Sirach 21

Wycliffe Bible

21 Son, thou hast done sin? add thou (to it) not again; but beseech thou for the former sins, that those be forgiven to thee. [Son, hast thou sinned? not add thou to again; but of thy rather lowly pray, that to thee they be forgiven.]

² As from the face of a serpent flee thou sins; and if thou nighest (or approachest) to them, those shall take thee. The teeth of a lion be (as) the teeth thereof, that slay the souls of men. [As from the face of a shadow adder flee sins; and if thou shalt nigh to them, they shall take thee. The teeth of a lion the teeth of it, slaying the souls of men.]

³ All wickedness is as a sharp sword on either side; health is not to the wound thereof [or of the wound of it is no health].

⁴ Chidings and wrongs shall destroy chattel; and an house that is over-rich, shall be destroyed by pride; so the chattel of a proud man shall be drawn up by the root. [Against-chiding and wrongs to nought shall bring substance; and the house that full much is rich, shall be brought to nought by pride; so the substance of the proud shall be taken up by the root.]

⁵ The prayer of a poor man shall come from the mouth unto (the) ears of God; and doom shall come to him hastily.

⁶ He that hateth reproving, is (in) a step of the sinner; and (or but) he that dreadeth God, shall be turned to (him in) his heart. [Who hateth chastising, the step is of a sinner; and who dreadeth God, shall be converted to (him in) his heart.]

⁷ A mighty man with an hardy tongue is known afar; and a witty man can or knoweth how to keep himself [or to slide] from that man.

⁸ He that buildeth his house with other men’s costs, is as he that gathereth his stones in winter.

⁹ Sheaves or stubble, [or flax top(s)], gathered together is the synagogue of sinners; and the ending of them is the flame of fire.

¹⁰ The way of sinners is set (al)together [or planted] with stones; and in the end of them be hells^[a] [or hell], and darknesses, and pains.

¹¹ He that keepeth rightfulness, shall hold the wit (or the understanding) thereof. The perfection of God’s dread is wisdom and wit.

¹² He shall not be taught, which is not wise in good. Forsooth unwisdom is, which is plenteous in evil; and wit is not, where (there) is bitterness. [He shall not be learned, that is not wise in good. There is forsooth unwisdom, that aboundeth in evil; and there is not wit, where is bitterness.]

¹³ The cunning (or The knowing, or the knowledge,) of a wise man shall be plenteous [or abound] as flowing (water); and the counsel of him dwelleth as a well of life.

¹⁴ The heart of a fool is as a broken vessel; and it shall not hold any wisdom.

¹⁵ Whatever wise word a cunning (or a knowing) man heareth, he shall praise (it), and lay to (or add to it). A lecherous man heard (it), and it shall displease him; and he shall cast it away [or he shall throw it away] behind his back.

¹⁶ The telling of a fool is as a burden in (or on) the way; for why grace shall be found in (or on) the lips of a wise man.

¹⁷ The mouth of a prudent man is sought in the church; and men shall think (on) his words in their hearts.

¹⁸ As an house destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool; and the cunning (or the knowing) of an unwise man is words that may not be (or that be not able to be) told out [or untellable].

¹⁹ Stocks in (or on) the feet is teaching [or doctrine] to a fool; and as bonds of hands on the right hand.

²⁰ A fool enhanceth his voice in laughing; but a wise man shall laugh scarcely still.

²¹ Teaching is a golden ornament to a prudent man; and as an ornament of the arm [or an arm-circle] in (or on) the right arm.

²² The foot of a fool is light (or easily) into the house of a neighbour; and a wise man shall be ashamed of the person of a mighty man.

²³ A fool beholdeth from the window into the house; but a learned man shall stand withoutforth.

²⁴ It is folly of a man to harken by the door; and a prudent man shall be grieved by despising [or with strife].

²⁵ The lips of unprudent men shall tell fond things [or follies]; but the words of prudent men shall be weighed in a balance.

²⁶ The heart of fools is in their mouth; and the mouth of wise men is in their heart.

²⁷ When a wicked man curseth the devil, he curseth his own soul. [When the unpious curseth the devil, he curseth his own soul.]

²⁸ A privy backbiter shall defoul his soul, and in all things he shall be hated, and he that dwelleth, shall be hated; a still man and wise shall be honoured.