Ben Sira - chapter 41

41: 1 - 24 (translated by Edgar Goodspeed)
O death, how bitter is the remembrance of you to a man at peace among his possessions, to a man who is free from distractions and prosperous in everything, and is still vigorous enough to enjoy his food!  O death, your sentence is good for a needy man of failing strength, in extreme old age, and distracted about everything; who is contrary and has lost his patience.  Do not fear the sentence of death; remember those who went before you and those who come after.  This is the sentence of the Lord upon all flesh and blood, and how can you refuse what is the will of the Most High?  Whether it was ten or a hundred or a thousand years, there is no reporach about life in Hades. 
The children of sinners are detestable children, and live in the circles of the ungodly.  The possessions of the children of sinners will be lost, and perpetual reproach will follow their posterity.  His children will blame an ungodly father because they are reproached on his account.  Alas for you, ungodly men, who have forsaken the law of the Most High God!  When you are born, you are born to a curse, and when you die, a curse will be your lot.  Everything that springs from the earth will go back to the earth; just as surely the ungodly go from a curse to destruction.  Men grieve about their bodies, but the name of sinners is not good and will be blotted out.  Take heed about your name, for you retain it longer than a thousand great stores of gold.  The days of a good life are numbered, but a good name lasts forever.  Children maintain instruction and be at peace; concealed wisdom and invisible treasure -- what is the use of either?  A man who hides his folly is better than a man who hides his wisom.  Therefore regard what I say; for not every kind of shame is it well to maintain.  And not everything is approved in good faith by all.  Be ashamed of a father and mother, for immorality, and of a prince and a ruler, for a lie; of a judge and a magistrate, for an offense, and of an assembly and the people, for disregard for the Law; of a partner and a frined, for unjust dealing, and of the place where you are living, for theft; respect the truth ofGod and his agreement, be ashamed to lean on your elbow at table; to be contemptuous about giving back what you have received; and to keep silent before those who greet you; to look at a woman who is a courtesan, and to turn your face away from a relative; to take someone's portion or present, and to stare at a married woman; to meddle with another man's maid, (and do not stand over her bed); to utter words of abuse before friends (and after you make a gift do not add abuse); to repeat what you ahve heard, and to tell things that are secret.  Then you will be really modest, and win the approval of everyone.