Sirach 37 - Contemporary English Version Interconfessional Edition

Deceitful Friends

¹ Someone who claims to be your friend may not be telling the truth.

² The sorrow when a close friend becomes an enemy is almost like mourning for a friend who has died.

³ Why do people's thoughts lead them to do wrong and spread deceit everywhere?

⁴ Some friends are happy for you when everything is fine, but when you have trouble they turn against you.

⁵ Another friend seems to help only for a free meal, but when you both go off to war, he gives you protection.

⁶ Never forget your friends, and if you are successful, share your wealth with them.

⁷ When people claim to offer advice that is good for you, it may really be good for them.

⁸ Before you do what they say, see if they are looking out for themselves and putting you at risk

⁹ with their advice, while they can safely watch what happens to you.

¹⁰ If someone is jealous or suspicious of you, don't ask them for advice or tell them your plans.

¹¹ If a man has two wives, don't ask one about the other. Take care who you ask for advice. A coward can't tell you how to fight in battle, and a store owner won't tell how much something is really worth. Can someone with a grudge show you how to be grateful, or someone mean tell you how to be kind? Don't bother asking a lazy person if work needs to be done. And don't ask someone who gets paid by the hour how long a job should take.

¹² If you need advice, ask someone who obeys God's commands and thinks like you— someone who will be sad if you fail.

¹³ And trust your own judgment— you care more about yourself than anyone else does.

¹⁴ Thinking for yourself will often tell you more than if you had seven lookouts in a high tower.

¹⁵ But the most important thing is to pray that God Most High will show you what to do.

¹⁶ Before you begin a project, talk with others and get their advice.

¹⁷ Everything starts as an idea,

¹⁸ whether it helps or harms, or brings life or death, and how people talk determines what they do.

¹⁹ Some people can give excellent advice to others but show no wisdom in their own lives.

²⁰ And some who can speak well will be hated and starve,

²¹ because they speak without wisdom from the Lord, and they offend others.

²² If you see that certain people make wise choices themselves, you can depend on the advice they give to you.

²³ The wise teach their wisdom to God's people so their wisdom will live on.

²⁴ The wise are admired and praised by everyone they meet.

²⁵ Life is short for each of us, but Israel will last forever,

²⁶ honoring the memory of those who shared their wisdom.

Eating

²⁷ Take notice, students, what foods make you feel sick, and stay away from them.

²⁸ After all, no one likes every kind of food.

²⁹ Control any desire to overeat or to have lots of fancy food at every meal.

³⁰ You will get sick if you eat too much.

³¹ Be careful! Many have died young from overeating.