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#Post#: 13445--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:26 am
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Sirach 31 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Right Attitude toward Riches
31 Wakefulness over wealth wastes away one’s flesh,
and anxiety about it drives away sleep.
2 Wakeful anxiety prevents slumber,
and a severe illness carries off sleep.[a]
3 The rich person toils to amass a fortune,
and when he rests he fills himself with his dainties.
4 The poor person toils to make a meager living,
and if ever he rests he becomes needy.
5 One who loves gold will not be justified;
one who pursues money will be led astray[b] by it.
6 Many have come to ruin because of gold,
and their destruction has met them face to face.
7 It is a stumbling block to those who are avid for it,
and every fool will be taken captive by it.
8 Blessed is the rich person who is found blameless,
and who does not go after gold.
9 Who is he, that we may praise him?
For he has done wonders among his people.
10 Who has been tested by it and been found perfect?
Let it be for him a ground for boasting.
Who has had the power to transgress and did not transgress,
and to do evil and did not do it?
11 His prosperity will be established,[c]
and the assembly will proclaim his acts of charity.
Table Etiquette
12 Are you seated at the table of the great?[d]
Do not be greedy at it,
and do not say, “How much food there is here!”
13 Remember that a greedy eye is a bad thing.
What has been created more greedy than the eye?
Therefore it sheds tears for any reason.
14 Do not reach out your hand for everything you see,
and do not crowd your neighbor[e] at the dish.
15 Judge your neighbor’s feelings by your own,
and in every matter be thoughtful.
16 Eat what is set before you like a well brought-up person,[f]
and do not chew greedily, or you will give offense.
17 Be the first to stop, as befits good manners,
and do not be insatiable, or you will give offense.
18 If you are seated among many persons,
do not help yourself[g] before they do.
19 How ample a little is for a well-disciplined person!
He does not breathe heavily when in bed.
20 Healthy sleep depends on moderate eating;
he rises early, and feels fit.
The distress of sleeplessness and of nausea
and colic are with the glutton.
21 If you are overstuffed with food,
get up to vomit, and you will have relief.
22 Listen to me, my child, and do not disregard me,
and in the end you will appreciate my words.
In everything you do be moderate,[h]
and no sickness will overtake you.
23 People bless the one who is liberal with food,
and their testimony to his generosity is trustworthy.
24 The city complains of the one who is stingy with food,
and their testimony to his stinginess is accurate.
Temperance in Drinking Wine
25 Do not try to prove your strength by wine-drinking,
for wine has destroyed many.
26 As the furnace tests the work of the smith,[i]
so wine tests hearts when the insolent quarrel.
27 Wine is very life to human beings
if taken in moderation.
What is life to one who is without wine?
It has been created to make people happy.
28 Wine drunk at the proper time and in moderation
is rejoicing of heart and gladness of soul.
29 Wine drunk to excess leads to bitterness of spirit,
to quarrels and stumbling.
30 Drunkenness increases the anger of a fool to his own hurt,
reducing his strength and adding wounds.
31 Do not reprove your neighbor at a banquet of wine,
and do not despise him in his merrymaking;
speak no word of reproach to him,
and do not distress him by making demands of him.
Footnotes:
Sirach 31:2 Other ancient authorities read sleep carries off a
severe illness
Sirach 31:5 Heb Syr: Gk pursues destruction will be filled
Sirach 31:11 Other ancient authorities add because of this
Sirach 31:12 Heb Syr: Gk at a great table
Sirach 31:14 Gk him
Sirach 31:16 Heb: Gk like a human being
Sirach 31:18 Gk reach out your hand
Sirach 31:22 Heb Syr: Gk industrious
Sirach 31:26 Heb: Gk tests the hardening of steel by dipping
#Post#: 13446--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:27 am
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Sirach 32 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Etiquette at a Banquet
32 If they make you master of the feast, do not exalt yourself;
be among them as one of their number.
Take care of them first and then sit down;
2 when you have fulfilled all your duties, take your place,
so that you may be merry along with them
and receive a wreath for your excellent leadership.
3 Speak, you who are older, for it is your right,
but with accurate knowledge, and do not interrupt the music.
4 Where there is entertainment, do not pour out talk;
do not display your cleverness at the wrong time.
5 A ruby seal in a setting of gold
is a concert of music at a banquet of wine.
6 A seal of emerald in a rich setting of gold
is the melody of music with good wine.
