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Ben Sira 17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ben Sira 17
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]
17 Over every nation he appointed a ruler,[d]
but Israel is the Lord’s own portion.[e](C)
19 All their works are clear as the sun to him,
and his eyes are ever upon their ways.
20 Their iniquities cannot be hidden from him;
all their sins are before the Lord.[f]
22 Human goodness is like a signet ring with God,
and virtue he keeps like the apple of his eye.
23 Later he will rise up and repay them,
requiting each one as they deserve.(D)
Appeal for a Return to God[g]
24 But to the penitent he provides a way back
and encourages those who are losing hope!
25 Turn back to the Lord and give up your sins,
pray before him and make your offenses few.
26 Turn again to the Most High and away from iniquity,
and hate intensely what he loathes.
27 [h]Who in Sheol can glorify the Most High(E)
in place of the living who offer their praise?
28 The dead can no more give praise than those who have never lived;
they who are alive and well glorify the Lord.
29 How great is the mercy of the Lord,
and his forgiveness for those who return to him!
30 For not everything is within human reach,
since human beings are not immortal.
31 Is anything brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed.
How worthless[i] then the thoughts of flesh and blood!
32 God holds accountable the hosts of highest heaven,
while all mortals are dust and ashes.
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.
- 17:17 Ruler: this may refer to civil officials or to heavenly beings placed over nations as guardians; see note on Dt 32:8, and the cross-references.
- 17:17
Other ancient texts read as v. 18:
Israel, as his firstborn, he cares for with chastisement;
the light of his love he shares with him without neglect.
- 17:20
Other ancient texts read as v. 21:
But the Lord, being good and knowing how they are formed,
neither neglected them nor ceased to spare them.
- 17:24–32 Ben Sira opens this poem with a prophetic summons to repent, urging sinners to give up their sins and to pray for forgiveness (vv. 24–26, 29). Ben Sira reflects the belief of his day that there was no life after death (vv. 27–28, 30; see note on 11:26–28). Cf. Ez 18:23, 30–32; 33:11–16. See note on Ps 6:6.
- 17:27–28 True life consists in praise of God; this is not possible in Sheol.
- 17:31 Worthless: cf. Gn 6:5. Though moral fault is not excluded, the thought here is the inability to understand the designs of God. Cf. Wis 9:14–18.
Sirach 17
Good News Translation
Sirach 17
Good News Translation
17 (A)Then the Lord formed human beings from the dust
and sent each of them back to it again.
2 He gave them only a limited time to live,
but he gave them authority over everything on earth.
3 He made them to be like himself,
and gave them his[a] own strength.
4 He made all other creatures afraid of them;
he gave them authority over all the animals and birds.[b]
6 He gave them their tongues, their eyes,
their ears, their minds, and their consciences.
7 (B)He filled them with knowledge and understanding
and showed them the difference between good and evil.
8 He gave them his own insight
to let them see the majesty of his creation.[c]
10 They will praise his holy name
and proclaim the greatness of all he does.
11 He made knowledge available to them
and gave them the Law as a source of life.
12 He made an eternal covenant with them
and revealed his commands to them.
13 They saw the splendor of his majesty
and heard the glory of his voice.
14 He warned them against unrighteousness
and taught each person how to treat others.
God Is Judge
15 The Lord is always aware of what people do; there is no way to hide from him.[d] 17 He gave each nation its own ruler, but Israel is the Lord's own possession.[e] 19 The Lord is always watching what people do; everything they do is as clear as day to him. 20 None of their sins are hidden from him; he is aware of them all.[f] 22 When we give to the poor, the Lord considers it as precious as a valuable ring. Human kindness is as precious to him as life itself. 23 Later he will judge the wicked and punish them; they will get what they deserve. 24 But the Lord will allow those who repent to return to him. He always gives encouragement to those who are losing hope.
A Call to Repentance
25 (C)Come to the Lord, and leave your sin behind. Pray sincerely that he will help you live a better life. 26 Return to the Most High and turn away from sin. Have an intense hatred for wickedness. 27 (D)Those who are alive can give thanks to the Lord, but can anyone in the world of the dead sing praise to the Most High? 28 A person who is alive and well can sing the Lord's praises, but the dead, who no longer exist, have no way to give him thanks. 29 How great is the Lord's merciful forgiveness of those who turn to him! 30 But this is not the nature of human beings;[g] not one of us is immortal. 31 Nothing is brighter than the sun, but even the sun's light fails during an eclipse. How much easier it is for human thoughts to be eclipsed by evil! 32 The Lord can look out over all the stars in the sky. Human beings? They are dust and ashes.
