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Sirach 12

1When thou wilt do good know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits.
1If you do good, know to whom you do it, and your good deeds will have thanks.
2Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High.
2Do good to a godly man, and you will find a reward— if not from him, then from the Most High.
3There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms.
3No good will come to him who continues to do evil, nor to him who gives no alms.
4Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner.
4Give to the godly man, and don’t help the sinner.
5Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for else thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him.
5Do good to one who is lowly. Don’t give to an ungodly man. Keep back his bread, and don’t give it to him, lest he subdue you with it; for you would receive twice as much evil for all the good you would have done to him.
6For the most High hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment.
6For the Most High also hates sinners, and will repay vengeance to the ungodly.
7Give unto the good, and help not the sinner.
7Give to the good man, and don’t help the sinner.
8A friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.
8A man’s friend won’t be fully tried in prosperity. His enemy won’t be hidden in adversity.
9In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart.
9In a man’s prosperity, his enemies are grieved. In his adversity, even his friend leaves.
10Never trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness.
10Never trust your enemy, for his wickedness is like corrosion in copper.
11Though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst wiped a lookingglass, and thou shalt know that his rust hath not been altogether wiped away.
11Though he humbles himself and walks bowed down, still be careful and beware of him. You will be to him as one who has wiped a mirror, to be sure it doesn’t completely tarnish.
12Set him not by thee, lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place; neither let him sit at thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and thou at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith.
12Don’t set him next to you, lest he overthrow you and stand in your place. Don’t let him sit on your right hand, lest he seek to take your seat, and at the last you acknowledge my words, and be pricked with my sayings.
13Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come nigh wild beasts?
13Who will pity a charmer that is bitten by a snake, or any who come near wild beasts?
14So one that goeth to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?
14Even so, who will pity him who goes to a sinner, and is associated with him in his sins?
15For a while he will abide with thee, but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry.
15For a while he will stay with you, and if you falter, he will not stay.
16An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood.
16The enemy will speak sweetly with his lips, and in his heart plan to throw you into a pit. The enemy may weep with his eyes, but if he finds opportunity, he will want more blood.
17If adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first; and though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he undermine thee.
17If adversity meets you, you will find him there before you. Pretending to help you, he will trip you.
18He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.
18He will shake his head, clap his hands, whisper much, and change his countenance.