Ben Sira 35
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 35[a]
1 To keep the law is to make many offerings;(A)
2 whoever observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
3 By works of charity one offers fine flour,[b]
4 and one who gives alms presents a sacrifice of praise.
5 To refrain from evil pleases the Lord,
and to avoid injustice is atonement.
6 Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed,
7 for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.(B)
8 The offering of the just enriches the altar:
a sweet odor before the Most High.
9 The sacrifice of the just is accepted,
never to be forgotten.
10 With a generous spirit pay homage to the Lord,
and do not spare your freewill gifts.(C)
11 With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.(D)
12 Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.
13 For he is a God who always repays
and will give back to you sevenfold.(E)
14 But offer no bribes; these he does not accept!
15 Do not trust in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion,(F)
For he is a God of justice,
who shows no partiality.(G)
16 He shows no partiality to the weak
but hears the grievance of the oppressed.[c]
17 He does not forsake the cry of the orphan,(H)
nor the widow when she pours out her complaint.
18 Do not the tears that stream down her cheek
19 cry out against the one that causes them to fall?
20 Those who serve God to please him are accepted;
their petition reaches the clouds.
21 The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds;
it does not rest till it reaches its goal;
Nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds,
22 judges justly and affirms the right.(I)
God indeed will not delay,
and like a warrior, will not be still(J)
Till he breaks the backs of the merciless
23 and wreaks vengeance upon the nations;
Till he destroys the scepter of the proud,
and cuts off the staff of the wicked;
24 Till he requites everyone according to their deeds,
and repays them according to their thoughts;
25 Till he defends the cause of his people,
and makes them glad by his salvation.
26 Welcome is his mercy in time of distress
as rain clouds in time of drought.
Footnotes
- 35:1–26 Keeping the commandments of the law and avoiding injustice constitute sacrifice pleasing and acceptable to God (vv. 1–5). Offerings also should be made to him, cheerfully and generously; these he repays sevenfold (vv. 6–13). Extortion from widows and orphans is injustice, and God will hear their cries (vv. 14–22a). Punishing the proud and the merciless and coming to the aid of the distressed, he requites everyone according to their deeds (vv. 22b–26).
- 35:3 Fine flour, together with oil and frankincense, was a prescribed offering to God; cf. Lv 2:1–3.
- 35:16 Cf. Lv 19:15; Dt 1:17. The divine impartiality is paradoxical, for it is tilted toward the poor.
Sirach 35
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Law and Sacrifices
35 The one who keeps the law makes many offerings;
2 one who heeds the commandments makes an offering of well-being.
3 The one who returns a kindness offers choice flour,
4 and one who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.
5 To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord,
and to forsake unrighteousness is an atonement.
6 Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed,
7 for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the commandment.
8 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar,
and its pleasing odor rises before the Most High.
9 The sacrifice of the righteous is acceptable,
and it will never be forgotten.
10 Be generous when you worship the Lord,
and do not stint the first fruits of your hands.
11 With every gift show a cheerful face,
and dedicate your tithe with gladness.
12 Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
and as generously as you can afford.
13 For the Lord is the one who repays,
and he will repay you sevenfold.
Divine Justice
14 Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it;
15 and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice;
for the Lord is the judge,
and with him there is no partiality.
16 He will not show partiality to the poor;
but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.
17 He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan,
or the widow when she pours out her complaint.
18 Do not the tears of the widow run down her cheek
19 as she cries out against the one who causes them to fall?
20 The one whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be accepted,
and his prayer will reach to the clouds.
21 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds,
and it will not rest until it reaches its goal;
it will not desist until the Most High responds
22 and does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment.
Indeed, the Lord will not delay,
and like a warrior[a] will not be patient
until he crushes the loins of the unmerciful
23 and repays vengeance on the nations;
until he destroys the multitude of the insolent,
and breaks the scepters of the unrighteous;
24 until he repays mortals according to their deeds,
and the works of all according to their thoughts;
25 until he judges the case of his people
and makes them rejoice in his mercy.
26 His mercy is as welcome in time of distress
as clouds of rain in time of drought.
