Sirach 21-30
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Various Sins
21 Have you sinned, my child? Do so no more,
but ask forgiveness for your past sins.
2 Flee from sin as from a snake;
for if you approach sin, it will bite you.
Its teeth are lion’s teeth,
and can destroy human lives.
3 All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword;
there is no healing for the wound it inflicts.
4 Panic and insolence will waste away riches;
thus the house of the proud will be laid waste.[a]
5 The prayer of the poor goes from their lips to the ears of God,[b]
and his judgement comes speedily.
6 Those who hate reproof walk in the sinner’s steps,
but those who fear the Lord repent in their heart.
7 The mighty in speech are widely known;
when they slip, the sensible person knows it.
8 Whoever builds his house with other people’s money
is like one who gathers stones for his burial mound.[c]
9 An assembly of the wicked is like a bundle of tow,
and their end is a blazing fire.
10 The way of sinners is paved with smooth stones,
but at its end is the pit of Hades.
Wisdom and Foolishness
11 Whoever keeps the law controls his thoughts,
and the fulfilment of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.
12 One who is not clever cannot be taught,
but there is a cleverness that increases bitterness.
13 The knowledge of the wise will increase like a flood,
and their counsel like a life-giving spring.
14 The mind[d] of a fool is like a broken jar;
it can hold no knowledge.
15 When an intelligent person hears a wise saying,
he praises it and adds to it;
when a fool[e] hears it, he laughs at[f] it
and throws it behind his back.
16 A fool’s chatter is like a burden on a journey,
but delight is found in the speech of the intelligent.
17 The utterance of a sensible person is sought in the assembly,
and they ponder his words in their minds.
18 Like a house in ruins is wisdom to a fool,
and to the ignorant, knowledge is talk that has no meaning.
19 To a senseless person education is fetters on his feet,
and like manacles on his right hand.
20 A fool raises his voice when he laughs,
but the wise[g] smile quietly.
21 To the sensible person education is like a golden ornament,
and like a bracelet on the right arm.
22 The foot of a fool rushes into a house,
but an experienced person waits respectfully outside.
23 A boor peers into the house from the door,
but a cultivated person remains outside.
24 It is ill-mannered for a person to listen at a door;
the discreet would be grieved by the disgrace.
25 The lips of babblers speak of what is not their concern,[h]
but the words of the prudent are weighed in the balance.
26 The mind of fools is in their mouth,
but the mouth of the wise is in[i] their mind.
27 When an ungodly person curses an adversary,[j]
he curses himself.
28 A whisperer degrades himself
and is hated in his neighbourhood.
The Idler
22 The idler is like a filthy stone,
and everyone hisses at his disgrace.
2 The idler is like the filth of dunghills;
anyone that picks it up will shake it off his hand.
Degenerate Children
3 It is a disgrace to be the father of an undisciplined son,
and the birth of a daughter is a loss.
4 A sensible daughter obtains a husband of her own,
but one who acts shamefully is a grief to her father.
5 An impudent daughter disgraces father and husband,
and is despised by both.
6 Like music in time of mourning is ill-timed conversation,
but a thrashing and discipline are at all times wisdom.[k]
Wisdom and Folly
9 Whoever teaches a fool is like one who glues potsherds together,
or who rouses a sleeper from deep slumber.
10 Whoever tells a story to a fool tells it to a drowsy man;
and at the end he will say, ‘What is it?’
11 Weep for the dead, for he has left the light behind;
and weep for the fool, for he has left intelligence behind.
Weep less bitterly for the dead, for he is at rest;
but the life of the fool is worse than death.
12 Mourning for the dead lasts seven days,
but for the foolish or the ungodly it lasts all the days of their lives.
13 Do not talk much with a senseless person
or visit an unintelligent person.[l]
Stay clear of him, or you may have trouble,
and be spattered when he shakes himself.
Avoid him and you will find rest,
and you will never be wearied by his lack of sense.
14 What is heavier than lead?
And what is its name except ‘Fool’?
15 Sand, salt, and a piece of iron
are easier to bear than a stupid person.
16 A wooden beam firmly bonded into a building
is not loosened by an earthquake;
so the mind firmly resolved after due reflection
will not be afraid in a crisis.
