Sir 23:1 

O Lord, Father and Governor of all my whole life, leave me 

not to their counsels, and let me not fall by them. 

Sir 23:2 

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: 

Sir 23:3 

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. 

Sir 23:4 

O Lord, Father and God of my life, give me not a proud look, 

but turn away from thy servants always a haughty mind. 

Sir 23:5 

Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and thou 

shalt hold him up that is desirous always to serve thee. 

Sir 23:6 

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. 

Sir 23:7 

Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth: he that 

keepeth it shall never be taken in his lips. 

Sir 23:8 

The sinner shall be left in his foolishness: both the evil 

speaker and the proud shall fall thereby. 

Sir 23:9 

Accustom not thy mouth to swearing; neither use thyself to 

the naming of the Holy One. 

Sir 23:10 

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. 

Sir 23:11 

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. 

Sir 23:12 

There is a word that is clothed about with death: God grant 

that it be not found in the heritage of Jacob; for all such 

things shall be far from the godly, and they shall not wallow in 

their sins. 

Sir 23:13 

Use not thy mouth to intemperate swearing, for therein is the 

word of sin. 

Sir 23:14 

Remember thy father and thy mother, when thou sittest among 

great men. Be not forgetful before them, and so thou by thy 

custom become a fool, and wish that thou hadst not been born, 

and curse they day of thy nativity. 

Sir 23:15 

The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will never be 

reformed all the days of his life. 

Sir 23:16 

Two sorts of men multiply sin, and the third will bring 

wrath: a hot mind is as a burning fire, it will never be 

quenched till it be consumed: a fornicator in the body of his 

flesh will never cease till he hath kindled a fire. 

Sir 23:17 

All bread is sweet to a whoremonger, he will not leave off 

till he die. 

Sir 23:18 

A man that breaketh wedlock, saying thus in his heart, Who 

seeth me? I am compassed about with darkness, the walls cover 

me, and no body seeth me; what need I to fear? the most High 

will not remember my sins: 

Sir 23:19 

Such a man only feareth the eyes of men, and knoweth not that 

the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the 

sun, beholding all the ways of men, and considering the most 

secret parts. 

Sir 23:20 

He knew all things ere ever they were created; so also after 

they were perfected he looked upon them all. 

Sir 23:21 

This man shall be punished in the streets of the city, and 

where he suspecteth not he shall be taken. 

Sir 23:22 

Thus shall it go also with the wife that leaveth her husband, 

and bringeth in an heir by another. 

Sir 23:23 

For first, she hath disobeyed the law of the most High; and 

secondly, she hath trespassed against her own husband; and 

thirdly, she hath played the whore in adultery, and brought 

children by another man. 

Sir 23:24 

She shall be brought out into the congregation, and 

inquisition shall be made of her children. 

Sir 23:25 

Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall 

bring forth no fruit. 

Sir 23:26 

She shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her reproach 

shall not be blotted out. 

Sir 23:27 

And they that remain shall know that there is nothing better 

than the fear of the Lord, and that there is nothing sweeter 

than to take heed unto the commandments of the Lord. 

Sir 23:28 

It is great glory to follow the Lord, and to be received of 

him is long life.