Sirach 14

Common English Bible

14 Happy are those
who haven’t slipped in their speech
    and who haven’t been stabbed
    with pain for their sins.
²Happy are those
whose spirit hasn’t condemned them,
    and who haven’t given up their hope.

On wealth

³Wealth isn’t good for a mean person.
    What use is money
    to a begrudging person?
⁴Those who deny themselves
collect for others,
    and others will live luxuriously
    with their goods.
⁵Those who are evil to themselves,
to whom will they be good?
    They will never enjoy their money.
⁶There are none worse than those
who begrudge themselves,
    and this is the payback
    for their wickedness:
⁷    If they do good,
    they do it without being aware,
    and in the end they reveal
    their wickedness.
⁸The miserly are evil;
    they turn their face away
    and disregard people.
⁹Those who have greedy eyes
are never satisfied with their share,
    and evil injustice withers their soul.
¹⁰Envious people are even begrudging
when it comes to bread,
    and it’s lacking on their table.

¹¹My child, treat yourself well
according to what you have,
    and bring offerings to the Lord
    that are worthy.
¹²Remember that death won’t delay,
    and the decree of the grave^[a]
    hasn’t been shown to you.
¹³Before you die, treat your friends well.
    According to your ability, reach out, and give to them.
¹⁴Enjoy^[b] a good day,
    and don’t let your share
    of a good desire pass you by.
¹⁵Won’t you end up leaving behind
to another what you have worked
so hard for?
    Won’t the things you have toiled for
    end up being divided by lot?
¹⁶Give, take, and distract yourself,^[c]
    because you can’t search for luxury
    in the grave.^[d]
¹⁷All flesh grows old like a garment;
    the ancient decree is,
    “You will certainly die!”
¹⁸Like a budding leaf on a leafy tree,
    it sheds some and it puts forth others;
    so is a generation of flesh and blood;
    one dies, and another is born.
¹⁹All deeds decay and cease,
    and those who do them
    will pass away with them.

Seeking Wisdom brings happiness

²⁰Happy are those who meditate
on Wisdom
    and who reason intelligently.
²¹Those who consider her ways
in their hearts
    will also reflect on her secrets.
²²Pursue her like a hunter,
    and lie in wait by her paths.
²³Those who peer into her windows
    will also listen at her doorways.
²⁴Those who lodge near her house
    will also fasten a tent peg in her walls.
²⁵They will pitch their tent close at hand
    and will find accommodation
    in a lodging place full of good things.
²⁶They will put their children
under her shelter,
    and will encamp under her branches.
²⁷She will shelter them from the heat,
    and they will dwell in her glory.