17 A mind settled on an intelligent thought
is like stucco decoration that makes a wall smooth.
18 Fences[m] set on a high place
will not stand firm against the wind;
so a timid mind with a fool’s resolve
will not stand firm against any fear.
The Preservation of Friendship
19 One who pricks the eye brings tears,
and one who pricks the heart makes clear its feelings.
20 One who throws a stone at birds scares them away,
and one who reviles a friend destroys a friendship.
21 Even if you draw your sword against a friend,
do not despair, for there is a way back.
22 If you open your mouth against your friend,
do not worry, for reconciliation is possible.
But as for reviling, arrogance, disclosure of secrets, or a treacherous blow—
in these cases any friend will take to flight.
23 Gain the trust of your neighbour in his poverty,
so that you may rejoice with him in his prosperity.
Stand by him in time of distress,
so that you may share with him in his inheritance.[n]
24 The vapour and smoke of the furnace precede the fire;
so insults precede bloodshed.
25 I am not ashamed to shelter a friend,
and I will not hide from him.
26 But if harm should come to me because of him,
whoever hears of it will beware of him.
A Prayer for Help against Sinning
27 Who will set a guard over my mouth,
and an effective seal upon my lips,
so that I may not fall because of them,
and my tongue may not destroy me?
23 O Lord, Father and Master of my life,
do not abandon me to their designs,
and do not let me fall because of them!
2 Who will set whips over my thoughts,
and the discipline of wisdom over my mind,
so as not to spare me in my errors,
and not overlook my[o] sins?
3 Otherwise my mistakes may be multiplied,
and my sins may abound,
and I may fall before my adversaries,
and my enemy may rejoice over me.[p]
4 O Lord, Father and God of my life,
do not give me haughty eyes,
5 and remove evil desire from me.
6 Let neither gluttony nor lust overcome me,
and do not give me over to shameless passion.
Discipline of the Tongue[q]
7 Listen, my children, to instruction concerning the mouth;
one who observes it will never be caught.
8 Sinners are overtaken through their lips;
by them the reviler and the arrogant are tripped up.
9 Do not accustom your mouth to oaths,
nor habitually utter the name of the Holy One;
10 for as a servant who is constantly under scrutiny
will not lack bruises,
so also the person who always swears and utters the Name
will never be cleansed[r] from sin.
11 One who swears many oaths is full of iniquity,
and the scourge will not leave his house.
If he swears in error, his sin remains on him,
and if he disregards it, he sins doubly;
if he swears a false oath, he will not be justified,
for his house will be filled with calamities.
Foul Language
12 There is a manner of speaking comparable to death;[s]
may it never be found in the inheritance of Jacob!
Such conduct will be far from the godly,
and they will not wallow in sins.
13 Do not accustom your mouth to coarse, foul language,
for it involves sinful speech.
14 Remember your father and mother
when you sit among the great,
or you may forget yourself in their presence,
and behave like a fool through bad habit;
then you will wish that you had never been born,
and you will curse the day of your birth.
15 Those who are accustomed to using abusive language
will never become disciplined as long as they live.
Concerning Sexual Sins
16 Two kinds of individuals multiply sins,
and a third incurs wrath.
Hot passion that blazes like a fire
will not be quenched until it burns itself out;
one who commits fornication with his near of kin
will never cease until the fire burns him up.
17 To a fornicator all bread is sweet;
he will never weary until he dies.
18 One who sins against his marriage bed
says to himself, ‘Who can see me?
Darkness surrounds me, the walls hide me,
and no one sees me. Why should I worry?
The Most High will not remember sins.’
19 His fear is confined to human eyes
and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord
are ten thousand times brighter than the sun;
they look upon every aspect of human behaviour
and see into hidden corners.
20 Before the universe was created, it was known to him,
and so it is since its completion.
21 This man will be punished in the streets of the city,
and where he least suspects it, he will be seized.
22 So it is with a woman who leaves her husband
and presents him with an heir by another man.
23 For first of all, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High;
second, she has committed an offence against her husband;
and third, through her fornication she has committed adultery
and brought forth children by another man.
24 She herself will be brought before the assembly,
and her punishment will extend to her children.
25 Her children will not take root,
and her branches will not bear fruit.
26 She will leave behind an accursed memory
and her disgrace will never be blotted out.
