Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Chapter 10

¹A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered. ²As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein. ³An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited. ⁴The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable. ⁵In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour. ⁶Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong; and do nothing at all by injurious practices. ⁷Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity. ⁸Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is translated from one people to another.

⁹Why is earth and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale; because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels. ¹⁰The physician cutteth off a long disease; and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die. ¹¹For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, beasts, and worms. ¹²The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker. ¹³For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that hath it shall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, and overthrew them utterly. ¹⁴The Lord hath cast down the thrones of proud princes, and set up the meek in their stead. ¹⁵The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place. ¹⁶The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.

¹⁷He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth. ¹⁸Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman. ¹⁹They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honourable plant: they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed; they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed. ²⁰Among brethren he that is chief is honorable; so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes. ²¹The fear of the Lord goeth before the obtaining of authority: but roughness and pride is the losing thereof. ²²Whether he be rich, noble, or poor, their glory is the fear of the Lord. ²³It is not meet to despise the poor man that hath understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a sinful man. ²⁴Great men, and judges, and potentates, shall be honoured; yet is there none of them greater than he that feareth the Lord.

²⁵Unto the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service: and he that hath knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed. ²⁶Be not overwise in doing thy business; and boast not thyself in the time of thy distress. ²⁷Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread. ²⁸My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to the dignity thereof. ²⁹Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life? ³⁰The poor man is honoured for his skill, and the rich man is honoured for his riches. ³¹He that is honoured in poverty, how much more in riches? and he that is dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty?