Font Size
Ben Sira 20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ben Sira 20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 20
Conduct of the Wise and the Foolish
1 There is an admonition that is untimely,[a]
but the silent person is the wise one.
2 It is much better to admonish than to lose one’s temper;
3 one who admits a fault will be kept from disgrace.
4 Like a eunuch lusting to violate a young woman
is the one who does right under compulsion.[b]
5 One is silent and is thought wise;
another, for being talkative, is disliked.
6 One is silent, having nothing to say;
another is silent, biding his time.(A)
7 The wise remain silent till the right time comes,
but a boasting fool misses the proper time.
8 Whoever talks too much is detested;
whoever pretends to authority is hated.
9 There is the misfortune that brings success;[c]
and there is the gain that turns into loss.
10 There is the gift that profits you nothing,
and there is the gift that must be paid back double.
11 There is the loss for the sake of glory,
and there is the one who rises above humble circumstances.
12 There is one who buys much for little,
but pays for it seven times over.
13 The wise make themselves beloved by a few words,
but the courtesies of fools are wasted.
14 A gift from a fool will do you no good,
for in his eyes this one gift is equal to many.
15 He gives little, criticizes often,
and opens his mouth like a town crier.
He lends today and asks for it tomorrow;
such a person is hateful.
16 A fool says, “I have no friends
nor thanks for my generosity.”
Those who eat his bread have a mocking tongue.
17 How many will ridicule him, and how often!
18 A slip on the floor is better than a slip of the tongue;[d]
in like manner the downfall of the wicked comes quickly.
19 A coarse person, an untimely story;
the ignorant are always ready to offer it.
20 A proverb spoken by a fool is unwelcome,
for he does not tell it at the proper time.
21 There is a person whose poverty prevents him from sinning,
but when he takes his rest he has no regrets.
22 There is a person who is destroyed through shame,
and ruined by foolish posturing.
23 There is one who promises a friend out of shame,
and so makes an enemy needlessly.
24 A lie is a foul blot in a person,
yet it is always on the lips of the ignorant.
25 A thief is better than an inveterate liar,
yet both will suffer ruin.
26 A liar’s way leads to dishonor,
and his shame remains ever with him.
27 The wise gain promotion with few words,[e]
the prudent please the great.
28 Those who work the land have abundant crops,
and those who please the great are pardoned their faults.
29 Favors and gifts blind the eyes;
like a muzzle over the mouth they silence reproofs.(B)
30 Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure—
what value has either?
31 Better are those who hide their folly
than those who hide their wisdom.[f]
Footnotes
- 20:1–8 The wise know the proper times for speech and silence, that is, the occasions when the most benefit can be gained from them. On the ambiguity of silences, see Prv 17:27–28.
- 20:4 Force can prevent an external act of sin or compel a good deed, but it does not eliminate the internal sin or desire of wrongdoing.
- 20:9–17 In a series of paradoxes the author indicates how much true and lasting values differ from apparent ones.
- 20:18–26 The ill-timed speech brings disaster (vv. 18–20); human respect may lead to rash promises and enmity (vv. 22–23); lies bring dishonor and lasting disgrace (vv. 24–26).
- 20:27–31 Through prudent speech the wise gain honor and esteem among the great (vv. 27–28). They must beware, however, of accepting bribes, lest they share in evil through silence when they should reprove (vv. 29–31).
- 20:31
Other ancient texts read as v. 32:
It is better to await the inevitable while serving the Lord
than to be the ungoverned helmsman for the careening of one’s life.
Sirach 20
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Sirach 20
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Silence and Speech
20 There is a reproof which is not timely;
and there is a man who keeps silent but is wise.
2 How much better it is to reprove than to stay angry!
And the one who confesses his fault will be kept from loss.[a]
4 Like a eunuch’s desire to violate a maiden
is a man who executes judgments by violence.
5 There is one who by keeping silent is found wise,
while another is detested for being too talkative.
6 There is one who keeps silent because he has no answer,
while another keeps silent because he knows when to speak.
7 A wise man will be silent until the right moment,
but a braggart and fool goes beyond the right moment.
8 Whoever uses too many words will be loathed,
and whoever usurps the right to speak will be hated.
Paradoxes
9 There may be good fortune for a man in adversity,
and a windfall may result in a loss.
10 There is a gift that profits you nothing,
and there is a gift that brings a double return.
11 There are losses because of glory,
and there are men who have raised their heads from humble circumstances.
12 There is a man who buys much for a little,
but pays for it seven times over.
13 The wise man makes himself beloved through his words,
but the courtesies of fools are wasted.