7 Speak, you who are young, if you are obliged to,
but no more than twice, and only if asked.
8 Be brief; say much in few words;
be as one who knows and can still hold his tongue.
9 Among the great do not act as their equal;
and when another is speaking, do not babble.
10 Lightning travels ahead of the thunder,
and approval goes before one who is modest.
11 Leave in good time and do not be the last;
go home quickly and do not linger.
12 Amuse yourself there to your heart’s content,
but do not sin through proud speech.
13 But above all bless your Maker,
who fills you with his good gifts.
The Providence of God
14 The one who seeks God[a] will accept his discipline,
and those who rise early to seek him[b] will find favor.
15 The one who seeks the law will be filled with it,
but the hypocrite will stumble at it.
16 Those who fear the Lord will form true judgments,
and they will kindle righteous deeds like a light.
17 The sinner will shun reproof,
and will find a decision according to his liking.
18 A sensible person will not overlook a thoughtful suggestion;
an insolent[c] and proud person will not be deterred by
fear.[d]
19 Do nothing without deliberation,
but when you have acted, do not regret it.
20 Do not go on a path full of hazards,
and do not stumble at an obstacle twice.[e]
21 Do not be overconfident on a smooth[f] road,
22 and give good heed to your paths.[g]
23 Guard[h] yourself in every act,
for this is the keeping of the commandments.
24 The one who keeps the law preserves himself,[i]
and the one who trusts the Lord will not suffer loss.
Footnotes:
Sirach 32:14 Heb: Gk who fears the Lord
Sirach 32:14 Other ancient authorities lack to seek him
Sirach 32:18 Heb: Gk alien
Sirach 32:18 Meaning of Gk uncertain. Other ancient authorities
add and after acting, with him, without deliberation
Sirach 32:20 Heb: Gk stumble on stony ground
Sirach 32:21 Or an unexplored
Sirach 32:22 Heb Syr: Gk and beware of your children
Sirach 32:23 Heb Syr: Gk Trust
Sirach 32:24 Heb: Gk who believes the law heeds the commandments
#Post#: 13447--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:28 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Sirach 33 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
33 No evil will befall the one who fears the Lord,
but in trials such a one will be rescued again and again.
2 The wise will not hate the law,
but the one who is hypocritical about it is like a boat in a
storm.
3 The sensible person will trust in the law;
for such a one the law is as dependable as a divine oracle.
4 Prepare what to say, and then you will be listened to;
draw upon your training, and give your answer.
5 The heart of a fool is like a cart wheel,
and his thoughts like a turning axle.
6 A mocking friend is like a stallion
that neighs no matter who the rider is.
Differences in Nature and in Humankind
7 Why is one day more important than another,
when all the daylight in the year is from the sun?
8 By the Lord’s wisdom they were distinguished,
and he appointed the different seasons and festivals.
9 Some days he exalted and hallowed,
and some he made ordinary days.
10 All human beings come from the ground,
and humankind[a] was created out of the dust.
11 In the fullness of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them
and appointed their different ways.
12 Some he blessed and exalted,
and some he made holy and brought near to himself;
but some he cursed and brought low,
and turned them out of their place.
13 Like clay in the hand of the potter,
to be molded as he pleases,
so all are in the hand of their Maker,
to be given whatever he decides.
14 Good is the opposite of evil,
and life the opposite of death;
so the sinner is the opposite of the godly.
15 Look at all the works of the Most High;
they come in pairs, one the opposite of the other.
16 Now I was the last to keep vigil;
I was like a gleaner following the grape-pickers;
17 by the blessing of the Lord I arrived first,
and like a grape-picker I filled my wine press.
18 Consider that I have not labored for myself alone,
but for all who seek instruction.
19 Hear me, you who are great among the people,
and you leaders of the congregation, pay heed!
The Advantage of Independence
20 To son or wife, to brother or friend,
do not give power over yourself, as long as you live;
and do not give your property to another,
in case you change your mind and must ask for it.
21 While you are still alive and have breath in you,
do not let anyone take your place.
22 For it is better that your children should ask from you
than that you should look to the hand of your children.
23 Excel in all that you do;
bring no stain upon your honor.
24 At the time when you end the days of your life,
in the hour of death, distribute your inheritance.
The Treatment of Slaves
25 Fodder and a stick and burdens for a donkey;
bread and discipline and work for a slave.