27 Those who survive her will recognize
that nothing is better than the fear of the Lord,
and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.[t]
The Praise of Wisdom[u]
24 Wisdom praises herself,
and tells of her glory in the midst of her people.
2 In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth,
and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory:
3 ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
and covered the earth like a mist.
4 I dwelt in the highest heavens,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
5 Alone I compassed the vault of heaven
and traversed the depths of the abyss.
6 Over waves of the sea, over all the earth,
and over every people and nation I have held sway.[v]
7 Among all these I sought a resting-place;
in whose territory should I abide?
8 ‘Then the Creator of all things gave me a command,
and my Creator chose the place for my tent.
He said, “Make your dwelling in Jacob,
and in Israel receive your inheritance.”
9 Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me,
and for all the ages I shall not cease to be.
10 In the holy tent I ministered before him,
and so I was established in Zion.
11 Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting-place,
and in Jerusalem was my domain.
12 I took root in an honoured people,
in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.
13 ‘I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon,
and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
14 I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi,[w]
and like rose-bushes in Jericho;
like a fair olive tree in the field,
and like a plane tree beside water[x] I grew tall.
15 Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth perfume,
and like choice myrrh I spread my fragrance,
like galbanum, onycha, and stacte,
and like the odour of incense in the tent.
16 Like a terebinth I spread out my branches,
and my branches are glorious and graceful.
17 Like the vine I bud forth delights,
and my blossoms become glorious and abundant fruit.[y]
19 ‘Come to me, you who desire me,
and eat your fill of my fruits.
20 For the memory of me is sweeter than honey,
and the possession of me sweeter than the honeycomb.
21 Those who eat of me will hunger for more,
and those who drink of me will thirst for more.
22 Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
and those who work with me will not sin.’
Wisdom and the Law
23 All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God,
the law that Moses commanded us
as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.[z]
25 It overflows, like the Pishon, with wisdom,
and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits.
26 It runs over, like the Euphrates, with understanding,
and like the Jordan at harvest time.
27 It pours forth instruction like the Nile,[aa]
like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
28 The first man did not know wisdom[ab] fully,
nor will the last one fathom her.
29 For her thoughts are more abundant than the sea,
and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.
30 As for me, I was like a canal from a river,
like a water channel into a garden.
31 I said, ‘I will water my garden
and drench my flower-beds.’
And lo, my canal became a river,
and my river a sea.
32 I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn,
and I will make it clear from far away.
33 I will again pour out teaching like prophecy,
and leave it to all future generations.
34 Observe that I have not laboured for myself alone,
but for all who seek wisdom.[ac]
Those Who Are Worthy of Praise
25 I take pleasure in three things,
and they are beautiful in the sight of God and of mortals:[ad]
agreement among brothers and sisters, friendship among neighbours,
and a wife and husband who live in harmony.
2 I hate three kinds of people,
and I loathe their manner of life:
a pauper who boasts, a rich person who lies,
and an old fool who commits adultery.
3 If you gathered nothing in your youth,
how can you find anything in your old age?
4 How attractive is sound judgement in the grey-haired,
and for the aged to possess good counsel!
5 How attractive is wisdom in the aged,
and understanding and counsel in the venerable!
6 Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.
7 I can think of nine whom I would call blessed,
and a tenth my tongue proclaims:
a man who can rejoice in his children;
a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes.
8 Happy the man who lives with a sensible wife,
and one who does not plough with ox and ass together.[ae]
Happy is one who does not sin with the tongue,
and one who has not served an inferior.
9 Happy is one who finds a friend,[af]
and one who speaks to attentive listeners.
10 How great is one who finds wisdom!
But none is superior to one who fears the Lord.
11 Fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom can we compare one who has it?[ag]
Some Extreme Forms of Evil
13 Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a woman!
14 Any suffering, but not suffering from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
15 There is no venom[ah] worse than a snake’s venom,[ai]
and no anger worse than a woman’s[aj] wrath.
The Evil of a Wicked Woman
16 I would rather live with a lion and a dragon
than live with an evil woman.
17 A woman’s wickedness changes her appearance,
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
18 Her husband sits[ak] among the neighbours,
and he cannot help sighing[al] bitterly.
