“My children!
Listen to instruction
Concerning the mouth!
Whoever observes it
Will never be caught.
Sinners are overtaken
Through their lips.
By them,
The reviler is tripped up.
By them,
The arrogant are tripped up.”
Sirach wanted his readers to listen to his instructions about their mouths. Do not get caught up by saying something you might regret. It is usually the words that you utter from your mouth that causes problems for sinners, revilers, and the arrogant.
“Do not follow
Your base desires!
Restrain your appetites!
If you allow your soul
To take pleasure
In base desire,
It will make you
The laughingstock of your enemies.
Do not revel
In great luxury!
You might become impoverished
By its expense.
Do not become a beggar
By feasting with borrowed money,
When you have nothing in your purse.”
Sirach reminds us that we should have self control. You should not follow your base desires, because you should restrain your various appetites. Do not let your soul take pleasure in these base desires. Otherwise, you will be the laughing stock of your enemies. Do not get caught up in luxuries. You might be impoverished by this attempt to enjoy luxury. Do not become a beggar by feasting on borrowed money, when you have nothing. Try a little self control.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 