Ben Sira 8-9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 8
Prudence in Dealing with Others[a]
1 Do not contend with the mighty,
lest you fall into their power.
2 Do not quarrel with the rich,
lest they pay out the price of your downfall.
For gold has unsettled many,
and wealth perverts the character of princes.(A)
3 Do not quarrel with loud-mouths,
or heap wood upon their fire.[b](B)
4 Do not associate with the senseless,
lest your ancestors be insulted.
5 Do not reproach one who turns away from sin;(C)
remember, we all are guilty.[c]
6 Do not insult one who is old,
for some of us will also grow old.
7 Do not rejoice when someone dies;
remember, we are all to be gathered in.
8 Do not neglect the discourse of the wise,(D)
but busy yourself with their proverbs;
For in this way you will acquire the training
to stand in the presence of princes.
9 Do not reject the tradition of the elders
which they have heard from their ancestors;
For from it you will learn
how to answer when the need arises.
10 Do not kindle the coals of sinners,
lest you be burned in their flaming fire.
11 Do not give ground before scoundrels;
it will set them in ambush against you.[d]
12 Do not lend to one more powerful than yourself;
or if you lend, count it as lost.(E)
13 Do not give collateral beyond your means;
consider any collateral a debt you must pay.
14 Do not go to court against a judge,
for the case will be settled in his favor.
15 Do not travel with the ruthless
lest they weigh you down with calamity;
For they will only go their own way,
and through their folly you will also perish.
16 Do not defy the quick-tempered,
or ride with them through the desert.
For bloodshed is nothing to them;
when there is no one to help, they will destroy you.
17 Do not take counsel with simpletons,
for they cannot keep a confidence.
18 Before a stranger do nothing that should be kept secret,
for you do not know what it will produce later on.[e](F)
19 Open your heart to no one,
do not banish your happiness.
Chapter 9
Advice Concerning Women[f]
1 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom,
lest you teach her to do evil against you.[g]
2 Do not give a woman power over you
to trample on your dignity.(G)
3 Do not go near a strange woman,
lest you fall into her snares.
4 Do not dally with a singer,
lest you be captivated by her charms.
5 Do not entertain any thoughts about a virgin,
lest you be enmeshed in damages for her.[h]
6 Do not give yourself to a prostitute
lest you lose your inheritance.(H)
7 Do not look around the streets of the city
or wander through its squares.
8 Avert your eyes from a shapely woman;
do not gaze upon beauty that is not yours;
Through woman’s beauty many have been ruined,
for love of it burns like fire.(I)
9 Never recline at table with a married woman,
or drink intoxicants with her,
Lest your heart be drawn to her
and you go down in blood[i] to the grave.
Choice of Friends[j]
10 Do not abandon old friends;
new ones cannot equal them.
A new friend is like new wine—
when it has aged, you drink it with pleasure.
11 Do not envy the wicked
for you do not know when their day will come.
12 Do not delight in the pleasures of the ungodly;
remember, they will not die unpunished.
13 Keep away from those who have power to kill,
and you will not be filled with the dread of death.
But if you come near them, do not offend them,
lest they take away your life.
Know that you are stepping among snares
and walking over a net.
14 As best you can, answer your neighbor,
and associate with the wise.
15 With the learned exchange ideas;
and let all your conversation be about the law of the Most High.
16 Take the righteous for your table companions;
and let your glory be in the fear of God.
Concerning Rulers[k]
17 Work by skilled hands will earn praise;
but the people’s leader is proved wise by his words.
18 Loud mouths are feared in their city,
and whoever is reckless in speech is hated.
Footnotes
- 8:1–19 The prudent will be circumspect, avoiding conflict with the powerful, the rich and insolent, the impious, the irascible, and judges (vv. 1–3, 10–12, 14, 16). They will not associate with the undisciplined (v. 4) or the ruthless (v. 15), with fools or strangers (vv. 17–19), but with the wise and the elders of the people (vv. 8–9). Caution is a recurring theme in Ben Sira.
- 8:3 One should avoid increasing the ire of those who are hotheaded; cf. vv. 10, 16.
- 8:5 We all are guilty: cf. 1 Kgs 8:46; 2 Chr 6:36; Jb 25:4; Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:9–10; 5:12; 1 Jn 1:8.
- 8:11 Giving in to the wicked only encourages them to take advantage.
- 8:18 To keep a secret, or a confidence, is a major concern of Ben Sira; cf. 1:30; 22:22; 27:16–21; 37:10; 42:1.
- 9:1–9 Ben Sira writes about women only from the androcentric viewpoint of his culture. Cf. 25:13–26:27.
- 9:1 Jealousy may lead to suspicion and may prompt a wife to those actions her husband fears.
- 9:5 Cf. Ex 22:15–16; Dt 22:28–29; Jb 31:1. Cf. note on Ex 22:16.
- 9:9 In blood: perhaps refers to blood revenge; cf. Lv 20:10.
- 9:10–16 The second of Ben Sira’s poems on friendship; cf. note on 6:5–17. In choosing friends, adherence to the law of the Lord should serve as a guide (v. 15). Associate with true friends (v. 10), with the righteous and the learned (vv. 14–16); avoid the company of the mighty and of sinners (vv. 11–13). Cf. 8:1–19.
- 9:17–10:5 Public office as conducted justly or unjustly benefits or destroys the people, according to the axiom, “as the prince, so the people.” God, however, has sovereignty over both.
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.