johngumbs Offline

JESUS THE SON OF SIRACH

Many great teachings have been given to us through the law and the prophets and the others that followed them, and for these we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom. Now, those who read the scriptures must not only themselves understand them, but must also as lovers of learning be able through the spoken and written word to help the outsiders. So my grandfather Jesus, who had devoted himself especially to the reading of the Law and the Prophets and the other books of our ancestors and had acquired considerable proficiency in them, was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, so that by becoming familiar also with his book those who love learning might make even greater progress in living according to the Law.
You are invited therefore to read it with goodwill and attention, and to be indulgent in cases where, despite our diligent labor in translating, we may seem to have rendered some phrases imperfectly. For what was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same sense when translated into another language. Not only this book, but even the Law itself, the Prophecies, and the rest of the books differ not a little when read in the Original.
When I came to Egypt in the thirty -eight year of the reign of Euergetes and stayed for some time, I found opportunity for no little instruction. It seemed highly necessary that I should myself devote some diligence and labor to the translation of this book. During that time I have applied my skill day and night to complete and publish the book for those living abroad who wished to gain learning and are disposed to living according to the Law.

Here are some of the wisdom I have taken out of the book:

DO NOT HIDE YOUR WISDOM.
WISDOM BECOME KNOWN THROUGH SPEECH.
NEVER SPEAK AGAINST THE TRUTH.
BE ASHAMED OF YOUR IGNORANCE.
DO NOT BE ASHAMED TO CONFESS YOUR SINS.
DO NOT TRY TO STOP THE CURRENT OF A RIVER.
DO NOT SUBJECT YOURSELF TO A FOOL.
THE LORD IS SLOW TO ANGER.
BOTH MERCY AND WRATH ARE WITH HIM.
DO NOT DEPEND ON DISHONEST WEALTH.
STAND FIRM FOR WHAT YOU KNOW.
DO NOT BE CALLED DOUBLE-TONGUED.
A BAD NAME INCUR SHAME AND REPROACH.
DO NOT FALL INTO THE GRIP OF PASSION OR YOU MAY BE TORN APART AS BY A BULL. YOUR LEAVES WILL BE DEVOURED AND YOUR FRUIT DESTROYED, AND YOU WILL BE LEFT LIKE AWITHERED TREE.
EVIL PASSION DESTROYS THOSE WHO HAVE IT, AND MAKES THEM THE LAUGHING-STOCK OF THEIR ENEMIES.

WHEN YOU GAIN FRIENDS GAIN THEM THROUGH TESTING>
KEEP AWAY FROM YOUR ENEMIES.
BE ON GUARD WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
FAITHFUL FRIENDS ARE BEYOND PRICE.
WISDOM SEEM VERY HARSH TO THE UNDISCIPLINED, FOOLS CANNOT REMAIN WITH HER.

WISDOM IS NOT READILY PERCEIVED BY MANY.
SEARCH OUT AND SEEK, AND SHE WILL BECOME KNOWN TO YOU.
WHEN YOU GET HOLD OF HER, DO NOT LET HER GO.
IF YOU LOVE TO LISTEN YOU WILL GAIN KNOWLEDGE.
IT IS THE LORD WHO WILL GIVE INSIGHT TO YOUR MIND.
REFUSE TO UTTER ANY LIE.
DO NOT TRUST YOURSELF TO ONE WHOM YOU DETEST.
DO NOT CONTEND WITH THE POWERFUL, OR YOU MAY FALL INTO THEIR HANDS.

