Ben Sira 21:14-24

14 A fool, on the other hand, has a mind like a jar with a hole in it; anything he learns is soon lost.
15 When an educated person hears something that shows insight, it stimulates his mind and leads him on to other ideas. But when someone who is satisfied with ignorance hears it, he won't like it, and will forget it as soon as he can.
16 Listening to a foolish person talk is like traveling with a heavy load on your back, but it is a pleasure to hear what intelligent people have to say.
17 The assembly will be eager to hear from an intelligent person and will take his opinion seriously.
18 To an ignorant person, wisdom is as useless as a house gone to ruin. He has never even thought about the things he is so sure of.
19 To a person without any sense, an education is like handcuffs,
20 but to a sensible person, it is like gold bracelets. An intelligent person will smile quietly while a fool roars with laughter.
22 A stupid person will peep into someone's house through the door and then march right in, but someone with experience and good manners will have enough respect to wait outside.
24 Eavesdropping at doors is bad manners, and anyone with a sense of decency would be ashamed to do it.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.