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Day 216 of 365

about 15 minutes

Sirach 22-25

Sirach Chapter 22

¹A slothful man is compared to a stone that is defiled. Everyone will hiss at him in his disgrace. ²A slothful man is compared to the filth of a dunghill. Anyone who picks it up will shake it out of his hand. ³An undisciplined child is a disgrace to his father, and a foolish daughter is born to his loss. ⁴A prudent daughter will inherit a husband of her own. She who brings shame is the grief of her father. ⁵She who is arrogant brings shame on father and husband. She will be despised by both of them. ⁶Ill-timed conversation is like music in mourning, but stripes and correction are wisdom in every season. ⁷He who teaches a fool is like one who glues potsherds together, even like one who wakes a sleeper out of a deep sleep. ⁸He who teaches a fool is as one who teaches a man who slumbers. In the end he will say, “What is it?” ¹¹Weep for the dead, for he lacks light. Weep for a fool, for he lacks understanding. Weep more sweetly for the dead, because he has found rest, but the life of the fool is worse than death. ¹²Mourning for the dead lasts seven days, but for a fool and an ungodly man, it lasts all the days of his life. ¹³Don’t talk much with a foolish man, and don’t go to one who has no understanding. Beware of him, lest you have trouble and be defiled in his onslaught. Turn away from him, and you will find rest, and you won’t be wearied in his madness. ¹⁴What would be heavier than lead? What is its name, but “Fool”? ¹⁵Sand, salt, and a mass of iron is easier to bear than a man without understanding. ¹⁶Timber girded and bound into a building will not be released with shaking. So a heart established in due season on well advised counsel will not be afraid. ¹⁷A heart settled upon a thoughtful understanding is as an ornament of plaster on a polished wall. ¹⁸Fences set on a high place will not stand against the wind; so a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool will not stand against any fear. ¹⁹He who pricks the eye will make tears fall. He who pricks the heart makes it show feeling. ²⁰Whoever casts a stone at birds scares them away. He who insults a friend will dissolve friendship. ²¹If you have drawn a sword against a friend, don’t despair, for there may be a way back. ²²If you have opened your mouth against a friend, don’t be afraid, for there may be reconciliation, unless it is for insulting, arrogance, disclosing of a secret, or a treacherous blow— for these things any friend will flee. ²³Gain trust with your neighbor in his poverty, that in his prosperity you may have gladness. Stay steadfast to him in the time of his affliction, that you may be heir with him in his inheritance. ²⁴Before fire is the vapor and smoke of a furnace, so insults precede bloodshed. ²⁵I won’t be ashamed to shelter a friend. I won’t hide myself from his face. ²⁶If any evil happens to me because of him, everyone who hears it will beware of him. ²⁷Who will set a watch over my mouth, and a seal of shrewdness upon my lips, that I may not fall from it, and that my tongue may not destroy me?

1: A slothful man is compared to a stone that is defiled. Everyone will hiss at him in his disgrace.

2: A slothful man is compared to the filth of a dunghill. Anyone who picks it up will shake it out of his hand.

3: An undisciplined child is a disgrace to his father, and a foolish daughter is born to his loss.

4: A prudent daughter will inherit a husband of her own. She who brings shame is the grief of her father.

5: She who is arrogant brings shame on father and husband. She will be despised by both of them.

6: Ill-timed conversation is like music in mourning, but stripes and correction are wisdom in every season.

7: He who teaches a fool is like one who glues potsherds together, even like one who wakes a sleeper out of a deep sleep.

8: He who teaches a fool is as one who teaches a man who slumbers. In the end he will say, “What is it?”

11: Weep for the dead, for he lacks light. Weep for a fool, for he lacks understanding. Weep more sweetly for the dead, because he has found rest, but the life of the fool is worse than death.

12: Mourning for the dead lasts seven days, but for a fool and an ungodly man, it lasts all the days of his life.

13: Don’t talk much with a foolish man, and don’t go to one who has no understanding. Beware of him, lest you have trouble and be defiled in his onslaught. Turn away from him, and you will find rest, and you won’t be wearied in his madness.

14: What would be heavier than lead? What is its name, but “Fool”?

15: Sand, salt, and a mass of iron is easier to bear than a man without understanding.

16: Timber girded and bound into a building will not be released with shaking. So a heart established in due season on well advised counsel will not be afraid.

17: A heart settled upon a thoughtful understanding is as an ornament of plaster on a polished wall.

18: Fences set on a high place will not stand against the wind; so a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool will not stand against any fear.

19: He who pricks the eye will make tears fall. He who pricks the heart makes it show feeling.

20: Whoever casts a stone at birds scares them away. He who insults a friend will dissolve friendship.

21: If you have drawn a sword against a friend, don’t despair, for there may be a way back.