14 A fool’s gift will profit you nothing,
for he has many eyes instead of one.
15 He gives little and upbraids much,
he opens his mouth like a herald;
today he lends and tomorrow he asks it back;
such a one is a hateful man.
16 A fool will say, “I have no friend,
and there is no gratitude for my good deeds;
those who eat my bread speak unkindly.”
17 How many will ridicule him, and how often!
Inappropriate Speech
18 A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue;
so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily.
19 An ungracious man is like a story told at the wrong time,
which is continually on the lips of the ignorant.
20 A proverb from a fool’s lips will be rejected,
for he does not tell it at its proper time.
21 A man may be prevented from sinning by his poverty,
so when he rests he feels no remorse.
22 A man may lose his life through shame,
or lose it because of his foolish look.
23 A man may for shame make promises to a friend,
and needlessly make him an enemy.
Lying
24 A lie is an ugly blot on a man;
it is continually on the lips of the ignorant.
25 A thief is preferable to a habitual liar,
but the lot of both is ruin.
26 The disposition of a liar brings disgrace,
and his shame is ever with him.
27 He who speaks wisely will advance himself,
and a sensible man will please great men.
28 Whoever cultivates the soil will heap up his harvest,
and whoever pleases great men will atone for injustice.
29 Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise;
like a muzzle on the mouth they avert reproofs.
30 Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure,
what advantage is there in either of them?
31 Better is the man who hides his folly
than the man who hides his wisdom.[b]
Footnotes
- Sirach 20:2 Other authorities add 3 How good it is to show repentance when you are reproved, for so you will escape deliberate sin!
- Sirach 20:31 Other authorities add 32 Unwearied patience in seeking the Lord is better than a masterless charioteer of one’s own life.
Sirach 20
Good News Translation
Sirach 20
Good News Translation
Knowing When to Talk
20 A person can be rebuked in the wrong way; it may be wiser to keep quiet than to speak. 2 But it is much better to rebuke the person than to keep your anger bottled up. 3 Admit when you are wrong, and you will avoid embarrassment. 4 Using force to get a point across is like a castrated man trying to rape a young woman. 5 Some people are thought to be wise because they don't talk much; others are disliked because they talk too much. 6 Some people keep quiet because they don't have anything to say; others keep quiet because they know the right time to speak. 7 A wise person will not speak until the right moment, but a bragging fool doesn't know when that time is. 8 No one can stand a person who talks too long and will not give others a chance to speak.
Sudden Changes of Fortune
9 Bad luck can sometimes lead to success, and a stroke of good luck can sometimes lead to loss.
10 Generosity will sometimes do you no good, but at other times it will repay you double.
11 Honor can be followed by disgrace, but there are people who have risen from obscurity to places of honor.
12 Sometimes what seems like a real bargain can turn out to be a very expensive mistake.
13 When a person with good judgment speaks, he wins friends. A stupid person, though, can shower compliments on everybody, and it won't help him a bit. 14 If such a person gives you something, it won't do any good; it won't be as valuable as he thinks it is.[a] 15 He isn't generous with anything but criticism, which he will shout for all the world to hear. If he lends you something today, he'll want it back tomorrow. (Don't you hate people like that?) 16 Then that fool will say,
Nobody likes me. Nobody appreciates what I do for them. They'll take what I give them, but then talk about me behind my back. 17 And he's right—he's a constant joke to everyone.
Inappropriate Talk
18 A slip of the tongue is worse than a slip on the pavement; the wicked will go to ruin just as suddenly as a person slips and falls.
19 An impolite person is like one of those off-color stories that ignorant people are always telling.
20 Nobody takes a proverb seriously when some fool quotes it at the wrong time.
21 If a person is too poor to afford sin, he can rest without a guilty conscience.
22 You can lose all your self-respect by being reluctant to speak up in the presence of stupidity.
23 If you promise a friend something because you are too bashful to say no, you're needlessly making an enemy.
24 Lying is an ugly blot on a person's character, but ignorant people do it all the time. 25 A thief is better than a habitual liar, but both are headed for ruin. 26 A liar has no honor. He lives in constant disgrace.
Stewardship of Wisdom
27 Speak wisely, and you will get ahead in the world. Influential people appreciate good sense. 28 They will excuse your errors if they like you, so cultivate the soil and reap the harvest!
29 Gifts and bribes make even the wise blind to the truth, and prevent them from being honest in their criticism.
30 Wisdom that is not expressed is like a treasure that has been hidden—both are useless. 31 But a person who covers up his foolishness is better than one who keeps his wisdom to himself.
Footnotes
- Sirach 20:14 it won't be...it is; or he only expects to be repaid.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.