Font Size
Ben Sira 18
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ben Sira 18
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 18
The Divine Power and Mercy[a]
1 He who lives forever created the whole universe;
2 the Lord alone is just.[b]
4 To whom has he given power to describe his works,
and who can search out his mighty deeds?
5 Who can measure his majestic power,
or fully recount his mercies?
6 No one can lessen, increase,
or fathom the wonders of the Lord.
7 When mortals finish, they are only beginning,
and when they stop they are still bewildered.
8 What are mortals? What are they worth?
What is good in them, and what is evil?
9 The number of their days seems great
if it reaches a hundred years.(A)
10 Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand,
so are these few years among the days of eternity.
11 That is why the Lord is patient with them
and pours out his mercy on them.
12 He sees and understands that their death is wretched,
and so he forgives them all the more.
13 Their compassion is for their neighbor,
but the Lord’s compassion reaches all flesh,
Reproving, admonishing, teaching,
and turning them back, as a shepherd his flock.(B)
14 He has compassion on those who accept his discipline,
who are eager for his precepts.
The Need for Prudence
15 My child, add no reproach to your charity,[c]
or spoil any gift by harsh words.
16 Does not the dew give relief from the scorching heat?
So a word can be better than a gift.
17 Indeed does not a word count more than a good gift?
But both are offered by a kind person.
18 The fool is ungracious and abusive,
and a grudging gift makes the eyes smart.(C)
19 Before you speak, learn;
before you get sick, prepare the cure.
20 Before you are judged, examine yourself,
and at the time of scrutiny you will have forgiveness.
21 Before you fall ill, humble yourself;
and when you have sinned, show repentance.[d]
Do not delay forsaking your sins;
do not neglect to do so until you are in distress.
22 Let nothing prevent the prompt payment of your vows;
do not wait until death to fulfill them.(D)
23 Before making a vow prepare yourself;
do not be like one who puts the Lord to the test.
24 Think of wrath on the day of death,
the time of vengeance when he will hide his face.(E)
25 Think of the time of hunger in the time of plenty,
poverty and need in the day of wealth.(F)
26 Between morning and evening there is a change of time;
before the Lord all things are fleeting.
27 The wise are discreet in all things;
where sin is rife they keep themselves from wrongdoing.
28 Every wise person teaches wisdom,[e]
and those who know her declare her praise;
29 Those skilled in words become wise themselves,
and pour forth apt proverbs.
Self-Control[f]
30 Do not let your passions be your guide,(G)
but keep your desires in check.
31 If you allow yourself to satisfy your passions,
they will make you the laughingstock of your enemies.
32 Take no pleasure in too much luxury
which brings on poverty redoubled.
33 Do not become a glutton and a drunkard
with nothing in your purse.
Footnotes
- 18:1–14 Not only are God’s justice and power beyond human understanding (vv. 1–7), his mercy also is boundless and surpasses all human compassion (vv. 8–14); he pities human frailty and mortality.
- 18:2
Other ancient texts read as v. 3:
He controls the world within the span of his hand,
and everything obeys his will;
For he in his might is the King of all,
separating what is holy among them from what is profane.
- 18:15–27 The practice of charity, especially almsgiving, is an art which avoids every offense to another (vv. 15–18). Prudence directs the changing circumstances of daily life in view of the time of scrutiny (i.e., the day of reckoning, or death, v. 24).
- 18:21 Sickness was often viewed as a punishment for sin; hence, the need for repentance. Cf. 38:9–10; Jb 15:20–24.
- 18:28–29 A general statement on the teaching of wisdom, serving either as a conclusion to the preceding section or as an introduction to the following one.
- 18:30–19:4 Inordinate gratification of the senses makes people unreasonable, slaves of passion, the laughingstock of their enemies, and it leads to an untimely death.
Sirach 18
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Sirach 18
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Majesty of God
18 He who lives for ever created the whole universe;
2 the Lord alone will be declared righteous.[a]
4 To none has he given power to proclaim his works;
and who can search out his mighty deeds?
5 Who can measure his majestic power?
And who can fully recount his mercies?
6 It is not possible to diminish or increase them,
nor is it possible to trace the wonders of the Lord.
7 When a man has finished, he is just beginning,
and when he stops, he will be at a loss.
8 What is man, and of what use is he?
What is his good and what is his evil?
9 The number of a man’s days is great if he reaches a hundred years.
10 Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain[b] of sand
so are a few years in the day of eternity.
11 Therefore the Lord is patient with them
and pours out his mercy upon them.
12 He sees and recognizes that their end will be evil;
therefore he grants them forgiveness in abundance.
13 The compassion of man is for his neighbor,
but the compassion of the Lord is for all living beings.
He rebukes and trains and teaches them,
and turns them back, as a shepherd his flock.
14 He has compassion on those who accept his discipline
and who are eager for his judgments.
