Sirach 4 — RVA

4Verse 1My son, deprive not the poor of his living,
And make not the needy eyes to wait long.
^{Verse 2}Make not a hungry soul sorrowful;
Neither provoke a man in his distress.
^{Verse 3}To a heart that is provoked add not more trouble;
And defer not to give to him that is in need.
^{Verse 4}Reject not a suppliant in his affliction;
And turn not away thy face from a poor man.
^{Verse 5}Turn not away thine eye from one that asketh of thee,
And give none occasion to a man to curse thee:
^{Verse 6}For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul,
He that made him will hear his supplication.^{Verse 7}Get thyself the love of the congregation;
And to a great man bow thy head.
^{Verse 8}Incline thine ear to a poor man,
And answer him with peaceable words in meekness.
^{Verse 9}Deliver him that is wronged from the hand of him that wrongeth him;
And be not fainthearted in giving judgement.
^{Verse 10}Be as a father unto the fatherless,
And instead of a husband unto their mother:
So shalt thou be as a son of the Most High,
And he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.^{Verse 11}Wisdom exalteth her sons,
And taketh hold of them that seek her.
^{Verse 12}He that loveth her loveth life;
And they that seek to her early shall be filled with gladness.
^{Verse 13}He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory;
And where⁺he entereth, the Lord will bless.
^{Verse 14}They that do her service shall minister to the Holy One;
And them that love her the Lord doth love.
^{Verse 15}He that giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations;
And he that giveth heed unto her shall dwell securely.
^{Verse 16}If he trust her, he shall inherit her;
And his generations shall have her in possession.
^{Verse 17}For at the first she will walk with him in crooked ways,
And will bring fear and dread upon him,
And torment him with her discipline,
Until she may trust his soul, and try him by her judgements:
^{Verse 18}Then will she return again the straight way unto him,
And will gladden him, and reveal to him her secrets.
^{Verse 19}If he go astray, she will forsake him,
And give him over⁺to his fall.^{Verse 20}Observe the opportunity, and beware of⁺evil;
And be not ashamed concerning thy soul.
^{Verse 21}For there is a shame that bringeth sin;
And there is a shame that is glory and grace.
^{Verse 22}Accept not the person of any against thy soul;
And⁺reverence no man unto thy falling.
^{Verse 23}Refrain not speech,⁺when it tendeth to safety;
⁺And hide not thy wisdom for the sake of fair-seeming.
^{Verse 24}For by speech wisdom shall be known;
And instruction by the word of the tongue.
^{Verse 25}Speak not against the truth;
And be abashed for thine ignorance.
^{Verse 26}Be not ashamed to make confession of thy sins;
And force not the current of the river.
^{Verse 27}Lay not thyself down for a fool to tread upon;
And accept not the person of one that is mighty.
^{Verse 28}Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord God shall fight for thee.^{Verse 29}Be not⁺hasty in thy tongue,
And in thy deeds slack and remiss.
^{Verse 30}Be not as a lion in thy house,
Nor fanciful among thy servants.
^{Verse 31}Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and⁺closed when thou shouldest repay.