“Through one intelligent person,
A city can be filled with people.
But through a clan of outlaws,
A city becomes desolate.
Many such things
My eye has seen.
My ear has heard things
More striking than these.”
One intelligent person can help to populate a whole city. On the other hand, a gang of outlaws can lead to a desolate city. Sirach’s eyes and ears have seen and heard many strange and striking things.