Footnotes
- Sirach 17:3 Probable text his; Greek their.
- Sirach 17:4 Some manuscripts add verse 5: The Lord gave them the five senses, but he also gave them a sixth—intelligence, and a seventh—reason, which enables them to interpret what comes to them through the senses.
- Sirach 17:8 Some manuscripts add verse 9: and he allowed them to take pride forever in his marvelous deeds.
- Sirach 17:15 Some manuscripts add verses 16-17a: From childhood on they tend to be evil; their heart is like stone, and they don't seem to be able to make it more human. 17 He divided the nations of the whole earth.
- Sirach 17:17 Some manuscripts add verse 18: Israel is his first-born, whom he disciplines as he brings him up. He gives him the light of his love and never neglects him.
- Sirach 17:20 Some manuscripts add verse 21: But the Lord is gracious and knows his creatures; so he has spared them rather than abandon them.
- Sirach 17:30 But...human beings; or People cannot have everything.
Sirach 17
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Sirach 17
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
17 The Lord created human beings out of earth,
and makes them return to it again.
2 He gave them a fixed number of days,
but granted them authority over everything on the earth.[a]
3 He endowed them with strength like his own,[b]
and made them in his own image.
4 He put the fear of them[c] in all living beings,
and gave them dominion over beasts and birds.[d]
6 Discretion and tongue and eyes,
ears and a mind for thinking he gave them.
7 He filled them with knowledge and understanding,
and showed them good and evil.
8 He put the fear of him into[e] their hearts
to show them the majesty of his works.[f]
10 And they will praise his holy name,
9 to proclaim the grandeur of his works.
11 He bestowed knowledge upon them,
and allotted to them the law of life.[g]
12 He established with them an eternal covenant,
and revealed to them his decrees.
13 Their eyes saw his glorious majesty,
and their ears heard the glory of his voice.
14 He said to them, “Beware of all evil.”
And he gave commandment to each of them concerning the neighbor.
15 Their ways are always known to him;
they will not be hid from his eyes.[h]
17 He appointed a ruler for every nation,
but Israel is the Lord’s own portion.[i]
19 All their works are as clear as the sun before him,
and his eyes are ever upon their ways.
20 Their iniquities are not hidden from him,
and all their sins are before the Lord.[j]
22 One’s almsgiving is like a signet ring with the Lord,[k]
and he will keep a person’s kindness like the apple of his eye.[l]
23 Afterward he will rise up and repay them,
and he will bring their recompense on their heads.
24 Yet to those who repent he grants a return,
and he encourages those who are losing hope.
A Call to Repentance
25 Turn back to the Lord and forsake your sins;
pray in his presence and lessen your offense.
26 Return to the Most High and turn away from iniquity,[m]
and hate intensely what he abhors.
27 Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades
in place of the living who give thanks?
28 From the dead, as from one who does not exist, thanksgiving has ceased;
those who are alive and well sing the Lord’s praises.
29 How great is the mercy of the Lord,
and his forgiveness for those who return to him!
30 For not everything is within human capability,
since human beings are not immortal.
31 What is brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed.
So flesh and blood devise evil.
32 He marshals the host of the height of heaven;
but all human beings are dust and ashes.
Footnotes
- Sirach 17:2 Lat: Gk it
- Sirach 17:3 Lat: Gk proper to them
- Sirach 17:4 Syr: Gk him
- Sirach 17:4 Other ancient authorities add as verse 5, They obtained the use of the five faculties of the Lord; as sixth he distributed to them the gift of mind, and as seventh, reason, the interpreter of one’s faculties.
- Sirach 17:8 Other ancient authorities read He set his eye upon
- Sirach 17:8 Other ancient authorities add and he gave them to boast of his marvels forever
- Sirach 17:11 Other ancient authorities add so that they may know that they who are alive now are mortal
- Sirach 17:15 Other ancient authorities add 16 Their ways from youth tend toward evil, and they are unable to make for themselves hearts of flesh in place of their stony hearts. 17 For in the division of the nations of the whole earth, he appointed
- Sirach 17:17 Other ancient authorities add as verse 18, whom, being his firstborn, he brings up with discipline, and allotting to him the light of his love, he does not neglect him.
- Sirach 17:20 Other ancient authorities add as verse 21, But the Lord, who is gracious and knows how they are formed, has neither left them nor abandoned them, but has spared them.
- Sirach 17:22 Gk him
- Sirach 17:22 Other ancient authorities add apportioning repentance to his sons and daughters
- Sirach 17:26 Other ancient authorities add for he will lead you out of darkness to the light of health.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
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New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 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.
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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