Ben Sira 19:20-27

20 Fear the Lord and keep his Law; that is what Wisdom is all about.

22 You may know everything there is to know about wickedness, but that does not make you wise. It is not sensible to follow the advice of sinners.

23 It is possible to use cleverness for wicked purposes, but some people act like fools because they don't know any better.

24 A devout person, even if he is not very intelligent, is better off than the cleverest of sinners.

25 It is possible to be marvelously clever and still be dishonest, or to get what you want by being absurdly polite.

26 Then there are those wicked people who go about looking very solemn and mournful, but who are only trying to deceive you.

27 They will turn their faces away and pretend not to hear you, but they'll take advantage of you when you least expect it.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Some manuscripts add verses 20b-21:] and what the knowledge of his omnipotence means. +V21+WIf a servant refuses to obey his master, but later does obey, the master is still angry.