Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)

23:1 O Lord, father and gouernour of all my whole life, leaue me not to their counsels, and let me not fall by them.

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.

23:2 Who will set scourges ouer my thoughts, and the discipline of wisedome ouer mine heart? That they spare me not for mine ignorances and it passe not by my sinnes:

23:2 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:

23:3 Least mine ignorances increase, and my sinnes abound to my destruction, and I fall before mine aduersaries, and mine enemie reioyce ouer mee, whose hope is farre from thy mercy.

23:3 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 thy mercy.

23:4 O Lord, father and God of my life, giue me not a proud looke, but turne away from thy seruants alwaies a haughty minde:

23:4 O Lord, Father and God of my life, give me not a proud look, but turn away from thy servants always a haughty mind.

23:5 Turne away from mee vaine hopes, and concupiscence, and thou shalt hold him vp that is desirous alwaies to serue thee.

23:5 Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and thou shalt hold him up that is desirous always to serve thee.

23:6 Let not the greedinesse of the belly, nor lust of the flesh take hold of me, and giue not ouer me thy seruant into an impudent minde.

23:6 Let not the greediness of the belly nor lust of the flesh take hold of me; and give not over me thy servant into an impudent mind.

23:7 Heare, O yee children, the discipline of the mouth: He that keepeth it, shall neuer be taken in his lippes.

23:7 Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth: he that keepeth it shall never be taken in his lips.

23:8 The sinner shall be left in his foolishnesse: both the euill speaker and the proud shall fall thereby.

23:8 The sinner shall be left in his foolishness: both the evil speaker and the proud shall fall thereby.

23:9 Accustome not thy mouth to swearing: neither vse thy selfe to the naming of the holy one.

23:9 Accustom not thy mouth to swearing; neither use thyself to the naming of the Holy One.

23:10 For as a seruant that is continually beaten, shall not be without a blew marke: so hee that sweareth and nameth God continually, shal not be faultlesse.

23:10 For as a servant that is continually beaten shall not be without a blue mark: so he that sweareth and nameth God continually shall not be faultless.

23:11 A man that vseth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall neuer depart from his house: If he shall offend, his sinne shall be vpon him: and if he acknowledge not his sinne, hee maketh a double offence, and if he sweare in vaine, he shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of calamities.

23:11 A man that useth 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 maketh a double offence: and if he swear in vain, he shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of calamities.

23:12 There is a word that is clothed about with death: God graunt that it be not found in the heritage of Iacob, for all such things shall be farre from the godly, and they shall not wallow in their sinnes.

23:12 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.

23:13 Use not thy mouth to vntemperate swearing, for therein is the word of sinne.

23:13 Use not thy mouth to intemperate swearing, for therein is the word of sin.

23:14 Remember thy father and thy mother, when thou sittest among great men. Be not forgetfull before them, and so thou by thy custome become a foole, and wish that thou hadst not beene borne, and curse the day of thy natiuitie.

23:14 Remember thy father and thy mother, when thou sittest among great men. Be not forgetful before them, and so thou by thy custom become a fool, and wish that thou hadst not been born, and curse they day of thy nativity.

23:15 The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words, will neuer be reformed all the daies of his life.

23:15 The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will never be reformed all the days of his life.

23:16 Two sorts of men multiply sinne, and the third will bring wrath: a hot minde is as a burning fire, it will neuer be quenched till it be consumed: a fornicatour in the body of his flesh, will neuer cease till he hath kindled a fire.

23:16 Two sorts of men multiply sin, and the third will bring wrath: 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 hath kindled a fire.

23:17 All bread is sweete to a whoremonger, he will not leaue off till he die.

23:17 All bread is sweet to a whoremonger, he will not leave off till he die.

23:18 A man that breaketh wedlocke, saying thus in his heart, Who seeth me? I am compassed about with darknesse: the walles couer me; & no body seeth me, what neede I to feare? The most high wil not remember my sinnes:

23:18 A man that breaketh wedlock, saying thus in his heart, Who seeth me? I am compassed about with darkness, the walls cover me, and no body seeth me; what need I to fear? the most High will not remember my sins:

23:19 Such a man only feareth the eies of men, and knoweth not that the eies of the Lord are tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne, beholding all the waies of men, and considering the most secret parts.

23:19 Such a man only feareth the eyes of men, and knoweth 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.

23:20 He knew all things ere euer they were created, so also after they were perfited, he looked vpon them all:

23:20 He knew all things ere ever they were created; so also after they were perfected he looked upon them all.

23:21 This man shall bee punished in the streets of the citie, and where he suspecteth not, he shall be taken.

23:21 This man shall be punished in the streets of the city, and where he suspecteth not he shall be taken.

23:22 Thus shall it goe also with the wife, that leaueth her husband, and bringeth in an heire by another:

23:22 Thus shall it go also with the wife that leaveth her husband, and bringeth in an heir by another.

23:23 For first she hath disobeyed the Law of the most High: and secondly, she hath trespassed against her owne husband, and thirdly, she hath played the whore in adultery, and brought children by another man.

23:23 For first, she hath disobeyed the law of the most High; and secondly, she hath trespassed against her own husband; and thirdly, she hath played the whore in adultery, and brought children by another man.

23:24 Shee shall be brought out into the congregation, and inquisition shalbe made of her children.

23:24 She shall be brought out into the congregation, and inquisition shall be made of her children.

23:25 Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall bring foorth no fruit.

23:25 Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall bring forth no fruit.

23:26 She shall leaue her memorie to be cursed, and her reproch shall not be blotted out.

23:26 She shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her reproach shall not be blotted out.

23:27 And they that remaine, shall know that there is nothing better then the feare of the Lord, and that there is nothing sweeter then to take heed vnto the Commandement of the Lord.

23:27 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 unto the commandments of the Lord.

23:28 It is great glory to follow the Lord, & to be receiued of him is long life.

23:28 It is great glory to follow the Lord, and to be received of him is long life.