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Sirach 9

1Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, and teach her not an evil lesson against thyself.
1Don’t be jealous over the wife of your bosom, and don’t teach her an evil lesson against yourself.
2Give not thy soul unto a woman to set her foot upon thy substance.
2Don’t give your soul to a woman and let her trample down your strength.
3Meet not with an harlot, lest thou fall into her snares.
3Don’t go to meet a woman who plays the prostitute, lest perhaps you fall into her snares.
4Use not much the company of a woman that is a singer, lest thou be taken with her attempts.
4Don’t associate with a woman who is a singer, lest perhaps you be caught by her tricks.
5Gaze not on a maid, that thou fall not by those things that are precious in her.
5Don’t gaze at a virgin, lest perhaps you stumble and incur penalties for her.
6Give not thy soul unto harlots, that thou lose not thine inheritance.
6Don’t give your soul to prostitutes, that you not lose your inheritance.
7Look not round about thee in the streets of the city, neither wander thou in the solitary place thereof.
7Don’t look around in the streets of the city. Don’t wander in its deserted places.
8Turn away thine eye from a beautiful woman, and look not upon another’s beauty; for many have been deceived by the beauty of a woman; for herewith love is kindled as a fire.
8Turn your eye away from a beautiful woman, and don’t gaze at another’s beauty. Many have been led astray by the beauty of a woman; and with this, passion is kindled like a fire.
9Sit not at all with another man’s wife, nor sit down with her in thine arms, and spend not thy money with her at the wine; lest thine heart incline unto her, and so through thy desire thou fall into destruction.
9Don’t dine at all with a woman who has a husband, or revel with her at wine, lest perhaps your soul turn away to her, and with your spirit you slide into destruction.
10Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shalt drink it with pleasure.
10Don’t forsake an old friend; for a new one is not comparable to him. A new friend is like new wine: if it becomes old, you will drink it with gladness.
11Envy not the glory of a sinner: for thou knowest not what shall be his end.
11Don’t envy the success of a sinner; for you don’t know what his end will be.
12Delight not in the thing that the ungodly have pleasure in; but remember they shall not go unpunished unto their grave.
12Don’t delight in the delights of the ungodly. Remember they will not go unpunished to the grave.
13Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill; so shalt thou not doubt the fear of death: and if thou come unto him, make no fault, lest he take away thy life presently: remember that thou goest in the midst of snares, and that thou walkest upon the battlements of the city.
13Keep yourself far from the man who has power to kill, and you will not be troubled by the fear of death. If you come to him, commit no fault, lest he take away your life. Know surely that you go about in the midst of snares, and walk upon the battlements of a city.
14As near as thou canst, guess at thy neighbour, and consult with the wise.
14As well as you can, aim to know your neighbors, and take counsel with the wise.
15Let thy talk be with the wise, and all thy communication in the law of the most High.
15Let your conversation be with men of understanding. Let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High.
16And let just men eat and drink with thee; and let thy glorying be in the fear of the Lord.
16Let righteous people be companions at your table. Let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord.
17For the hand of the artificer the work shall be commended: and the wise ruler of the people for his speech.
17A work is commended because of the skill of the artisan; so he who rules the people will be considered wise for his speech.
18A man of an ill tongue is dangerous in his city; and he that is rash in his talk shall be hated.
18A loudmouthed man is dangerous in his city. He who is reckless in his speech will be hated.