Chapter 4

¹ My son, defraud not the poor of his living,

Sir 4:1

² Make not a hungry soul sorrowful;

Sir 4:2

³ Add not more trouble to a heart that is vexed;

Sir 4:3

⁴ Reject not the supplication of the afflicted;

Sir 4:4

⁵ Turn not away thine eye from the needy,

Sir 4:5

⁶ For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul,

Sir 4:6

⁷ Get thyself the love of the congregation,

Sir 4:7

⁸ Let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear to the poor,

Sir 4:8

⁹ Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor;

Sir 4:9

¹⁰ Be as a father unto the fatherless,

Sir 4:10

¹¹ Wisdom exalteth her children,

Sir 4:11

¹² He that loveth her loveth life;

Sir 4:12

¹³ He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory;

Sir 4:13

¹⁴ They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One:

Sir 4:14

¹⁵ Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations:

Sir 4:15

¹⁶ If a man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her;

Sir 4:16

¹⁷ For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways,

Sir 4:17

¹⁸ Then will she return the straight way unto him,

Sir 4:18

¹⁹ But if he go wrong, she will forsake him,

Sir 4:19

²⁰ Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil;

Sir 4:20

²¹ For there is a shame that bringeth sin;

Sir 4:21

²² Accept no person against thy soul,

Sir 4:22

²³ And refrain not to speak, when there is occasion to do good,

Sir 4:23

²⁴ For by speech wisdom shall be known:

Sir 4:24

²⁵ In nowise speak against the truth;

Sir 4:25

²⁶ Be not ashamed to confess thy sins;

Sir 4:26

²⁷ Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man;

Sir 4:27

²⁸ Strive for the truth unto death,

Sir 4:28

²⁹ Be not hasty in thy tongue,

Sir 4:29

³⁰ Be not as a lion in thy house,

Sir 4:30

³¹ Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive,

Sir 4:31