Chapter 37

Do not forget a friend in your heart or in your possessions. Exercise caution in choosing an advisor. Be wisely attentive to what nourishes your body and soul.

Sirach 37:1. Every friend may say, “I too am your friend.” But there is a friend who is a friend in name only. 2. Is this not a grief even to death when a companion and friend becomes an enemy? 3. O evil thought! How did you come to cover the earth with treachery? 4. A companion rejoices with a friend in his joy, but in his time of trouble he will be against him. 5. A companion helps his friend for his belly’s sake, but in battle he will take up a shield. 5. That is, he will take up a shield against his friend.

Sirach 37:6. Do not forget a friend in your heart and do not forget him in your possessions. 7. Every counselor praises his own advice, but some give counsel for their own advantage. 8. Guard your soul against a counselor and know beforehand what he needs; for he may counsel for his own interest. 9. He may cast the lot upon you and say to you, “Your path is good”; but he stands opposite you to see what will happen to you. 10. Do not take counsel with one who is envious of you, and hide your intentions from those who are jealous of you. 11. Do not consult with a woman about her rival, nor with a coward about war, with a merchant about barter, with a buyer about selling, with an envious man about gratitude. 12. with a merciless man about mercy, with the lazy about any work. 13. with an annual laborer about the completion of work, with a lazy servant about heavy work. 13. That is, do not ask an annual laborer to complete the work before the agreed time.

Sirach 37:14. do not rely on any of these for counsel. 15. but always go to a pious man, whom you know to observe the commandments of the Lord. 16. whose soul is in accord with your own, and who, if you fall, will grieve with you. 17. Heed the counsel of your own heart, for there is no one more faithful to you than it. 18. For the human soul sometimes reveals more than seven sentries sitting on a watchtower. 17–18. Cf. Sir 17:6-9.

Sirach 37:19. But in all this, pray to the Most High, that He may direct your path in truth. 20. The beginning of every deed is reflection, and before every action comes counsel. 21. The expression of a change in heart shows itself on the face. Four states are expressed on it: good and evil, life and death, and the tongue always prevails. 21. The tongue always prevails, that is, the tongue is the principal means of revealing a person’s inner state.

Sirach 37:22. One man is skilled and teaches many others, yet is useless to his own soul. 23. One man is clever in speech but is hated, and such a man will be deprived of all sustenance. 24. for to him grace was not given by the Lord, and he is deprived of all wisdom. 25. One man is wise for his own soul, and the fruits of his understanding are sure on his lips. 26. A wise man teaches his people, and the fruits of his understanding are sure. 27. A wise man will be filled with blessing, and all who see him will call him blessed. 28. The life of a man is reckoned in days, but the days of Israel are beyond number. 29. A wise man will win confidence among his people, and his name will live forever. 22–29. True beneficial wisdom consists not in extensive knowledge, much speaking, and the skill of teaching, but in the ability to give and apply, both for oneself and for others, real instruction in knowledge and life.

Sirach 37:30. My son, test your soul during your lifetime and observe what is harmful to it, and do not give it to yourself. 31. for not everything is beneficial for everyone, and not every soul is suited for all things. 32. Do not glut yourself with every delicacy and do not rush to various foods. 33. for from excessive eating comes illness, and gluttony leads to cholera. 34. Many have died from excessive eating, but he who is temperate prolongs his life.