The man who loves gold will not be reckoned virtuous,
the man who chases after profit will be caught out by it.
Many have gone to their ruin for the sake of gold,
though their destruction stared them in the face;
it is a snare for those who sacrifice to it,
and every fool will be caught in it.

Ὁ ἀγαπῶν χρυσίον οὐ δικαιωθήσεται,
καὶ ὁ διώκων διάφορα ἐν αὐτοῖς πλανηθήσεται.
πολλοὶ ἐδόθησαν εἰς πτῶμα χάριν χρυσίου,
καὶ ἐγενήθη ἡ ἀπώλεια αὐτῶν κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν.
ξύλον προσκόμματός ἐστιν τοῖς ἐνθουσιάζουσιν αὐτῷ,
καὶ πᾶς ἄφρων ἁλώσεται ἐν αὐτῷ.

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 31: 5ff (Sir 31:5–7) [tr. JB (1966)]
    (Source)

More on the history and acceptance of this Apocryphal book here and here.

(Source (Greek)). Other translations:

He that loveth gold shall not be justified, and he that followeth corruption shall have enough thereof.
Gold hath been the ruin of many, and their destruction was present.
It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it, and every fool shall be taken therewith.
[tr. KJV (1611)]

He that loveth gold, shall not be justified: and he that followeth after corruption, shall be filled with it.
Many have been brought to fall for gold, and the beauty thereof hath been their ruin.
Gold is a stumblingblock to them that sacrifice to it: woe to them that eagerly follow after it, and every fool shall perish by it.
[tr. DRA (1899)]

No one who loves money can easily avoid sinning,
whoever pursues profit will be corrupted by it.
Gold has been the ruin of many;
their coming destruction was self-evident,
since it is a snare for those who sacrifice to it
and stupid people all get caught in it.
[tr. NJB (1985)]

No one who loves money can be judged innocent; his efforts to get rich have led him into sin. Many people have been ruined because of money, brought face-to-face with disaster. Money is a trap for those who are fascinated by it, a trap that every fool falls into.
[tr. GNT (1992 ed.)]

Whoever loves gold won’t be declared just,
and whoever pursues profits
will be led astray by them.
Many have been ruined because of gold,
and their destruction has met them head-on.
It’s a stumbling block for those
who are possessed by it,
and it will take
every senseless person captive.
[tr. CEB (2011)]

Those who love gold will not be justified;
those who pursue money will be led astray by it.
Many have come to ruin because of gold,
and their destruction has met them face to face.
It is a stumbling block to those who are avid for it,
and every fool will be taken captive by it.
[tr. NRSV (2021 ed.)]

He that pursueth after gold shall not be innocent;
And he that loveth hire shall err thereby.
Many are there that have been given in pledge (?) to gold;
And that trusted (?) on rubies.
And they found not how to escape from evil;
Neither to save themselves in the day of wrath.
For it is a stumblingblock to the fool;
And whoso is simple is enticed thereby.
[tr. RJPS (2023 ed.)]


 
Added on 25-Aug-26 | Last updated 25-Aug-26
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