Sirach 16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
God’s Punishment of Sinners
16 Do not desire a multitude of worthless[a] children,
and do not rejoice in ungodly offspring.
2 If they multiply, do not rejoice in them,
unless the fear of the Lord is in them.
3 Do not trust in their survival
or rely on their numbers,[b]
for one can be better than a thousand,
and to die childless is better than to have ungodly children.(A)
4 For through one intelligent person a city can be filled with people,
but through a clan of outlaws it becomes desolate.
5 Many such things my eye has seen,
and my ear has heard things more striking than these.
6 In an assembly of sinners a fire is kindled,
and in a disobedient nation wrath has blazed up.(B)
7 He did not forgive the ancient giants[c]
who revolted in their might.(C)
8 He did not spare the neighbors of Lot,
whom he loathed on account of their arrogance.(D)
9 He showed no pity on the doomed nation,
on those dispossessed because of their sins,[d]
10 or on the six hundred thousand foot soldiers
who assembled in their stubbornness.[e](E)
11 Even if there were only one stiff-necked person,
it would be a wonder if he remained unpunished.
For mercy and wrath are with the Lord;[f]
he acquits and forgives,[g] but he also pours out wrath.(F)
12 Great as is his mercy, so also is his chastisement;
he judges people according to their deeds.(G)
13 The sinner will not escape with plunder,
and the patience of the godly will not be frustrated.
14 He makes room for every act of almsgiving;
everyone receives in accordance with his or her deeds.[h](H)
17 Do not say, “I am hidden from the Lord,
and who from on high has me in mind?
Among so many people I am unknown,
for what am I in a boundless creation?(I)
18 Look, heaven and the highest heaven,
the abyss and the earth tremble at his visitation
19 Together the mountains and the foundations of the earth
shake and tremble when he looks upon them.(K)
20 But no human mind can grasp this,
and who can comprehend his ways?(L)
21 Like a tempest that no one can see,
so most of his works are concealed.[j](M)
22 Who is to announce his acts of justice?
Or who can await them? For his decree[k] is far off.”[l]
23 Such are the thoughts of one devoid of understanding;
a senseless and misguided person thinks foolishly.
God’s Wisdom Seen in Creation
24 Listen to me, my child, and acquire knowledge,
and pay close attention to my words.(N)
25 I will impart discipline precisely[m]
and declare knowledge accurately.(O)
26 When the Lord created[n] his works from the beginning
and, in making them, determined their boundaries,
27 he arranged their works in an eternal order
and their dominion[o] for all generations.
They neither hunger nor grow weary,
and they do not abandon their tasks.(P)
28 They do not crowd one another,
and they never disobey his word.
29 Then the Lord looked upon the earth
and filled it with his good things.(Q)
30 With all kinds of living beings he covered its surface,
and into it they must return.(R)
Footnotes
- 16.1 Heb: Gk unprofitable
- 16.3 Other ancient authorities add for you will groan in untimely mourning, and will know of their sudden end
- 16.7 Gk: Heb princes
- 16.9 Other ancient authorities add all these things he did to the hard-hearted nations, and by the multitude of his holy ones he was not appeased
- 16.10 Other ancient authorities add chastising, showing mercy, striking, healing, the Lord persisted in mercy and discipline
- 16.11 Gk him
- 16.11 Heb: Gk a master of propitiations
- 16.14 Other ancient authorities add 16.15–16:
The Lord hardened Pharaoh so that he did not recognize him, in order that his works might be known under heaven. His mercy is manifest to the whole of creation, and he apportioned his light and darkness to Adam. - 16.18 Other ancient authorities add The whole world past and present is in his will.
- 16.21 Meaning of Gk uncertain: Heb Syr If I sin, no eye can see me, and if I am disloyal all in secret, who is to know?
- 16.22 Heb: Gk the covenant
- 16.22 Other ancient authorities add and a scrutiny for all comes at the end
- 16.25 Gk by weight
- 16.26 Heb: Gk judged
- 16.27 Or elements
Sirach 16
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
16 Rejoice not in ungodly children, if they be multiplied: neither be delighted in them, if the fear of God be not with them.
2 Trust not to their life, and respect not their labours.
3 For better is one that feareth God, than a thousand ungodly children.
4 And it is better to die without children, than to leave ungodly children.
5 By one that is wise a country shall be inhabited, the tribe of the ungodly shall become desolate.
6 Many such things hath my eyes seen, and greater things than these my ear hath heard.
7 In the congregation of sinners a fire shall be kindled, and in an unbelieving nation wrath shall dame out.
8 The ancient giants did not obtain pardon for their sins, who were destroyed trusting to their own strength:
9 And he spared not the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for the pride of their word.
10 He had not pity on them, destroying the whole nation that extolled themselves in their sins.
11 So did he with the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their heart: and if one had been stiffnecked, it is a wonder if he had escaped unpunished:
12 For mercy and wrath are with him. He is mighty to forgive, and to pour out indignation:
13 According as his mercy is, so his correction judgeth a man according to his works.
14 The sinner shall not escape in his rapines, and the patience of him that sheweth mercy shall not be put off.
15 All mercy shall make a place for every man according to the merit of his works, and according to the wisdom of his sojournment.
16 Say not: I shall be hidden from God. and who shall remember me from on high?
17 In such a multitude I shall not be known: for what is my soul in such an immense creation?
18 Behold the heaven, and the heavens of heavens, the deep, and all the earth, and the things that are in them, shall be moved in his sight,
19 The mountains also, and the hills, and the foundations of the earth: when God shall look upon them, they shall be shaken with trembling.
20 And in all these things the heart is senseless: and every heart is understood by him:
21 And his ways who shall understand, and the storm, which no eye of man see?
22 For many of his works are hidden: hut the works of his justice who shall declare? or who shall endure? for the testament is far from some, and the examination of all is in the end.
23 He that wanteth understanding thinketh vain things: and the foolish, and erring man, thinketh foolish things.
24 Hearken to me, my son, and learn the discipline of understanding, and attend to my words in thy heart.
25 And I will shew forth good doctrine in equity, and will seek to declare wisdom: and attend to my words in thy heart, whilst with equity of spirit I tell thee the virtues that God hath put upon his works from the beginning, and I shew forth in truth his knowledge.
26 The works of God are done in judgment from the beginning, and from the making of them he distinguished their parts, and their beginnings in their generations.
27 He beautified their works for ever, they have neither hungered, nor laboured, and they have not ceased from their works.
28 Nor shall any of them straiten his neighbour at any time.
29 Be not thou incredulous to his word.
30 After this God looked upon the earth, and filled it with his goods.
31 The soul of every living thing hath shewn forth before the face thereof, and into it they return again.
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