Wisdom of Ben Sira 22:11-13

New Catholic Bible

¹¹ Weep for the dead man, for he has taken leave of the light;
    weep for the fool, for he has taken leave of his wits.
Weep fewer tears for the dead man, for he is at rest,
    but the life of a fool is sadder than death.
¹² Mourning for the dead lasts seven days,
    but for the foolish and the ungodly it lasts all the days of their life.
¹³ Do not speak often with a fool,
    or visit a stupid person.
[For since he is without sense,
    he will despise everything about you.]^[a]
Beware of him or you may find yourself in trouble
    and be splattered by contact with him.
Avoid him and you will have peace of mind
    and not be exasperated by his lack of sense.