19 Any iniquity is small compared to a woman’s iniquity;
may a sinner’s lot befall her!
20 A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—
such is a garrulous wife to a quiet husband.
21 Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.[am]
22 There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
23 Dejected mind, gloomy face,
and wounded heart come from an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees
come from the wife who does not make her husband happy.
24 From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
25 Allow no outlet to water,
and no boldness of speech to an evil wife.
26 If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.
The Joy of a Good Wife
26 Happy is the husband of a good wife;
the number of his days will be doubled.
2 A loyal wife brings joy to her husband,
and he will complete his years in peace.
3 A good wife is a great blessing;
she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord.
4 Whether rich or poor, his heart is content,
and at all times his face is cheerful.
The Worst of Evils: A Wicked Wife
5 Of three things my heart is frightened,
and of a fourth I am in great fear:[an]
Slander in the city, the gathering of a mob,
and false accusation—all these are worse than death.
6 But it is heartache and sorrow when a wife is jealous of a rival,
and a tongue-lashing makes it known to all.
7 A bad wife is a chafing yoke;
taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion.
8 A drunken wife arouses great anger;
she cannot hide her shame.
9 The haughty stare betrays an unchaste wife;
her eyelids give her away.
10 Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter,
or else, when she finds liberty, she will make use of it.
11 Be on guard against her impudent eye,
and do not be surprised if she sins against you.
12 As a thirsty traveller opens his mouth
and drinks from any water near him,
so she will sit in front of every tent-peg
and open her quiver to the arrow.
The Blessing of a Good Wife
13 A wife’s charm delights her husband,
and her skill puts flesh on his bones.
14 A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,
and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline.
15 A modest wife adds charm to charm,
and no scales can weigh the value of her chastity.
16 Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.
17 Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand,
so is a beautiful face on a stately figure.
18 Like golden pillars on silver bases,
so are shapely legs and steadfast feet.
Other ancient authorities add verses 19–27:
19 My child, keep sound the bloom of your youth,
and do not give your strength to strangers.
20 Seek a fertile field within the whole plain,
and sow it with your own seed, trusting in your fine stock.
21 So your offspring will prosper,
and, having confidence in their good descent, will grow great.
22 A prostitute is regarded as spittle,
and a married woman as a tower of death to her lovers.
23 A godless wife is given as a portion to a lawless man,
but a pious wife is given to the man who fears the Lord.
24 A shameless woman constantly acts disgracefully,
but a modest daughter will even be embarrassed before her husband.
25 A headstrong wife is regarded as a dog,
but one who has a sense of shame will fear the Lord.
26 A wife honouring her husband will seem wise to all,
but if she dishonours him in her pride she will be known to all as ungodly.
Happy is the husband of a good wife,
for the number of his years will be doubled.
27 A loud-voiced and garrulous wife is like a trumpet sounding the charge,
and every person like this lives in the anarchy of war.
Three Depressing Things
28 At two things my heart is grieved,
and because of a third anger comes over me:
a warrior in want through poverty,
intelligent men who are treated contemptuously,
and a man who turns back from righteousness to sin—
the Lord will prepare him for the sword!
The Temptations of Commerce
29 A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing,
nor is a tradesman innocent of sin.
27 Many have committed sin for gain,[ao]
and those who seek to get rich will avert their eyes.
2 As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones,
so sin is wedged in between selling and buying.
3 If a person is not steadfast in the fear of the Lord,
his house will be quickly overthrown.
Tests in Life
4 When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears;
so do a person’s faults when he speaks.
5 The kiln tests the potter’s vessels;
so the test of a person is in his conversation.
6 Its fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree;
so a person’s speech discloses the cultivation of his mind.
7 Do not praise anyone before he speaks,
for this is the way people are tested.
Reward and Retribution
8 If you pursue justice, you will attain it
and wear it like a glorious robe.
9 Birds roost with their own kind,
so honesty comes home to those who practise it.
10 A lion lies in wait for prey;
so does sin for evildoers.
Varieties of Speech
11 The conversation of the godly is always wise,
but the fool changes like the moon.
12 Among stupid people limit your time,
but among thoughtful people linger on.
13 The talk of fools is offensive,
and their laughter is wantonly sinful.
