Sirach 38:21-34
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21 Forget it not, for there is no turning again: thou shalt not do him good, but hurt thyself.
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22 Remember my judgment: for thine also shall be so; yesterday for me, and to day for thee.
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23 When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest; and be comforted for him, when his Spirit is departed from him.
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24 The wisdom of a learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure: and he that hath little business shall become wise.
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25 How can he get wisdom that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth oxen, and is occupied in their labours, and whose talk is of bullocks?
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26 He giveth his mind to make furrows; and is diligent to give the kine fodder.
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27 So every carpenter and workmaster, that laboureth night and day: and they that cut and grave seals, and are diligent to make great variety, and give themselves to counterfeit imagery, and watch to finish a work:
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28 The smith also sitting by the anvil, and considering the iron work, the vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace: the noise of the hammer and the anvil is ever in his ears, and his eyes look still upon the pattern of the thing that he maketh; he setteth his mind to finish his work, and watcheth to polish it perfectly:
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29 So doth the potter sitting at his work, and turning the wheel about with his feet, who is alway carefully set at his work, and maketh all his work by number;
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30 He fashioneth the clay with his arm, and boweth down his strength before his feet; he applieth himself to lead it over; and he is diligent to make clean the furnace:
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31 All these trust to their hands: and every one is wise in his work.
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32 Without these cannot a city be inhabited: and they shall not dwell where they will, nor go up and down:
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33 They shall not be sought for in publick counsel, nor sit high in the congregation: they shall not sit on the judges' seat, nor understand the sentence of judgment: they cannot declare justice and judgment; and they shall not be found where parables are spoken.
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34 But they will maintain the state of the world, and [all] their desire is in the work of their craft.