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Apoteichisis

The Old Testament

Wisdom of Sirach 13

ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ · 13

Brenton 13:1

He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him.

Brenton 13:2

Burden not thyself above thy power while thou livest; and have no fellowship with one that is mightier and richer than thyself: for how agree the kettle and the earthen pot together? for if the one be smitten against the other, it shall be broken.

Brenton 13:3

The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he threateneth withal: the poor is wronged, and he must intreat also.

Brenton 13:4

If thou be for his profit, he will use thee; but if thou have nothing, he will forsake thee.

Brenton 13:5

If thou have any thing, he will live with thee: yea, he will make thee bare, and will not be sorry for it.

Brenton 13:6

If he have need of thee, he will deceive thee, and smile upon thee, and put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair, and say, What wantest thou?

Brenton 13:7

And he will shame thee by his meats, until he have drawn thee dry twice or thrice, and at the last he will laugh thee to scorn: afterward, when he seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.

Brenton 13:8

Beware that thou be not deceived, and brought down in thy jollity.

Brenton 13:9

If thou be invited of a mighty man, withdraw thyself, and so much the more will he invite thee.

Brenton 13:10

Press thou not upon him, lest thou be put back; stand not far off, lest thou be forgotten.

Brenton 13:11

Affect not to be made equal unto him in talk, and believe not his many words: for with much communication will he tempt thee, and smiling upon thee will get out thy secrets:

Brenton 13:12

but cruelly he will lay up thy words, and will not spare to do thee hurt, and to put thee in prison.

Brenton 13:13

Observe, and take good heed, for thou walkest in peril of thy overthrowing: when thou hearest these things, awake in thy sleep.

Brenton 13:15

Every beast loveth his like, and every man loveth his neighbour.

Brenton 13:16

All flesh consorteth according to kind, and a man will cleave to his like.

Brenton 13:17

What fellowship hath the wolf with the lamb? so the sinner with the godly.

Brenton 13:18

What agreement is there between the hyena and a dog? and what peace between the rich and the poor?

Brenton 13:19

As the wild ass is the lion's prey in the wilderness: so the rich eat up the poor.

Brenton 13:20

As the proud hate humility: so doth the rich abhor the poor.

Brenton 13:21

A rich man beginning to fall is held up of his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust also away by his friends.

Brenton 13:22

When a rich man is fallen, he hath many helpers: he speaketh things not to be spoken, and yet men justify him: the poor man slipped, and yet they rebuked him too; he spake wisely, and could have no place.

Brenton 13:23

When a rich man speaketh, every man holdeth his tongue, and, look, what he saith, they extol it to the clouds: but if the poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? and if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.

Brenton 13:24

Riches are good unto him that hath no sin, and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly.

Brenton 13:25

The heart of a man changeth his countenance, whether it be for good or evil.

Brenton 13:26

A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart that is in prosperity; and the finding out of parables is a wearisome labour of the mind.

Brenton supplied wording, small capitals, translation notes, Greek wording, and edition-specific verse identifiers are retained. Parallel passages keep each edition's own references. Editions and sources.