26 Set your slave to work, and you will find rest;
leave his hands idle, and he will seek liberty.
27 Yoke and thong will bow the neck,
and for a wicked slave there are racks and tortures.
28 Put him to work, in order that he may not be idle,
29 for idleness teaches much evil.
30 Set him to work, as is fitting for him,
and if he does not obey, make his fetters heavy.
Do not be overbearing toward anyone,
and do nothing unjust.
31 If you have but one slave, treat him like yourself,
because you have bought him with blood.
If you have but one slave, treat him like a brother,
for you will need him as you need your life.
32 If you ill-treat him, and he leaves you and runs away,
33 which way will you go to seek him?
Footnotes:
Sirach 33:10 Heb: Gk Adam
#Post#: 13448--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:29 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Sirach 34 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Dreams Mean Nothing
34 The senseless have vain and false hopes,
and dreams give wings to fools.
2 As one who catches at a shadow and pursues the wind,
so is anyone who believes in[a] dreams.
3 What is seen in dreams is but a reflection,
the likeness of a face looking at itself.
4 From an unclean thing what can be clean?
And from something false what can be true?
5 Divinations and omens and dreams are unreal,
and like a woman in labor, the mind has fantasies.
6 Unless they are sent by intervention from the Most High,
pay no attention to them.
7 For dreams have deceived many,
and those who put their hope in them have perished.
8 Without such deceptions the law will be fulfilled,
and wisdom is complete in the mouth of the faithful.
Experience as a Teacher
9 An educated[b] person knows many things,
and one with much experience knows what he is talking about.
10 An inexperienced person knows few things,
11 but he that has traveled acquires much cleverness.
12 I have seen many things in my travels,
and I understand more than I can express.
13 I have often been in danger of death,
but have escaped because of these experiences.
Fear the Lord
14 The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live,
15 for their hope is in him who saves them.
16 Those who fear the Lord will not be timid,
or play the coward, for he is their hope.
17 Happy is the soul that fears the Lord!
18 To whom does he look? And who is his support?
19 The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him,
a mighty shield and strong support,
a shelter from scorching wind and a shade from noonday sun,
a guard against stumbling and a help against falling.
20 He lifts up the soul and makes the eyes sparkle;
he gives health and life and blessing.
Offering Sacrifices
21 If one sacrifices ill-gotten goods, the offering is
blemished;[c]
22 the gifts[d] of the lawless are not acceptable.
23 The Most High is not pleased with the offerings of the
ungodly,
nor for a multitude of sacrifices does he forgive sins.
24 Like one who kills a son before his father’s eyes
is the person who offers a sacrifice from the property of
the poor.
25 The bread of the needy is the life of the poor;
whoever deprives them of it is a murderer.
26 To take away a neighbor’s living is to commit murder;
27 to deprive an employee of wages is to shed blood.
28 When one builds and another tears down,
what do they gain but hard work?
29 When one prays and another curses,
to whose voice will the Lord listen?
30 If one washes after touching a corpse, and touches it again,
what has been gained by washing?
31 So if one fasts for his sins,
and goes again and does the same things,
who will listen to his prayer?
And what has he gained by humbling himself?
Footnotes:
Sirach 34:2 Syr: Gk pays heed to
Sirach 34:9 Other ancient authorities read A traveled
Sirach 34:21 Other ancient authorities read is made in mockery
Sirach 34:22 Other ancient authorities read mockeries
#Post#: 13449--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:30 am
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Sirach 35 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
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
#Post#: 13450--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:31 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Sirach 36 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
A Prayer for God’s People
36 Have mercy upon us, O God[a] of all,
2 and put all the nations in fear of you.
3 Lift up your hand against foreign nations
and let them see your might.
4 As you have used us to show your holiness to them,
so use them to show your glory to us.
5 Then they will know,[b] as we have known,
that there is no God but you, O Lord.
6 Give new signs, and work other wonders;
7 make your hand and right arm glorious.
8 Rouse your anger and pour out your wrath;
9 destroy the adversary and wipe out the enemy.
10 Hasten the day, and remember the appointed time,[c]
and let people recount your mighty deeds.
11 Let survivors be consumed in the fiery wrath,
and may those who harm your people meet destruction.
12 Crush the heads of hostile rulers
who say, “There is no one but ourselves.”
