Sirach 13

1Whoever touches pitch will be stained, And whoever associates with an arrogant man will become like him.

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2Do not lift a weight too heavy for you, Nor associate with a man stronger and richer than you. What does a clay pot have in common with a copper kettle? For the clay pot will strike against the kettle and will itself be broken.

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3A rich man does wrong and even proves himself to be the one wronged. A poor man is wronged, and he must apologize.

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4If you can be useful to him, a rich man will make use of you; But if you are in need, he will abandon you.

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5If you own anything, he will live with you, And he will exhaust you, but will not feel sorry for you.

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6When he needs you, he will deceive you and smile at you; And he will give you hope and say good things to you. He will even say, 'What do you need?'

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7He will shame you with his foods Until he exhausts you two or three times. Then at last he will mock you. If he should see you after this, he will forsake you And shake his head over you.

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8Take heed, lest you be led astray And be humiliated in your folly.

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9When a ruler invites you, be slow to accept, And he will invite you more often.

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10Do not press upon him, lest you be rejected, But do not withdraw at a distance, lest you be forgotten.

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11Do not intend to speak to him as an equal, And do not trust his abundance of words; For he will test you with a lot of talk, And while he is smiling, he will scrutinize you.

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12He who does not guard your words is unmerciful, And he will not hesitate to harm or imprison you.

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13Keep your words to yourself, and be very careful, For you are walking near your own fall.

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14Every living creature loves its like, And every man his neighbor.

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15All flesh gathers together by species, And every man clings to one like himself.

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16What wolf will associate with a lamb? No more will the sinner with a godly man.

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17What peace is there between a hyena and a dog? And what peace does a rich man have with a poor man?

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18The prey of lions are wild asses in the wilderness. Similarly, the pastures of the rich are the poor.

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19Lowness of stature is an abomination to the arrogant; Thus a poor man is an abomination to a rich man.

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20When a rich man is shaken, he is strengthened by friends; But when a humble man falls, he is pushed away by friends.

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21When a rich man falls, there are many to help him; And when he speaks abominable words, they justify him. If a humble man falls, they criticize him further; And when he speaks with intelligence, no place is given to him.

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22When a rich man speaks, every one is silent, And they exalt his word to the clouds. A poor man speaks, and they say, 'Who is this man?' And if he stumbles, they push him down even further.

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23Wealth in which there is no sin is good, But poverty is evil in the mouth of an ungodly man.

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24The heart of a man changes the expression on his face, Either for good or for evil.

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25The mark of a heart filled with goodness is a cheerful face, But the invention of proverbs requires laborious reasoning. Blessed is a man who does not slip and fall because of his mouth, And is not stung with pain caused by his sin.

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