Sir 23
1
O Lord, Father and Governor of all my whole life, leave me not to their counsels,
and let me not fall by them.
2
Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over mine heart?
that they spare me not for mine ignorances, and it pass not by my sins:
3
Lest mine ignorances increase, and my sins abound to my destruction, and I fall before
mine adversaries, and mine enemy rejoice over me, whose hope is far from your mercy.
4
O Lord, Father and God of my life, give me not a proud look, but turn away from your
servants always a haughty mind.
5
Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and you shall hold him up that is
desirous always to serve you.
6
Let not the greediness of the belly nor lust of the flesh take hold of me; and give
not over me your servant into an impudent mind.
7
Hear, O you children, the discipline of the mouth: he who keeps it shall never be
taken in his lips.
8
The sinner shall be left in his foolishness: both the evil speaker and the proud shall
fall thereby.
9
Accustom not your mouth to swearing; neither use yourself to the naming of the Holy
One.
10
For as a servant that is continually beaten shall not be without a blue mark: so he
who swears and names God continually shall not be faultless.
11
A man that uses much swearing shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall
never depart from his house: if he shall offend, his sin shall be upon him: and if
he acknowledge not his sin, he makes a double offense: and if he swear in vain, he
shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of calamities.
12
There is a word that is clothed about with death: God grant that it be not found in
the heritage of Jacob; for all such things shall be far from the godly, and they shall
not wallow in their sins.
13
Use not your mouth to intemperate swearing, for therein is the word of sin.
14
Remember your father and your mother, when you sit among great men. Be not forgetful
before them, and so you by your custom become a fool, and wish that you had not been
born, and curse they day of your nativity.
15
The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will never be reformed all the days
of his life.
16
Two sorts of men multiply sin, and the third will bring anger: a hot mind is as a
burning fire, it will never be quenched till it be consumed: a fornicator in the body
of his flesh will never cease till he has kindled a fire.
17
All bread is sweet to a whoremonger, he will not leave off till he die.
18
A man that breaks wedlock, saying thus in his heart, Who sees me? I am compassed about
with darkness, the walls cover me, and no body sees me; what need I to fear? the most
High will not remember my sins:
19
Such a man only fears the eyes of men, and knows not that the eyes of the Lord are
ten thousand times brighter than the sun, beholding all the ways of men, and considering
the most secret parts.
20
He knew all things before ever they were created; so also after they were perfected
he looked upon them all.
21
This man shall be punished in the streets of the city, and where he suspecteth not
he shall be taken.
22
Thus shall it go also with the wife that leaves her husband, and brings in an heir
by another.
23
For first, she has disobeyed the law of the most High; and secondly, she has trespassed
against her own husband; and thirdly, she has played the whore in adultery, and brought
children by another man.
24
She shall be brought out into the congregation, and inquisition shall be made of her
children.
25
Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall bring forth no fruit.
26
She shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her reproach shall not be blotted out.
27
And they that remain shall know that there is nothing better than the fear of the
Lord, and that there is nothing sweeter than to take heed to the commandments of the
Lord.
28
It is great glory to follow the Lord, and to be received of him is long life.