13 Gather all the tribes of Jacob,[d]
16 and give them their inheritance, as at the beginning.
17 Have mercy, O Lord, on the people called by your name,
on Israel, whom you have named[e] your firstborn,
18 Have pity on the city of your sanctuary,[f]
Jerusalem, the place of your dwelling.[g]
19 Fill Zion with your majesty,[h]
and your temple[i] with your glory.
20 Bear witness to those whom you created in the beginning,
and fulfill the prophecies spoken in your name.
21 Reward those who wait for you
and let your prophets be found trustworthy.
22 Hear, O Lord, the prayer of your servants, according to your
goodwill toward[j] your people,
and all who are on the earth will know
that you are the Lord, the God of the ages.
Concerning Discrimination
23 The stomach will take any food,
yet one food is better than another.
24 As the palate tastes the kinds of game,
so an intelligent mind detects false words.
25 A perverse mind will cause grief,
but a person with experience will pay him back.
26 A woman will accept any man as a husband,
but one girl is preferable to another.
27 A woman’s beauty lights up a man’s face,
and there is nothing he desires more.
28 If kindness and humility mark her speech,
her husband is more fortunate than other men.
29 He who acquires a wife gets his best possession,[k]
a helper fit for him and a pillar of support.[l]
30 Where there is no fence, the property will be plundered;
and where there is no wife, a man will become a fugitive and
a wanderer.[m]
31 For who will trust a nimble robber
that skips from city to city?
So who will trust a man that has no nest,
but lodges wherever night overtakes him?
Footnotes:
Sirach 36:1 Heb: Gk O Master, the God
Sirach 36:5 Heb: Gk And let them know you
Sirach 36:10 Other ancient authorities read remember your oath
Sirach 36:13 Owing to a dislocation in the Greek Mss of Sirach,
the verse numbers 14 and 15 are not used in chapter 36, though
no text is missing.
Sirach 36:17 Other ancient authorities read you have likened to
Sirach 36:18 Or on your holy city
Sirach 36:18 Heb: Gk your rest
Sirach 36:19 Heb Syr: Gk the celebration of your wondrous deeds
Sirach 36:19 Heb Syr: Gk Lat people
Sirach 36:22 Heb and two Gk witnesses: Lat and most Gk witnesses
read according to the blessing of Aaron for
Sirach 36:29 Heb: Gk enters upon a possession
Sirach 36:29 Heb: Gk rest
Sirach 36:30 Heb: Gk wander about and sigh
#Post#: 13451--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:31 am
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Sirach 37 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
False Friends
37 Every friend says, “I too am a friend”;
but some friends are friends only in name.
2 Is it not a sorrow like that for death itself
when a dear friend turns into an enemy?
3 O inclination to evil, why were you formed
to cover the land with deceit?
4 Some companions rejoice in the happiness of a friend,
but in time of trouble they are against him.
5 Some companions help a friend for their stomachs’ sake,
yet in battle they will carry his shield.
6 Do not forget a friend during the battle,[a]
and do not be unmindful of him when you distribute your
spoils.[b]
Caution in Taking Advice
7 All counselors praise the counsel they give,
but some give counsel in their own interest.
8 Be wary of a counselor,
and learn first what is his interest,
for he will take thought for himself.
He may cast the lot against you
9 and tell you, “Your way is good,”
and then stand aside to see what happens to you.
10 Do not consult the one who regards you with suspicion;
hide your intentions from those who are jealous of you.
11 Do not consult with a woman about her rival
or with a coward about war,
with a merchant about business
or with a buyer about selling,
with a miser about generosity[c]
or with the merciless about kindness,
with an idler about any work
or with a seasonal laborer about completing his work,
with a lazy servant about a big task—
pay no attention to any advice they give.
12 But associate with a godly person
whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments,
who is like-minded with yourself,
and who will grieve with you if you fail.
13 And heed[d] the counsel of your own heart,
for no one is more faithful to you than it is.
14 For our own mind sometimes keeps us better informed
than seven sentinels sitting high on a watchtower.
15 But above all pray to the Most High
that he may direct your way in truth.
True and False Wisdom
16 Discussion is the beginning of every work,
and counsel precedes every undertaking.
17 The mind is the root of all conduct;
18 it sprouts four branches,[e]
good and evil, life and death;
and it is the tongue that continually rules them.
19 Some people may be clever enough to teach many,
and yet be useless to themselves.
