Sirach 11 — UBES

11Verse 1Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree,
And maketh him to sit among great men.
^{Verse 2}Commend not a man for his beauty;
Neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.
^{Verse 3}The bee is little among such as fly;
But her fruit is the chief of sweet things.
^{Verse 4}Boast not of thy clothing and raiment,
And exalt not thyself in the day of honor:
For the works of the Lord are wonderful,
And his works among men are hidden.
^{Verse 5}Many kings have sat down upon the ground;
And one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.
^{Verse 6}Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced;
And the honorable delivered into other men’s hands.
^{Verse 7}Blame not before thou hast examined the truth:
Understand first, and then rebuke.
^{Verse 8}Answer not before thou hast heard the cause:
Neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.
^{Verse 9}Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not;
And sit not in judgment with sinners.^{Verse 10}My son, meddle not with many matters:
For if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent;
And if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain,
Neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.
^{Verse 11}There is one that laboreth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste,
And is so much the more behind.
^{Verse 12}Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help,
Wanting ability, and full of poverty;
Yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good,
And set him up from his low estate,
^{Verse 13}And lifted up his head from misery;
So that many that saw it marveled at him.^{Verse 14}Prosperity and adversity, life and death,
Poverty and riches, come of the Lord.
^{Verse 17}The gift of the Lord remaineth with the godly,
And his favor bringeth prosperity forever.
^{Verse 18}There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching,
And this is the portion of his reward:
^{Verse 19}Whereas he saith, I have found rest,
And now will eat continually of my goods;
And yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him,
And that he must leave those things to others, and die.
^{Verse 20}Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein,
And wax old in thy work.
^{Verse 21}Marvel not at the works of sinners;
But trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labor:
For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.^{Verse 22}The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly,
And suddenly he maketh his blessing to flourish.
^{Verse 23}Say not, What profit is there of my service?
And what good things shall I have hereafter?
^{Verse 24}Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things,
And what evil can come to me hereafter?
^{Verse 25}In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction:
And in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.
^{Verse 26}For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death
To reward a man according to his ways.
^{Verse 27}The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure:
And in his end his deeds shall be discovered.
^{Verse 28}Judge none blessed before his death:
For a man shall be known in his children.^{Verse 29}Bring not every man into thy house:
For the deceitful man hath many trains.
^{Verse 30}Like as a partridge taken and kept in a cage, so is the heart of the proud:
And like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:
^{Verse 31}For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil,
And in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee.
^{Verse 32}Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled:
And a sinful man layeth wait for blood.
^{Verse 33}Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness:
Lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot.
^{Verse 34}Receive a stranger into thy house, and he will disturb thee,
And turn thee out of thine own.