Wisdom of Sirach 31
Be Wise with Wealth
1 Losing sleep over wealth wastes away the body, And anxiety about wealth removes sleep.†
2 Sleepless anxiety will drive away slumber, And severe illness makes an end to sleep.
3 A rich man labors to gather money, And when he rests he fills himself with his luxuries.
4 A poor man labors to make a meager living, And when he rests he becomes needy.
5 He who loves gold will not be called righteous, And he who pursues profit will be led astray by it.
6 Many are driven to calamity for the sake of gold, And their destruction has met them face to face.
7 It is a stumbling block for those possessed by it, And every senseless man will be trapped by it.
8 Blessed is a rich man who is found blameless And does not chase after gold.†
9 Who is he? And we shall call him blessed, For he has worked wonders among his people.
10 Who has been tested by it and found perfect? He has ground for boasting. Who was able to transgress but did not transgress? Who was able to commit evil but did not do it?
11 His good things will be strengthened, And the assembly will talk of his almsgiving.
Food and Drink
12 Are you seated at table with a great man? Do not gluttonize, and do not say, “How much food there is upon your table!”†
13 Remember that a greedy eye is a vice. What has been created worse than the eye? Therefore it sheds tears on every face.
14 Do not stretch out your hand for everything you see, And do not crowd another at the dish.†
15 Understand the things of your neighbor by your own, And in every matter be considerate.
16 Eat what is set before you like a human being, And do not devour your food, lest you be despised.†
17 Be the first to stop eating for the sake of discipline, And do not be greedy, so as not to cause offense.
18 And if you are seated in a large group of people, Do not reach out your hand before they do.
19 How small an amount is sufficient for a man with discipline! And he does not gasp for breath on his bed.†
20 Healthy sleep depends on moderate eating, And he rises early and in good spirits; But the distress of sleeplessness, nausea, and indigestion Are with the glutton.
21 If you are stuffed with food, Get up in the middle of the meal and stop eating.
22 Listen to me, my child, and do not disregard me, And you will find my words to be important. In all your works be prepared, And no sickness will overtake you.
23 Lips will bless a man generous with his food, And their witness to his goodness is trustworthy.
24 A city will grumble against the man stingy with his food, And their witness to his stinginess is accurate.
25 Do not get your courage from wine, For wine has destroyed many men.†
26 As a furnace tests steel in the tempering process, So wine tests hearts in the quarrels of the arrogant.
27 Wine is like life to men, If you drink it in moderation. What is life without wine? For it was created to give gladness to men.
28 Wine drunk at the proper time and with temperance Is joyfulness of heart and gladness of soul.
29 Drinking too much wine is bitterness of soul, With irritation and occasion for stumbling and falling.
30 Drunkenness increases the anger of a senseless man to his own hurt, Reducing his strength and adding to his wounds.
31 Do not rebuke your neighbor at a wine party, And do not despise him when he is enjoying himself. Do not speak a word of insult against him, And do not afflict him by making demands of him.
Psalms 34
1 By David. †O Lord, judge those who injure me; Make war on those who make war on me.
2 Take hold of weapon and shield, and rise up to my help.
3 Bring forth the sword, and confine those in opposition who pursue me; Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4 Let those who seek my soul be dishonored and shamed; Let those who plot evils against me be turned backward and disappointed.
5 Let them be like dust in the wind’s face, And let the Angel of the Lord afflict them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the Angel of the Lord pursue them.
7 For without cause they hid the destruction of their trap for me; In vain they reproached my soul.
8 Let a trap they do not know catch them, And they themselves shall fall into the same trap.
9 But my soul shall greatly rejoice in the Lord; My soul shall delight in His salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, “O Lord, who is like You? You who deliver a poor man from hands stronger than he, And a poor and needy man from those who plunder him.”
11 Unjust witnesses rose up against me, Asking me things I knew nothing about;
12 They repaid me evil for good, And bereavement for my soul.
13 But I put on sackcloth when they troubled me, And I humbled my soul with fasting; And my prayer will return into my bosom.
14 Like a neighbor, like our brother, so they were well-pleasing; Like one who laments and is of a sad countenance, so I humbled myself.
15 But they were delighted, and were gathered together against me; Whips were gathered together against me, but I did not know it; They were torn asunder, yet they were not pierced to the heart.
16 They tempted me; they mocked and sneered at me; They gnashed their teeth at me.
Proverbs of Solomon 7
A Son with Discernment
1 My son, guard my words, And hide my commandments within yourself;†
2 My son, honor the Lord, and you shall be strong, And fear none other but Him.
3 Guard my commandments And you will live, and my words as the pupils of your eyes;
4 And put them around your fingers, And write them upon the breadth of your heart.
5 Say that wisdom is your sister, And gain discernment as a friend for yourself,
6 So they may keep you from a strange and evil woman, If she comes at you with flattering words. †
Romans 8
The Spirit Defeats Sin and the Flesh
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.†
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,†
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.†
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.†
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.†
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
The Spirit Conveys Divine Sonship
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.†
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.†
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”†
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.†