Jesus Sirach 10

1A wise judge shall judge his people, and the government of a prudent man shall be steady.

2As the judge of the people is himself, so also are his ministers: and what manner of man the ruler of a city is, such also are they that dwell therein.

3An unwise king shall be the ruin of his people: and cities shall be inhabited through the prudence of the rulers.

4The power of the earth is in the hand of God, and in his time he will raise up a profitable ruler over it.

5The prosperity of man is in the hand of God, and upon the person of the scribe he shall lay his honour.

6Remember not any injury done thee by thy neighbour, and do thou nothing by deeds of injury.

7Pride is hateful before God and men: and all iniquity of nations is execrable.

8A kingdom is translated from one people to another, because of injustices, and wrongs, and injuries, and divers deceits.

9But nothing is more wicked than the covetous man. Why is earth and ashes proud?

10There is not a more wicked thing than to love money: for such a one setteth even his own soul to sale: because while he liveth he hath cast away his bowels.

11All power is of short life. A long sickness is troublesome to the physician.

12The physician cutteth off it short sickness: so also a king is today, and tomorrow he shall die.

13For when a man shall die, he shall inherit serpents, and beasts, and worms.

14The beginning of the pride of man, is to fall off from God:

15Because his heart is departed from him that made him: for pride is the beginning of all sin: be that holdeth it, shall be filled with maledictions, and it shall ruin him in the end.

16Therefore hath the Lord disgraced the assemblies of the wicked, and hath utterly destroyed them.

17God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes, and hath set up the meek in their stead.

18God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of these nations.

19The Lord hath overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and hath destroyed them even to the foundation.

20He hath made some of them to wither away, and hath destroyed them, and hath made the memory of them to cease from the earth.

21God hath abolished the memory of the proud, and hath preserved the memory of them that are humble in mind.

22Pride was not made for men: nor wrath for the race of women.

23That seed of men shall be honoured, which feareth God: but that seed shall be dishonoured, which transgresseth the commandments of the Lord.

24In the midst of brethren their chief is honourable: so shall they that fear the Lord, be in his eyes.

25The fear of God is the glory of the rich, and of the honourable, and of the poor:

26Despise not a just man that is poor, and do not magnify a sinful man that is rich.

27The great man, and the judge, and the mighty is in honour: and there is none greater than he that feareth God.

28They that are free shall serve a servant that is wise: and a man that is prudent and well instructed will not murmur when he is reproved; and he that is ignorant, shall not be honoured.

29Extol not thyself in doing thy work, and linger not in the time of distress:

30Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself and wanteth bread.

31My son, keep thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to its desert.

32Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own soul?

33The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear: and there is a man that is honoured for his wealth.

34But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in wealth? and he that is glorified in wealth, let him fear poverty.

1[Judex sapiens judicabit populum suum, et principatus sensati stabilis erit.

2Secundum judicem populi, sic et ministri ejus: et qualis rector est civitatis, tales et inhabitantes in ea.

3Rex insipiens perdet populum suum: et civitates inhabitabuntur per sensum potentium.

4In manu Dei potestas terræ: et utilem rectorem suscitabit in tempus super illam.

5In manu Dei prosperitas hominis, et super faciem scribæ imponet honorem suum.]

6[Omnis injuriæ proximi ne memineris, et nihil agas in operibus injuriæ.

7Odibilis coram Deo est et hominibus superbia, et execrabilis omnis iniquitas gentium.

8Regnum a gente in gentem transfertur propter injustitias, et injurias, et contumelias, et diversos dolos.

9Avaro autem nihil est scelestius. Quid superbit terra et cinis?

10Nihil est iniquius quam amare pecuniam: hic enim et animam suam venalem habet, quoniam in vita sua projecit intima sua.

11Omnis potentatus brevis vita; languor prolixior gravat medicum.

12Brevem languorem præcidit medicus: sic et rex hodie est, et cras morietur.

13Cum enim morietur homo, hæreditabit serpentes, et bestias, et vermes.

14Initium superbiæ hominis apostatare a Deo:

15quoniam ab eo qui fecit illum recessit cor ejus, quoniam initium omnis peccati est superbia. Qui tenuerit illam adimplebitur maledictis, et subvertet eum in finem.

16Propterea exhonoravit Dominus conventus malorum, et destruxit eos usque in finem.

17Sedes ducum superborum destruxit Deus, et sedere fecit mites pro eis.

18Radices gentium superbarum arefecit Deus, et plantavit humiles ex ipsis gentibus.

19Terras gentium evertit Dominus, et perdidit eas usque ad fundamentum.

