English Bible
Sirach 31
Big screen- 1Watching for riches consumes the flesh, and the care thereof drives away sleep.
- 2Watching care will not let a man slumber, as a sore disease breaks sleep,
- 3The rich has great labor in gathering riches together; and when he rests, he is filled with his delicates.
- 4The poor labores in his poor estate; and when he leaves off, he is still needy.
- 5He that loves gold shall not be justified, and he that follows corruption shall have enough thereof.
- 6Gold has been the ruin of many, and their destruction was present.
- 7It is a stumbling block to them that sacrifice to it, and every fool shall be taken therewith.
- 8Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and has not gone after gold.
- 9Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things has he done among his people.
- 10Who has been tried thereby, and found perfect? then let him glory. Who might offend, and has not offended? or done evil, and has not done it?
- 11His goods shall be established, and the congregation shall declare his alms.
- 12If you sit at a bountiful table, be not greedy upon it, and say not, There is much meat on it.
- 13Remember that a wicked eye is an evil thing: and what is created more wicked than an eye? therefore it weeps upon every occasion.
- 14Stretch not your hand wherever it looks, and thrust it not with him into the dish.
- 15Judge not your neighbor by yourself: and be discreet in every point.
- 16Eat as it becomes a man, those things which are set before you; and devour note, lest you be hated.
- 17Leave off first for manners' sake; and be not unsatiable, lest you offend.
- 18When you sit among many, reach not your hand out first of all.
- 19A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured, and he fetches not his wind short upon his bed.
- 20Sound sleep comes of moderate eating: he rises early, and his wits are with him: but the pain of watching, and choler, and pangs of the belly, are with an unsatiable man.
- 21And if you have been forced to eat, arise, go forth, vomit, and you shall have rest.
- 22My son, hear me, and despise me not, and at the last you shall find as I told you: in all your works be quick, so shall there no sickness come to you.
- 23Whoso is liberal of his meat, men shall speak well of him; and the report of his good housekeeping will be believed.
- 24But against him that is a niggard of his meat the whole city shall murmur; and the testimonies of his niggardness shall not be doubted of.
- 25Show not your valiantness in wine; for wine has destroyed many.
- 26The furnace proves the edge by dipping: so does wine the hearts of the proud by drunkenness.
- 27Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk moderately: what life is then to a man that is without wine? for it was made to make men glad.
- 28Wine measurably drunk and in season brings gladness of the heart, and cheerfulness of the mind:
- 29But wine drunken with excess makes bitterness of the mind, with brawling and quarrelling.
- 30Drunkenness increases the rage of a fool till he offend: it diminishes strength, and makes wounds.
- 31Rebuke not your neighbor at the wine, and despise him not in his mirth: give him no despiteful words, and press not upon him with urging him to drink.