Ben Sira 23:1-11

1 O Lord, Father and Governor of all my whole life, leave me not to their counsels, and let me not fall by them.
2 Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over mine heart? that they spare me not for mine ignorances, and it pass not by my sins:
3 Lest mine ignorances increase, and my sins abound to my destruction, and I fall before mine adversaries, and mine enemy rejoice over me, whose hope is far from thy mercy.
4 O Lord, Father and God of my life, give me not a proud look, but turn away from thy servants always a haughty mind
5 Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and thou shalt hold him up that is desirous always to serve thee.
6 Let not the greediness of the belly nor lust of the flesh take hold of me; and give not over me thy servant into an impudent mind.
7 Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth: he that keepeth it shall never be taken in his lips.
8 The sinner shall be left in his foolishness: both the evil speaker and the proud shall fall thereby.
9 Accustom not thy mouth to swearing; neither use thyself to the naming of the Holy One.
10 For as a servant that is continually beaten shall not be without a blue mark: so he that sweareth and nameth God continually shall not be faultless.
11 A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall never depart from his house: if he shall offend, his sin shall be upon him: and if he acknowledge not his sin, he maketh a double offence: and if he swear in vain, he shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of calamities.
The King James Version is in the public domain.