Ecclesiasticus 21

¹Son hast thou sinned? Do so no more: but for the old also pray that they may be forgiven thee.

²As from the face of a serpent fly from sins: and if thou approach to them they will receive thee.

³The teeth of a lion the teeth thereof, killing the souls of men.

⁴All iniquity is as a two-edged sword, there is no remedy for the wound thereof.

⁵Brawling and injuries shall bring the substance to nothing: and the house that is very rich, shall be made nothing by pride: so the substance of the proud shall be rooted out.

⁶The prayer of the poor out of the mouth shall come to his ears, and judgement shall come for him speedily.

⁷He that hateth chastisement, is the trace of a sinner: and he that feareth God, will turn to his own heart.

⁸The mighty in a bold tongue is known a far off, and a wiseman knoweth himself to fall by him.

⁹He that buildeth his house at other men's charges, is as he that gathereth his stones in the winter.

¹⁰The synagogue of sinners is as tow gathered together, and their consummation a flame of fire.

¹¹The way of sinners is paved with stones, & in their end, hell, & darkness, and pains.

¹²He that keepeth justice, shall contain the understanding thereof.

¹³The consummation of the fear of God wisdom and understanding.

¹⁴He shall not be taught, that is not wise in good.

¹⁵But there is wisdom that aboundeth in evil: and there is no understanding where bitterness is.

¹⁶The knowledge of the wise shall abound as an inundation, and his counsel is permanent as a fountain of life.

¹⁷The heart of a fool is as a broken vessel, and all wisdom it shall not hold.

¹⁸Aman of knowledge will praise what soever wise word he shall hear, and will apply it to himself: the riotous man hath heard it, and it shall displease him, and he will cast it behind his back.

¹⁹The narration of a fool is as a burden in the way: for in the lips of the wise shall grace be found.

²⁰The mouth of the prudent is sought in the Church, and they will think upon his words in their hearts.

²¹As a house destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool: & the knowledge of the unwise inexplicable words.

²²Fetters on the feet, doctrine to a fool, and as manacles upon the right hand.

²³A fool in laughter exalteth his voice, but a wise man will scarce laugh secretly.

²⁴Doctrine to the prudent is a golden ornament, and as it were a bracelet on the right arm.

²⁵The foot of a fool goeth easily into his neighbour's house: & a cunning man will be abashed at the person of the mighty.

²⁶A fool will look from the window into the house: but he nurtured will stand without.

²⁷It is the folly of a man to harken by the door: and a wiseman will be grieved with the contumely.

²⁸The lips of the unwise shall tell foolish things: but the words of the wise shall be pondered in balance.

²⁹The heart of fools is in their mouth: and the mouth of wisemen is in their heart.

³⁰Whilst the impious curseth the devil, he curseth his own soul.

³¹The whisperer shall defile his soul, and shall be hated in all: and he that shall abide with him, shall be odious: the still man and wise shall be honoured.