Sirach 5
Good News Translation
Don't Be Presumptuous
5 Don't rely on money to make you independent. 2 Don't think you have to have everything you want, and then spend your energy trying to get it. 3 Don't think that no one can exercise authority over you; if you do, the Lord is certain to punish you. 4 (A)Don't think that you can sin and get away with it; the Lord does not mind waiting to punish you. 5 Don't be so certain of the Lord's forgiveness that you go on committing one sin after another. 6 Don't think that his mercy is so great that he will forgive your sins no matter how many they are. He does show mercy, but he also shows his furious anger with sinners. 7 Come back to the Lord quickly. Don't think that you can keep putting it off. His anger can come upon you suddenly, and you will die under his punishment. 8 Don't rely on dishonest wealth; it will do you no good on that day of disaster.
Sincerity and Self-control
9-10 Be certain about what you believe and consistent in what you say. Don't try to please everyone or agree with everything people say.[a] 11 Always be ready to listen, but take your time in answering. 12 Answer only if you know what to say, and if you don't know what to say, keep quiet. 13 Speaking can bring you either honor or disgrace; what you say can ruin you.
14 Don't get a reputation for being a gossip, and don't tell tales that will hurt people. Just as robbers will suffer disgrace, so liars will suffer severe condemnation. 15 Do nothing destructive,[b] whether it seems insignificant or not,
Footnotes
- Sirach 5:9 Hebrew everything people say; Greek adds That is what double-tongued sinners do.
- Sirach 5:15 Hebrew Do nothing destructive; Greek Do not be ignorant in anything.
Sirach 5
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Precepts for Everyday Living
5 Do not rely on your wealth,
or say, “I have enough.”
2 Do not follow your inclination and strength
in pursuing the desires of your heart.
3 Do not say, “Who can have power over me?”
for the Lord will surely punish you.
4 Do not say, “I sinned, yet what has happened to me?”
for the Lord is slow to anger.
5 Do not be so confident of forgiveness[a]
that you add sin to sin.
6 Do not say, “His mercy is great,
he will forgive[b] the multitude of my sins,”
for both mercy and wrath are with him,
and his anger will rest on sinners.
7 Do not delay to turn back to the Lord,
and do not postpone it from day to day;
for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come upon you,
and at the time of punishment you will perish.
8 Do not depend on dishonest wealth,
for it will not benefit you on the day of calamity.
9 Do not winnow in every wind,
or follow every path.[c]
10 Stand firm for what you know,
and let your speech be consistent.
11 Be quick to hear,
but deliberate in answering.
12 If you know what to say, answer your neighbor;
but if not, put your hand over your mouth.
13 Honor and dishonor come from speaking,
and the tongue of mortals may be their downfall.
14 Do not be called double-tongued[d]
and do not lay traps with your tongue;
for shame comes to the thief,
and severe condemnation to the double-tongued.
15 In great and small matters cause no harm,[e]
Footnotes
- Sirach 5:5 Heb: Gk atonement
- Sirach 5:6 Heb: Gk he (or it) will atone for
- Sirach 5:9 Gk adds so it is with the double-tongued sinner (see 6.1)
- Sirach 5:14 Heb: Gk a slanderer
- Sirach 5:15 Heb Syr: Gk be ignorant
Sirach 5
Common English Bible
Practical precepts
5 Don’t be preoccupied with your money,
and don’t say, “I’m self-sufficient.”
2 Don’t follow your inclination
or your strength,
in order to walk in the desires
of your heart.
3 And don’t say,
“Who’ll have power over me?”
When the Lord punishes,
he will punish.
4 Don’t say, “Sure, I sinned,
but what happened to me?”
The Lord is patient indeed.
5 Don’t be too confident
of being forgiven,
adding sin upon sin.
6 Don’t say, “His compassion is great;
he will forgive the whole heap
of my sins.”
Mercy and wrath are with him,
and his anger will rest on sinners.
7 Don’t wait to turn back to the Lord.
Don’t put it off day after day,
because the Lord’s wrath
will come forth suddenly;
when the time for punishment comes, you will be destroyed.
8 Don’t be preoccupied
with ill-gotten gains;
it will be of no benefit
when you are in trouble.
9 Don’t be blown about by every wind,
and don’t take every shortcut.
This is how the devious[a] sinner acts.
10 Be firmly grounded
in your understanding,
and let your speech be consistent.
11 Listen carefully,
and utter a patient reply.
12 If you have understanding,
answer your neighbor,
but if you don’t,
clap your hand over your mouth.
13 Speaking brings glory or dishonor.
Indeed, the tongue
can be a person’s downfall.
14 Don’t get a reputation
for being a slanderer,
and don’t set traps for people
with your speech,
because shame comes to the thief,
and terrible blame
comes upon the deceitful.[b]
15 Don’t be ignorant in matters
large or small.
Footnotes
- Sirach 5:9 LXX double-tongued
- Sirach 5:14 LXX double-tongued
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible