Sirach 31 — WBMS
31Verse 1Watching of riches shall make fleshes to fail; and thought thereof shall take away sleep. [The waking of honesty shall dwindle the flesh; and the thinking of it shall do away sleep.]Verse 2Thoughts of before-knowing turn-eth away wit; and grievous sickness [or heavy infirmity] maketh sober the soul.Verse 3A rich man travailed in the gathering of chattel [or substance]; and in his rest he shall be filled with his goods.Verse 4A poor man travailed in decreasing [or lessening] of lifelode; and in the end he is made needy.Verse 5He that loveth gold, shall not be justified; and he that pursueth [or followeth]after wasting, shall be [full-]filled thereof.Verse 6Many men be given into the fallings of gold, that is, many men felled into sins for gold; and the perdition [or loss] of them was made in the fairness thereof [or of it].Verse 7A tree of offence is the gold of them that make sacrifice; woe to them that pursue [or follow] it, and each unprudent man shall perish therein.Verse 8Blessed is a rich man, which is found without wem of covetousness and avarice; and that went not after gold, neither hoped in money, and treasures.Verse 9Who is this, and we shall praise him? for he did marvels in his life.Verse 10Which is proved therein, and is found perfect, and everlasting glory shall be to him? which might trespass, and trespassed not, and do evils, and did not.Verse 11Therefore his goods be stablished in the Lord; and all the church of saints shall tell out his alms-deeds.Verse 12Thou hast set at a great board; open thou not first thy cheek on it, that is, begin thou not to eat first. [And] Say thou not, whether those be many things, that be on it.Verse 13Have thou mind, that an evil eye is wayward [or evil is the shrewd eye]. What thing worse, than an eye is made? therefore of all his face he shall weep, when he seeth.Verse 14Stretch thou not forth first thine hand; and thou defouled by envy, be ashamed. Be thou not oppressed of wine in a feast.Verse 15Understand of thyself the things, that be of thy neighbour. [Understand what be of thy neighbour, of thyself.]Verse 16Use thou as a discreet and temperate man these things that be set forth to thee; and be thou not hated, when thou eatest much.Verse 17Cease thou first because of learn-ing [or discipline], either nurture; and do not thou be outrageous [or be too much], lest peradventure thou offend.Verse 18And if thou hast set in the midst [or in the middle] of many men, stretch not forth [or out] thine hand sooner than they; and ask thou not first for to drink.Verse 19A little wine is fully sufficient to a learned man; and in sleeping thou shalt not travail for that wine, and thou shalt not feel travail.Verse 20Waking, and choler, either bitter moisture, and gnawing [or anguish] to an undiscreet and untemperate man. But the sleep of health is in a scarce man; he shall sleep unto the morrow-tide; and his soul shall delight with him.Verse 21And if thou art constrained in eating [too] much, rise thou from the midst, and spew thou; and it shall refresh thee, and thou shalt not bring sickness to thy body.Verse 22Son, hear thou me, and despise thou not me; and at the last thou shalt find my words be true. In all thy works be thou swift; and all sickness shall not come to thee.Verse 23The lips of many men shall bless a shining man in loaves; and the witnessing of his truth is faithful.Verse 24The city shall grutch in the worst bread; and the witnessing of wicked-ness thereof is sooth.Verse 25Do not thou excite [or stir up] them that be diligent in wine; for why wine hath destroyed many men.Verse 26Fire proveth hard iron; so wine drunken in drunkenness shall reprove the hearts of proud men.Verse 27Even life to men is wine drunken in soberness; if thou drinkest it measurably, thou shalt be sober. What is the life which is made less by wine? What defraudeth life? death. Wine was made in gladness, not in drunkenness, at [or from] the begin-ning.Verse 28Wine drunken measurably is full out joying of soul and of body. Sober drink is health of soul and of body.Verse 29Wine drunken much maketh voiding, and ire [or wrath], and many fallings, or mischiefs.Verse 30Wine drunken much is bitterness of soul. Strength of drunkenness and hurting [or the offence] of an un-prudent man maketh virtue less [or lessening virtue], and making wounds.Verse 31In the feast of wine, reprove thou not a neighbour; and despise thou not him in his mirth. Say thou not words of shame [or reproof] to him; and oppress thou not him in [again]-asking.