Sirach 11:9-12:14

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹⁰ My son, do not busy yourself with many matters;
    if you multiply activities you will not go unpunished,
and if you pursue you will not overtake,
    and by fleeing you will not escape.
¹¹ There is a man who works, and toils, and presses on,
    but is so much the more in want.
¹² There is another who is slow and needs help,
    who lacks strength and abounds in poverty;
but the eyes of the Lord look upon him for his good;
    he lifts him out of his low estate
¹³ and raises up his head,
    so that many are amazed at him.

¹⁴ Good things and bad, life and death,
    poverty and wealth, come from the Lord.^[a]
17 The gift of the Lord endures for those who are godly,
    and what he approves will have lasting success.
¹⁸ There is a man who is rich through his diligence and self-denial,
    and this is the reward allotted to him:
¹⁹ when he says, “I have found rest,
    and now I shall enjoy^[b] my goods!”
he does not know how much time will pass
    until he leaves them to others and dies.
²⁰ Stand by your covenant^[c] and attend to it,
    and grow old in your work.

²¹ Do not wonder at the works of a sinner,
    but trust in the Lord and keep at your toil;
for it is easy in the sight of the Lord
    to enrich a poor man quickly and suddenly.
²² The blessing of the Lord is^[d] the reward of the godly,
    and quickly God causes his blessing to flourish.
²³ Do not say, “What do I need,
    and what prosperity could be mine in the future?”
²⁴ Do not say, “I have enough,
    and what calamity could happen to me in the future?”
²⁵ In the day of prosperity, adversity is forgotten,
    and in the day of adversity, prosperity is not remembered.
²⁶ For it is easy in the sight of the Lord
    to reward a man on the day of death according to his conduct.
²⁷ The misery of an hour makes one forget luxury,
    and at the close of a man’s life his deeds will be revealed.
²⁸ Call no one happy before his death;
    a man will be known through his children.

12 If you do a kindness, know to whom you do it,
    and you will be thanked for your good deeds.
² Do good to a godly man, and you will be repaid—
    if not by him, certainly by the Most High.
³ No good will come to the man who persists in evil
    or to him who does not give alms.
⁴ Give to the godly man, but do not help the sinner.
⁵     Do good to the humble, but do not give to the ungodly;
hold back his bread, and do not give it to him,
    lest by means of it he subdue you;
for you will receive twice as much evil
    for all the good which you do to him.
⁶ For the Most High also hates sinners
    and will inflict punishment on the ungodly.^[f]
7 Give to the good man, but do not help the sinner.

⁸ A friend will not be known^[g] in prosperity,
    nor will an enemy be hidden in adversity.
⁹ A man’s enemies are grieved when he prospers,
    and in his adversity even his friend will separate from him.
¹⁰ Never trust your enemy,
    for like the rusting of copper, so is his wickedness.
¹¹ Even if he humbles himself and goes about cringing,
    watch yourself, and be on your guard against him;
    and you will be to him like one who has polished a mirror,
    and you will know that it was not hopelessly tarnished.
¹² Do not put him next to you,
    lest he overthrow you and take your place;
do not have him sit at your right,
    lest he try to take your seat of honor,
and at last you will realize the truth of my words,
    and be stung by what I have said.

¹³ Who will pity a snake charmer bitten by a serpent,
    or any who go near wild beasts?
¹⁴ So no one will pity a man who associates with a sinner
    and becomes involved in his sins.