Día 23 Los libros sapienciales en un mes

Eclesiástico (Sirácida) 8

1 Strive not with a mighty man, lest thou fall into his hands. 2 Be not at variance with a rich man, lest he overweigh thee: for gold hath destroyed many, and perverted the hearts of kings. 3 Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon his fire. 4 Jest not with a rude man, lest thy ancestors be disgraced. 5 Reproach not a man that turneth from sin, but remember that we are all worthy of punishment. 6 Dishonour not a man in his old age: for even some of us wax old. 7 Rejoice not over thy greatest enemy being dead, but remember that we die all. 8 Despise not the discourse of the wise, but acquaint thyself with their proverbs: for of them thou shalt learn instruction, and how to serve great men with ease. 9 Miss not the discourse of the elders: for they also learned of their fathers, and of them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give answer as need requireth. 10 Kindle not the coals of a sinner, lest thou be burnt with the flame of his fire. 11 Rise not up [in anger] at the presence of an injurious person, lest he lie in wait to entrap thee in thy words. 12 Lend not unto him that is mightier than thyself; for if thou lendest him, count it but lost. 13 Be not surety above thy power: for if thou be surety, take care to pay it. 14 Go not to law with a judge; for they will judge for him according to his honour. 15 Travel not by the way with a bold fellow, lest he become grievous unto thee: for he will do according to his own will, and thou shalt perish with him through his folly. 16 Strive not with an angry man, and go not with him into a solitary place: for blood is as nothing in his sight; and where there is no help, he will overthrow thee. 17 Consult not with a fool; for he cannot keep counsel. 18 Do no secret thing before a stranger: for thou knowest not what he will bring forth. 19 Open not thine heart to every man, lest he requite thee with a shrewd turn.

Eclesiástico (Sirácida) 9

1 Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, and teach her not an evil lesson against thyself. 2 Give not thy soul unto a woman to set her foot upon thy substance. 3 Meet not with an harlot, lest thou fall into her snares. 4 Use not much the company of a woman that is a singer, lest thou be taken with her attempts. 5 Gaze not on a maid, that thou fall not by those things that are precious in her. 6 Give not thy soul unto harlots, that thou lose not thine inheritance. 7 Look not round about thee in the streets of the city, neither wander thou in the solitary places thereof. 8 Turn away thine eye from a beautiful woman, and look not upon another's beauty; for many have been deceived by the beauty of a woman; for herewith love is kindled as a fire. 9 Sit not at all with another man's wife, nor sit down with her in thine arms, and spend not thy money with her at the wine; lest thine heart incline unto her, and so through thy desire thou fall into destruction. 10 Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shalt drink it with pleasure. 11 Envy not the glory of a sinner: for thou knowest not what shall be his end. 12 Delight not in the thing that the ungodly have pleasure in; but remember they shall not go unpunished unto their grave. 13 Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill: so shalt thou not doubt the fear of death: and if thou come unto him, make no fault, lest he take away thy life presently: remember that thou goest in the midst of snares, and that thou walkest upon the battlements of the city. 14 As near as thou canst, guess at thy neighbour, and consult with the wise. 15 Let thy talk be with the wise, and all thy communication in the law of the most High. 16 And let just men eat and drink with thee; and let thy glorying be in the fear of the Lord. 17 For the hand of the artificer the work shall be commended; and the wise ruler of the people for his speech. 18 A man of an ill tongue is dangerous in his city; and he that is rash in his talk shall be hated.

Eclesiástico (Sirácida) 10

1 A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered. 2 As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein. 3 An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited. 4 The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable. 5 In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour. 6 Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong; and do nothing at all by injurious practices. 7 Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity. 8 Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is translated from one people to another. 9 Why is earth and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale; because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels. 10 The physician cutteth off a long disease: and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die. 11 For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, beasts, and worms. 12 The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker. 13 For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that hath it shall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, and overthrew them utterly. 14 The Lord hath cast down the thrones of proud princes, and set up the meek in their stead. 15 The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place. 16 The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth. 17 He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth. 18 Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman. 19 They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honourable plant: they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed; they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed. 20 Among brethren he that is chief is honourable; so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes. 22 Whether he be rich, noble or poor, their glory is the fear of the Lord. 23 It is not meet to despise the poor man that hath understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a sinful man. 24 Great men, and judges, and potentates, shall be honoured; yet is there none of them greater than he that feareth the Lord. 25 Unto the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service: and he that hath knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed. 26 Be not overwise in doing thy business; and boast not thyself in the time of thy distress. 27 Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread. 28 My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to the dignity thereof. 29 Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life? 30 The poor man is honoured for his skill, and the rich man is honoured for his riches. 31 He that is honoured in poverty, how much more in riches? and he that is dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty?

Eclesiástico (Sirácida) 11

1 Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men. 2 Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance. 3 The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things. 4 Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden. 5 Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown. 6 Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men's hands. 7 Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke. 8 Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk. 9 Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and sit not in judgment with sinners. 10 My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing. 11 There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much the more behind. 12 Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate, 13 and lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw it marvelled at him. 14 Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord. 17 The gift of the Lord remaineth with the godly, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever. 18 There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this is the portion of his reward: 19 whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and [yet] he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die. 20 Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in thy work. 21 Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich. 22 The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his blessing to flourish. 23 Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter? 24 Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil can come to me hereafter? 25 In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity. 26 For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways. 27 The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be discovered. 28 Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children. 29 Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains. 30 Like as a partridge taken [and kept] in a cage, so is the heart of the proud: and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall: 31 for he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee. 32 Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man layeth wait for blood. 33 Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness: lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot. 34 Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own.

Eclesiástico (Sirácida) 12

1 When thou wilt do good, know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits. 2 Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High. 3 There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms. 4 Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner. 5 Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for [else] thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him. 6 For the most High hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment. 7 Give unto the good, and help not the sinner. 8 A friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity. 9 In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart. 10 Never trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness. 11 Though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst wiped a looking-glass, and thou shalt know that his rust hath not been altogether wiped away. 12 Set him not by thee, lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place; neither let him sit at thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and thou at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith. 13 Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come nigh wild beasts? 14 So one that goeth to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity? 15 For a while he will abide with thee, but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry. 16 An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood. 17 If adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first; and though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he undermine thee. 18 He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.