Footnotes
- Sirach 35:22 Heb: Gk and with them
Sirach 35
Good News Translation
35 Keeping the Law is worth many offerings; it is a fellowship offering in itself. 2 Returning a kindness is like a grain offering; giving to the poor is like a thanksgiving offering. 3 Keeping away from sin will please the Lord and make atonement for sin. 4 But don't come to the Temple without an offering; 5 the Law requires that you bring one. 6 When someone righteous offers a sacrifice and the fat drips down on the altar, a pleasant smell rises to the Most High. 7 The Lord will accept the offerings made by a righteous person and will not forget them. 8 Praise the Lord by making generous offerings to him; don't be stingy with the first of your crops. 9 (A)Be cheerful with every gift you make, and when you pay your tithes, do it gladly. 10 Give to the Most High as he has given to you, just as generously as you can. 11 The Lord always repays and will do it many times over. 12 But don't try to bribe him or rely on offerings that you have obtained dishonestly. He will not accept them.
God's Justice
The Lord is fair[a] and does not show partiality. 13 He is not prejudiced against the poor; when someone prays who has been wronged, the Lord listens. 14 When orphans and widows pour out their prayers, he does not ignore them. 15 The tears running down a widow's cheek cry out in accusation against the one who has caused her distress.
16 Serve the Lord willingly, and the Lord will accept you; your prayers will reach the skies. 17 The prayer of a humble person goes past the clouds and keeps on going until it reaches the Lord Most High, where it stays until he answers by seeing that justice is done and that the guilty are punished.
18 And the Lord will act quickly. He will show no patience with wicked people. He will take vengeance by crushing the heathen. He will completely wipe out the merciless and the arrogant, and will destroy the authority of the wicked. 19 He will give each of us what our thoughts and actions deserve. Because of the Lord's mercy, his people will be happy when he has judged their case. 20 In times of trouble his mercy is as welcome as rain after a long drought.
Footnotes
- Sirach 35:12 Hebrew fair; Greek judge.
Sirach 35
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
35 He that keepeth the law, multiplieth offerings.
2 It is a wholesome sacrifice to take heed to the commandments, and to depart from all iniquity.
3 And to depart from injustice, is to offer a propitiatory sacrifice for injustices, and a begging of pardon for sins.
4 He shall return thanks, that offereth fine flour: and he that doth mercy, offereth sacrifice.
5 To depart from iniquity is that which pleaseth the Lord, and to depart from injustice, is an entreaty for sins.
6 Thou shalt not appear empty in the sight of the Lord.
7 For all these things are to be done because of the commandment of God.
8 The oblation of the just maketh the altar fat, and is an odour of sweetness in the sight of the most High.
9 The sacrifice of the just is acceptable, and the Lord will not forget the memorial thereof.
10 Give glory to God with a good heart: and diminish not the firstfruits of thy hands.
11 In every gift shew a cheerful countenance, and sanctify thy tithes with joy.
12 Give to the most High according to what he hath given to thee, and with a good eye do according to the ability of thy hands:
13 For the Lord maketh recompense, and will give thee seven times as much.
14 Do not offer wicked gifts, for such he will not receive.
15 And look not upon an unjust sacrifice, for the Lord is judge, and there is not with him respect of person.
16 The Lord will not accept any person against a poor man, and he will hear the prayer of him that is wronged.
17 He will not despise the prayers of the fatherless; nor the widow, when she poureth out her complaint.
18 Do not the widow's tears run down the cheek, and her cry against him that causeth them to fall?
19 For from the cheek they go up even to heaven, and the Lord that heareth will not be delighted with them.
20 He that adoreth God with joy, shall be accepted, and his prayer shall approach even to the clouds.
21 The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds: and till it come nigh he will not be comforted: and he will not depart till the most High behold.
22 And the Lord will not be slack, but will judge for the just, and will do judgment: and the Almighty will not have patience with them, that he may crush their back:
23 And he will repay vengeance to the Gentiles, till he have taken away the multitude of the proud, and broken the sceptres of the unjust,
24 Till he have rendered to men according to their deeds: and according to the works of Adam, and according to his presumption,
25 Till he have judged the cause of his people, and he shall delight the just with his mercy.
26 The mercy of God is beautiful in the time of affliction, as a cloud of rain in the time of drought.
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