Old Testament

New Testament

Sirach 31:14-27 Common English Bible (CEB)

14. Don’t reach out your handfor whatever you see,and don’t crowd your dinner companion by reaching into the same bowl.

15. Put yourself in your companion’s place,and be considerate in everything.

16. Eat what’s put in front of youlike a normal human being,and don’t chew rudely,or you will be hated.

17. Be the first to stop,to show your good breeding,and don’t be gluttonous;otherwise, you will offend.

18. If you have been seatedwith a lot of people,don’t help yourself before they do.

19. A little food is more than enoughfor well-educated people!They won’t gasp for breathwhen they lie down to sleep.

20. Healthy sleep dependson not stuffing yourself.Such people arise early and feel good.The gluttons suffer the pains of insomnia, nausea, and colic.

21. If you’ve overstuffed yourself,get up, vomit far away,and you will feel better.

22. Listen to me, my child,and don’t show me contempt,and in the end you will understandwhat I’m saying;be careful in everything you do,and you will never fall sick.

23. People will bless thosewho are generous with bread;they give reliable testimonyto the excellence of such people.

24. The city will murmur about thosewho are stingy with bread,giving accurate witnessto the wickedness of such people.

25. Don’t demonstrate your bravadoin wine drinking,because wine has destroyed many.

26. A furnace tests the hardening of steelwhen it’s dipped,so wine tests the heartwhen the arrogant quarrel.

27. If taken in moderation,wine makes people’s lives better.What’s life to those whodon’t have wine?It was created from the beginningto bring merriment.

Read complete chapter Sirach 31