Sirach 6-10
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
6 for a bad name incurs shame and reproach:
so fares the double-tongued sinner.
2 Do not exalt yourself through your soul’s counsel,
lest your soul be torn in pieces like a bull.[a]
3 You will devour your leaves and destroy your fruit,
and will be left like a withered tree.
4 An evil soul will destroy him who has it,
and make him the laughingstock of his enemies.
Friendship, False and True
5 A pleasant voice multiplies friends,
and a gracious tongue multiplies courtesies.
6 Let those that are at peace with you be many,
but let your advisers be one in a thousand.
7 When you gain a friend, gain him through testing,
and do not trust him hastily.
8 For there is a friend who is such at his own convenience,
but will not stand by you in your day of trouble.
9 And there is a friend who changes into an enemy,
and will disclose a quarrel to your disgrace.
10 And there is a friend who is a table companion,
but will not stand by you in your day of trouble.
11 In your prosperity he will make himself your equal,
and be bold with your servants;
12 but if you are brought low he will turn against you,
and will hide himself from your presence.
13 Keep yourself far from your enemies,
and be on guard toward your friends.
14 A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter:
he that has found one has found a treasure.
15 There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend,
and no scales can measure his excellence.
16 A faithful friend is an elixir of life;
and those who fear the Lord will find him.
17 Whoever fears the Lord directs his friendship aright,
for as he is, so is his neighbor also.
Blessings of Wisdom
18 My son, from your youth up choose instruction,
and until you are old you will keep finding wisdom.
19 Come to her like one who plows and sows,
and wait for her good harvest.
For in her service you will toil a little while,
and soon you will eat of her produce.
20 She seems very harsh to the uninstructed;
a weakling will not remain with her.
21 She will weigh him down like a heavy testing stone,
and he will not be slow to cast her off.
22 For wisdom is like her name,
and is not manifest to many.
23 Listen, my son, and accept my judgment;
do not reject my counsel.
24 Put your feet into her fetters,
and your neck into her collar.
25 Put your shoulder under her and carry her,
and do not fret under her bonds.
26 Come to her with all your soul,
and keep her ways with all your might.
27 Search out and seek, and she will become known to you;
and when you get hold of her, do not let her go.
28 For at last you will find the rest she gives,
and she will be changed into joy for you.
29 Then her fetters will become for you a strong protection,
and her collar a glorious robe.
30 Her yoke[b] is a golden ornament,
and her bonds are a cord of blue.
31 You will wear her like a glorious robe,
and put her on like a crown of gladness.
32 If you are willing, my son, you will be taught,
and if you apply yourself you will become clever.
33 If you love to listen you will gain knowledge,
and if you incline your ear you will become wise.
34 Stand in the assembly of the elders.
Who is wise? Cleave to him.
35 Be ready to listen to every[c] narrative,
and do not let wise proverbs escape you.
36 If you see an intelligent man, visit him early;
let your foot wear out his doorstep.
37 Reflect on the statutes of the Lord,
and meditate at all times on his commandments.
It is he who will give insight to[d] your mind,
and your desire for wisdom will be granted.
Miscellaneous Advice
7 Do no evil, and evil will never befall you.
2 Stay away from wrong, and it will turn away from you.
3 My son, do not sow the furrows of injustice,
and you will not reap a sevenfold crop.
4 Do not seek from the Lord the highest office,
nor the seat of honor from the king.
5 Do not assert your righteousness before the Lord,
nor display your wisdom before the king.
6 Do not seek to become a judge,
lest you be unable to remove iniquity,
lest you be partial to a powerful man,
and thus put a blot on your integrity.
7 Do not offend against the public,
and do not disgrace yourself among the people.
8 Do not commit a sin twice;
even for one you will not go unpunished.
9 Do not say, “He will consider the multitude of my gifts,
and when I make an offering to the Most High God he will accept it.”
10 Do not be fainthearted in your prayer,
nor neglect to give alms.
11 Do not ridicule a man who is bitter in soul,
for there is One who abases and exalts.
12 Do not devise[e] a lie against your brother,
nor do the like to a friend.
13 Refuse to utter any lie,
for the habit of lying serves no good.
14 Do not prattle in the assembly of the elders,
nor repeat yourself in your prayer.
15 Do not hate toilsome labor,
or farm work, which were created by the Most High.
16 Do not count yourself among the crowd of sinners;
remember that wrath does not delay.
17 Humble yourself greatly,
for the punishment of the ungodly is fire and worms.[f]
Relations with Others
18 Do not exchange a friend for money,
or a real brother for the gold of Ophir.
