Sirach 33

1 As a fearful heart in the thought of a fool at all times will not fear, so neither shall he that continueth always in the commandments of God. 2 He that pricketh the eye, bringeth out tears: and he that pricketh the heart, bringeth forth resentment. 3 He that flingeth a stone at birds, shall drive them away: so he that upbraideth his friend, breaketh friendship. 4 Although thou hast drawn a sword at a friend, despair not: for there may be a returning. To a friend, 5 If thou hast opened a sad mouth, fear not, for there may be a reconciliation: except upbraiding, and reproach, and pride, and disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound: for in all these cases a friend will flee away. 6 Keep fidelity with a friend in his poverty, that in his prosperity also thou mayst rejoice. 7 In the time of his trouble continue faithful to him, that thou mayst also be heir with him in his inheritance. 8 As the vapour of a chimney, and the smoke of the fire goeth up before the fire: so also injurious words, and reproaches, and threats, before blood. 9 I will not be ashamed to salute a friend, neither will I hide myself from his face: and if any evil happen to me by him, I will bear it. 10 But every one that shall hear it, will beware of him. 11 Who will set a guard before my mouth, and a sure seal upon my lips, that I fall not by them, and that my tongue destroy me not? 13 O Lord, father, and sovereign ruler of my life, leave me not to their counsel: nor suffer me to fall by them. 14 Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over my heart, that they spare me not in their ignorances, and that their sins may not appear: 15 Lest my ignorances increase, and my offences be multiplied, and my sins abound, and I fall before my adversaries, and my enemy rejoice over me? 16 O Lord, father, and God of my life, leave me not to their devices. 17 Give me not haughtiness of my eyes, and turn away from me all coveting. 18 Take from me the greediness of the belly, and let not the lusts of the flesh take hold of me, and give me not over to a shameless and foolish mind. 19 Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth, and he that will keep it shall not perish by his lips, nor be brought to fall into most wicked works. 20 A sinner is caught in his own vanity, and the proud and the evil speakers shall fall thereby. 21 Let not thy mouth be accustomed to swearing: for in it there are many falls. 22 And let not the naming of God be usual in thy mouth, and meddle not with the names of saints, for thou shalt not escape free from them. 23 For as a slave daily put to the question, is never without a blue mark: so every one that sweareth, and nameth, shall not be wholly pure from sin. 24 A man that sweareth much, shall be filled with iniquity, and a scourge shall not depart from his house. 25 And if he make it void, his sin shall be upon him, and if he dissemble it, he offendeth double: 26 And if he swear in vain, he shall not be justified: for his house shall be filled with his punishment. 27 There is also another speech opposite to death, let it not be found in the inheritance of Jacob. 28 For from the merciful all these things shall be taken away, and they shall not wallow in sins. 29 Let not thy mouth be accustomed to indiscreet speech: for therein is the word of sin. 30 Remember thy father and thy mother, for thou sittest in the midst of great men: 31 Lest God forget thee in their sight, and thou, by thy daily custom be infatuated and suffer reproach: and wish that thou hadst not been born, and curse the day of thy nativity. 32 The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words, will never be corrected all the days of his life. 33 Two sorts of men multiply sins, and the third bringeth wrath and destruction.