Ben Sira - chapter 10

10: 1 - 31 (Edgar Goodspeed translation)
A wise judge will instruct his people, and the rule of an intelligent person is well ordered.  Like the judge of a people are his officers, and like the governor of a city are all who live in it.  An uneducated king ruins his people, but a city becomes populous through the understanding of its rulers.  Authority over the earth is in the hands of the Lord, and in due time He will set over it one who will serve his purpose.  Human success is in the hands of the Lord, and He makes His glory rest on the person of the scribe/lawgiver.  Do not get angry with your neighbor for any misdeed, and do not gain your end by acts of violence.  Pride is detested in the sight of the Lord and to mortals, and injustice is wrong in the sight of both.  Sovereignty passes from one nation to another because of injustice and violence and greed for money.  Why are dust and ashes proud? Even in life the human body decays.  There is a long illness -- the doctor is baffled; the king of today will die tomorrow.  For when one is dead, reptiles, animals, and worms become his portion.  A man begins to be proud when he departs from the Lord, and his heart forsakes his Creator.  For pride begins with sin, and the one who clings to it will rain down abominations.  For this reason, the Lord brings unheard-of calamities upon them, and overturns them utterly.  The Lord tears down the thrones of rulers, and seats the humble-minded in their places.  The Lord plucks up nations by the roots, and plants the lowly in their places.  The Lord overturns heathen countries, and destroys them down to the foundations of the earth.  He takes some of them away, and destroys them, and makes the memory of them cease from the earth.  Pride was not created for men, nor fierce anger for those who are born of women.  What is an honorable posterity?  A human posterity!  What is an honorable posterity?  Those who fear the Lord.  What is a base/unworthy posterity?  A human posterity!  What is an honorable posterity?  Those who break the commandments.  Among family members, their leader is honored, and those who fear the Lord are honored in His eyes.  Rich and distinguished and poor alike -- their glory is the fear of the Lord.  It is not right to slight a poor man who has understanding, and it is not proper to honor a sinful man.  Prince, judge, and ruler are honored, but none of them is greater than the one who fears the Lord.  Free citizens will wait on a wise servant and an intelligent person will not object.  Do not parade your wisdom when you are at work, and do not commend yourself when you are in need; it is better to work and have plenty of everything, than to go about commending yourself but in want of bread.  My child, glorify your soul with meekness, and show it such honor as it deserves.  Who can justify those who condemn/sin against themselves?  And who can honor those who dishonor themselves/disgrace their own lives?  A poor man is honored for his knowledge and a rich man is honored for his wealth.  One who is honored in poverty, how much more in wealth?  And one who is dishonored in wealth, how much more in poverty?