The Right Spirit in Giving Alms
15 My son, do not mix reproach with your good deeds,
nor cause grief by your words when you present a gift.
16 Does not the dew assuage the scorching heat?
So a word is better than a gift.
17 Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift?
Both are to be found in a gracious man.
18 A fool is ungracious and abusive,
and the gift of a grudging man makes the eyes dim.
The Need of Reflection and Self-control
19 Before you speak, learn,
and before you fall ill, take care of your health.
20 Before judgment, examine yourself,
and in the hour of visitation you will find forgiveness.
21 Before falling ill, humble yourself,
and when you are on the point of sinning, turn back.
22 Let nothing hinder you from paying a vow promptly,
and do not wait until death to be released from it.
23 Before making a vow,[c] prepare yourself;
and do not be like a man who tempts the Lord.
24 Think of his wrath on the day of death,
and of the moment of vengeance when he turns away his face.
25 In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger;
in the days of wealth think of poverty and need.
26 From morning to evening conditions change,
and all things move swiftly before the Lord.
27 A wise man is cautious in everything,
and in days of sin he guards against wrongdoing.
28 Every intelligent man knows wisdom,
and he praises the one who finds her.
29 Those who understand sayings become skilled themselves,
and pour forth apt proverbs.
30 Do not follow your base desires,
but restrain your appetites.
31 If you allow your soul to take pleasure in base desire,
it will make you the laughingstock of your enemies.
32 Do not revel in great luxury,
lest you become impoverished by its expense.
33 Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed money,
when you have nothing in your purse.
Footnotes
- Sirach 18:2 Other authorities add and there is no other beside him; 3 he steers the world with the span of his hand, and all things obey his will; for he is king of all things, by his power separating among them the holy things from the profane.
- Sirach 18:10 Gk pebble
- Sirach 18:23 Or offering a prayer
Sirach 18
Good News Translation
Sirach 18
Good News Translation
The Greatness of God
18 The Lord, who lives forever, created the whole universe, 2 and he alone is just.[a] 4 He has given no one enough power to describe what he has done, and no one can investigate it completely. 5 Who can measure his majestic power? Who can tell the whole story of his merciful actions? 6 We cannot add to them; we cannot subtract from them. There is no way to comprehend the marvelous things the Lord has done. 7 When we come to the end of that story, we have not even begun; we are simply at a loss for words.
Human Beings Are Nothing
8 What are human beings? Of what use are we? The good that we do—the evil that we do—what does it all mean? 9 If we live a hundred years, we have lived an unusually long time, 10 but compared with all eternity, those years are like a drop of water in the ocean, like a single grain of sand. 11 That is why the Lord is so patient with us, why he is so free with his mercy. 12 He looks at us and knows that we are doomed to die; that is why he is so willing to forgive us. 13 We can show compassion to someone we know, but the Lord shows compassion for all humanity. He corrects us; he disciplines us; he teaches us. Like a shepherd tending sheep, he brings us back to himself. 14 He will have compassion on us if we accept his guidance and are eager for him to show us where we are wrong.
Kindness and Charity
15 My child, when you help someone, don't reprimand him at the same time. When you make a gift, don't say anything that hurts. 16 Your words count for more than what you give. Even dew gives some relief during a spell of hot weather. 17 Yes, kind words are more effective than the best of gifts, and if you are really concerned, you will give both. 18 It is stupid to be unkind and insulting. No one's eyes are going to sparkle at a gift that you resent giving.
Self-examination
19 Know what you are talking about before you speak, and give attention to your health before you get sick. 20 Examine your conscience before the Lord judges you; then when that time comes, he will forgive you. 21 Humble yourself before you are punished with sickness. When you have sinned, show repentance. 22 If you make a promise to the Lord, keep it as soon as you can. Don't wait until you are about to die to set things straight. 23 But before you make such a promise, be prepared to keep it. Don't try to test the Lord's patience. 24 Think! Do you want him to be angry with you on the day you die? When you face his judgment, do you want him to turn his back on you? 25 When you have all you want, think what it is like to be hungry, what it is to be poor. 26 Things can change in a single day; the Lord can act very quickly. 27 If you are wise, you will be careful in everything you do. When sin is all around you, be especially careful that you do not become guilty. 28 Every intelligent person can recognize wisdom and will honor anyone who shows it. 29 If you appreciate wisdom when you hear it, you will become wise yourself, and your words will be a source of wisdom for others.
Self-control
30 Don't be controlled by your lust; keep your passions in check. 31 If you allow yourself to satisfy your every desire, you will be a joke to your enemies. 32 Don't indulge in luxurious living; the expense of it will ruin you. 33 Don't make yourself a beggar by borrowing for expensive banquets when you don't have enough money of your own.
Footnotes
- Sirach 18:2 Some manuscripts add verses 2b-3: and there is no other besides him. 3 He guides the world with his hand, and everything obeys him. He is the king of all things, and his power separates what is holy from what is not.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 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.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
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 American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.