{"collection":"Bible & Christianity","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bib/apo/sir031.htm","path":"bib/apo/sir031.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bib/apo/sir031.htm","text":"1 Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the care thereof driveth away sleep.\n2 Watching care will not let a man slumber, as a sore disease breaketh sleep,\n3 The rich hath great labour in gathering riches together; and when he resteth, he is filled with his delicates.\n4 The poor laboureth in his poor estate; and when he leaveth off, he is still needy.\n5 He that loveth gold shall not be justified, and he that followeth corruption shall have enough thereof.\n6 Gold hath been the ruin of many, and their destruction was present.\n7 It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it, and every fool shall be taken therewith.\n8 Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold.\n9 Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things hath he done among his people.\n10 Who hath been tried thereby, and found perfect? then let him glory. Who might offend, and hath not offended? or done evil, and hath not done it?\n11 His goods shall be established, and the congregation shall declare his alms.\n12 If thou sit at a bountiful table, be not greedy upon it, and say not, There is much meat on it.\n13 Remember that a wicked eye is an evil thing: and what is created more wicked than an eye? therefore it weepeth upon every occasion.\n14 Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looketh, and thrust it not with him into the dish.\n15 Judge not thy neighbour by thyself: and be discreet in every point.\n16 Eat as it becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and devour note, lest thou be hated.\n17 Leave off first for manners' sake; and be not unsatiable, lest thou offend.\n18 When thou sittest among many, reach not thine hand out first of all.\n19 A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured, and he fetcheth not his wind short upon his bed.\n20 Sound sleep cometh of moderate eating: he riseth early, and his wits are with him: but the pain of watching, and choler, and pangs of the belly, are with an unsatiable man.\n21 And if thou hast been forced to eat, arise, go forth, vomit, and thou shalt have rest.\n22 My son, hear me, and despise me not, and at the last thou shalt find as I told thee: in all thy works be quick, so shall there no sickness come unto thee.\n23 Whoso is liberal of his meat, men shall speak well of him; and the report of his good housekeeping will be believed.\n24 But against him that is a niggard of his meat the whole city shall murmur; and the testimonies of his niggardness shall not be doubted of.\n25 Shew not thy valiantness in wine; for wine hath destroyed many.\n26 The furnace proveth the edge by dipping: so doth wine the hearts of the proud by drunkeness.\n27 Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk moderately: what life is then to a man that is without wine? for it was made to make men glad.\n28 Wine measurably drunk and in season bringeth gladness of the heart, and cheerfulness of the mind:\n29 But wine drunken with excess maketh bitterness of the mind, with brawling and quarrelling.\n30 Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool till he offend: it diminisheth strength, and maketh wounds.\n31 Rebuke not thy neighbour at the wine, and despise him not in his mirth: give him no despiteful words, and press not upon him with urging him [to drink.]","title":"The Apocrypha: Sirach: Sirach Chapter 31","type":"page"}