DO NOT QUARREL WITH THE RICH, IN CASE THEIR RESOURCES OUTWEIGHS YOURS.
DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE LOUD OF MOUTH.
DO NOT REJOICE OVER ANY ONE"S DEATH : REMEMBER THAT WE MUST ALL DIE.
DO NOT GO TRAVELLING WITH THE RECKLESS, OR THEY WILL BE BURDONSOME TO YOU; FOR THEY WILL ACT AS THEY PLEASE, AND THROUGH THEIR FOLLY YOU WILL PERISH WITH THEM..
DO NOT PICK A FIGHT WITH THE QUICK_TEMPERED, AND DO NOT JOURNEY WITH THEM THROUGH LONELY COUNTRY, BECAUSE BLOODSHED MEANS NOTHING TO THEM, AND WHERE NO HELP IS AT HAND, THEY WILL STRIKE YOU DOWN.

DO NOT CONSULT WITH FOOLS FOR THEY CANNOT KEEP A SECRET.
DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF TO A WOMAN AND LET HER TRAMPLE DOWN YOUR STRENGTH.
DO NOT GO NEAR A LOOSE WOMAN, OR YOU WILL FALL INTO HER SNARES.
DO NOT GAZE AT BEAUTY BELONGING TO ANOTHER.
DO NOT ABANDON OLD FRIENDS.
KEEP FAR FROM THOSE WHO HAVE POWER TO KILL, AND YOU WILL NOT BE HAUNTED BY THE FEAR OF DEATH. BUT IF YOU APPROACH THEM. MAKE NO MISSTEP, OR THEY MAY ROB YOU OF YOUR LIFE.

DO NOT FIND FAULT BEFORE YOU INVESTIGATE; EXAMINE FIRST THEN CRITICIZE.

DO NOT ANSWER BEFORE YOU LISTEN.

DO NOT INTERRUPT WHEN ANOTHER IS SPEAKING.

GOOD THINGS AND BAD, LIFE AND DEATH, POVERTY AND WEALTH, COME FROM THE LORD.

DO NOT INVITE EVERYONE INTO YOUR HOME, FOR MANY ARE THE TRICKS OF THE CRA FTY.

BEWARE OF SCOUNDRELS, FOR THEY DEVISE EVIL, AND THEY MAY RUIN YOUR REPUTATION FOREVER.

IF YOU DO GOOD KNOW TO WHOM YOU DO IT.

TAKE CARE NOT TO BE LED ASTRAY AND HUMILIATED WHEN YOU ARE ENJOYING YOURSELF.

TREAT YOURSELF WELL ACCORDING TO YOUR MEANS.

DO NOT DEPRIVE YOURSELF OF A DAY"S ENJOYMENT; DO NOT LET YOUR SHARE OF DESIRED GOOD PASS BY YOU.

ALL LIVING BEINGS BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT.

EVERY WORK DECAY AND CEASES TO EXIST.

IT WAS THE LORD WHO CREATED HUMAN BEINGS IN THE BEGINNING AND HE LEFT THEM IN THE POWER OF THEIR OWN FREE CHOICE.

BEFORE EACH PERSON ARE LIFE AND DEATH, AND WHICH EVER ONE CHOOSES WILL BE GIVEN.

THE LORD CREATED HUMAN BEINGS OUT OF THE EARTH AND MAKES THEM RETURN TO IT AGAIN. HE GAVE THEM A FIXED NUMBER OF DAYS.

NOT EVERY THING IS WITHIN HUMAN CAPABILITY. HUMAN BEINGS ARE NOT IMMORTAL.

HE WHO LIVES FOREVER CREATED THE WHOLE UNIVERSE; TO NONE HAS HE GIVEN POWER TO PROCLAIM HIS WORKS.

BEFORE YOU SPEAK, LEARN. AND BEFORE YOU FALL ILL, TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH.

THE MIND FIRMLY RESOLVED AFTER DUE REFLECTION WILL NOT BE AFRAID IN A CRISIS.

DO NOT ACCUSTOMED YOUR MOUTH TO COARSE LANGUAGE.

BEFORE THE AGES, IN THE BEGINNING, HE CREATED ME, AND FOR ALL THE AGES I SHALL NOT CEASE TO BE.

WHOEVER OBEYS ME WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.







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