14 Their cursing and swearing make one’s hair stand on end,
and their quarrels make others stop their ears.
15 The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed,
and their abuse is grievous to hear.
Betraying Secrets
16 Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence,
and will never find a congenial friend.
17 Love your friend and keep faith with him;
but if you betray his secrets, do not follow after him.
18 For as a person destroys his enemy,
so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbour.
19 And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand,
so you have let your neighbour go, and will not catch him again.
20 Do not go after him, for he is too far off,
and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare.
21 For a wound may be bandaged,
and there is reconciliation after abuse,
but whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope.
Hypocrisy and Retribution
22 Whoever winks the eye plots mischief,
and those who know him will keep their distance.
23 In your presence his mouth is all sweetness,
and he admires your words;
but later he will twist his speech
and with your own words he will trip you up.
24 I have hated many things, but him above all;
even the Lord hates him.
25 Whoever throws a stone straight up throws it on his own head,
and a treacherous blow opens up many wounds.
26 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever sets a snare will be caught in it.
27 If a person does evil, it will roll back upon him,
and he will not know where it came from.
28 Mockery and abuse issue from the proud,
but vengeance lies in wait for them like a lion.
29 Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare,
and pain will consume them before their death.
Anger and Vengeance
30 Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
yet a sinner holds on to them.
28 The vengeful will face the Lord’s vengeance,
for he keeps a strict account of[ap] their sins.
2 Forgive your neighbour the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
3 Does anyone harbour anger against another,
and expect healing from the Lord?
4 If someone has no mercy towards another like himself,
can he then seek pardon for his own sins?
5 If a mere mortal harbours wrath,
who will make an atoning sacrifice for his sins?
6 Remember the end of your life, and set enmity aside;
remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments.
7 Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbour;
remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults.
8 Refrain from strife, and your sins will be fewer;
for the hot-tempered kindle strife,
9 and the sinner disrupts friendships
and sows discord among those who are at peace.
10 In proportion to the fuel, so will the fire burn,
and in proportion to the obstinacy, so will strife increase;[aq]
in proportion to a person’s strength will be his anger,
and in proportion to his wealth he will increase his wrath.
11 A hasty quarrel kindles a fire,
and a hasty dispute sheds blood.
The Evil Tongue
12 If you blow on a spark, it will glow;
if you spit on it, it will be put out;
yet both come out of your mouth.
13 Curse the gossips and the double-tongued,
for they destroy the peace of many.
14 Slander[ar] has shaken many,
and scattered them from nation to nation;
it has destroyed strong cities,
and overturned the houses of the great.
15 Slander[as] has driven virtuous women from their homes,
and deprived them of the fruit of their toil.
16 Those who pay heed to slander[at] will not find rest,
nor will they settle down in peace.
17 The blow of a whip raises a welt,
but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones.
18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
but not as many as have fallen because of the tongue.
19 Happy is one who is protected from it,
who has not been exposed to its anger,
who has not borne its yoke,
and has not been bound with its fetters.
20 For its yoke is a yoke of iron,
and its fetters are fetters of bronze;
21 its death is an evil death,
and Hades is preferable to it.
22 It has no power over the godly;
they will not be burned in its flame.
23 Those who forsake the Lord will fall into its power;
it will burn among them and will not be put out.
It will be sent out against them like a lion;
like a leopard it will mangle them.
24a As you fence in your property with thorns,
25b so make a door and a bolt for your mouth.
24b As you lock up your silver and gold,
25a so make balances and scales for your words.
26 Take care not to err with your tongue,[au]
and fall victim to one lying in wait.
On Lending and Borrowing
29 The merciful lend to their neighbours;
by holding out a helping hand they keep the commandments.
2 Lend to your neighbour in his time of need;
repay your neighbour when a loan falls due.
3 Keep your promise and be honest with him,
and on every occasion you will find what you need.
4 Many regard a loan as a windfall,
and cause trouble to those who help them.
5 One kisses another’s hands until he gets a loan,
and is deferential in speaking of his neighbour’s money;
but at the time for repayment he delays,
and pays back with empty promises,
and finds fault with the time.
6 If he can pay, his creditor[av] will hardly get back half,
and will regard that as a windfall.
