Ben Sira 17:1-15
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 17
Creation of Human Beings
1 The Lord created human beings from the earth,
and makes them return to earth again.(A)
2 A limited number of days he gave them,(B)
but granted them authority over everything on earth.
3 He endowed them with strength like his own,
and made them in his image.
4 He put fear of them in all flesh,
and gave them dominion over beasts and birds.[a]
6 Discernment, tongues, and eyes,
ears, and a mind for thinking he gave them.
7 With knowledge and understanding he filled them;
good and evil he showed them.
8 He put fear of him into their hearts
to show them the grandeur of his works,
9 That they might describe the wonders of his deeds
10 and praise his holy name.
11 He set before them knowledge,
and allotted to them the law of life.
12 An everlasting covenant he made with them,
and his commandments[b] he revealed to them.
13 His majestic glory their eyes beheld,
his glorious voice their ears heard.
14 He said to them, “Avoid all evil”;
to each of them he gave precepts about their neighbor.
15 Their ways are ever known to him,
they cannot be hidden from his eyes.[c]
Footnotes
- 17:4
Other ancient texts read as v. 5:
They received the use of the Lord’s five faculties;
of mind, the sixth, he granted them a share,
as also of speech, the seventh, the interpreter of his actions.
- 17:12 An everlasting covenant…his commandments: God made several covenants, e.g., Gn 9:8–17; 15:17–21; 17:1–22, entered into with humankind, especially on Mount Sinai, where the people saw God’s glory and heard his voice (v. 13; cf. Ex 19:16–24:18).
- 17:15
Other ancient texts read as v. 16:
Their ways are directed toward evils from their youth,
and they are unable to make their hearts flesh rather than stone.
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.