Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 37

¹ Any friend will say, ‘I am your friend too’, but some friends are only friends in name.

² Is it not a deadly sorrow, when a comrade or a friend turns enemy?

³ O evil inclination, why were you created, to cover the earth with deceit?

⁴ One sort of comrade takes advantage of his friend’s good fortune, but in time of trouble turns against him.

⁵ Another sort of comrade shares his friend’s hardships out of concern, when it comes to a fight, he springs to arms.

⁶ Do not forget the friend who fought your battles, do not put him out of mind once you are rich.

⁷ Any adviser will offer advice, but some are governed by self-interest.

⁸ Beware of a man who offers advice, first find out what he wants himself-since his advice coincides with his own interest-in case he has designs on you

⁹ and tells you, ‘You are on the right road’, but stands well clear to see what will happen to you.

¹⁰ Do not consult a man who looks at you askance, conceal your plans from people jealous of you.

¹¹ Do not consult a woman about her rival, or a coward about war, a merchant about prices, or a buyer about selling, a mean man about gratitude, or a selfish man about kindness, a lazy fellow about any sort of work, or a casual worker about finishing a job, an idle servant about a major undertaking-do not rely on these for any advice.

¹² But constantly have recourse to a devout man, whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments, whose soul matches your own, and who, if you go wrong, will be sympathetic.

¹³ Finally, stick to the advice your own heart gives you, no one can be truer to you than that;

¹⁴ since a man’s soul often forewarns him better than seven watchmen perched on a watchtower.

¹⁵ And besides all this beg the Most High to guide your steps in the truth.

¹⁶ Reason must be the beginning of every activity, reflection must come before any undertaking.

¹⁷ Thoughts are rooted in the heart, and this sends out four branches:

¹⁸ good and evil, life and death, and always mistress of them all is the tongue.

¹⁹ Think of a clever man who teaches many people, but does no good at all to himself.

²⁰ Think of a man, a ready enough speaker, yet he is detested and will end up by starving,

²¹ not having won the favour of the Lord, and being destitute of all wisdom.

²² Think of a man who is wise in his own eyes, and the fruits of his understanding are, if you take his word for it, certain.

²³ The truly wise will instruct his own people, the fruits of his understanding are certain.

²⁴ This wise man will be filled with blessing, and those who see him will call him happy.

²⁵ A man’s life lasts a number of days, but the days of Israel are beyond counting.

²⁶ The wise man will earn confidence among his people, his name will live for ever.

²⁷ My son, in the course of your life test your constitution, and do not allow it what you see is harmful to it;

²⁸ for everything does not suit everybody, nor does everybody take pleasure in everything.

²⁹ Do not be insatiable over any delicacy, do not be greedy over food,

³⁰ for overeating leads to sickness, and gluttony brings on biliousness.

³¹ Many have died of gluttony; beware of this and you will prolong your life.