Sirach 3
Common English Bible
Duties to parents
3 Listen to a father’s warning, children,
and act accordingly
so that you may be safe.
2 The Lord gives pride of place
to a father above his children
and establishes a mother’s judgment
above that of her offspring.
3 Those who honor their fathers
will make up for their own sins,
4 and those who praise their mother
are like people storing up treasure.
5 Those who honor their fathers
will be made happy
by their own children,
and they will be heard when they pray.
6 Those who praise their fathers
will live a long life,
and those who listen to the Lord
will give rest to their mothers,[a]
7 and they will serve their parents
as their masters.
8 Honor your father in action and word
so that a blessing will come
from him to you,
9 since a father’s blessing
supports his children’s families,
but a mother’s curse
undermines their foundations.
10 Don’t glorify yourself
in your father’s disgrace,
because your father’s disgrace
brings you no credit.
11 A father’s honor is the starting point
for his children’s reputation,
and a mother in disrepute
is a disgrace to her children.
12 My child, help your father in his old age,
and don’t give him grief during his life.
13 And if his understanding fails,
be tolerant,
and don’t shame him,
because you have all your faculties.
14 Taking care of one’s father
won’t be forgotten.
It will be credited to you
against your sins.
15 When you are in trouble,
this will be recalled about you;
like frost warmed by sunshine,
so your sins will melt away.
16 Those who abandon their fathers
are like blasphemers,
and those who anger their mothers
have been cursed by the Lord.
Humility and charity
17 My child, conduct your affairs
with gentleness,
and you will be loved
more than a person of good repute.[b]
18 However great you become,
humble yourself more,
and you will find favor before the Lord,[c]
20 because the Lord’s power is great,
and he is glorified by the humble.
21 Don’t seek out things
that are too difficult for you,
and don’t investigate matters
too perplexing for you.
22 Think about what
you have been commanded,
because you have no need
for matters that are hidden.
23 Don’t meddle in things
beyond your own affairs
since you have already been shown things beyond human understanding.
24 Speculation has led many people astray,
and false conjectures have
weakened their thoughts.[d]
26 A stubborn heart will come to misery,
and whoever loves danger
will be destroyed by it.
27 A stubborn heart will be weighed down
by suffering,
and the sinner will keep on sinning.
28 There’s no healing for the distress
of arrogant people,
because an evil plant
has taken root in them.
29 The hearts of intelligent people
will think about a proverb,
and the wise desire people
who are ready to listen.
30 Water will put out a blazing fire,
and giving to those in need
will make up for sins.
31 Those who repay favors
consider the future,
and at the moment when they fall,
they will find support.
Footnotes
- Sirach 3:6 LXXb adds 3:7a Those who fear the Lord will honor their father.
- Sirach 3:17 Heb a person who gives
- Sirach 3:18 LXXb adds 3:19 Many are lofty and of high repute, but to the gentle he reveals his secrets.
- Sirach 3:24 LXXb adds 3:25 If you have no pupils, you will be at a loss for light, and if you are without knowledge, don’t exult in it.
Sirach 3
Good News Translation
Duties to Parents
3 Children, listen to me; I am your father. Do what I tell you and you will be safe, 2 for the Lord has given fathers authority over their children and given children the obligation to obey their mothers. 3 If you respect your father, you can make up for your sins, 4 and if you honor your mother, you are earning great wealth. 5 If you respect your father, one day your own children will make you happy; the Lord will hear your prayers. 6 If you obey the Lord by honoring your father and making your mother happy, you will live a long life. 7 Obey your parents as if you were their slave. 8 (A)Honor your father in everything you do and say, so that you may receive his blessing. 9 When parents give their blessing, they give strength to their children's homes, but when they curse their children, they destroy the very foundations.
