The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus 28

1He that takes vengeance will find vengeance from the Lord; 2Forgive your neighbor the hurt that he has done you; 3Man cherisheth anger against man; 4Upon a man like himself he has no mercy; 5He being himself flesh nourishes wrath: 6Remember your last end, and cease from enmity: Remember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments. 7Remember the commandments, and be not angry with your neighbor; remember the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance. 8Abstain from strife, and you will diminish your sins: 9And a man that is a sinner will trouble friends, 10As is the fuel of the fire, so will it burn; The order of the lines in this verse is uncertain. so will it burn: so will be his wrath; so will he exalt his anger. 11A contention begun in haste kindles a fire; 12If you blow a spark, it will burn; 13Curse the whisperer and double-tongued: 14A third person’s tongue has shaken many, 15A third person’s tongue has cast out brave women, 16He that hearkens to it will not find rest, 17The stroke of a whip makes a mark in the flesh; 18Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: 19Happy is he that is sheltered from it, 20For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, 21The death thereof is an evil death; 22It shall not have rule over godly men; 23They that forsake the Lord shall fall into it; 24Look that you hedge your possession about with thorns; 25And make a balance and a weight for your words; 26Take heed lest you slip therein;