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Sirach 5

1Don’t set your heart upon your goods. Don’t say, “They are sufficient for me.”
1Set thy heart upon thy goods; and say not, I have enough for my life.
2Don’t follow your own mind and your strength to walk in the desires of your heart.
2Follow not thine own mind and thy strength, to walk in the ways of thy heart:
3Don’t say, “Who will have dominion over me?” for the Lord will surely take vengeance on you.
3And say not, Who shall controul me for my works? for the Lord will surely revenge thy pride.
4Don’t say, “I sinned, and what happened to me?” for the Lord is patient.
4Say not, I have sinned, and what harm hath happened unto me? for the Lord is longsuffering, he will in no wise let thee go.
5Don’t be so confident of atonement that you add sin upon sins.
5Concerning propitiation, be not without fear to add sin unto sin:
6Don’t say, “His compassion is great. He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins,” for mercy and wrath are with him, and his indignation will rest on sinners.
6And say not His mercy is great; he will be pacified for the multitude of my sins: for mercy and wrath come from him, and his indignation resteth upon sinners.
7Don’t wait to turn to the Lord. Don’t put off from day to day; for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come on you, and you will perish in the time of vengeance.
7Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance.
8Don’t set your heart upon unrighteous gains, for you will profit nothing in the day of calamity.
8Set not thine heart upon goods unjustly gotten, for they shall not profit thee in the day of calamity.
9Don’t winnow with every wind. Don’t walk in every path. This is what the sinner who has a double tongue does.
9Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for so doth the sinner that hath a double tongue.
10Be steadfast in your understanding. Let your speech be consistent.
10Be stedfast in thy understanding; and let thy word be the same.
11Be swift to hear and answer with patience.
11Be swift to hear; and let thy life be sincere; and with patience give answer.
12If you have understanding, answer your neighbor; but if not, put your hand over your mouth.
12If thou hast understanding, answer thy neighbour; if not, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.
13Glory and dishonor is in talk. A man’s tongue may be his downfall.
13Honour and shame is in talk: and the tongue of man is his fall.
14Don’t be called a whisperer. Don’t lie in wait with your tongue; for shame is on the thief, and an evil condemnation is on him who has a double tongue.
14Be not called a whisperer, and lie not in wait with thy tongue: for a foul shame is upon the thief, and an evil condemnation upon the double tongue.
15Don’t be ignorant in a great or small matter.
15Be not ignorant of any thing in a great matter or a small.