Sirach 10 — WEBC
10Verse 1A wise judge will instruct his people.The government of a man of understanding will be well ordered.Verse 2As is the judge of his people, so are his officials.As the city’s ruler is, so are all those who dwell in it.Verse 3An undisciplined king will destroy his people.A city will be established through the understanding of the powerful.Verse 4The government of the earth is in the Lord’s hand.In due time, he will raise up over it the right person at the right time.Verse 5A man’s prosperity is in the Lord’s hand.He will lay his honor upon the person of the scribe.Verse 6Don’t be angry with your neighbor for every wrong.Do nothing by works of violence.Verse 7Pride is hateful before the Lord and men.Arrogance is abhorrent in the judgment of both.Verse 8Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nationbecause of injustice, violence, and greed for money.Verse 9Why are dirt and ashes proud?+Because in life, my body decays.Verse 10A long disease mocks the physician.The king of today will die tomorrow.Verse 11For when a man is dead,he will inherit maggots, vermin, and worms.Verse 12It is the beginning of pride when a man departs from the Lord.His heart has departed from him who made him.Verse 13For the beginning of pride is sin.He who keeps it will pour out abomination.For this cause the Lord brought upon them strange calamitiesand utterly overthrew them.Verse 14The Lord cast down the thrones of rulersand set the lowly in their place.Verse 15The Lord plucked up the roots of nationsand planted the lowly in their place.Verse 16The Lord overthrew the lands of nationsand destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.Verse 17He took some of them away and destroyed them,and made their memory to cease from the earth.Verse 18Pride has not been created for men,nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women.Verse 19Whose offspring has honor?Human offspring who fear the Lord.Whose offspring has no honor?Human offspring who break the commandments.Verse 20In the midst of kindred he who rules them has honor.Those who fear the Lord have honor in his eyes.Verse 21+Verse 22The rich man, the honorable, and the poorall glory in the fear of the Lord.Verse 23It is not right to dishonor a poor man who has understanding.It is not fitting to glorify a man who is a sinner.Verse 24The prince, the judge, and the mighty man will be honored.There is not one of them greater than he who fears the Lord.Verse 25Free men will minister to a wise servant.A man who has knowledge will not complain.Verse 26Don’t flaunt your wisdom in doing your work.Don’t boast in the time of your distress.Verse 27Better is he who labors and abounds in all things,than he who boasts and lacks bread.Verse 28My son, glorify your soul in humility,and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worthiness.Verse 29Who will justify him who sins against his own soul?Who will honor him who dishonors his own life?Verse 30A poor man is honored for his knowledge.A rich man is honored for his riches.Verse 31But he who is honored in poverty, how much more in riches?He who is dishonored in riches, how much more in poverty?