If he cannot pay, the borrower[aw] has robbed the other of his money,
and he has needlessly made him an enemy;
he will repay him with curses and reproaches,
and instead of glory will repay him with dishonour.
7 Many refuse to lend, not because of meanness,
but from fear[ax] of being defrauded needlessly.
8 Nevertheless, be patient with someone in humble circumstances,
and do not keep him waiting for your alms.
9 Help the poor for the commandment’s sake,
and in their need do not send them away empty-handed.
10 Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend,
and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost.
11 Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High,
and it will profit you more than gold.
12 Store up almsgiving in your treasury,
and it will rescue you from every disaster;
13 better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear,
it will fight for you against the enemy.
On Guaranteeing Debts
14 A good person will be surety for his neighbour,
but one who has lost all sense of shame will fail him.
15 Do not forget the kindness of your guarantor,
for he has given his life for you.
16 A sinner wastes the property of his guarantor,
17 and the ungrateful person abandons his rescuer.
18 Being surety has ruined many who were prosperous,
and has tossed them about like waves of the sea;
it has driven the influential into exile,
and they have wandered among foreign nations.
19 The sinner comes to grief through surety;
his pursuit of gain involves him in lawsuits.
20 Assist your neighbour to the best of your ability,
but be careful not to fall yourself.
Home and Hospitality
21 The necessities of life are water, bread, and clothing,
and also a house to assure privacy.
22 Better is the life of the poor under their own crude roof
than sumptuous food in the house of others.
23 Be content with little or much,
and you will hear no reproach for being a guest.[ay]
24 It is a miserable life to go from house to house;
as a guest you should not open your mouth;
25 you will play the host and provide drink without being thanked,
and besides this you will hear rude words like these:
26 ‘Come here, stranger, prepare the table;
let me eat what you have there.’
27 ‘Be off, stranger, for an honoured guest is here;
my brother has come for a visit, and I need the guest-room.’
28 It is hard for a sensitive person to bear
scolding about lodging[az] and the insults of the moneylender.
Concerning Children[ba]
30 He who loves his son will whip him often,
so that he may rejoice at the way he turns out.
2 He who disciplines his son will profit by him,
and will boast of him among acquaintances.
3 He who teaches his son will make his enemies envious,
and will glory in him among his friends.
4 When the father dies he will not seem to be dead,
for he has left behind him one like himself,
5 whom in his life he looked upon with joy
and at death, without grief.
6 He has left behind him an avenger against his enemies,
and one to repay the kindness of his friends.
7 Whoever spoils his son will bind up his wounds,
and will suffer heartache at every cry.
8 An unbroken horse turns out stubborn,
and an unchecked son turns out headstrong.
9 Pamper a child, and he will terrorize you;
play with him, and he will grieve you.
10 Do not laugh with him, or you will have sorrow with him,
and in the end you will gnash your teeth.
11 Give him no freedom in his youth,
and do not ignore his errors.
12 Bow down his neck in his youth,[bb]
and beat his sides while he is young,
or else he will become stubborn and disobey you,
and you will have sorrow of soul from him.[bc]
13 Discipline your son and make his yoke heavy,[bd]
so that you may not be offended by his shamelessness.
14 Better off poor, healthy, and fit
than rich and afflicted in body.
15 Health and fitness are better than any gold,
and a robust body than countless riches.
16 There is no wealth better than health of body,
and no gladness above joy of heart.
17 Death is better than a life of misery,
and eternal sleep[be] than chronic sickness.
Concerning Foods[bf]
18 Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed
are like offerings of food placed upon a grave.
19 Of what use to an idol is a sacrifice?
For it can neither eat nor smell.
So is one punished by the Lord;
20 he sees with his eyes and groans
as a eunuch groans when embracing a girl.[bg]
21 Do not give yourself over to sorrow,
and do not distress yourself deliberately.
22 A joyful heart is life itself,
and rejoicing lengthens one’s life span.
23 Indulge yourself[bh] and take comfort,
and remove sorrow far from you,
for sorrow has destroyed many,
and no advantage ever comes from it.
24 Jealousy and anger shorten life,
and anxiety brings on premature old age.
25 Those who are cheerful and merry at table
will benefit from their food.