22: If you have opened your mouth against a friend, don’t be afraid, for there may be reconciliation, unless it is for insulting, arrogance, disclosing of a secret, or a treacherous blow— for these things any friend will flee.

23: Gain trust with your neighbor in his poverty, that in his prosperity you may have gladness. Stay steadfast to him in the time of his affliction, that you may be heir with him in his inheritance.

24: Before fire is the vapor and smoke of a furnace, so insults precede bloodshed.

25: I won’t be ashamed to shelter a friend. I won’t hide myself from his face.

26: If any evil happens to me because of him, everyone who hears it will beware of him.

27: Who will set a watch over my mouth, and a seal of shrewdness upon my lips, that I may not fall from it, and that my tongue may not destroy me?

Sirach Chapter 23

¹O Lord, Father and Master of my life, don’t abandon me to their counsel. Don’t let me fall because of them. ²Who will set scourges over my thought, and a discipline of wisdom over my heart, that they spare me not for my errors, and not overlook their sins? ³Otherwise my errors might be multiplied, and my sins abound, I fall before my adversaries, and my enemy rejoice over me. ⁴O Lord, Father and God of my life, don’t give me a haughty eyes, ⁵and turn away evil desire from me. ⁶Let neither gluttony nor lust overtake me. Don’t give me over to a shameless mind. ⁷Listen, my children, to the discipline of the mouth. He who keeps it will not be caught. ⁸The sinner will be overpowered through his lips. By them, the insulter and the arrogant will stumble. ⁹Don’t accustom your mouth to an oath, and don’t be accustomed to naming the Holy One, ¹⁰for as a servant who is continually scourged will not lack bruises, so he also who swears and continually utters the Name will not be cleansed from sin. ¹¹A man of many oaths will be filled with iniquity. The scourge will not depart from his house. If he offends, his sin will be upon him. If he disregards it, he has sinned doubly. If he has sworn falsely, he will not be justified, for his house will be filled with calamities. ¹²There is a manner of speech that is clothed with death. Let it not be found in the heritage of Jacob, for all these things will be far from the godly, and they will not wallow in sins. ¹³Don’t accustom your mouth to gross rudeness, for it involves sinful speech. ¹⁴Remember your father and your mother, for you sit in the midst of great men, that you be not forgetful before them, and become a fool by your bad habit; so you may wish that you had not been born, and curse the day of your birth. ¹⁵A man who is accustomed to abusive language won’t be corrected all the days of his life. ¹⁶Two sorts of people multiply sins, and the third will bring wrath: a hot passion, like a burning fire, will not be quenched until it is consumed; a fornicator in the body of his flesh will never cease until he has burned out the fire. ¹⁷All bread is sweet to a fornicator. He will not cease until he dies. ¹⁸A man who goes astray from his own marriage bed says in his heart, “Who sees me? Darkness is around me, and the walls hide me. No one sees me. Of whom am I afraid? The Most High will not remember my sins.” ¹⁹The eyes of men are his terror. He doesn’t know that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, seeing all the ways of men, and looking into secret places. ²⁰All things were known to him before they were created, and also after they were completed. ²¹This man will be punished in the streets of the city. He will be seized where he least expects it. ²²So also is a wife who leaves her husband, and produces an heir by another man. ²³For first, she was disobedient in the law of the Most High. Second, she trespassed against her own husband. Third, she played the adulteress in fornication, and had children by another man. ²⁴She shall be brought out into the congregation. Her punishment will extend to her children. ²⁵Her children will not take root. Her branches will bear no fruit. ²⁶She will leave her memory for a curse. Her reproach won’t be blotted out. ²⁷And those who are left behind will know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord, and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.

1: O Lord, Father and Master of my life, don’t abandon me to their counsel. Don’t let me fall because of them.

2: Who will set scourges over my thought, and a discipline of wisdom over my heart, that they spare me not for my errors, and not overlook their sins?

3: Otherwise my errors might be multiplied, and my sins abound, I fall before my adversaries, and my enemy rejoice over me.

4: O Lord, Father and God of my life, don’t give me a haughty eyes,

5: and turn away evil desire from me.

6: Let neither gluttony nor lust overtake me. Don’t give me over to a shameless mind.

7: Listen, my children, to the discipline of the mouth. He who keeps it will not be caught.

8: The sinner will be overpowered through his lips. By them, the insulter and the arrogant will stumble.

9: Don’t accustom your mouth to an oath, and don’t be accustomed to naming the Holy One,

10: for as a servant who is continually scourged will not lack bruises, so he also who swears and continually utters the Name will not be cleansed from sin.

11: A man of many oaths will be filled with iniquity. The scourge will not depart from his house. If he offends, his sin will be upon him. If he disregards it, he has sinned doubly. If he has sworn falsely, he will not be justified, for his house will be filled with calamities.

