Chapter XIX.

² Wine and women seduce wise men. ⁷ Say not all thou hearest. ¹⁷ Reproue thy friend without anger. ²² There is no wisedome in wickednesse.
1 A labouring man that is giuen to drunkennesse shal not be rich, and hee that contemneth small things shall fall by little & little.
2 Wine and women will make men of vnderstanding to fall away, and he that cleaueth to harlots will become impudent.
3 Mothes and wormes shall haue him to heritage, and a bold man shall be taken away.
4 [ Jos_22:11.] He that is hasty to giue credit is light minded, and he that sinneth shall offend against his owne soule.
5 Who so taketh pleasure in wickednesse shall be condemned, but he that resisteth pleasures, crowneth his life.
6 He that can rule his tongue shall liue without strife, and he that hateth babbling, shall haue lesse euill.
7 Rehearse not vnto another that which is told vnto thee, and thou shalt fare neuer the worse.
8 Whether it be [ Or, of friend or foe.] to friend or foe, talk not of other mens liues, and if thou canst without offence reueale them not.
9 For he heard and obserued thee, and when time commeth he will [ Or, shewe his hatred.] hate thee.
10 If thou hast heard a word, let it die with thee, and be bold it will not burst thee.
11 A foole trauaileth with a word, as a woman in labour of a child.
12 As an arrowe that sticketh in a mans thigh, so is a word within a fooles [ Or, heart.] belly.
13 [ Lev_19:17; Mat_18:15.] Admonish a friend, it may be he hath not done it, and if he haue [done it.] that he doe it no more.
14 [ Or, reproue.] Admonish thy friend, it may be he hath not said it, and if he haue, that he speake it not againe.
15 Admonish a friend: for many times it is a slander, & beleeue not euery tale.
16 There is one that slippeth in his speach, but not [ Or, willingly.] from his heart, and who is he that hath not offended with his [ Jam_3:2.] tongue?
17 [ Or, reproue.] Admonish thy neighbour before thou threaten him, and not being angry giue place to the Law of the most high.
18 The feare of the Lord is the first step [ Or, of receiuing him.] to be accepted [of him,] and wisedome obtaineth his loue.
19 The knowledge of the Commandements of the Lord, is the doctrine of life, and they that do things that please him, shall receiue the fruit of the tree of immortalitie.
20 The feare of the Lord is all wisedome, and in all wisedome is the performance of the Law, and the knowledge of his omnipotencie.
21 If a seruant say to his master, I will not doe as it pleaseth thee, though afterward hee doe it, hee angereth him that nourisheth him.
22 The knowledge of wickednes is not wisedome, neither at any time the counsell of sinners, prudence.
23 There is a wickednesse, and the same an abomination, and there is a foole wanting in wisedome.
24 He that hath smal vnderstanding and feareth God, is better then one that hath much wisedome, and transgresseth the Law of the most High.
25 There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is vniust, and there is one that turneth aside to make iudgement appeare: and there is a wise man that [ Or, iudgeth.] iustifieth in iudgement.
26 There is a wicked man that hangeth downe his head [ Or, in blacke.] sadly; but inwardly he is full of deceit,
27 Casting downe his countenance, and making as if he heard not: where he is not knowen, he will do thee a mischiefe before thou be aware.
28 And if for want of power hee be hindered from sinning, yet when he findeth opportunitie he wil doe euil.
29 A man may bee knowen by his looke, and one that hath vnderstanding, by his countenance, when thou meetest him.
30 A mans attire, and excessiue laughter, and gate, shew what he is.

Sabiduría y temor de Dios. La síntesis de la sabiduría es respetar al Señor, y el genuinamente sabio es aquel que cumple y pone en práctica la Ley del Señor. Con esto, Ben Sirá establece una enorme diferencia entre la sabiduría que él practica y enseña y la que comúnmente se llamaría también sabiduría, pero que en el fondo es sagacidad o inteligencia común. Puede ser que el sagaz o inteligente esté muy lejos entonces de la sabiduría que proviene del respeto al Señor y del cumplimiento de sus preceptos. ¿Cómo distinguir al sabio del sagaz o inteligente? Ben Sirá da unas pistas que de todos modos no hay que tomar al pie de la letra: por su manera de vestir, de reír, de andar. Y no hay que tomar esto al pie de la letra porque nadie está autorizado para juzgar a nadie por su apariencia externa; es sólo en el trato, en la comunicación y el diálogo como podemos hacernos una idea, y eso aproximada, de lo que alguien es, y ni aun así, tenemos derecho a juzgar; en todo caso, debe primar siempre el amor y la misericordia para con el prójimo.

[1] Las culpas, aunque ligeras, debilitan las fuerzas de nuestra alma y fortalecen las pasiones. Prov 23, 21.

[2] Gen 19, 33; 1 Re 11, 1; Prov 23; 29-35.

[13] Lev 19, 17; Mat 18, 15; Luc 17, 3.

[17] Sant 3, 8.

[18] Gal 6, 1.