Ben Sira - chapter 40

40: 1 - 30 (Translated by Edgar Goodspeed)
Much occupation is appointed for everyone and a heavy yoke rests on the children of Adam from the day they come out of their mother's womb until the day when they return to the mother of us all, their perplexities and anxiety of mind, their apprehension, and the day of their end!  From the one who sits on his splendid throne to the one who is abased in dust and ashes.  From the one who wears purple and a crown to the one who is clad in coarse linen/burlap, there is wrath and envy and trouble and perplexity and fear of death and anger and stirfe; when one rests upon his bed, his sleep at night confuses his knowledge.  He gets little or no rest, and afterward in his sleep, he is like a watchman on duty, bewildered by the vision of his mind.  Like one who has escaped from the front of battle in the moment of his extremity he wakes up, and wonders that his fear came to nothing.  It is so with all flesh, human and beast; and with sinners seven times more; death and blood and strife and sword, misfortunes, famine and afflication and plague -- all these were created for the wicked, and because of them the flood came.  All that comes from the earth returns to the earth and what comes from the waters turns back to the sea.  All bribery and injustice will be blotted out, but good faith will stand forever.  The property of the unrighteous will dry up like a river, and explode like a clap of thunder in a rain.  As surely as an open-handed person is glad, transgressors will utterly fail.
Transgressors will utterly fail.  The children of the ungodly will not put forth many branches; they are unclean roots on a precipitous rock.  Sedge by any water or riverbank will be plucked up before any grass.  Kindness is like a garden of blessing, and charity endures forever.  The life of a self-supporting man or of a workman is made sweet, but one who finds a treasure is better off than both of them.  Children and the building of a city perpetuate one's name, but an irreproachable wife is counted better than both of them.  Wine and music delight the heart, but the love of wisdom is better than both of them.  The flute and the lute make sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is better than both of them.  The eye desires grace and beauty, but more than both of them the springing grain.  A friend and a comrade meet opportunely, but a wife with her husband is better than both of them.  Brothers and help are for a time of trouble, but charity is a better deliverer than both of them.  Gold and silver make a person stand firm, but good counsel is more approved than both of them.  Money and vigor elate the mind, but the fear of the Lord is better than both of them.  There is no flaw in the fear of the Lord, and with it there is no need to seek for help.  The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing, and covers a man better than any glory.  My child, do not lead a beggar's life; it is better to die than to beg.  When one looks to another's table, his existence cannot be considered life.  He pollutes his soul with another man's food, but one who is intelligent and well-instructed will beware of it.  In the mouth of the shameless begging is sweet, but it kindles a fire in his heart.