Sirach 4
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1MY sonne, defraude not the poore of his liuing, and make not the nedie eyes to waite long. 2Make not an hungrie soule sorowful, nether vexe a man in his necessitie. 3Trouble not the heart that is grieued, & differre not the gift of the nedie. 4Refuse not the prayer of one that is in trouble: turne not away thy face from the poore. 5Turne not thine eyes a side [in angre] from the poore, and giue him none occasion to speake euil of thee. 6For if he cursse thee in the bitternes of his soule, his prayer shalbe heard of him that made him. 7Be courteous vnto the companie [of poore, and humble thy soule vnto the Elder,] and bowe downe thine head to a man of worship. 8Let it not greue thee to bowe downe thine eare vnto the poore, [but pay thy dette,] and giue him a friendlie answer. 9¶Deliuer him that suffreth wrong, from the hand of the oppressour, & be not faint hearted when thou iudgest. 10Be as a father vnto the fatherles, and as an housband vnto their mother: so shalt thou be as the sonne of the moste High: and he shal loue thee more then thy mother doeth. 11Wisdome exalteth her children, and receiueth them that seke her, [& wil go before them in the way of righteousnes.] 12He that loueth her, loueth life, and they that seke life in the morning, shal haue great ioye. 13He that kepeth her, shal inherit glorie: for vnto whome she entreth, him the Lord wil blesse. 14They that honour her, shalbe the seruants of the holie one, and them that loue her, the Lord doeth loue. 15Who so giueth eare vnto her, shal iudge the nacions, and he that goeth vnto her, shal dwell safely. 16He that is faithful vnto her, shal haue her in possession, and his generacion shal possesse her. 17For first she wil walke with him by croked waies, and bring him vnto feare, and drede, and torment him with her discipline vntil she haue tryed his soule, and haue proued him by her iudgements. 18Then wil she returne the straight way vnto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets, [and heape vpon him the treasures of knowledge, and vnderstanding of righteousnes.] 19But if he go wrong, she wil forsake him, and giue him ouer into the hands of his destruction. 20[¶My sonne,] Make muche of time, and eschewe the thing that is euil, 21And be not ashamed [to say the trueth] for thy life: for there is a shame that bringeth sinne, and a shame that bringeth worship and fauour. 22Accept no persone against thine owne conscience, that thou be not confounded to thine owne decaye, [and forbeare not thy neighbour in his faute.] 23And kepe not backe counsel when it may do good, nether hide thy wisdome when it may be famous. 24For by the talke is wisdome knowen, and learning by the wordes of the tongue, [& counsel, wisdome and learning by the talking of the wise, & stedfastnes in the workes of righteousnes.] 25In no wise speake against the worde of trueth, but be ashamed of the lies of thine owne ignorance. 26Be not ashamed to confesse thy sinnes, & resist not the course of the riuer. 27Submit not thy self vnto a foolish man, nether accept the persone of the mightie. 28Striue for the trueth vnto death, [and defend iustice for thy life,] and the Lord God shal fight for thee [against thine enemies.] 29Be not hastie in thy tongue, nether slacke and negligent in thy workes. 30Be not as a lion in thine owne house, nether beat thy seruants for thy fantasie, [nor oppresse them that are vnder thee.] 31Let not thine hand be stretched out to receiue, and shut when thou shuldest giue.
Chapters in Sirach