en_cepher - Sir 12 - Ozzuu Bible

¹ WHEN you will do good know to whom you do it; so shall you be thanked for your benefits.

² Do good to the righteous man, and you shall find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from El Elyon.

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

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

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

⁶ For El Elyon hates sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the wicked, and keeps 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 your enemy: for like as iron rusts, so is his wickedness.

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

¹² Set him not by you, lest, when he has overthrown you, he stand up in your place; neither let him sit at your right hand, lest he seek to take your seat, and you 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 goes to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?

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

¹⁶ An enemy speaks sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagines how to throw you 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 you, you shall find him there first; and though he pretend to help you, yet shall he undermine you.

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