Sirach 22:24-26

Common English Bible

²⁴ Before there’s a fire,
a furnace has vapor and smoke;
    so before bloodshed there are insults.
²⁵ I won’t be ashamed to shelter friends,
    and I won’t hide from them.
²⁶ And if something bad happens to me
because of them,
    everyone who hears of it
    will be on guard against them.