19 Do not deprive yourself of a wise and good wife,
for her charm is worth more than gold.
20 Do not abuse a servant who performs his work faithfully,
or a hired laborer who devotes himself to you.
21 Let your soul love[g] an intelligent servant;
do not withhold from him his freedom.
22 Do you have cattle? Look after them;
if they are profitable to you, keep them.
23 Do you have children? Discipline them,
and make them obedient[h] from their youth.
24 Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their chastity,[i]
and do not show yourself too indulgent with them.
25 Give a daughter in marriage; you will have finished a great task.
But give her to a man of understanding.
26 If you have a wife who pleases you,[j] do not cast her out;
but do not trust yourself to one whom you detest.
27 With all your heart honor your father,
and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother.
28 Remember that through your parents[k] you were born;
and what can you give back to them that equals their gift to you?
29 With all your soul fear the Lord,
and honor his priests.
30 With all your might love your Maker,
and do not forsake his ministers.
31 Fear the Lord and honor the priest,
and give him his portion, as is commanded you:
the first fruits, the guilt offering, the gift of the shoulders,
the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of the holy things.
32 Stretch forth your hand to the poor,
so that your blessing may be complete.
33 Give graciously to all the living,
and withhold not kindness from the dead.
34 Do not fail those who weep,
but mourn with those who mourn.
35 Do not shrink from visiting a sick man,
because for such deeds you will be loved.
36 In all you do, remember the end of your life,
and then you will never sin.
Prudence and Common Sense
8 Do not contend with a powerful man,
lest you fall into his hands.
2 Do not quarrel with a rich man,
lest his resources outweigh yours;
for gold has ruined many,
and has perverted the minds of kings.
3 Do not argue with a chatterer,
nor heap wood on his fire.
4 Do not jest with an ill-bred person,
lest your ancestors be disgraced.
5 Do not reproach a man who is turning away from sin;
remember that we all deserve punishment.
6 Do not disdain a man when he is old,
for some of us are growing old.
7 Do not rejoice over any one’s death;
remember that we all must die.
8 Do not slight the discourse of the sages,
but busy yourself with their maxims;
because from them you will gain instruction
and learn how to serve great men.
9 Do not disregard the discourse of the aged,
for they themselves learned from their fathers;
because from them you will gain understanding
and learn how to give an answer in time of need.
10 Do not kindle the coals of a sinner,
lest you be burned in his flaming fire.
11 Do not get up and leave an insolent fellow,
lest he lie in ambush against your words.
12 Do not lend to a man who is stronger than you;
but if you do lend anything, be as one who has lost it.
13 Do not give surety beyond your means,
but if you give surety, be concerned as one who must pay.
14 Do not go to law against a judge,
for the decision will favor him because of his standing.
15 Do not travel on the road with a foolhardy fellow,
lest he be burdensome to you;
for he will act as he pleases,
and through his folly you will perish with him.
16 Do not fight with a wrathful man,
and do not cross the wilderness with him;
because blood is as nothing in his sight,
and where no help is at hand, he will strike you down.
17 Do not consult with a fool,
for he will not be able to keep a secret.
18 In the presence of a stranger do nothing that is to be kept secret,
for you do not know what he will divulge.[l]
19 Do not reveal your thoughts to every one,
lest you drive away your good luck.[m]
Advice Concerning Women
9 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom,
and do not teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.
2 Do not give yourself to a woman
so that she gains mastery over your strength.
3 Do not go to meet a loose woman,
lest you fall into her snares.
4 Do not associate with a woman singer,
lest you be caught in her intrigues.
5 Do not look intently at a virgin,
lest you stumble and incur penalties for her.
6 Do not give yourself to harlots
lest you lose your inheritance.
7 Do not look around in the streets of a city,
nor wander about in its deserted sections.
8 Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman,
and do not look intently at beauty belonging to another;
many have been misled by a woman’s beauty,
and by it passion is kindled like a fire.
9 Never dine with another man’s wife,
nor revel with her at wine;
lest your heart turn aside to her,
and in blood[n] you be plunged into destruction.
Choice of Friends
10 Forsake not an old friend,
for a new one does not compare with him.
A new friend is like new wine;
when it has aged you will drink it with pleasure.
11 Do not envy the honors of a sinner,
for you do not know what his end will be.
12 Do not delight in what pleases the ungodly;
remember that they will not be held guiltless as long as they live.
13 Keep far from a man who has the power to kill,
and you will not be worried by the fear of death.
