Font Size
Wisdom of Ben Sira 18:19-21
New Catholic Bible
Wisdom of Ben Sira 18:19-21
New Catholic Bible
Know How To Reflect and Foresee[a]
19 Be fully informed before you speak;
before you fall sick, take care of your health.
20 Before judgment comes, examine yourself,
and at your hour of scrutiny you will find forgiveness.[b]
21 Before you fall ill, humble yourself,
and repent as soon as you have sinned.
[Do not delay in giving up sinning,
or neglect to do so until you are in distress.
Do not set a time for giving up sinning;
be mindful that death will not delay its coming.][c]
Footnotes
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 18:19 The ancients regarded sickness as a punishment for sin. Living a good life gave some assurance of escaping sickness and of avoiding the threat of a premature death. In this and in other things, the sage is concerned with a prudent way of acting.
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 18:20 One way of obtaining forgiveness mentioned often in Scripture is by giving alms (see Sir 3:30-31; 29:1; Tob 12:12-13; Dan 4:24; Lk 16:9; Acts 10:31).
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 18:21 Added in some early MSS.