20 A skillful speaker may be hated;
he will be destitute of all food,
21 for the Lord has withheld the gift of charm,
since he is lacking in all wisdom.
22 If a person is wise to his own advantage,
the fruits of his good sense will be praiseworthy.[f]
23 A wise person instructs his own people,
and the fruits of his good sense will endure.
24 A wise person will have praise heaped upon him,
and all who see him will call him happy.
25 The days of a person’s life are numbered,
but the days of Israel are without number.
26 One who is wise among his people will inherit honor,[g]
and his name will live forever.
Concerning Moderation
27 My child, test yourself while you live;
see what is bad for you and do not give in to it.
28 For not everything is good for everyone,
and no one enjoys everything.
29 Do not be greedy for every delicacy,
and do not eat without restraint;
30 for overeating brings sickness,
and gluttony leads to nausea.
31 Many have died of gluttony,
but the one who guards against it prolongs his life.
Footnotes:
Sirach 37:6 Heb: Gk in your heart
Sirach 37:6 Heb: Gk him in your wealth
Sirach 37:11 Heb: Gk gratitude
Sirach 37:13 Heb: Gk establish
Sirach 37:18 Heb: Gk As a clue to changes of heart four kinds of
destiny appear
Sirach 37:22 Other ancient witnesses read trustworthy
Sirach 37:26 Other ancient authorities read confidence
#Post#: 13452--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:32 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Sirach 38 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Concerning Physicians and Health
38 Honor physicians for their services,
for the Lord created them;
2 for their gift of healing comes from the Most High,
and they are rewarded by the king.
3 The skill of physicians makes them distinguished,
and in the presence of the great they are admired.
4 The Lord created medicines out of the earth,
and the sensible will not despise them.
5 Was not water made sweet with a tree
in order that its[a] power might be known?
6 And he gave skill to human beings
that he[b] might be glorified in his marvelous works.
7 By them the physician[c] heals and takes away pain;
8 the pharmacist makes a mixture from them.
God’s[d] works will never be finished;
and from him health[e] spreads over all the earth.
9 My child, when you are ill, do not delay,
but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
10 Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly,
and cleanse your heart from all sin.
11 Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of
choice flour,
and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.[f]
12 Then give the physician his place, for the Lord created him;
do not let him leave you, for you need him.
13 There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of
physicians,[g]
14 for they too pray to the Lord
that he grant them success in diagnosis[h]
and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.
15 He who sins against his Maker,
will be defiant toward the physician.[i]
On Mourning for the Dead
16 My child, let your tears fall for the dead,
and as one in great pain begin the lament.
Lay out the body with due ceremony,
and do not neglect the burial.
17 Let your weeping be bitter and your wailing fervent;
make your mourning worthy of the departed,
for one day, or two, to avoid criticism;
then be comforted for your grief.
18 For grief may result in death,
and a sorrowful heart saps one’s strength.
19 When a person is taken away, sorrow is over;
but the life of the poor weighs down the heart.
20 Do not give your heart to grief;
drive it away, and remember your own end.
21 Do not forget, there is no coming back;
you do the dead[j] no good, and you injure yourself.
22 Remember his[k] fate, for yours is like it;
yesterday it was his,[l] and today it is yours.
23 When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest too,
and be comforted for him when his spirit has departed.
Trades and Crafts
24 The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of
leisure;
only the one who has little business can become wise.
25 How can one become wise who handles the plow,
and who glories in the shaft of a goad,
who drives oxen and is occupied with their work,
and whose talk is about bulls?
26 He sets his heart on plowing furrows,
and he is careful about fodder for the heifers.
27 So it is with every artisan and master artisan
who labors by night as well as by day;
those who cut the signets of seals,
each is diligent in making a great variety;
they set their heart on painting a lifelike image,
and they are careful to finish their work.
28 So it is with the smith, sitting by the anvil,
intent on his iron-work;
the breath of the fire melts his flesh,
and he struggles with the heat of the furnace;
the sound of the hammer deafens his ears,[m]
and his eyes are on the pattern of the object.
He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork,
and he is careful to complete its decoration.
29 So it is with the potter sitting at his work
and turning the wheel with his feet;
he is always deeply concerned over his products,
and he produces them in quantity.
30 He molds the clay with his arm
and makes it pliable with his feet;
he sets his heart to finish the glazing,
and he takes care in firing[n] the kiln.
