Ben Sira 6:4-6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
4 For fierce passion destroys its owner
and makes him the sport of his enemies.
True Friendship[a]
5 Pleasant speech multiplies friends,
and gracious lips, friendly greetings.
6 Let those who are friendly to you be many,
but one in a thousand your confidant.
Footnotes
- 6:5–17 One of several poems Ben Sira wrote on friendship; see also 9:10–16; 12:8–18; 13:1–23; 19:13–17; 22:19–26; 27:16–21. True friends are discerned not by prosperity (v. 11), but through the trials of adversity: distress, quarrels (v. 9), sorrow (v. 10) and misfortune (v. 12). Such friends are rare, a gift from God (vv. 14–17).
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