Read & explore together
Avoid risky disputes, obligations, and disclosures
Sirach 8:10–19 gives short warnings about situations that can trap, damage, or expose a person. The sayings move through conflict, money, travel, advice, secrecy, and personal disclosure, urging careful judgment about who you deal with.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This passage is part of Sirach, in the Catholic additional books, and it speaks in wisdom-style instructions. Each verse gives a caution about a certain kind of person or action, warning the reader to notice danger before becoming entangled in it.
Sirach 8:10–19Main takeaway
This passage teaches that wisdom includes recognising risky people and situations, and setting careful limits on conflict, money, travel, advice, and personal disclosure.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Do not stir up troubleThe first warnings focus on conflict with dangerous people. The reader is told not to stir up a sinner like kindling coals, because the result can burn back on you.
Explanation
The first warnings focus on conflict with dangerous people. The reader is told not to stir up a sinner like kindling coals, because the result can burn back on you. The insolent man is also dangerous, since he may twist your words and use them against you like an ambush.
02Be realistic about money and legal riskThese sayings warn against obligations that may go badly. Lending to someone stronger than you may leave you unable to recover what was given, so the text says to count it as a loss.
Explanation
These sayings warn against obligations that may go badly. Lending to someone stronger than you may leave you unable to recover what was given, so the text says to count it as a loss. Being surety means guaranteeing another person’s debt, and the warning is not to promise beyond your means. A legal dispute with a judge is also presented as stacked against you.
03Choose your companions carefullyThe passage next warns about travelling with reckless or wrathful people. A reckless man acts as he pleases and can make his folly your danger too.
Explanation
The passage next warns about travelling with reckless or wrathful people. A reckless man acts as he pleases and can make his folly your danger too. A wrathful man is especially unsafe in a place with no help, because he treats blood lightly and may bring ruin on the one beside him.
04Guard secrets and your inner lifeThe final sayings move to speech and disclosure. A fool cannot keep a secret, so he is not a safe adviser.
Explanation
The final sayings move to speech and disclosure. A fool cannot keep a secret, so he is not a safe adviser. A stranger is also not a safe place for hidden matters, because you do not know what may result. The closing warning is not to open your heart to every person or place yourself under obligation to them.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Which kinds of people in this passage are described as especially risky to deal with?
List the terms the passage itself uses, and note what specific danger is attached to each one.
02What does this passage say about money promises and obligations?
Look closely at lending, being surety, and going to law, and describe the likely cost or disadvantage named in each warning.
03How do the last three verses teach caution about speech and disclosure?
Trace the movement from consulting a fool, to doing secret things before a stranger, to opening your heart to every person.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 8:10–19
10Don’t kindle the coals of a sinner, lest you be burned with the flame of his fire.
11Don’t rise up from the presence of an insolent man, lest he lie in wait as an ambush for your mouth.
12Don’t lend to a man who is stronger than you; and if you lend, count it as a loss.
13Don’t be surety beyond your means. If you give surety, think as one who will have to pay.
14Don’t go to law with a judge; for according to his honor they will give judgment for him.
15Don’t travel with a reckless man, lest he be burdensome to you; for he will do as he pleases, and you will perish with his folly.
16Don’t fight with a wrathful man. Don’t travel with him through the desert, for blood is as nothing in his sight. Where there is no help, he will overthrow you.
17Don’t consult with a fool, for he will not be able to keep a secret.
18Do no secret thing before a stranger, for you don’t know what it will cause.
19Don’t open your heart to every man. Don’t let him return you a favor.