31 All these rely on their hands,
and all are skillful in their own work.
32 Without them no city can be inhabited,
and wherever they live, they will not go hungry.[o]
Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people,[p]
33 nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly.
They do not sit in the judge’s seat,
nor do they understand the decisions of the courts;
they cannot expound discipline or judgment,
and they are not found among the rulers.[q]
34 But they maintain the fabric of the world,
and their concern is for[r] the exercise of their trade.
The Activity of the Scribe
How different the one who devotes himself
to the study of the law of the Most High!
Footnotes:
Sirach 38:5 Or his
Sirach 38:6 Or they
Sirach 38:7 Heb: Gk he
Sirach 38:8 Gk His
Sirach 38:8 Or peace
Sirach 38:11 Heb: Lat lacks as much as you can afford; Meaning
of Gk uncertain
Sirach 38:13 Gk in their hands
Sirach 38:14 Heb: Gk rest
Sirach 38:15 Heb: Gk may he fall into the hands of the physician
Sirach 38:21 Gk him
Sirach 38:22 Heb: Gk my
Sirach 38:22 Heb: Gk mine
Sirach 38:28 Cn: Gk renews his ear
Sirach 38:30 Cn: Gk cleaning
Sirach 38:32 Syr: Gk and people can neither live nor walk there
Sirach 38:32 Most ancient authorities lack this line
Sirach 38:33 Cn: Gk among parables
Sirach 38:34 Syr: Gk prayer is in
#Post#: 13453--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:33 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Sirach 39 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
39 He seeks out the wisdom of all the ancients,
and is concerned with prophecies;
2 he preserves the sayings of the famous
and penetrates the subtleties of parables;
3 he seeks out the hidden meanings of proverbs
and is at home with the obscurities of parables.
4 He serves among the great
and appears before rulers;
he travels in foreign lands
and learns what is good and evil in the human lot.
5 He sets his heart to rise early
to seek the Lord who made him,
and to petition the Most High;
he opens his mouth in prayer
and asks pardon for his sins.
6 If the great Lord is willing,
he will be filled with the spirit of understanding;
he will pour forth words of wisdom of his own
and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.
7 The Lord[a] will direct his counsel and knowledge,
as he meditates on his mysteries.
8 He will show the wisdom of what he has learned,
and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.
9 Many will praise his understanding;
it will never be blotted out.
His memory will not disappear,
and his name will live through all generations.
10 Nations will speak of his wisdom,
and the congregation will proclaim his praise.
11 If he lives long, he will leave a name greater than a
thousand,
and if he goes to rest, it is enough[b] for him.
A Hymn of Praise to God
12 I have more on my mind to express;
I am full like the full moon.
13 Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom
like a rose growing by a stream of water.
14 Send out fragrance like incense,
and put forth blossoms like a lily.
Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise;
bless the Lord for all his works.
15 Ascribe majesty to his name
and give thanks to him with praise,
with songs on your lips, and with harps;
this is what you shall say in thanksgiving:
16 “All the works of the Lord are very good,
and whatever he commands will be done at the appointed time.
17 No one can say, ‘What is this?’ or ‘Why is that?’—
for at the appointed time all such questions will be
answered.
At his word the waters stood in a heap,
and the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.
18 When he commands, his every purpose is fulfilled,
and none can limit his saving power.
19 The works of all are before him,
and nothing can be hidden from his eyes.
20 From the beginning to the end of time he can see everything,
and nothing is too marvelous for him.
21 No one can say, ‘What is this?’ or ‘Why is that?’—
for everything has been created for its own purpose.
22 “His blessing covers the dry land like a river,
and drenches it like a flood.
23 But his wrath drives out the nations,
as when he turned a watered land into salt.
24 To the faithful his ways are straight,
but full of pitfalls for the wicked.
25 From the beginning good things were created for the good,
but for sinners good things and bad.[c]
26 The basic necessities of human life
are water and fire and iron and salt
and wheat flour and milk and honey,
the blood of the grape and oil and clothing.
27 All these are good for the godly,
but for sinners they turn into evils.
28 “There are winds created for vengeance,
and in their anger they can dislodge mountains;[d]
on the day of reckoning they will pour out their strength
and calm the anger of their Maker.
29 Fire and hail and famine and pestilence,
all these have been created for vengeance;
30 the fangs of wild animals and scorpions and vipers,
and the sword that punishes the ungodly with destruction.
