Ben Sira 33:2-12

2 The wise will not hate the law, but the one who is hypocritical about it is like a boat in a storm.
3 The sensible person will trust in the law; for such a one the law is as dependable as a divine oracle.
4 Prepare what to say, and then you will be listened to; draw upon your training, and give your answer.
5 The heart of a fool is like a cart wheel, and his thoughts like a turning axle.
6 A mocking friend is like a stallion that neighs no matter who the rider is.
7 Why is one day more important than another, when all the daylight in the year is from the sun?
8 By the Lord's wisdom they were distinguished, and he appointed the different seasons and festivals.
9 Some days he exalted and hallowed, and some he made ordinary days.
10 All human beings come from the ground, and humankind was created out of the dust.
11 In the fullness of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them and appointed their different ways.
12 Some he blessed and exalted, and some he made holy and brought near to himself; but some he cursed and brought low, and turned them out of their place.

Footnotes 1

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.