Chapter 6

¹ Instead of a friend become not an enemy;

Sir 6:1

² Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart:

Sir 6:2

³ Thou shalt eat up thy leaves,

Sir 6:3

⁴ A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it,

Sir 6:4

⁵ Sweet language will multiply friends:

Sir 6:5

⁶ Be in peace with many:

Sir 6:6

⁷ If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first,

Sir 6:7

⁸ For some man is a friend for his own occasion,

Sir 6:8

⁹ And there is a friend, who being turned to enmity and strife

Sir 6:9

¹⁰ Again, some friend is a companion at the table,

Sir 6:10

¹¹ But in thy prosperity he will be as thyself,

Sir 6:11

¹² If thou be brought low, he will be against thee,

Sir 6:12

¹³ Separate thyself from thine enemies,

Sir 6:13

¹⁴ A faithful friend is a strong defense:

Sir 6:14

¹⁵ Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend,

Sir 6:15

¹⁶ A faithful friend is the medicine of life;

Sir 6:16

¹⁷ Whoso feareth the Lord shall direct his friendship aright:

Sir 6:17

¹⁸ My son, gather instruction from thy youth up:

Sir 6:18

¹⁹ Come unto her as one that ploweth and soweth,

Sir 6:19

²⁰ She is very unpleasant to the unlearned:

Sir 6:20

²¹ She will lie upon him as a mighty stone of trial;

Sir 6:21

²² For wisdom is according to her name,

Sir 6:22

²³ Give ear, my son, receive my advice,

Sir 6:23

²⁴ And put thy feet into her fetters,

Sir 6:24

²⁵ Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her,

Sir 6:25

²⁶ Come unto her with thy whole heart,

Sir 6:26

²⁷ Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee:

Sir 6:27

²⁸ For at the last thou shalt find her rest,

Sir 6:28

²⁹ Then shall her fetters be a strong defense for thee,

Sir 6:29

³⁰ For there is a golden ornament upon her,

Sir 6:30

³¹ Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honor,

Sir 6:31

³² My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught:

Sir 6:32

³³ If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding:

Sir 6:33

³⁴ Stand in the multitude of the elders;

Sir 6:34

³⁵ Be willing to hear every godly discourse:

Sir 6:35

³⁶ And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him,

Sir 6:36

³⁷ Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord,

Sir 6:37