31 They take delight in doing his bidding,
always ready for his service on earth;
and when their time comes they never disobey his command.”
32 So from the beginning I have been convinced of all this
and have thought it out and left it in writing:
33 All the works of the Lord are good,
and he will supply every need in its time.
34 No one can say, “This is not as good as that,”
for everything proves good in its appointed time.
35 So now sing praise with all your heart and voice,
and bless the name of the Lord.
Footnotes:
Sirach 39:7 Gk He himself
Sirach 39:11 Cn: Meaning of Gk uncertain
Sirach 39:25 Heb Lat: Gk sinners bad things
Sirach 39:28 Heb Syr: Gk can scourge mightily
#Post#: 13454--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOOK OF WISDOM - THE BOOK OF SIRACH
By: patrick jane Date: May 25, 2020, 6:34 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Sirach 40 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Human Wretchedness
40 Hard work was created for everyone,
and a heavy yoke is laid on the children of Adam,
from the day they come forth from their mother’s womb
until the day they return to[a] the mother of all the
living.[b]
2 Perplexities and fear of heart are theirs,
and anxious thought of the day of their death.
3 From the one who sits on a splendid throne
to the one who grovels in dust and ashes,
4 from the one who wears purple and a crown
to the one who is clothed in burlap,
5 there is anger and envy and trouble and unrest,
and fear of death, and fury and strife.
And when one rests upon his bed,
his sleep at night confuses his mind.
6 He gets little or no rest;
he struggles in his sleep as he did by day.[c]
He is troubled by the visions of his mind
like one who has escaped from the battlefield.
7 At the moment he reaches safety he wakes up,
astonished that his fears were groundless.
8 To all creatures, human and animal,
but to sinners seven times more,
9 come death and bloodshed and strife and sword,
calamities and famine and ruin and plague.
10 All these were created for the wicked,
and on their account the flood came.
11 All that is of earth returns to earth,
and what is from above returns above.[d]
Injustice Will Not Prosper
12 All bribery and injustice will be blotted out,
but good faith will last forever.
13 The wealth of the unjust will dry up like a river,
and crash like a loud clap of thunder in a storm.
14 As a generous person has cause to rejoice,
so lawbreakers will utterly fail.
15 The children of the ungodly put out few branches;
they are unhealthy roots on sheer rock.
16 The reeds by any water or river bank
are plucked up before any grass;
17 but kindness is like a garden of blessings,
and almsgiving endures forever.
The Joys of Life
18 Wealth and wages make life sweet,[e]
but better than either is finding a treasure.
19 Children and the building of a city establish one’s name,
but better than either is the one who finds wisdom.
Cattle and orchards make one prosperous;[f]
but a blameless wife is accounted better than either.
20 Wine and music gladden the heart,
but the love of friends[g] is better than either.
21 The flute and the harp make sweet melody,
but a pleasant voice is better than either.
22 The eye desires grace and beauty,
but the green shoots of grain more than either.
23 A friend or companion is always welcome,
but a sensible wife[h] is better than either.
24 Kindred and helpers are for a time of trouble,
but almsgiving rescues better than either.
25 Gold and silver make one stand firm,
but good counsel is esteemed more than either.
26 Riches and strength build up confidence,
but the fear of the Lord is better than either.
There is no want in the fear of the Lord,
and with it there is no need to seek for help.
27 The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing,
and covers a person better than any glory.
The Disgrace of Begging
28 My child, do not lead the life of a beggar;
it is better to die than to beg.
29 When one looks to the table of another,
one’s way of life cannot be considered a life.
One loses self-respect with another person’s food,
but one who is intelligent and well instructed guards
against that.
30 In the mouth of the shameless begging is sweet,
but it kindles a fire inside him.
Footnotes:
Sirach 40:1 Other Gk and Lat authorities read are buried in
Sirach 40:1 Heb: Gk of all
Sirach 40:6 Arm: Meaning of Gk uncertain
Sirach 40:11 Heb Syr: Gk Lat from the waters returns to the sea
Sirach 40:18 Heb: Gk Life is sweet for the self-reliant worker
Sirach 40:19 Heb Syr: Gk lacks but better . . . prosperous
Sirach 40:20 Heb: Gk wisdom
Sirach 40:23 Heb Compare Syr: Gk wife with her husband
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