faith in the Law, for him the Law is as dependable as an oracle.

⁴ Prepare what you have to say and you will get a hearing, marshal your information before you answer.

⁵ The feelings of a fool are like a cart-wheel, his thought revolves like a turning axle.

⁶ A rutting stallion is like a sarcastic friend; he neighs, whoever rides him.

⁷ Why is one day better than another, when each day’s light throughout the year comes from the sun?

⁸ They have been differentiated in the mind of the Lord, who has diversified the seasons and feasts;

⁹ some he has made more important and hallowed, others he has made ordinary days.

¹⁰ All men come from the ground, Adam himself was formed out of earth;

¹¹ in the fulness of his wisdom the Lord has made distinctions between them, and diversified their conditions.

¹² Some he has blessed and made more important, some he has hallowed and set near him; others he has cursed and humiliated by degrading them from their positions.

¹³ Like clay in the hands of the potter to mould as it pleases him, so are men in the hands of their Maker to reward as he judges right.

¹⁴ Opposite evil stands good, opposite death, life; so too, opposite the devout man stands the sinner.

¹⁵ This is the way to view all the works of the Most High; they go, in pairs, by opposites.

¹⁶ I myself have been the last to keep watch, like a gleaner following the vintagers.

¹⁷ By the blessing of the Lord I have come in first, and, like a vintager, filled the winepress.

¹⁸ Observe that I have not toiled for myself only, but for all who seek instruction.

¹⁹ Listen to me, you princes of the people, leaders of the assembly, lend ear.

²⁰ Neither to son nor wife, brother nor friend, give power over yourself during your own lifetime. And do not give your property to anyone else, in case you regret it and have to ask for it back.

²¹ As long as you live and there is breath in your body, do not yield power over yourself to anyone;

²² since it is better for your children to be your suppliants, than for you to have to look to the generosity of your sons.

²³ In all you do be the master, and do not spoil the honour that is rightly yours.

²⁴ The day your life draws to a close, when death is approaching, is the time to distribute your inheritance.

²⁵ Fodder, the stick and burdens for a donkey, bread, discipline and work for a slave.

²⁶ Work your servant hard, and you will know peace of mind; leave his hands idle, and he will start thinking of his freedom.

²⁷ Yoke and harness will bow the neck, for a criminal slave there is the rack and torture.

²⁸ Keep him occupied, or he will idle; idleness teaches all sorts of mischief.

²⁹ Keep him at his duties, where he should be, if he is disobedient, clap him in irons.

³⁰ But do not be over-exacting with anyone, and do nothing contrary to justice.

³¹ You have only one slave? Treat him like yourself, since you have acquired him with blood.

³² You have only one slave? Treat him as a brother, since you need him as you need yourself.

³³ If you ill-treat him and he runs away, which way will you go to look for him?