Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Chapter 41

¹O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions, unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things: yea, unto him that is yet able to receive meat! ²O death, acceptable is thy sentence unto the needy, and unto him whose strength faileth, that is now in the last age, and is vexed with all things, and to him that despaireth, and hath lost patience! ³Fear not the sentence of death, remember them that have been before thee, and that come after; for this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh. ⁴And why art thou against the pleasure of the most High? there is no inquisition in the grave, whether thou have lived ten, or an hundred, or a thousand years. ⁵The children of sinners are abominable children, and they that are conversant in the dwelling of the ungodly. ⁶The inheritance of sinners’ children shall perish, and their posterity shall have a perpetual reproach. ⁷The children will complain of an ungodly father, because they shall be reproached for his sake. ⁸Woe be unto you, ungodly men, which have forsaken the law of the most high God! for if ye increase, it shall be to your destruction:

⁹And if ye be born, ye shall be born to a curse: and if ye die, a curse shall be your portion. ¹⁰All that are of the earth shall turn to earth again: so the ungodly shall go from a curse to destruction. ¹¹The mourning of men is about their bodies: but an ill name of sinners shall be blotted out. ¹²Have regard to thy name; for that shall continue with thee above a thousand great treasures of gold. ¹³A good life hath but few days: but a good name endureth for ever. ¹⁴My children, keep discipline in peace: for wisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen, what profit is in them both? ¹⁵A man that hideth his foolishness is better than a man that hideth his wisdom. ¹⁶Therefore be shamefaced according to my word: for it is not good to retain all shamefacedness; neither is it altogether approved in every thing.

¹⁷Be ashamed of whoredom before father and mother: and of a lie before a prince and a mighty man; ¹⁸Of an offence before a judge and ruler; of iniquity before a congregation and people; of unjust dealing before thy partner and friend; ¹⁹And of theft in regard of the place where thou sojournest, and in regard of the truth of God and his covenant; and to lean with thine elbow upon the meat; and of scorning to give and take; ²⁰And of silence before them that salute thee; and to look upon an harlot; ²¹And to turn away thy face from thy kinsman; or to take away a portion or a gift; or to gaze upon another man’s wife. ²²Or to be overbusy with his maid, and come not near her bed; or of upbraiding speeches before friends; and after thou hast given, upbraid not; ²³Or of iterating and speaking again that which thou hast heard; and of revealing of secrets. ²⁴So shalt thou be truly shamefaced and find favour before all men.

[The KJV numbers this chapter differently and has no verse under these numbers; the Greek here corresponds to the end of the preceding KJV section. Compare by content.]