Sirach Chapter 8

Other lessons of wisdom and virtue.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Strive not with a powerful man, lest thou fall into his hands.
2 Contend not with a rich man, lest he bring an action against thee.
3 For gold and silver hath destroyed many, and hath reached even to the heart of kings, and perverted them.
4 Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon his fire.
5 Communicate not with an ignorant man, lest he speak ill of thy family.
6 Despise not a man that turneth away from sin, nor reproach him therewith: remember that we are all worthy of reproof.
7 Despise not a man in his old age; for we also shall become old.
8 Rejoice not at the death of thy enemy; knowing that we all die, and are not willing that others should rejoice at our death.
9 Despise not the discourse of them that are ancient and wise, but acquaint thyself with their proverbs.
10 For of them thou shalt learn wisdom, and instruction of understanding, and to serve great men without blame.
11 Let not the discourse of the ancients escape thee, for they have learned of their fathers:
12 For of them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give an answer in time of need.
13 Kindle not the coals of sinners by rebuking them, lest thou be burnt with the flame of the fire of their sins.
14 Stand not against the face of an injurious person, lest he sit as a spy to entrap thee in thy words.
15 Lend not to a man that is mightier than thyself: and if thou lendest, count it as lost.
16 Be not surety above thy power: and if thou be surety, think as if thou wert to pay it.
17 Judge not against a judge: for he judgeth according to that which is just.
18 Go not on the way with a bold man, lest he burden thee with his evils: for he goeth according to his own will, and thou shalt perish together with his folly.
19 Quarrel not with a passionate man, and go not into the desert with a bold man: for blood is as nothing in his sight, and where there is no help he will overthrow thee.
20 Advise not with fools, for they cannot love but such things as please them.
21 Before a stranger do no matter of counsel: for thou knowest not what he will bring forth.
22 Open not thy heart to every man: lest he repay thee with an evil turn, and speak reproachfully to thee.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Non litiges cum homine potente,
ne forte incidas in manus illius.
2 Non contendas cum viro locuplete,
ne forte contra te constituat litem tibi:
3 multos enim perdidit aurum et argentum,
et usque ad cor regum extendit et convertit.
4 Non litiges cum homine linguato,
et non strues in ignem illius ligna.
5 Non communices homini indocto,
ne male de progenie tua loquatur.
6 Ne despicias hominem avertentem se a peccato,
neque improperes ei:
memento quoniam omnes in correptione sumus.
7 Ne spernas hominem in sua senectute,
etenim ex nobis senescunt.
8 Noli de mortuo inimico tuo gaudere:
sciens quoniam omnes morimur,
et in gaudium nolumus venire.
9 Ne despicias narrationem presbyterorum sapientium,
et in proverbiis eorum conversare:
10 ab ipsis enim disces sapientiam et doctrinam intellectus,
et servire magnatis sine querela.
11 Non te prætereat narratio seniorum,
ipsi enim didicerunt a patribus suis:
12 quoniam ab ipsis disces intellectum,
et in tempore necessitatis dare responsum.
13 Non incendas carbones peccatorum arguens eos,
et ne incendaris flamma ignis peccatorum illorum.
14 Ne contra faciem stes contumeliosi,
ne sedeat quasi insidiator ori tuo.
15 Noli fœnerari homini fortiori te:
quod si fœneraveris, quasi perditum habe.
16 Non spondeas super virtutem tuam:
quod si spoponderis, quasi restituens cogita.
17 Non judices contra judicem,
quoniam secundum quod justum est judicat.
18 Cum audace non eas in via,
ne forte gravet mala sua in te:
ipse enim secundum voluntatem suam vadit,
et simul cum stultitia illius peries.
19 Cum iracundo non facias rixam,
et cum audace non eas in desertum:
quoniam quasi nihil est ante illum sanguis,
et ubi non est adjutorium, elidet te.
20 Cum fatuis consilium non habeas:
non enim poterunt diligere nisi quæ eis placent.
21 Coram extraneo ne facias consilium:
nescis enim quid pariet.
22 Non omni homini cor tuum manifestes,
ne forte inferat tibi gratiam falsam, et convicietur tibi.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition