Jesus Sirach 9

1Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, lest she shew in thy regard the malice of a wicked lesson.

2Give not the power of thy soul to a woman, lest she enter upon thy strength, and thou be confounded.

3Look not upon a woman that hath a mind for many: lest thou fall into her snares.

4Use not much the company of her that is a dancer, and hearken not to her, lest thou perish by the force of her charms.

5Gaze not upon a maiden, lest her beauty be a stumblingblock to thee.

6Give not thy soul to harlots in any point: lest thou destroy thyself and thy inheritance.

7Look not round about thee in the of the city, nor wander up and down in the streets thereof.

8Turn away thy face from a woman dressed up, and gaze not about upon another’s beauty.

9For many have perished by the beauty of a woman, and hereby lust is enkindled as a fire.

10Every woman that is a harlot, shall be trodden upon as dung in the way.

11Many by admiring the beauty of another man’s wife, have become reprobate, for her conversation burneth as fire.

12Sit not at all with another man’s wife, nor repose upon the bed with her:

13And strive not with her over wine, lest thy heart decline towards her, and by thy blood thou fall into destruction.

14Forsake not an old friend, for the new will not be like to him.

15A new friend is as new wine: it shall grow old, and thou shalt drink it with pleasure.

16Envy not the glory and riches of a sinner: for thou knowest not what his ruin shall be.

17Be not pleased with the wrong done by the unjust, knowing that even to hell the wicked shall not please.

18Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill, so thou shalt not suspect the fear of death.

19And if thou come to him, commit no fault, lest he take away thy life.

20Know it to be a communication with death: for thou art going in the midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of them that are grieved:

21According to thy power beware of thy neighbor, and treat with the wise and prudent.

22Let just men be thy guests, and let thy glory be in the fear of God.

23And let the thought of God be in thy mind, and all thy discourse on the commandments of the Highest.

24Works shall be praised for the hand of the artificers, and the prince of the people for the wisdom of his speech, but word of the ancients for the sense.

25A man full of tongue is terrible in his city, and he that is rash in his word shall be hateful.

1[Non zeles mulierem sinus tui, ne ostendat super te malitiam doctrinæ nequam.

2Non des mulieri potestatem animæ tuæ, ne ingrediatur in virtutem tuam, et confundaris.

3Ne respicias mulierem multivolam, ne forte incidas in laqueos illius.

4Cum saltatrice ne assiduus sis, nec audias illam, ne forte pereas in efficacia illius.

5Virginem ne conspicias, ne forte scandalizeris in decore illius.

6Ne des fornicariis animam tuam in ullo, ne perdas te et hæreditatem tuam.

7Noli circumspicere in vicis civitatis, nec oberraveris in plateis illius.

8Averte faciem tuam a muliere compta, et ne circumspicias speciem alienam.

9Propter speciem mulieris multi perierunt: et ex hoc concupiscentia quasi ignis exardescit.

10Omnis mulier quæ est fornicaria, quasi stercus in via conculcabitur.

11Speciem mulieris alienæ multi admirati, reprobi facti sunt: colloquium enim illius quasi ignis exardescit.

12Cum aliena muliere ne sedeas omnino, nec accumbas cum ea super cubitum:

13et non alterceris cum illa in vino, ne forte declinet cor tuum in illam, et sanguine tuo labaris in perditionem.]

14[Ne derelinquas amicum antiquum: novus enim non erit similis illi.

15Vinum novum amicus novus: veterascet, et cum suavitate bibes illud.

16Non zeles gloriam et opes peccatoris: non enim scis quæ futura sit illius subversio.

17Non placeat tibi injuria injustorum, sciens quoniam usque ad inferos non placebit impius.

18Longe abesto ab homine potestatem habente occidendi, et non suspicaberis timorem mortis.

19Et si accesseris ad illum, noli aliquid committere, ne forte auferat vitam tuam.

20Communionem mortis scito, quoniam in medio laqueorum ingredieris, et super dolentium arma ambulabis.

21Secundum virtutem tuam cave te a proximo tuo, et cum sapientibus et prudentibus tracta.

22Viri justi sint tibi convivæ, et in timore Dei sit tibi gloriatio:

23et in sensu sit tibi cogitatus Dei, et omnis enarratio tua in præceptis Altissimi.

24In manu artificum opera laudabuntur, et princeps populi in sapientia sermonis sui, in sensu vero seniorum verbum.

25Terribilis est in civitate sua homo linguosus: et temerarius in verbo suo odibilis erit.]

1You should not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, lest she reveal, because of you, the malice of a wicked lesson.

2You should not give authority over your soul to a woman, lest she obtain your strength, and then you would be confounded.

3You should not look with favor on a woman with many desires, lest perhaps you may fall into her traps.

4You should not be continually in need of entertainment, nor should you be persuaded by it, lest perhaps you may perish by its effectiveness.

5You should not stare at a virgin, lest perhaps you may be scandalized by her beauty.

6You should not give your soul, in any way, to fornicators, lest you destroy yourself and your inheritance.

7Do not choose to look around in the streets of the city, nor should you wander along its thoroughfares.

8Avert your face from an ornate woman, for you should not gaze upon strange beauty.

9Many have perished because of the beauty of a woman; and by this, desire is kindled like a fire.

10Every woman who is a fornicator will be trampled down, like the filth in the street.

11Many, by admiring the beauty of the wife of another, have become reprobate. For familiarity with her flares up like a fire.

12You should not sit down at all with another man’s wife, nor recline with her on a couch.

13And you should not argue with her over wine, lest perhaps your heart may turn toward her, and by your emotion, you would be toppled into perdition.

14You should not abandon an old friend. For a new one will not be similar to him.

15A new friend is like new wine. It will grow old, and then you will enjoy drinking it.

16You should not envy the glory and wealth of a sinner. For you do not know what may be his undoing in the future.

17The injury of the unjust should not please you, knowing that, until they are in hell, the impious will not please.

18Keep yourself far from a man having the power to kill, and then you will not have the fear of death suspended over you.

19But if you do approach him, do nothing to offend, lest perhaps he may take away your life.

20Know that this is a communion with death. For you would be entering the midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of the grieving.

21According to your ability, be cautious of your neighbor, and treat him as the wise and prudent would.

22Let just men be your companions, and let your glory be in the fear of God.

23And let the thought of God be in your mind, and let all your discourse be on the precepts of the Most High.

24Works will be praised for the hands of the artists, and a leader of the people will be praised for the wisdom of his words, yet truly, the word of the elders will be praised for its understanding.

25A man full of words is a dread to his city, but one who speaks rashly will be hated for his word.