Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Chapter 28

¹He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance . ²Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest. ³One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from the Lord? ⁴He sheweth no mercy to a man, which is like himself: and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins? ⁵If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sins? ⁶Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; remember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments. ⁷Remember the commandments, and bear no malice to thy neighbour: remember the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance. ⁸Abstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins: for a furious man will kindle strife,

⁹A sinful man disquieteth friends, and maketh debate among them that be at peace. ¹⁰As the matter of the fire is, so it burneth: and as a man’s strength is, so is his wrath; and according to his riches his anger riseth; and the stronger they are which contend, the more they will be inflamed. ¹¹An hasty contention kindleth a fire: and an hasty fighting sheddeth blood. ¹²If thou blow the spark, it shall burn: if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these come out of thy mouth. ¹³Curse the whisperer and doubletongued: for such have destroyed many that were at peace. ¹⁴A backbiting tongue hath disquieted many, and driven them from nation to nation: strong cities hath it pulled down, and overthrown the houses of great men. ¹⁵A backbiting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labours. ¹⁶Whoso hearkeneth unto it shall never find rest, and never dwell quietly.

¹⁷The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones. ¹⁸Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue. ¹⁹Well is he that is defended through the venom thereof; who hath not drawn the yoke thereof, nor hath been bound in her bands. ²⁰For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands of brass. ²¹The death thereof is an evil death, the grave were better than it. ²²It shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burned with the flame thereof. ²³Such as forsake the Lord shall fall into it; and it shall burn in them, and not be quenched; it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and devour them as a leopard. ²⁴Look that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns, and bind up thy silver and gold,

²⁵And weigh thy words in a balance, and make a door and bar for thy mouth. ²⁶Beware thou slide not by it, lest thou fall before him that lieth in wait.