Open English Translation SIR Chapter 10

10 A wise judge will instruct his people.

The government of a man of understanding will be well ordered.

2 As is the judge of his people, so are his officials.

As the city’s ruler is, so are all those who live in it.

3 An undisciplined king will destroy his people.

A city will be established through the understanding of the powerful.

4 The government of the earth is in the master’s hand.

In due time, he’ll raise up over it the right person at the right time.

5 A man’s prosperity is in the master’s hand.

He’ll lay his honour on the person of the scribe.

6 Don’t be angry with your neighbour for every wrong.

Do nothing by works of violence.

7 Pride is hateful before the master and men.

Arrogance is abhorrent in the judgement of both.

8 Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation

because of injustice, violence, and greed for money.

9 Why are dirt and ashes proud?[fn]

Because in life, my body decays.

10 A long disease mocks the physician.

The king of today will die tomorrow.

11 Because when a man is dead,

he’ll inherit maggots, vermin, and worms.

12 It’s the beginning of pride when a man departs from the master.

His heart has departed from him who made him.

13 Because the beginning of pride is sin.

He who keeps it’ll pour out abomination.

Because this cause the master brought on them strange calamities

and utterly overthrew them.

14 The master threw down the thrones of rulers

and set the lowly in their place.

15 The master plucked up the roots of nations

and planted the lowly in their place.

16 The master overthrew the lands of nations

and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.

17 He took some of them away and destroyed them,

and made their memory to cease from the earth.

18 Pride hasn’t been created for men,

nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women.

19 Whose offspring has honour?

Human offspring who fear the master.

Whose offspring has no honour?

Human offspring who break the commandments.

20 Among relatives he who rules them has honour.

Those who fear the master have honour in his eyes. 21 [fn]

22 The rich man, the honourable, and the poor

all glory in the fear of the master.

23 It isn’t right to dishonour a poor man who has understanding.

It isn’t fitting to glorify a man who’s a sinner.

24 The prince, the judge, and the mighty man will be honoured.

There isn’t one of them greater than he who fears the master.

25 Free men will minister to a wise servant.

A man who has knowledge won’t complain.

26 Don’t flaunt your wisdom in doing your work.

Don’t boast in the time of your distress.

27 Better is he who labours and abounds in all things,

than he who boasts and lacks bread.

28 My son, glorify your soul in humility,

and ascribe to yourself honour according to your worthiness.

29 Who’ll justify him who sins against his own soul?

Who’ll honour him who dishonours his own life?

30 A poor man is honoured for his knowledge.

A rich man is honoured for his riches.

31 But he who’s honoured in poverty, how much more in riches?

He who’s dishonoured in riches, how much more in poverty?