Sirach 27 Because of pouertie haue many sinned: and he that seeketh to be rich, turneth his eyes aside.

Geneva⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Because of pouertie haue many sinned: and he that seeketh to be rich, turneth his eyes aside. ² As a nayle in the wal sticketh fast betweene the ioynts of the stones, so doeth sinne sticke betweene the selling and the buying. ³ If he holde him not diligently in the feare of the Lord, his house shall soone be ouerthrowen. ⁴ As when one sifteth, the filthines remaineth in the sieue, so the filth of man remaineth in his thought. ⁵ The fornace prooueth the potters vessel: so doeth tentation trie mens thoughtes. ⁶ The fruite declareth if the tree haue bene trimmed: so the worde declareth what man hath in his heart. ⁷ Praise no man except thou haue heard his talke: for this is the tryall of men. ⁸ If thou followest righteousnesse, thou shalt get her, and put her on as a fayre garment, and shalt dwell with her, and she shall defende thee for euer: and in the day of knowledge thou shalt finde stedfastnesse. ⁹ The birdes resort vnto their like: so doth the trueth turne vnto them, that are practised in her. ¹⁰ As the lyon waiteth for the beast, so doeth sinne vpon them that doe euill. ¹¹ The talking of him that feareth God, is all wisdome: as for a foole, he changeth as the moone. ¹² If thou be among the vndiscreete, obserue the time, but haunt still the assemblie of them that are wise. ¹³ The talking of fooles is grieuous, and their sport is in the pleasure of sinne. ¹⁴ The talke of him that sweareth much, maketh the heare to stande vp: and to striue with such, stoppeth the eares. ¹⁵ The strife of the proude is blood shedding, and their scouldings are grieuous to heare. ¹⁶ Who so discouereth secrets, loseth his credite, and findeth no friende after his will. ¹⁷ Loue thy friend, and be faithfull vnto him: but if thou bewrayest his secrets, thou shalt not get him againe. ¹⁸ For as a man destroyeth his enemie, so doest thou destroy the friendship of thy neighbour. ¹⁹ As one that letteth a birde goe out of his hande, so if thou giue ouer thy friende, thou canst not get him againe. ²⁰ Followe after him no more, for he is too farre off: he is as a roe escaped out of the snare: for his soule is wounded. ²¹ As for woundes, they may be bounde vp againe, and an euill worde may be reconciled: but who so bewrayeth the secrets of a friende, hath lost all his credit. ²² He that winketh with the eyes, imagineth euill: and he that knoweth him, wil let him alone. ²³ When thou art present, he wil speake sweetly, and praise thy wordes: but at the last he will turne his tale, and slander thy saying. ²⁴ Many things haue I hated, but nothing so euill as such one: for the Lorde also hateth him. ²⁵ Who so casteth a stone on hie, casteth it vpon his owne head: and he that smiteth with guile, maketh a great wound. ²⁶ Who so diggeth a pit, shall fall therein, & he that layeth a stone in his neighbours way, shall stumble thereon, and he that layeth a snare for another, shalbe taken in it himselfe. ²⁷ He that worketh euill, shall be wrapped in euils, and shall not know from whence they come vnto him. ²⁸ Mockerie and reproche follow the proude, and vengeance lurketh for them as a lyon. ²⁹ They that reioyce at the fall of the righteous, shalbe taken in the snare, and anguish shall consume them before they dye. ³⁰ Despite and anger are abominable thinges, and the sinfull man is subiect to them both.