Sirach 21
21
1Students, if you
are sinning, stop.
Ask God to forgive you.
2Sin is a deadly snake
with lion's fangs.
Stay away! If you come close
you will be bitten.
3Lawlessness kills
like a sword with two edges
swung this way and that.
4If you are too shy
or proud and arrogant,
you can lose your wealth
and even your home.
5 #
Si 35.17-19. The prayers of the poor
go straight to God's ear,
and he quickly answers.
6If you hate correction,
you will become a sinner,
but if you take it to heart,
you will obey the Lord.
7Good speakers can be famous,
but people with common sense
will catch every mistake.
8Borrowing to build your house
is like gathering stones
to mark your own grave.
9A meeting of evil people
is a bundle of straw,
where a small flame
ends in a blazing fire.
10For a sinner, the road of life
is smooth, but it slopes down
to the world of the dead.
Fear the Lord and Become Wise
11Fear the Lord in every way,
and you will become wise;
Control your thoughts,
and you can obey his Law.
12You have to be smart to learn,
but some kinds of smartness
only make other people bitter.
13The knowledge of the wise
is an overflowing river,
and their advice
is a life-giving spring.
14The mind of a fool
is a leaking jar
that holds nothing for long.
15When the wise hear a proverb,
they give it praise
and add more to it;
but fools merely laugh
and forget it.
16Listening to a fool is tiring,
like carrying a heavy backpack
on a journey,
but listening to someone smart
is refreshing.
17In a town meeting, people look
for some common sense,
and when they hear it,
they will think about
what was said.
18Knowledge means nothing
to ignorant fools,
and wisdom is useless
as a burned-down house.
19Fools think learning puts chains
on their hands and feet,
20and they laugh at it loudly.
But smart people just smile,
21because they know that learning
is a golden bracelet.
22Fools will push past you
into your home,
but the wise will wait
at your door.
* 23They are polite and will not try
to see inside
or to hear what is going on,
24because that would be rude
and shameful.
25Some people won't stop talking
about things that are none
of their business.
But sensible people
weigh each word
before it is spoken.
26In a fool, the mind thinks
only after the mouth speaks,
but in a wise person,
the mind controls the mouth.
27The ungodly fall under any curse
that they try to place
on their enemies.
28If you spread gossip,
your character will be ruined
and your neighbors
will hate you.
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Sirach 21: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.