Sirach 4
King James Version with ApocryphaTranslation
King James Version with Apocrypha
Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)
1My son, defraud not the poor of his living, and make not the needy eyes to wait long.
1Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from the poor.
2Make not an hungry soul sorrowful; neither provoke a man in his distress.
2Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the Boor in his want.
3Add not more trouble to an heart that is vexed; and defer not to give to him that is in need.
3Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to give to him that is in distress.
4Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; neither turn away thy face from a poor man.
4Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy face from the needy.
5Turn not away thine eye from the needy, and give him none occasion to curse thee:
5Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back.
6For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul, his prayer shall be heard of him that made him.
6For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him.
7Get thyself the love of the congregation, and bow thy head to a great man.
7Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble thy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a great man.
8Let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear to the poor, and give him a friendly answer with meekness.
8Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness.
9Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor; and be not fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment.
9Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and be not fainthearted in thy soul.
10Be as a father unto the fatherless, and instead of an husband unto their mother: so shalt thou be as the son of the most High, and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.
10In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother.
11Wisdom exalteth her children, and layeth hold of them that seek her.
11And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother.
12He that loveth her loveth life; and they that seek to her early shall be filled with joy.
12Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice.
13He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; and wheresoever she entereth, the Lord will bless.
13And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her, shall embrace her sweetness.
14They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One: and them that love her the Lord doth love.
14They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing.
15Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations: and he that attendeth unto her shall dwell securely.
15They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God loveth them that love her.
16If a man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her; and his generation shall hold her in possession.
16He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that looketh upon her, shall remain secure.
17For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline, until she may trust his soul, and try him by her laws.
17If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall be in assurance.
18Then will she return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets.
18For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she chooseth him.
19But if he go wrong, she will forsake him, and give him over to his own ruin.
19She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by her laws, and trust his soul.
20Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; and be not ashamed when it concerneth thy soul.
20Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to him, and give him joy,
21For there is a shame that bringeth sin; and there is a shame which is glory and grace.
21And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon him treasures of knowledge and understanding of justice.
22Accept no person against thy soul, and let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall.
22But if he go astray, she will forsake him, and deliver him into the hands of his enemy.
23And refrain not to speak, when there is occasion to do good, and hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.
23Son, observe the time, and fly from evil.
24For by speech wisdom shall be known: and learning by the word of the tongue.
24For thy soul be not ashamed to say the truth.
25In no wise speak against the truth; but be abashed of the error of thine ignorance.
25For there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame that bringeth glory and grace.
26Be not ashamed to confess thy sins; and force not the course of the river.
26Accept no person against thy own person, nor against thy soul a lie.
27Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man; neither accept the person of the mighty.
27Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall:
28Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord shall fight for thee.
28And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.
29Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss.
29For by the tongue wisdom is discerned: and understanding, and knowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and steadfastness in the works of justice.
30Be not as a lion in thy house, nor frantick among thy servants.
30In nowise speak against the truth, but be ashamed of the lie of thy ignorance.
31Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest repay.
31Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but submit not thyself to every man for sin.
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32Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not strive against the stream of the river.
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33Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee.
no verse 34 in this text
34Be not hasty in thy tongue: and slack and remiss in thy works.
no verse 35 in this text
35Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy household, and oppressing them that are under thee.
no verse 36 in this text
36Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldst give.
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