Sirach 38:1-15

Common English Bible

On physicians

38 Honor doctors for their services,^[a]
    since indeed the Lord created them.
²Healing comes from the Most High,
    and the king will reward them.
³The skill of doctors will make
them eminent,
    and they will be admired
    in the presence of the great.
⁴The Lord created medicines
out of the earth,
    and a sensible person
    won’t ignore them.
⁵Wasn’t water made sweet
by means of wood
    so that the Lord’s^[b] strength
    might be known?
⁶And he endowed human beings
with skill
    so that he would be glorified
    through his marvelous deeds.
⁷With those medicines,
the doctor cures and takes away pain.
⁸Those who prepare ointments
will make a compound out of them,
    and their^[c] work will never be finished,
    and well-being spreads
    over the whole world from them.

⁹My child, when you are sick,
don’t look around elsewhere,
    but pray to the Lord,
    and he will heal you.
¹⁰Stay far from error,
direct your hands rightly,
    and cleanse your heart from all sin.
¹¹Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice
and a memorial of fine flour,
    and pour an offering of oil,
    using what you can afford.^[d]
¹²And give doctors a place,
because the Lord created them also,
    and don’t let them leave you,
    because you indeed need them.
¹³There’s a time when success
is in their hands as well.
¹⁴They will also ask the Lord
    so that he might grant them rest^[e]
    and healing in order to preserve life.
¹⁵May those who sin against their creator
    fall into the hands of a doctor.

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Notas al pie

Sirach 38:1 Heb Make friends with a physician before you need one.
Sirach 38:5 LXX his; possibly its
Sirach 38:8 The referent of the pronouns in these two clauses and the next could possibly be God.
Sirach 38:11 Heb; LXX uncertain
Sirach 38:14 Heb a diagnosis