10 Never seek honor for yourself at your father's expense; it is not to your credit if he is dishonored. 11 Your own honor comes from the respect that you show to your father. If children do not honor their mothers, it is their own disgrace. 12 My child, take care of your father when he grows old; give him no cause for worry as long as he lives. 13 Be sympathetic even if his mind fails him; don't look down on him just because you are strong and healthy. 14 The Lord will not forget the kindness you show to your father; it will help you make up for your sins. 15 When you are in trouble, the Lord will remember your kindness and will help you; your sins will melt away like frost in warm sunshine. 16 Those who abandon their parents or give them cause for anger may as well be cursing the Lord; they are already under the Lord's curse.
Humility
17 My child, be humble in everything you do, and people will appreciate it more than gifts.[a] 18 (B)The greater you become, the more humble you should be; then the Lord will be pleased with you.[b] 20 The Lord's power is great, and he is honored by those who are humble. 21 Don't try to understand things that are too hard for you, or investigate matters that are beyond your power to know. 22 (C)Concentrate on the Law, which has been given to you. You do not need to know about things which the Lord has not revealed, 23 so don't concern yourself with them. After all, what has been shown to you is beyond human power to understand. 24 Many people have been misled by their own opinions; their wrong ideas have warped their judgment.[c]
26 Stubbornness will get you into trouble at the end. If you live dangerously, it will kill you. 27 A stubborn person will be burdened down with troubles. Sinners go on adding one sin to another. 28 There is no cure for the troubles that arrogant people have; wickedness has taken deep root in them. 29 Intelligent people will learn from proverbs and parables. They listen well because they want to learn.
Giving to the Poor
30 Giving to the poor can make up for sin, just as water can put out a blazing fire. 31 Anyone who responds to others with acts of kindness is thinking of the future, because he will find help if he ever falls on hard times.
Footnotes
- Sirach 3:17 Hebrew people...gifts; Greek those whom the Lord approves will love you.
- Sirach 3:18 Some Greek manuscripts add verse 19: Many are exalted and esteemed, but God's secrets are revealed to the humble; Hebrew: God's mercy is great, and he reveals his secrets to those who are humble.
- Sirach 3:24 Some Greek manuscripts add verse 25: If you have no eyes, you cannot see; don't claim to have knowledge if you don't have it; Hebrew has, after verse 27: If you have no eyes, you cannot see; if you have no knowledge, you cannot have Wisdom.
Sirach 3
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
3 The sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their generation, obedience and love.
2 Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that you may be saved.
3 For God hath made the father honourable to the children: and seeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it upon the children.
4 He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the prayer of days.
5 And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure.
6 He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.
7 He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and he that obeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his mother.
8 He that feareth the Lord, honoureth his parents, and will serve them as his masters that brought him into the world.
9 Honour thy father, in work and word, and all patience,
10 That a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may remain in the latter end.
11 The father's blessing establisheth the houses of the children: but the mother's curse rooteth up the foundation.
12 Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is no glory to thee.
13 For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father, and a father without honour is the disgrace of the son.
14 Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life;
15 And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength: for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten.
16 For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.
17 And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather.
18 Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and he is cursed of God that angereth his mother.
19 My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men.
20 The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God:
21 For great is the power of God alone, and he is honoured by the humble.
22 Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability: but the things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious.
23 For it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes those things that are hid.
24 In unnecessary matters be not over curious, and in many of his works thou shalt not be inquisitive.
25 For many things are shewn to thee above the understanding of men.
26 And the suspicion of them hath deceived many, and hath detained their minds in vanity.
27 A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that loveth danger shall perish in it.
28 A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and the perverse of heart shall be scandalized therein.
29 A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner will add sin to sin.
30 The congregation of the proud shall not be healed: for the plant of wickedness shall take root in them, and it shall not be perceived.
31 The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good ear will hear wisdom with all desire.
32 A wise heart, and which hath understanding, will abstain from sins, and in the works of justice shall have success.
33 Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins:
34 And God provideth for him that sheweth favour: he remembereth him afterwards, and in the time of his fall he shall find a sure stay.
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