Ben Sira 10:4-24

4 The government of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and over it he will raise up the right leader for the time.

5 Human success is in the hand of the Lord, and it is he who confers honor upon the lawgiver.

6 Do not get angry with your neighbor for every injury, and do not resort to acts of insolence.

7 Arrogance is hateful to the Lord and to mortals, and injustice is outrageous to both.

8 Sovereignty passes from nation to nation on account of injustice and insolence and wealth.

9 How can dust and ashes be proud? Even in life the human body decays.

10 A long illness baffles the physician; the king of today will die tomorrow.

11 For when one is dead he inherits maggots and vermin and worms.

12 The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord; the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.

13 For the beginning of pride is sin, and the one who clings to it pours out abominations. Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities, and destroys them completely.

14 The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers, and enthrones the lowly in their place.

15 The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations, and plants the humble in their place.

16 The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations, and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.

17 He removes some of them and destroys them, and erases the memory of them from the earth.

18 Pride was not created for human beings, or violent anger for those born of women.

19 Whose offspring are worthy of honor? Human offspring. Whose offspring are worthy of honor? Those who fear the Lord. Whose offspring are unworthy of honor? Human offspring. Whose offspring are unworthy of honor? Those who break the commandments.

20 Among family members their leader is worthy of honor, but those who fear the Lord are worthy of honor in his eyes.

22 The rich, and the eminent, and the poor— their glory is the fear of the Lord.

23 It is not right to despise one who is intelligent but poor, and it is not proper to honor one who is sinful.

24 The prince and the judge and the ruler are honored, but none of them is greater than the one who fears the Lord.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb: Gk [scribe]
• [b]. Other ancient authorities add here or after verse 9a, [Nothing is more wicked than one who loves money, for such a person puts his own soul up for sale.]
• [c]. Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain
• [d]. Heb Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain
• [e]. Heb: Gk [wild animals]
• [f]. Other ancient authorities read [proud nations]
• [g]. Other ancient authorities add as verse 21, [The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance; obduracy and pride are the beginning of rejection.]