Ben Sira 13:8-18

8 Be careful not to be misled; you can be enjoying yourself and suddenly find yourself humiliated.

9 If you are invited to the home of someone influential, be reserved in your behavior. Then he will invite you more often.

10 If you push yourself on him, he will put you in your place. On the other hand, if you keep your distance from him, he will forget about you.

11 Don't pretend to be his equal or trust everything he says. In spite of all of his long and polite conversation, he is testing you.

12 If a person does not keep confidences, he is cruel; he will not hesitate to hurt you or have you put in jail.

13 Keep your secrets to yourself and be very careful, for you are always walking on dangerous ground.

15 Every creature prefers its own kind, and people are no different.

16 Just as animals of the same species flock together, so people keep company with people like themselves.

17 A sinner has no more in common with a devout person than a wolf has with a lamb.

18 Rich people have no more in common with poor people than hyenas have with dogs.

Footnotes

• [a] [Some manuscripts add verses 13b-14:] When you hear this in your sleep, wake up! +V14+WAs long as you live, love the Lord and call on him to rescue you.