Chapter Fourteen

Blessed is the man whose conscience has no cause to reproach him for evil deeds. Do not be foolishly stingy, envious, or greedy. Use the good things of life to satisfy the reasonable needs of your soul. Be merciful to your neighbor, be diligent in offerings to the Lord. Strive to acquire wisdom, and wisdom will find you.

Sirach 14:1. Blessed is the man who has not transgressed with his mouth and is not grieved by sorrow of sin. Sirach 14:2. Blessed is he whose soul does not accuse him and who has not lost his hope. Sirach 14:3. Wealth is not good for a stingy man. And to what use is a possession for one who is ill-willed? Sirach 14:4. He who gathers by depriving his soul gathers for others, and others will feast on his possessions. Sirach 14:5. Who is evil to himself? For whom will he be good? And he will not have joy from his possessions. Sirach 14:6. There is no man worse than one who is ill-willed to himself, and this is the consequence of his malice. Sirach 14:7. If he does good, he does it in forgetfulness, and afterward he reveals his evil. Sirach 14:8. He is evil who has envious eyes, he turns away his face and despises souls. Sirach 14:9. The eyes of the covetous are not satisfied with any share, and injustice of the evil man dries up his soul. Sirach 14:10. An evil eye is envious even over bread and suffers want at his own table. 3-10. A stingy man is an enemy to himself: the savings made by the stingy often deprive him of the possibility of satisfying his most essential needs, and in doing so, not only do they not suppress avarice in him, but on the contrary, nourish it more and more.

Sirach 14:11. My son! according to your means do good to yourself and present offerings to the Lord in a worthy manner. Sirach 14:12. Remember that death does not delay, and the covenant of the grave is not revealed to you: 12. The covenant of the grave, that is, the day of your death and burial in the depths of Sheol.

Sirach 14:13. Before you die, do good to your friend, and according to your ability stretch out your hand and give to him. Sirach 14:14. Do not deprive yourself of a good day, and let no portion of a good desire pass you by. Sirach 14:15. Will you not leave your possessions to others and the fruits of your labors for division by lot? Sirach 14:16. Give and receive, and comfort your soul, Sirach 14:17. for in the grave there is no finding of comfort. Sirach 14:18. Every flesh grows old like a garment; for from eternity the decree is: “You shall die by death. Sirach 14:19. Like green leaves on a thick tree - some fall and others grow: so is the generation of flesh and blood - one dies and another is born. Sirach 14:20. Every work subject to decay will perish, and the one who made it will die with it. 14-20. While alive, enjoy the good things of life, but only to satisfy the reasonable and pious needs of your soul.

Sirach 14:21. Blessed is the man who practices wisdom and contemplates the holy in his understanding. Sirach 14:22. He who meditates on her ways in his heart will gain understanding and will know her secrets. Sirach 14:23. Go after her as a hunter and set an ambush on her paths. Sirach 14:24. He who inclines toward her windows will listen and attend at her doors. Sirach 14:25. He who camps near her house will drive a nail into her walls, pitch his tent beside her, and lodge in a dwelling of good things. Sirach 14:26. He will place his children under her shelter and will lodge under her shadow. Sirach 14:27. He will be sheltered by her from the heat and will dwell in the glory of her. 21-27. He attains wisdom and enjoys its fruits only he who with all the strength of his soul seeks to understand and assimilate her counsels.