Sirach

¹He who takes vengeance will find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely make his sins firm. ²Forgive your neighbor the hurt that he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. ³Does anyone harbor anger against another and expect healing from the Lord? ⁴Upon a man like himself he has no mercy, and does he make supplication for his own sins? ⁵He himself, being flesh, nourishes wrath. Who will make atonement for his sins? ⁶Remember your last end, and stop enmity. Remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments. ⁷Remember the commandments, and don’t be angry with your neighbor. Remember the covenant of the Highest, and overlook ignorance. ⁸Abstain from strife, and you will diminish your sins, for a passionate man will kindle strife. ⁹A man who is a sinner will trouble friends and sow discord among those who are at peace. ¹⁰As is the fuel of the fire, so it will burn; and as the stoutness of the strife is, so it will burn. As is the strength of the man, so will be his wrath; and as is his wealth, so he will exalt his anger. ¹¹A contention begun in haste kindles a fire; and hasty fighting sheds blood. ¹²If you blow on a spark, it will burn; and if you spit upon it, it will be quenched. Both of these come out of your mouth. ¹³Curse the whisperer and double-tongued, for he has destroyed many who were at peace. ¹⁴A slanderer has shaken many, and dispersed them from nation to nation. It has pulled down strong cities and overthrown the houses of great men. ¹⁵A slanderer has cast out brave women and deprived them of their labors. ¹⁶He who listens to it will not find rest, nor will he live quietly. ¹⁷The stroke of a whip makes a mark in the flesh, but the stroke of a tongue will break bones. ¹⁸Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, yet not so many as those who have fallen because of the tongue. ¹⁹Happy is he who is sheltered from it, who has not passed through its wrath, who has not drawn its yoke, and has not been bound with its bands. ²⁰For its yoke is a yoke of iron, and its bands are bands of brass. ²¹Its death is an evil death, and Hades is better than it. ²²It will not have rule over godly men. They will not be burned in its flame. ²³Those who forsake the Lord will fall into it. It will burn among them, and won’t be quenched. It will be sent against them like a lion. It will destroy them like a leopard. ²⁴As you hedge your possession about with thorns, and secure your silver and your gold, ²⁵so make a balance and a weight for your words, and make a door and a bar for your mouth. ²⁶Take heed lest you slip with it, lest you fall before one who lies in wait.