Sefarim
Ben Sira32
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 32
If thou be made the master
of a feast, lift not thyself up, but be among them as one of the rest; take diligent care for them, and so sit down.
And when thou hast done all thy office, take thy place, that thou mayest be merry with them, and receive a crown for thy well ordering of the feast.
Speak, thou that art the elder, for it becometh thee, but with sound judgment; and hinder not musick.
Pour not out words where there is a musician, and shew not forth wisdom out of time.
A concert of musick in a banquet of wine is as a signet of carbuncle set in gold.
As a signet of an emerald set in a work of gold, so is the melody of musick with pleasant wine.
Speak, young man, if there be need of thee: and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked.
Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in few words; be as one that knoweth and yet holdeth his tongue.
If thou be among great men, make not thyself equal with them; and when ancient men are in place, use not many words.
Before the thunder goeth lightning; and before a shamefaced man shall go favour.
Rise up betimes, and be not the last; but get thee home without delay.
There take thy pastime, and do what thou wilt: but sin not by proud speech.
And for these things bless him that made thee, and hath replenished thee with his good things.
Whoso feareth the master will receive his discipline; and they that seek him early shall find favour.
He that seeketh the torah shall be filled therewith: but the hypocrite will be offended thereat.
They that fear the master shall find judgment, and shall kindle justice as a light.
A sinful man will not be reproved, but findeth an excuse according to his will.
A man of counsel will be considerate; but a strange and proud man is not daunted with fear, even when of himself he hath done without counsel.
Do nothing without advice; and when thou hast once done, repent not.
Go not in a way wherein thou mayest fall, and stumble not among the stones.
Be not confident in a plain way.
And beware of thine own children.
In every good work trust thy own nephesh; for this is the keeping of the mitsvot.
He that believeth in the master taketh heed to the mitsvah; and he that trusteth in him shall fare never the worse.
Sefarim
Ben Sira33
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 33
There shall no evil happen unto him that feareth the master; but in temptation even again he will deliver him.
A wise man hateth not the torah; but he that is an hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm.
A man of understanding trusteth in the torah; and the torah is faithful unto him, as an oracle.
Prepare what to say, and so thou shalt be heard: and bind up instruction, and then make answer.
The heart of the foolish is like a cartwheel; and his thoughts are like a rolling axletree.
A stallion horse is as a mocking friend, he neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.
Why doth one day excel another, when as all the light of every day in the year is of the sun?
By the knowledge of the master they were distinguished: and he altered seasons and feasts.
Some of them hath he made high days, and hallowed them, and some of them hath he made ordinary days.
And all men are from the ground, and Adam was created of earth:
In much knowledge the master hath divided them, and made their ways diverse.
Some of them hath he blessed and exalted and some of them he sanctified, and set near himself: but some of them hath he cursed and brought low, and turned out of their places.
As the clay is in the potter’s hand, to fashion it at his pleasure: so man is in the hand of him that made him, to render to them as liketh him best.
Good is set against evil, and life against death: so is the godly against the sinner, and the sinner against the godly.
So look upon all the works of the most High; and there are two and two, one against another.
I awaked up last of all, as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers: by the blessing of the master I profited, and tred my winepress like a gatherer of grapes.
Consider that I laboured not for myself only, but for all them that seek learning.
Hear me, O ye great men of the people, and hearken with your ears, ye rulers of the congregation.
Give not thy son and wife, thy brother and friend, power over thee while thou livest, and give not thy goods to another: lest it repent thee, and thou intreat for the same again.
As long as thou livest and hast breath in thee, give not thyself over to any.
For better it is that thy children should seek to thee, than that thou shouldest stand to their courtesy.
In all thy works keep to thyself the preeminence; leave not a stain in thine honour.
At the time when thou shalt end thy days, and finish thy life, distribute thine inheritance.
Fodder, a wand, and burdens, are for the ass; and bread, correction, and work, for a servant.
If thou set thy servant to labour, thou shalt find rest: but if thou let him go idle, he shall seek liberty.
A yoke and a collar do bow the neck: so are tortures and torments for an evil servant.
Send him to labour, that he be not idle; for idleness teacheth much evil.
Set him to work, as is fit for him: if he be not obedient, put on more heavy fetters.
But be not excessive toward any; and without discretion do nothing.
If thou have a servant, let him be unto thee as thyself, because thou hast bought him with a price.
If thou have a servant, entreat him as a brother: for thou hast need of him, as of thine own nephesh: if thou entreat him evil, and he run from thee, which way wilt thou go to seek him?
Sefarim
Ben Sira34
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 34
The hopes of a man void of understanding are vain and false: and dreams lift up fools.
Whoso regardeth dreams is like him that catcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind.
The vision of dreams is the resemblance of one thing to another, even as the likeness of a face to a face.
Of an unclean thing what can be cleansed? and from that thing which is false what truth can come?
Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain: and the heart fancieth, as a woman’s heart in travail.
If they be not sent from the most High in thy visitation, set not thy heart upon them.
For dreams have deceived many, and they have failed that put their trust in them.
The torah shall be found perfect without lies: and wisdom is perfection to a faithful mouth.
A man that hath travelled knoweth many things; and he that hath much experience will declare wisdom.
He that hath no experience knoweth little: but he that hath travelled is full of prudence.
When I travelled, I saw many things; and I understand more than I can express.
I was ofttimes in danger of death: yet I was delivered because of these things.
The spirit of those that fear the master shall live; for their hope is in him that saveth them.
Whoso feareth the master shall not fear nor be afraid; for he is his hope.
Blessed is the nephesh of him that feareth the master: to whom doth he look? and who is his strength?
For the eyes of the master are upon them that love him, he is their mighty protection and strong stay, a defence from heat, and a cover from the sun at noon, a preservation from stumbling, and an help from falling.
He raiseth up the nephesh, and lighteneth the eyes: he giveth health, life, and blessing.
He that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is ridiculous; and the gifts of unjust men are not accepted.
The most High is not pleased with the offerings of the wicked; neither is he pacified for sin by the multitude of sacrifices.
Whoso bringeth an offering of the goods of the poor doeth as one that killeth the son before his father’s eyes.
The bread of the needy is their life: he that defraudeth him thereof is a man of blood.
He that taketh away his neighbour’s living slayeth him; and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire is a bloodshedder.
When one buildeth, and another pulleth down, what profit have they then but labour?
When one prayeth, and another curseth, whose voice will the master hear?
He that washeth himself after the touching of a dead body, if he touch it again, what availeth his washing?
So is it with a man that fasteth for his sins, and goeth again, and doeth the same: who will hear his prayer? or what doth his humbling profit him?