The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus 21

1My son, have you sinned? add no more thereto; sins. 2Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent; 3All iniquity is as a two-edged sword; 4Terror and violence will lay waste riches; 5Supplication from a poor man’s mouth reaches to the ears of God, Gr. him. 6One that hates reproof is in the path of the sinner; 7He that is mighty in tongue is known afar off: 8He that builds his house with other men’s money 9The congregation of wicked men is as tow wrapped together; 10The way of sinners is made smooth with stones; 11He that keeps the law becomes master of the intent thereof; 12He that is not clever will not be instructed; 13The knowledge of a wise man will be made to abound as a flood; 14The inward parts of a fool are like a broken vessel; 15If a man of knowledge hear a wise word, 16The discourse of a fool is like a burden in the way; 17The mouth of the prudent man will be sought for in the congregation; 18As a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool; as talk without sense. Gr. unexamined words. 19Instruction is as fetters on the feet of an unwise man, 20A fool lifts up his voice with laughter; 21Instruction is to a prudent man as an ornament of gold, 22The foot of a fool is soon in another man’s house; 23A foolish man peepeth in from the door of another man’s house; 24It is a lack of instruction in a man to listen at the door; 25The lips of strangers will be grieved at these things; The text seems to be uncertain. 26The heart of fools is in their mouth; 27When the ungodly curses Satan, 28A whisperer defiles his own soul,