Sirach 8 Stryue not with a mightie man, lest thou chaunce to fall into his handes.

Bishops⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Stryue not with a mightie man, lest thou chaunce to fall into his handes. ² Make no variaunce with a riche man, lest he happen to bring vp an harde quarell against thee: For golde and siluer hath vndone many a man, yea euen the heartes of kinges hath it made to fall. ³ Stryue not with a man that is full of wordes, and lay no stickes vpon his fire. ⁴ Kepe no companie with the vnlearned, lest he geue thy kinred an euyll report. ⁵ Despise not a man that turneth hym selfe away from sinne, and cast him not in the teeth withall: but remember that we are frayle euerichone. ⁶ Thinke scorne of no man in his olde age, for we waxe olde also. ⁷ Be not glad of the death of thyne enemie: but remember that we must dye all the sort of vs, and fayne would we come into ioy. ⁸ Despise not the sermons of such elders as haue vnderstandyng, but acquaynt thy selfe with the wyse sentences of them: for of them thou shalt learne wisdome, & the doctrine of vnderstandyng, and howe to serue great men without complaynt. ⁹ Go not from the doctrine of the elders, for they haue learned it of their fathers: for of them thou shalt learne vnderstanding, so that thou mayest make aunswere in the time of neede. ¹⁰ Kindle not the coales of sinners when thou rebukest them, lest thou be brent in the fyrie flambes of their sinnes. ¹¹ Resist not the face of the blasphemer, that they lay not wayte for thy mouth. ¹² Lende not vnto hym that is mightier then thy selfe: yf thou lendest hym, count it but lost. ¹³ Be not suertie aboue thy power: if thou be, then thinke surely to paye it. ¹⁴ Go not to lawe with the iudge: for he will iudge according to his owne honour. ¹⁵ Trauayle not by the way with hym that his braynlesse, lest he do the euyll: for he foloweth his owne wilfulnesse, and so shalt thou perishe thorowe his follie. ¹⁶ Striue not with him that is angry and cruel, & go not with him into the wildernesse: for blood is nothing in his sight, and where there is no helpe he shall murther thee. ¹⁷ Take no counsel at fooles: for they can not kepe a thing close. ¹⁸ Do no secrete thing before a straunger, for thou canst not tell what will come of it. ¹⁹ Open not thine heart vnto euery man, lest he be vnthankefull to thee, and put thee to reprofe.