### Douay Rheims Bible

Sirach 36

## The Book of Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus)

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| # Chapter 37
#### 1 | Every friend will say: I also am his friend: but there is a friend, that is only a friend in name. Is not this a grief even to death?
#### 2 | But a companion and a friend shall be turned to an enemy.
#### 3 | O wicked presumption, whence camest thou to cover the earth with thy malice, and deceitfulness?
#### 4 | There is a companion who rejoiceth with his friend in his joys, but in the time of trouble, he will be against him.
#### 5 | There is a companion who condoleth with his friend for his belly's sake, and he will take up a shield against enemy.
#### 6 | Forget not thy friend in thy mind, and be not unmindful of him in thy riches.
#### 7 | Consult not with him that layeth a snare for thee, and hide thy counsel from them that envy thee.
#### 8 | Every counsellor giveth out counsel, but there is one that is a counsellor for himself.
#### 9 | Beware of a counsellor. And know before what need he hath: for he will devise to his own mind:
#### 10 | Lest he thrust a stake into the ground, and say to thee:
#### 11 | Thy way is good; and then stand on the other side to see what shall befall thee.
#### 12 | Treat not with a man without religion concerning holiness, nor with an unjust man concerning justice, nor with a woman touching her of whom she is jealous, nor with a coward concerning war, nor with a merchant about traffic, nor with a buyer of selling, nor with an envious man of giving thanks,
#### 13 | Nor with the ungodly of piety, nor with the dishonest of honesty, nor with the held labourer of every work
#### 14 | Nor with him that worketh by the year of the finishing of the year, nor with an idle servant of much business: give no heed to these in any matter of counsel.
#### 15 | But be continually with a holy man, whomsoever thou shalt know to observe the fear of God,
#### 16 | Whose soul is according to thy own soul: and who, when thou shalt stumble in the dark, will be sorry for thee.
#### 17 | And establish within thyself a heart of good counsel: for there is no other thing of more worth to thee than it.
#### 18 | The soul of a holy man discovereth sometimes true things, more than seven watchmen that sit in a high piece to watch.
#### 19 | But above all these things pray to the most High, that he may direct thy way in truth.
#### 20 | In all thy works let the true word go before thee, and steady counsel before every action.
#### 21 | A wicked word shall change the beast: out of which four manner of things arise, good and evil, life and death: and the tongue is continually the ruler of them. There is a man that is subtle and a teacher of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul.
#### 22 | A skilful man hath taught many, and is sweet to his own soul.
#### 23 | He that speaketh sophistically, is hateful: he shall be destitute of every thing.
#### 24 | Grace is not given him from the Lord: for he is deprived of all wisdom.
#### 25 | There is a wise man that is wise to his own soul: and the fruit of his understanding is commendable.
#### 26 | A wise man instructeth his own people, and the fruits of his understanding are faithful.
#### 27 | A wise man shall be filled with blessings, and they that see shall praise him.
#### 28 | The life of a man is in the number of his days: but the days of Israel are innumerable.
#### 29 | A wise man shall inherit honour among his people, and his name shall live for ever.
#### 30 | My son, prove thy soul in thy life: and if it be wicked, give it no power:
#### 31 | For all things are not expedient for all, and every kind pleaseth not every soul.
#### 32 | Be not greedy in any feasting, and pour not out thyself upon any meat:
#### 33 | For in many meats there will be sickness, and greediness will turn to choler.
#### 34 | By surfeiting many have perished: but he that is temperate, shall prolong life.

Sirach 38

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