Sirach 34

Wycliffe Bible

34 Vain hope and a leasing (or a lie), to an unwise man; and dreams [or swevens] enhance unprudent men.

² As he that taketh [or catcheth (at)] a shadow, and pursueth wind, so and he that taketh heed to leasings seen, [or to the seen leasings], or in vain dreams.

³ After this thing is the sight of dreams [or of swevens]; before the face of a man is the likeness of another man.

⁴ What shall be cleansed of him that is unclean, and what true thing shall be said of a liar? [Of the unclean, what shall be cleansed, and of the liar, what sooth (or truth) shall be said?]

⁵ False divining of error, and false divinings by chittering (or chattering) of birds, and dreams of witches, (all) is vanity. And as the heart of a woman travailing of child, thine heart suffereth fantasies; [Divining of error, and divining by chittering of birds, leasings, and swevens of evil-doing men, (all) is vanity. And as of the woman bearing child, thine heart suffereth fantasies;]

⁶ no but visitation is sent out of (or from) the Highest, give thou not thine heart in (or to) those dreams. [no but of the Highest were sent out visiting, not give thou in (or to) them thine heart.]

⁷ For why dreams have made many men for to err, and men hoping in those fell down. [Many men forsooth swevens made to err, and (they) fell away hoping in them.]

⁸ The word of the law of God and of his prophets, shall be made perfect without leasing (or without lies); and wisdom in the mouth of a faithful man shall be made plain.

⁹ What know he, that is not assayed? A man assayed in many things, shall think many things; and he that learned many things, shall tell out understanding. [Who is not tempted, what know he? A man in many things expert (or experienced), shall think many things; and he that many things learned, shall tell out understanding.]

¹⁰ He that is not assayed, knoweth few things; forsooth he that is a fool in many things, shall multiply malice. [Who Is not expert (or experienced), few things knoweth; who forsooth in many things is a fool, shall multiply malice.]

¹¹ What manner things know he, that is not assayed? He that is not planted, that is, hath not set root of (or in) understanding, and desire in (or for) good, shall be plenteous in wickedness. I saw many things in telling out, and full many customs of words. [Who is not tempted, what manner things know he? Who is unplanted, shall abound shrewdness. Many things I saw in telling out, and many customs of words.]

¹² Sometime I was in peril unto death, for the cause of these things; and I was delivered by the grace of God.

¹³ The spirit of them that dread God is sought, and shall be blessed in the beholding of him. For why the hope of them is into God saving them; and the eyes of the Lord be into (or upon) them, that love him.

¹⁴ He that dreadeth God, shall not tremble for anything, and he shall not dread; for why God is his hope. [Who dreadeth God, (for) nothing shall quake, and he shall not inwardly dread; for he is his hope.]

¹⁵ The soul of him that dreadeth the Lord, is blessed. To whom beholdeth he, and who is his strength? [Of the dreading the Lord, blessed is his soul. To whom beholdeth he, and who is the strength of him?]

¹⁶ The eyes of the Lord be on them that dread him. God is a defender of might, steadfastness [or firmament] of virtue, covering of heat, and a shadowing place of (or at) midday; beseeching of offending, that is, hearing beseeching for offenses, and help of (or from) falling,

¹⁷ enhancing the soul, and lightening the eyes, and giving health, and life, and blessing.

¹⁸ The offering of him that offereth of wicked thing, that is, of thing gotten unjustly, is defouled; and the scornings of unjust men be not well pleasant [or well-pleasing].

¹⁹ The Lord alone is to them that abide him in the way of truth, and of rightfulness [or of rightwiseness]. The Highest approveth not (of) the gifts of wicked men, neither beholdeth in (or on) the offerings of wicked men, neither in (or for) the multitude of their sacrifices he shall do [or he shall have] mercy to (or for) (their) sins.

²⁰ He that offereth sacrifice of the chattel of poor men, is as he that slayeth the son in the sight of his father. [Who offereth sacrifices of the substance of poor men, as he that slayeth to sacrifice the son in the sight of his father.]

²¹ The bread of needy men is the life of a poor man; he that defraudeth him, is a man of blood. [The bread of needy men is the life of the poor; who beguileth him, is a man of blood.]

²² He that taketh away bread (earned) in (or with) sweat, is as he that slayeth his neighbour. He that sheddeth out blood, and he that doeth fraud to an hired man, be brethren.

²³ One building, and one destroying; what profiteth it to them, no but travail?

²⁴ One praying, and one cursing; whose voice shall the Lord hear?

²⁵ What profiteth the washing of him, that is washed for a dead body, and toucheth again a dead body? [That (or Who) is baptised from the dead, and again toucheth the dead, what profiteth his washing?]

²⁶ So a man that fasteth in his sins, and again doing the same sins, what profiteth he in meeking himself? who shall hear his prayer?