‏ Sirach 4

1My son, deprive not the poor of his living,
And make not the needy eyes to wait long.
2Make not a hungry soul sorrowful;
Neither provoke a man in his distress.
3To a heart that is provoked add not more trouble;
And defer not to give to him that is in need.
4Reject not a suppliant in his affliction;
And turn not away thy face from a poor man.
5Turn not away thine eye from one that asketh of thee,
And give none occasion to a man to curse thee:
6For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul,
He that made him will hear his supplication.

7Get thyself the love of the congregation;
And to a great man bow thy head.
8Incline thine ear to a poor man,
And answer him with peaceable words in meekness.
9Deliver him that is wronged from the hand of him that wrongeth him;
And be not fainthearted in giving judgement.
10Be as a father unto the fatherless,
And instead of a husband unto their mother:
So shalt thou be as a son of the Most High,
And he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.

11Wisdom exalteth her sons,
And taketh hold of them that seek her.
12He that loveth her loveth life;
And they that seek to her early shall be filled with gladness.
13He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory;
And where ▼

▼ Or, she

he entereth, the Lord will bless.
14They that do her service shall minister to the Holy One;
And them that love her the Lord doth love.
15He that giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations;
And he that giveth heed unto her shall dwell securely.
16If he trust her, he shall inherit her;
And his generations shall have her in possession.
17For at the first she will walk with him in crooked ways,
And will bring fear and dread upon him,
And torment him with her discipline,
Until she may trust his soul, and try him by her judgements:
18Then will she return again the straight way unto him,
And will gladden him, and reveal to him her secrets.
19If he go astray, she will forsake him,
And give him over ▼

▼ Gr. to the hands of his fall.

to his fall.

20Observe the opportunity, and beware of ▼

▼ Or, an evil man

evil;
And be not ashamed concerning thy soul.
21For there is a shame that bringeth sin;
And there is a shame that is glory and grace.
22Accept not the person of any against thy soul;
And ▼

▼ Or, be not abashed

reverence no man unto thy falling.
23Refrain not speech, ▼

▼ Gr. in an occasion of safety.

when it tendeth to safety;
▼

▼ Most authorities omit this line.

And hide not thy wisdom for the sake of fair-seeming.
24For by speech wisdom shall be known;
And instruction by the word of the tongue.
25Speak not against the truth;
And be abashed for thine ignorance.
26Be not ashamed to make confession of thy sins;
And force not the current of the river.
27Lay not thyself down for a fool to tread upon;
And accept not the person of one that is mighty.
28Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord God shall fight for thee.

29Be not ▼

▼ Some authorities read rough.

hasty in thy tongue,
And in thy deeds slack and remiss.
30Be not as a lion in thy house,
Nor fanciful among thy servants.
31Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and ▼

▼ Or, drawn back

closed when thou shouldest repay.