Sirach

¹Every friend will say, “I also am his friend”; but there is a friend which is only a friend in name. ²Isn’t there a grief in it even to death when a companion and friend is turned into an enemy? ³O wicked imagination, why were you formed to cover the dry land with deceit? ⁴There is a companion who rejoices in the gladness of a friend, but in time of affliction will be against him. ⁵There is a companion who for the belly’s sake labors with his friend, yet in the face of battle will carry his buckler. ⁶Don’t forget a friend in your soul. Don’t be unmindful of him in your riches.

⁷Every counselor extols counsel, but some give counsel in their own interest. ⁸Let your soul beware of a counselor, and know in advance what is his interest (for he will take counsel for himself), lest he cast the lot against you, ⁹and say to you, “Your way is good.” Then he will stand near you, to see what will happen to you. ¹⁰Don’t take counsel with one who looks askance at you. Hide your counsel from those who are jealous of you. ¹¹Don’t consult with a woman about her rival, with a coward about war, with a merchant about business, with a buyer about selling, with an envious man about thankfulness, with an unmerciful man about kindliness, with a sluggard about any kind of work, with a hireling in your house about finishing his work, or with an idle servant about much business. Pay no attention to these in any matter of counsel. ¹²But rather be continually with a godly man, whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments, who in his soul is as your own soul, and who will grieve with you, if you fail. ¹³Make the counsel of your heart stand, for there is no one more faithful to you than it. ¹⁴For a man’s soul is sometimes inclined to inform him better than seven watchmen who sit on high on a watch-tower. ¹⁵Above all this ask the Most High that he may direct your way in truth.

¹⁶Let reason be the beginning of every work. Let counsel go before every action. ¹⁷As a token of the changing of the heart, ¹⁸four kinds of things rise up: good and evil, life and death. That which rules over them continually is the tongue. ¹⁹There is one who is clever and the instructor of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul. ²⁰There is one who is subtle in words, and is hated. He will be destitute of all food. ²¹For grace was not given to him from the Lord, because he is deprived of all wisdom. ²²There is one who is wise to his own soul; and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy in the mouth. ²³A wise man will instruct his own people. The fruits of his understanding are trustworthy. ²⁴A wise man will be filled with blessing. All those who see him will call him happy. ²⁵The life of a man is counted by days. The days of Israel are innumerable. ²⁶The wise man will inherit confidence among his people. His name will live forever.

²⁷My son, test your soul in your life. See what is evil for it, and don’t give in to it. ²⁸For not all things are profitable for all men. Not every soul has pleasure in everything. ²⁹Don’t be insatiable in any luxury. Don’t be greedy in the things that you eat. ³⁰For overeating brings disease, and gluttony causes nausea. ³¹Because of gluttony, many have perished, but he who takes heed shall prolong his life.