20Arefecit ex ipsis, et disperdidit eos, et cessare fecit memoriam eorum a terra.

21Memoria superborum perdidit Deus, et reliquit memoriam humilium sensu.

22Non est creata hominibus superbia, neque iracundia nationi mulierum.]

23[Semen hominum honorabitur hoc, quod timet Deum: semen autem hoc exhonorabitur, quod præterit mandata Domini.

24In medio fratrum rector illorum in honore: et qui timent Dominum erunt in oculis illius.

25Gloria divitum, honoratorum, et pauperum, timor Dei est.

26Noli despicere hominem justum pauperem, et noli magnificare virum peccatorem divitem.

27Magnus, et judex, et potens est in honore: et non est major illo qui timet Deum.

28Servo sensato liberi servient: et vir prudens et disciplinatus non murmurabit correptus, et inscius non honorabitur.

29Noli extollere te in faciendo opere tuo, et noli cunctari in tempore angustiæ.

30Melior est qui operatur et abundat in omnibus, quam qui gloriatur et eget pane.

31Fili, in mansuetudine serva animam tuam, et da illi honorem secundum meritum suum.

32Peccantem in animam suam quis justificabit? et quis honorificabit exhonorantem animam suam?

33Pauper gloriatur per disciplinam et timorem suum: et est homo qui honorificatur propter substantiam suam.

34Qui autem gloriatur in paupertate, quanto magis in substantia ! et qui gloriatur in substantia, paupertatem vereatur.]

1A wise judge will judge his people, and the leadership of an understanding man will be steadfast.

2As the judge of the people is, so also are his assistants. And whatever kind of man the ruler of a city is, of such a kind also are those who live in it.

3A foolish king will be the ruin of his people. For cities will be inhabited through the understanding of those with power.

4Power over the earth is in the hand of God, and, in due time, he will raise up a helpful leader over the earth.

5The prosperity of a man is in the hand of God, and he will place his honor above the face of the scribe.

6You should forget all injury done to you by your neighbor, and you should do nothing among the works of injury.

7Arrogance is hateful in the sight of God and of men. And all iniquity among the nations is abominable.

8A kingdom is transferred from one people to another because of injustices, and injuries, and contempt, and every kind of deceit.

9But nothing is more wicked than a greedy man. Why should that which is earth and ashes be arrogant?

10There is nothing more iniquitous than to love money. For such a one has sold even his own soul. For in his life, he casts aside his innermost being.

11All power is of short life. A prolonged sickness is of grave concern to a physician.

12A physician causes a sickness to be shortened. So also, a king is here today, and tomorrow he will die.

13For when a man dies, he will inherit serpents, and wild beasts, and worms.

14The beginning of the arrogance of man is apostasy from God.

15For his heart has withdrawn from the One who made him. For arrogance is the beginning of all sin. Whoever holds to it, will be filled with evil words, and it will overthrow him in the end.

16Because of this, the Lord has dishonored the gatherings of the evil, and he has destroyed them, even unto the end.

17God has destroyed the seats of arrogant leaders, and he has caused the meek to be seated in their place.

18The roots of arrogant nations, God has dried up, and the humble among these nations, he has planted.

19The Lord has overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and he has utterly destroyed them, even to their foundation.

20He has dried up some of them, and he has utterly destroyed them, and he has caused their memory to depart from the earth.

21God has abolished the memory of the arrogant, and he has left behind only the memory of those who are humble in mind.

22Arrogance was not created for men, nor was an angry temperament created for the gender of women.

23Those who fear God among the offspring of men will be honored. But those among the offspring who ignore the commandments of the Lord will be dishonored.

24In the midst of his brothers, a ruler has honor. And those who fear the Lord will have honor in his eyes.

25The fear of God is the glory of the wealthy, and of the honorable, and of the poor.

26Do not choose to despise a just man who is poor, and do not choose to magnify a sinful man who is rich.

27The great man, and the judge, and the powerful have honor. But no one is greater than he who fears God.

28Those who are free will serve an understanding servant. And a prudent and disciplined man will not murmur at correction. But an ignorant man will not be honored.

29Do not choose to extol yourself in doing your work, and do not be unproductive during the time of distress.

30He who works, and so abounds in all things, is better than he who boasts, and so lacks bread.

31Son, preserve your soul in meekness, and give it honor according to its merit.

32Who will justify one who sins in his soul? And who will honor one who dishonors his soul?

33The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear. And there is a man who is honored because of his substance.

34But if someone is glorified in poverty, how much more in substance? And whoever is glorified in substance, let him fear poverty.