Footnotes
- Sirach 21:4 Other ancient authorities read uprooted
- Sirach 21:5 Gk his ears
- Sirach 21:8 Other ancient authorities read for the winter
- Sirach 21:14 Syr Lat: Gk entrails
- Sirach 21:15 Syr: Gk reveller
- Sirach 21:15 Syr: Gk dislikes
- Sirach 21:20 Syr Lat: Gk clever
- Sirach 21:25 Other ancient authorities read of strangers speak of these things
- Sirach 21:26 Other ancient authorities omit in
- Sirach 21:27 Or curses Satan
- Sirach 22:6 Other ancient authorities add 7 Children who are brought up in a good life conceal the lowly birth of their parents. 8 Children who are disdainfully and boorishly haughty stain the nobility of their kindred.
- Sirach 22:13 Other ancient authorities add For being without sense he will despise everything about you
- Sirach 22:18 Other ancient authorities read Pebbles
- Sirach 22:23 Other ancient authorities add For one should not always despise restricted circumstances, or admire a rich person who is stupid.
- Sirach 23:2 Gk their
- Sirach 23:3 Other ancient authorities add From them the hope of your mercy is remote
- Sirach 23:7 This heading is included in the Gk text.
- Sirach 23:10 Syr be free
- Sirach 23:12 Other ancient authorities read clothed about with death
- Sirach 23:27 Other ancient authorities add as verse 28, It is a great honour to follow God, and to be received by him is long life.
- Sirach 24:1 This heading is included in the Gk text.
- Sirach 24:6 Other ancient authorities read I have acquired a possession
- Sirach 24:14 Other ancient authorities read on the beaches
- Sirach 24:14 Other ancient authorities omit beside water
- Sirach 24:17 Other ancient authorities add as verse 18, I am the mother of beautiful love, of fear, of knowledge, and of holy hope; being eternal, I am given to all my children, to those who are named by him.
- Sirach 24:23 Other ancient authorities add as verse 24, ‘Do not cease to be strong in the Lord, cling to him so that he may strengthen you; the Lord Almighty alone is God, and besides him there is no saviour.’
- Sirach 24:27 Syr: Gk It makes instruction shine forth like light
- Sirach 24:28 Gk her
- Sirach 24:34 Gk her
- Sirach 25:1 Syr Lat: Gk In three things I was beautiful and I stood in beauty before the Lord and mortals.
- Sirach 25:8 Heb Syr: Gk lacks and one who does not plough with ox and ass together
- Sirach 25:9 Lat Syr: Gk good sense
- Sirach 25:11 Other ancient authorities add as verse 12, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of love for him, and faith is the beginning of clinging to him.
- Sirach 25:15 Syr: Gk head
- Sirach 25:15 Syr: Gk head
- Sirach 25:15 Other ancient authorities read an enemy’s
- Sirach 25:18 Heb Syr: Gk loses heart
- Sirach 25:18 Other ancient authorities read and listening he sighs
- Sirach 25:21 Heb Syr: Other Gk authorities read for her beauty
- Sirach 26:5 Syr: Meaning of Gk uncertain
- Sirach 27:1 Other ancient authorities read a trifle
- Sirach 28:1 Other ancient authorities read for he firmly establishes
- Sirach 28:10 Other ancient authorities read burn
- Sirach 28:14 Gk A third tongue
- Sirach 28:15 Gk A third tongue
- Sirach 28:16 Gk it
- Sirach 28:26 Gk with it
- Sirach 29:6 Gk he
- Sirach 29:6 Gk he
- Sirach 29:7 Other ancient authorities read many refuse to lend, therefore, because of such meanness; they are afraid
- Sirach 29:23 Lat: Gk reproach from your family; other ancient authorities lack this line
- Sirach 29:28 Or scolding from the household
- Sirach 30:1 This heading is included in the Gk text.
- Sirach 30:12 Other ancient authorities lack this line and the preceding line
- Sirach 30:12 Other ancient authorities lack this line
- Sirach 30:13 Heb: Gk take pains with him
- Sirach 30:17 Other ancient authorities lack eternal sleep
- Sirach 30:18 This heading is included in the Gk text; other ancient authorities place the heading before verse 16
- Sirach 30:20 Other ancient authorities add So is the person who does right under compulsion
- Sirach 30:23 Other ancient authorities read Beguile yourself
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 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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