Sirach 4 My sonne, defraud not the poore of his liuing, and make not the needie eyes to waite long.

Geneva⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ My sonne, defraud not the poore of his liuing, and make not the needie eyes to waite long. ² Make not an hungrie soule sorrowfull, neither vexe a man in his necessitie. ³ Trouble not the heart that is grieued, and deferre not the gift of the needie. ⁴ Refuse not the praier of one that is in trouble: turne not away thy face from the poore. ⁵ Turne not thine eyes aside in anger from the poore, and giue him none occasion to speake euill of thee. ⁶ For if he curse thee in ye bitternes of his soule, his praier shall be heard of him that made him. ⁷ Be courteous vnto the companie of poore, and humble thy soule vnto the Elder, and bowe downe thine head to a man of worship. ⁸ Let it not grieue thee to bowe downe thine eare vnto the poore, but paie thy dette, and giue him a friendly answere. ⁹ Deliuer him that suffreth wrong, from the hande of the oppressor, and bee not faint hearted when thou iudgest. ¹⁰ Be as a father vnto the fatherlesse, and as an husbande vnto their mother: so shalt thou be as the sonne of the most High: and he shal loue thee more then thy mother doeth. ¹¹ Wisdome exalteth her children, and receiueth them that seeke her, and wil go before them in the way of righteousnesse. ¹² He that loueth her, loueth life, and they that seeke life in the morning, shall haue great ioy. ¹³ He that keepeth her, shall inherite glorie: for vnto whome shee entreth, him the Lord will blesse. ¹⁴ They that honour her, shall be the seruantes of the Holy one, and them that loue her, the Lorde doeth loue. ¹⁵ Who so geueth eare vnto her, shall iudge the nations, and he that goeth vnto her, shall dwell safely. ¹⁶ He that is faithfull vnto her, shall haue her in possession, and his generation shall possesse her. ¹⁷ For first she will walke with him by crooked waies, and bring him vnto feare, and dread, and torment him with her discipline vntill shee haue tried his soule, and haue prooued him by her iudgements. ¹⁸ Then will shee returne the streight way vnto him, and comfort him, and shewe him her secretes, and heape vpon him the treasures of knowledge, and vnderstanding of righteousnesse. ¹⁹ But if he goe wrong, she wil forsake him, and geue him ouer into the hands of his destruction. ²⁰ My sonne, make much of time, and eschewe the thing that is euill, ²¹ And be not ashamed to say the trueth for thy life: for there is a shame that bringeth sinne, and a shame that bringeth worship and fauour. ²² Accept no person against thine owne conscience, that thou bee not confounded to thine owne decay, & forbeare not thy neighbour in his faut. ²³ And keepe not backe counsell when it may doe good, neither hide thy wisdome when it may be famous. ²⁴ For by the talke is wisdome knowen, and learning by the woordes of the tongue, and counsel, wisdom and learning by the talking of the wise, and stedfastnes in the workes of righteousnesse. ²⁵ In no wise speake against the word of truth, but be ashamed of the lies of thine owne ignorace. ²⁶ Be not ashamed to confesse thy sinnes, and resist not the course of the riuer. ²⁷ Submit not thy selfe vnto a foolish man, neither accept the person of the mightie. ²⁸ Striue for the trueth vnto death, and defend iustice for thy life, and the Lorde God shall fight for thee against thine enemies. ²⁹ Bee not hastie in thy tongue, neither slacke and negligent in thy woorkes. ³⁰ Be not as a Lyon in thine owne house, neither beate thy seruauntes for thy fantasie, nor oppresse them that are vnder thee. ³¹ Let not thine hande be stretched out to receiue, and shut when thou shouldest geue.