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Sirach 14, RSV

14:1 Blessed is the man who does not blunder with his lips and need not suffer grief for sin.

14:2 Blessed is he whose heart does not condemn him, and who has not given up his hope.

14:3 Riches are not seemly for a stingy man; and of what use is property to an envious man?

14:4 Whoever accumulates by depriving himself, accumulates for others; and others will live in luxury on his goods.

14:5 If a man is mean to himself, to whom will he be generous? He will not enjoy his own riches.

14:6 No one is meaner than the man who is grudging to himself, and this is the retribution for his baseness;

14:7 even if he does good, he does it unintentionally, and betrays his baseness in the end.

14:8 Evil is the man with a grudging eye; he averts his face and disregards people.

14:9 A greedy man's eye is not satisfied with a portion, and mean injustice withers the soul.

14:10 A stingy man's eye begrudges bread, and it is lacking at his table.

14:11 My son, treat yourself well, according to your means, and present worthy offerings to the Lord.

14:12 Remember that death will not delay, and the decree of Hades has not been shown to you.

14:13 Do good to a friend before you die, and reach out and give to him as much as you can.

14:14 Do not deprive yourself of a happy day; let not your share of desired good pass by you.

14:15 Will you not leave the fruit of your labors to another, and what you acquired by toil to be divided by lot?

14:16 Give, and take, and beguile yourself, because in Hades one cannot look for luxury.

14:17 All living beings become old like a garment, for the decree from of old is, "You must surely die!"

14:18 Like flourishing leaves on a spreading tree which sheds some and puts forth others, so are the generations of flesh and blood: one dies and another is born.

14:19 Every product decays and ceases to exist, and the man who made it will pass away with it.

14:20 Blessed is the man who meditates on wisdom and who reasons intelligently.

14:21 He who reflects in his mind on her ways will also ponder her secrets.

14:22 Pursue wisdom like a hunter, and lie in wait on her paths.

14:23 He who peers through her windows will also listen at her doors;

14:24 he who encamps near her house will also fasten his tent peg to her walls;

14:25 he will pitch his tent near her, and will lodge in an excellent lodging place;

14:26 he will place his children under her shelter, and will camp under her boughs;

14:27 he will be sheltered by her from the heat, and will dwell in the midst of her glory.

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