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Wisdom of Ben Sira 10:19-21
New Catholic Bible
Wisdom of Ben Sira 10:19-21
New Catholic Bible
True Glory Is To Fear God[a]
19 Whose offspring are worthy of honor? Human offspring.
Whose offspring are worthy of honor? Those who fear the Lord.
Whose offspring deserve contempt? Human offspring.
Whose offspring deserve contempt? Those who break the commandments.
20 The members of a family hold their leader in honor,
but he who fears the Lord is worthy of honor in his eyes.
[21 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance,
while stubbornness and pride are the beginning of rejection.][b]
Footnotes
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 10:19 The teaching of the sage agrees with the teaching of the Prophets (Jer 9:22f): human beings are honorable not by the dignity of their function nor by their social rank but by the authenticity of their religious life.
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 10:21 Added by some early MSS.