But if you approach him, make no misstep,
lest he rob you of your life.
Know that you are walking in the midst of snares,
and that you are going about on the city battlements.
14 As much as you can, aim to know your neighbors,
and consult with the wise.
15 Let your conversation be with men of understanding,
and let all your discussion be about the law of the Most High.
16 Let righteous men be your dinner companions,
and let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord.
Concerning Rulers
17 A work will be praised for the skill of the craftsmen;
so a people’s leader is proved wise by his words.
18 A babbler is feared in his city,
and the man who is reckless in speech will be hated.
10 A wise magistrate will educate his people,
and the rule of an understanding man will be well ordered.
2 Like the magistrate of the people, so are his officials;
and like the ruler of the city, so are all its inhabitants.
3 An undisciplined king will ruin his people,
but a city will grow through the understanding of its rulers.
4 The government of the earth is in the hands of the Lord,
and over it he will raise up the right man for the time.
5 The success of a man is in the hands of the Lord,
and he confers his honor upon the person of the scribe.[o]
The Sin of Pride
6 Do not be angry with your neighbor for any injury,
and do not attempt anything by acts of insolence.
7 Arrogance is hateful before the Lord and before men,
and injustice is outrageous to both.
8 Sovereignty passes from nation to nation
on account of injustice and insolence and wealth.
9 How can he who is dust and ashes be proud?
for even in life his bowels decay.[p]
10 A long illness baffles the physician;[q]
the king of today will die tomorrow.
11 For when a man is dead,
he will inherit creeping things, and wild beasts, and worms.
12 The beginning of man’s pride is to depart from the Lord;
his heart has forsaken his Maker.
13 For the beginning of pride is sin,
and the man who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brought upon them extraordinary afflictions,
and destroyed them utterly.
14 The Lord has cast down the thrones of rulers,
and has seated the lowly in their place.
15 The Lord has plucked up the roots of the nations,[r]
and has planted the humble in their place.
16 The Lord has overthrown the lands of the nations,
and has destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.
17 He has removed some of them and destroyed them,
and has extinguished the memory of them from the earth.
18 Pride was not created for men,
nor fierce anger for those born of women.
Persons Deserving Honor
19 What race is worthy of honor?
The human race.
What race is worthy of honor?
Those who fear the Lord.
What race is unworthy of honor?
The human race.
What race is unworthy of honor?
Those who transgress the commandments.
20 Among brothers their leader is worthy of honor,
and those who fear the Lord are worthy of honor in his eyes.[s]
22 The rich, and the eminent, and the poor—
their glory is the fear of the Lord.
23 It is not right to despise an intelligent poor man,
nor is it proper to honor a sinful man.
24 The nobleman, and the judge, and the ruler will be honored,
but none of them is greater than the man who fears the Lord.
25 Free men will be at the service of a wise servant,
and a man of understanding will not grumble.
Concerning Humility
26 Do not make a display of your wisdom when you do your work,
nor glorify yourself at a time when you are in want.
27 Better is a man who works and has an abundance of everything,
than one who goes about boasting, but lacks bread.
28 My son, glorify yourself with humility,
and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worth.
29 Who will justify the man that sins against himself?
And who will honor the man that dishonors his own life?
30 A poor man is honored for his knowledge,
while a rich man is honored for his wealth.
31 A man honored in poverty, how much more in wealth!
And a man dishonored in wealth, how much more in poverty!
Notas al pie
- Sirach 6:2 The meaning of the Greek of this verse is obscure
- Sirach 6:30 Heb: Gk Upon her
- Sirach 6:35 Heb: Gk adds divine
- Sirach 6:37 Heb: Gk will confirm
- Sirach 7:12 Heb: Gk plow
- Sirach 7:17 The Hebrew text reads for the expectation of man is worms
- Sirach 7:21 The Hebrew text reads Love like yourself
- Sirach 7:23 Gk bend their necks
- Sirach 7:24 Gk body
- Sirach 7:26 Heb Syr omit who pleases you
- Sirach 7:28 Gk them
- Sirach 8:18 Or it will bring forth
- Sirach 8:19 Heb: Gk let him not return a favor to you
- Sirach 9:9 Heb: Gk by your spirit
- Sirach 10:5 Or the official
- Sirach 10:9 Heb: Gk is obscure
- Sirach 10:10 Heb Vg: Gk is uncertain
- Sirach 10:15 Some authorities read proud nations
- Sirach 10:20 Other authorities add as verse 21, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance; obduracy and pride are the beginning of rejection.
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.
Recomendaciones de BibleGateway
