Ben Sira 32:9-19

9 Don't treat important people as if you were their equal and don't make a nuisance of yourself by asking them a lot of questions.
10 The reputation of a modest person goes before him, as lightning before thunder.
11 Leave the party at the right time and never be the last to go. Don't linger at the door; just go straight home.
12 There you can enjoy yourself as you wish, but don't commit the sin of bragging.
13 And don't forget to thank your Creator for letting you enjoy so many good things.
14 If you fear the Lord, you will accept his correction. He will bless those who get up early in the morning to pray.
15 Study his Law, and you will master it, unless you are insincere about it, in which case you will fail.
16 If you fear the Lord, you will know what is right, and you will be famous for your fairness.
17 Sinners have no use for correction, and will interpret the Law to suit themselves.
18 Sensible people will consider every opinion, but arrogant people will let nothing stand in their way.
19 Never do anything without thinking it through, and once you have done something, don't look back and wish you had done something else.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. [Hebrew] make . . . questions; [Greek] keep talking when someone else is speaking.
  • [b]. [Hebrew] arrogant; [Greek] foreign and arrogant.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.