Sirach 5

Common English Bible

Practical precepts

5 Don’t be preoccupied with your money,
    and don’t say, “I’m self-sufficient.”
²Don’t follow your inclination
or your strength,
    in order to walk in the desires
    of your heart.
³And don’t say,
“Who’ll have power over me?”
    When the Lord punishes,
    he will punish.
⁴Don’t say, “Sure, I sinned,
but what happened to me?”
    The Lord is patient indeed.
⁵Don’t be too confident
of being forgiven,
    adding sin upon sin.
⁶Don’t say, “His compassion is great;
        he will forgive the whole heap
        of my sins.”
    Mercy and wrath are with him,
        and his anger will rest on sinners.
⁷Don’t wait to turn back to the Lord.
    Don’t put it off day after day,
        because the Lord’s wrath
        will come forth suddenly;
        when the time for punishment comes, you will be destroyed.
⁸Don’t be preoccupied
with ill-gotten gains;
    it will be of no benefit
    when you are in trouble.

⁹Don’t be blown about by every wind,
    and don’t take every shortcut.
        This is how the devious^[a] sinner acts.
¹⁰Be firmly grounded
in your understanding,
    and let your speech be consistent.
¹¹Listen carefully,
    and utter a patient reply.
¹²If you have understanding,
answer your neighbor,
    but if you don’t,
    clap your hand over your mouth.
¹³Speaking brings glory or dishonor.
    Indeed, the tongue
    can be a person’s downfall.
¹⁴Don’t get a reputation
for being a slanderer,
        and don’t set traps for people
        with your speech,
    because shame comes to the thief,
        and terrible blame
        comes upon the deceitful.^[b]
¹⁵Don’t be ignorant in matters
large or small.