Sirach Chapter 12

We are to be liberal to the just: and not to trust the wicked.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 If thou do good, know to whom thou dost it, and there shall be much thanks for thy good deeds.
2 Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense: and if not of him, assuredly of the Lord.
3 For there is no good for him that is always occupied in evil, and that giveth no alms: for the Highest hateth sinners, and hath mercy on the penitent.
4 Give to the merciful and uphold not the sinner: God will repay vengeance to the ungodly and to sinners, and keep them against the day of vengeance.
5 Give to the good, and receive not a sinner.
6 Do good to the humble, and give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not to him, lest thereby he overmaster thee.
7 For thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done to him: for the Highest also hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance to the ungodly.

8 A friend shall not be known in prosperity, and an enemy shall not be hidden in adversity.
9 In the prosperity of a man, his enemies are grieved: and a friend is known in his adversity.
10 Never trust thy enemy for as a brass pot his wickedness rusteth:
11 Though he humble himself and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him.
12 Set him not by thee, neither let him sit on thy right hand, lest he turn into thy place, and seek to take thy seat and at the last thou acknowledge my words, and be pricked with my sayings.
13 Who will pity an enchanter struck by a serpent, or any that come near wild beasts? so is it with him that keepeth company with a wicked man, and is involved in his sins.
14 For an hour he will abide with thee: but if thou begin to decline, he will not endure it.
15 An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he lieth in wait, to throw thee into a pit.
16 An enemy weepeth with his eyes: but if he find an opportunity he will not be satisfied with blood:
17 And if evils come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first.
18 An enemy hath tears in his eyes, and while he pretendeth to help thee, will undermine thy feet.
19 He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.

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 Si benefeceris, scito cui feceris,
et erit gratia in bonis tuis multa.
2 Benefac justo, et invenies retributionem magnam:
et si non ab ipso, certe a Domino.
3 Non est enim ei bene qui assiduus est in malis,
et eleemosynas non danti:
quoniam et Altissimus odio habet peccatores,
et misertus est pœnitentibus.
4 Da misericordi, et ne suscipias peccatorem:
et impiis et peccatoribus reddet vindictam,
custodiens eos in diem vindictæ.
5 Da bono, et non receperis peccatorem.
6 Benefac humili, et non dederis impio:
prohibe panes illi dari, ne in ipsis potentior te sit:
7 nam duplicia mala invenies in omnibus bonis quæcumque feceris illi,
quoniam et Altissimus odio habet peccatores,
et impiis reddet vindictam.

8 Non agnoscetur in bonis amicus,
et non abscondetur in malis inimicus.
9 In bonis viri, inimici illius in tristitia:
et in malitia illius, amicus agnitus est.
10 Non credas inimico tuo in æternum:
sicut enim æramentum æruginat nequitia illius:
11 et si humiliatus vadat curvus,
adjice animum tuum, et custodi te ab illo.
12 Non statuas illum penes te,
nec sedeat ad dexteram tuam,
ne forte conversus in locum tuum, inquirat cathedram tuam,
et in novissimo agnosces verba mea,
et in sermonibus meis stimuleris.
13 Quis miserebitur incantatori a serpente percusso,
et omnibus qui appropiant bestiis?
et sic qui comitatur cum viro iniquo,
et obvolutus est in peccatis ejus.
14 Una hora tecum permanebit:
si autem declinaveris, non supportabit.
15 In labiis suis indulcat inimicus,
et in corde suo insidiatur ut subvertat te in foveam.
16 In oculis suis lacrimatur inimicus,
et si invenerit tempus, non satiabitur sanguine.
17 Et si incurrerint tibi mala,
invenies eum illic priorem.
18 In oculis suis lacrimatur inimicus,
et quasi adjuvans suffodiet plantas tuas.
19 Caput suum movebit, et plaudet manu,
et multa susurrans commutabit vultum suum.

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