Chapter 31

One who loves gold will not be justified; whoever pursues corruption will be filled with it. Be careful of greed in all things. In all your deeds be prudent, – and no sickness will come upon you.

Sirach 31:1. – Watchfulness over wealth exhausts the body, and concern for it takes away sleep. 2. – Anxious care does not let one sleep, and a heavy sickness takes away sleep. 3. – A rich man has labored in gathering wealth – and in rest he enjoys his goods. 4. – A poor man has labored in his lack of necessities – and in rest remains poor. 5. – One who loves gold will not be justified, and whoever pursues corruption will be filled with it. 6. – Many have come to ruin because of gold, and their destruction was before their eyes; 7. – it is a stumbling-block for those who offer sacrifice to it, and every fool will be caught by it. 8. – Happy is the rich man who has been found blameless and who did not pursue gold. 9. – Who is he? and we will praise him; for he has done wonders among his people. 10. – Who was tempted by gold – and remained virtuous? Let this be his praise. 11. – Who had the power to transgress – and did not transgress, to do evil – and did not do it? 12. – Firm will be his wealth, and the assembly will recount his deeds of mercy. 1–12. The accumulation of wealth is accompanied by many troubles and worries, but its possession is accompanied by true peace and is only blameless when wealth is acquired and spent without violation of God’s laws.

Sirach 31:13. – When you sit down to a rich table, do not open your throat to it 14. – and do not say, “How much is there on it!” Remember that a greedy eye is an evil thing. 15. – What is more covetous than the eye? Therefore it weeps over everything it sees. 16. – Wherever it looks, do not reach out your hand, and do not clash with it over a dish. 16. Do not hasten to reach your hand toward the dish that a greedy eye is looking at.

Sirach 31:17. – Judge your neighbor by yourself and consider every action. 17. See Matt 7:12.

Sirach 31:18. – Eat, as a man, what is set before you, and do not overstuff yourself, so that you will not be hated; 19. – cease eating first out of politeness and do not be greedy, so that you may not be an offense; 20. – and if you sit in the midst of many, do not reach out your hand before them. 21. – The well-bred man is satisfied with little, and therefore does not suffer shortness of breath on his bed. 22. – Healthy sleep comes with moderation of the belly: he wakes early, and his soul is with him; 22. And his soul is with him, that is, in an alert state.

Sirach 31:23. – Suffering from sleeplessness, cholera, and colic come upon the greedy man. 24. – If you have burdened yourself with food, rise from the table and rest. 25. – Listen to me, my son, and do not reject me, and later you will understand my words. 26. – In all your deeds be prudent, and no sickness will come upon you. 27. – Those who are generous with bread will be blessed, and the testimony to their goodness is true; 28. – against the stingy with bread the city will murmur, and the testimony to his stinginess is just. 29. – Do not show yourself bold against wine, for wine has destroyed many. 30. – The furnace tests the strength of steel by tempering; so wine tests hearts through drunkenness. 30. Just as fire reveals the true worth of metal, so drunkenness can reveal a man’s hidden thoughts and feelings.

Sirach 31:31. – Wine is beneficial for human life if you drink it moderately. 32. – What is life without wine? It was created for the joy of men. 33. – Joy to the heart and solace to the soul – wine, drunk moderately in due time; 34. – bitterness to the soul – wine, when drunk in abundance, amid quarreling and strife. 35. – Excessive drinking of wine increases the anger of the unwise to stumbling, diminishing his strength and causing wounds. 36. – At a feast over wine do not reproach your neighbor and do not humble him in his joy; 37. – do not speak offensive words to him and do not burden him with demands.