Beware of the great
1 He who touches tar will be soiled; he who associates with an arrogant
man will become like him.
2 Do not carry too heavy a load; do not make friends with someone
stronger and richer than you. Why put the earthen pot near the iron one?
One will bang the other and break it.
3 The rich man does wrong and is un concerned; the poor man is insulted
and apologizes.
4 The rich man uses you as long as you are useful to him; when you have
nothing left he deserts you.
5 He will stay with you as long as you have something; he will drain you
without a second thought.
6 If he really needs you he will de ceive you, smile at you and raise
your hopes; he will speak smooth words and say, ¡°What would you like?¡±
7 He will show his gratitude by entertaining you until he has taken all
you possess, and he will make fun of you in the end. Afterwards, when he
sees you, he will have nothing to do with you, shaking his head when he
meets you.
8 Take care not to be deceived and humiliated through stupidity.
9 When an influential person in vites you, delay and he will call you
all the more.
10 Do not go so far forward that you are pushed aside or so far back
that you are overlooked.
11 Do not try to talk to him as an equal or trust his many words. With
all this verbiage he is only trying to test you and, under pretense of
kindness, he is weighing you up.
12 He will repeat your words without pity and will not spare you either
blows or chains.
13 Be wary and take great care because you are walking with your own
stumbling block.
15 All that lives loves its own kind and each person, his own neighbor.
16 Every animal relates to its own species and man to his own kind.
17 What has the wolf in common with the lamb? It is the same with the
sinner and the virtuous man.
18 What kind of peace can exist between the hyena and the dog? What
peace between the rich man and the poor man?
19 Wild donkeys are the prey of desert lions; so, also, are the poor the
prey of the rich.
20 The proud man hates humility; so, also, the poor man is detest able
to the rich.
21 When the rich man stumbles, his friends support him, but when the
poor man falls, his friends desert him.
22 When the rich man gets into trouble, there are many who come to his
rescue; if he speaks nonsense, they congratulate him. When the poor man
makes a mistake, they criticize him; if he speaks sensibly, they pay no
attention.
23 When the rich man speaks, all are silent and they praise his words to
the skies. The poor man speaks and people ask, ¡°Who is this?¡± And if he
stumbles, they push him down.
24 Wealth is good if there is no sin in it and poverty is evil when it
is the reward for godlessness.
Enjoy life without being greedy
25 Man¡¯s heart is reflected in his face, for better or for worse.
26 Does he show a happy face? All is going well to him. Has he found
words of wisdom? He has reflected on suffering.
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Comments Sirach, Chapter 13
• 13.1 This long paragraph is an invitation not to seek the company of
those above us. Often the rich, those above, are godless, without
conscience. The author points out the dangers:
¨C those above take advantage of those who seek to become familiar with
them;
¨C to be admitted into the friendship of the rich, we have to accept many
humiliations and to forget our own dignity;
¨C contact with the rich will lead us to imitate their faults.