en_KJV1769D - Sir 12 - Ozzuu Bible

¹ Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

² While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

³ In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

⁴ And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

⁵ Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

⁶ Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

⁷ Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

⁸ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

⁹ And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

¹⁰ The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

¹¹ The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

¹² And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

¹ When thou wilt do good know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits.

² Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High.

³ There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms.

⁴ Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner.

⁵ Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for else thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him.

⁶ For the most High hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment.

⁷ Give unto the good, and help not the sinner.

⁸ A friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

⁹ In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart.

¹⁰ Never trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness.

¹¹ Though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst wiped a lookingglass, and thou shalt know that his rust hath not been altogether wiped away.

¹² Set him not by thee, lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place; neither let him sit at thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and thou at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith.

¹³ Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come nigh wild beasts?

¹⁴ So one that goeth to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?

¹⁵ For a while he will abide with thee, but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry.

¹⁶ An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood.

¹⁷ If adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first; and though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he undermine thee.

¹⁸ He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.