Old Testament

New Testament

Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 31:8-26 Good News Bible Catholic Edition (GNBDK)

8. A person who gets rich without sinfully chasing after money is fortunate.

9. Do you know anyone like that? If so, we will congratulate him for performing a miracle that no one else has ever been able to do.

10. If anyone has ever passed this test, he can well be proud. Has anyone ever known that he could get away with cheating someone, and not taken advantage of it?

11. If so, he deserves his wealth, and everyone will praise him for his generosity.

12. When you sit down at a fancy banquet, don't let your mouth hang open, and don't say, “Look at all that food!”

13. It is impolite to have a greedy eye; remember that. Nothing in creation is greedier than the eye; that is why it sheds tears so often.

14. Don't reach out for everything you see, and don't elbow people out of the way to get at the food.

15. Be considerate of the other people at the table and treat them the way you want to be treated.

16. When you get your food, eat it like a human being. Don't smack your lips and slurp; nobody can stand that.

17. It's good manners to be the first to stop eating; stuffing yourself is offensive.

18. If there are many people present, don't try to be the first to be served.

19. A little bit is plenty for anyone with good manners. Besides, you won't be short of breath when you go to bed.

20. People who eat too much get stomach-ache and cannot sleep. If you don't overeat, you can get a good night's sleep and wake up early the next morning feeling fine.

21. But if you do get a stomach-ache from eating too much, go off and vomit and you will feel better.

22. My child, if you listen to what I am saying and put it into practice, one of these days you will thank me for it. Be moderate in everything you do, and you will never be sick.

23. People appreciate a generous host, and he deserves their praise.

24. But everybody in town will complain about a host who is stingy with food, and their complaints are justified.

25. Don't try to prove your manhood by how much you can drink. Wine has been the ruin of many.

26. An arrogant person's character shows through when he is in a drunken argument, in the same way that iron is tested when it is heated red-hot and then dipped in water.

Read complete chapter Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 31