12: There is a manner of speech that is clothed with death. Let it not be found in the heritage of Jacob, for all these things will be far from the godly, and they will not wallow in sins.

13: Don’t accustom your mouth to gross rudeness, for it involves sinful speech.

14: Remember your father and your mother, for you sit in the midst of great men, that you be not forgetful before them, and become a fool by your bad habit; so you may wish that you had not been born, and curse the day of your birth.

15: A man who is accustomed to abusive language won’t be corrected all the days of his life.

16: Two sorts of people multiply sins, and the third will bring wrath: a hot passion, like a burning fire, will not be quenched until it is consumed; a fornicator in the body of his flesh will never cease until he has burned out the fire.

17: All bread is sweet to a fornicator. He will not cease until he dies.

18: A man who goes astray from his own marriage bed says in his heart, “Who sees me? Darkness is around me, and the walls hide me. No one sees me. Of whom am I afraid? The Most High will not remember my sins.”

19: The eyes of men are his terror. He doesn’t know that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, seeing all the ways of men, and looking into secret places.

20: All things were known to him before they were created, and also after they were completed.

21: This man will be punished in the streets of the city. He will be seized where he least expects it.

22: So also is a wife who leaves her husband, and produces an heir by another man.

23: For first, she was disobedient in the law of the Most High. Second, she trespassed against her own husband. Third, she played the adulteress in fornication, and had children by another man.

24: She shall be brought out into the congregation. Her punishment will extend to her children.

25: Her children will not take root. Her branches will bear no fruit.

26: She will leave her memory for a curse. Her reproach won’t be blotted out.

27: And those who are left behind will know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord, and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.

Sirach Chapter 24

¹Wisdom will praise her own soul, and will proclaim her glory in the midst of her people. ²She will open her mouth in the congregation of the Most High, and proclaim her glory in the presence of his power. ³“I came out of the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth as a mist. ⁴I lived in high places, and my throne is in the pillar of the cloud. ⁵Alone I surrounded the circuit of heaven, and walked in the depth of the abyss. ⁶In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I obtained a possession. ⁷With all these I sought rest. In whose inheritance shall I lodge? ⁸Then the Creator of all things gave me a command. He who created me made my tent to rest, and said, ‘Let your dwelling be in Jacob, and your inheritance in Israel.’ ⁹He created me from the beginning, before the ages. For all ages, I will not cease to exist. ¹⁰In the holy tabernacle, I ministered before him. So I was established in Zion. ¹¹In the beloved city, likewise he gave me rest. In Jerusalem was my domain. ¹²I took root in a people that was honored, even in the portion of the Lord’s own inheritance. ¹³I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon, And like a cypress tree on the mountains of Hermon. ¹⁴I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore, like rose bushes in Jericho, and like a fair olive tree in the plain. I was exalted like a plane tree. ¹⁵Like cinnamon and aspalathus, I have given a scent to perfumes. Like choice myrrh, I spread abroad a pleasant fragrance, like galbanum, onycha, stacte, and as the smell of frankincense in the tabernacle. ¹⁶Like the terebinth, I stretched out my branches. My branches are glorious and graceful. ¹⁷Like the vine, I put forth grace. My flowers are the fruit of glory and riches. ¹⁹“Come to me, all you who desire me, and be filled with my fruits. ²⁰For my memory is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance than the honeycomb. ²¹Those who eat me will be hungry for more. Those who drink me will be thirsty for more. ²²He who obeys me will not be ashamed. Those who work with me will not sin.” ²³All these things are the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law which Moses commanded us for an inheritance for the assemblies of Jacob. ²⁵It is he who makes wisdom abundant, as Pishon, and as Tigris in the days of first fruits. ²⁶He makes understanding full as the Euphrates, and as the Jordan in the days of harvest, ²⁷who makes instruction shine forth as the light, as Gihon in the days of vintage. ²⁸The first man didn’t know her perfectly. In like manner, the last has not explored her. ²⁹For her thoughts are filled from the sea, and her counsels from the great deep. ³⁰I came out as a canal stream from a river, and as an irrigation ditch into a garden. ³¹I said, “I will water my garden, and will drench my garden bed.” Behold, my stream became a river, and my river became a sea. ³²I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning, and will make these things clear from far away. ³³I will continue to pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave it to all generations. ³⁴See that I have not labored for myself only, but for all those who diligently seek wisdom.

1: Wisdom will praise her own soul, and will proclaim her glory in the midst of her people.

2: She will open her mouth in the congregation of the Most High, and proclaim her glory in the presence of his power.

3: “I came out of the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth as a mist.

4: I lived in high places, and my throne is in the pillar of the cloud.

5: Alone I surrounded the circuit of heaven, and walked in the depth of the abyss.

6: In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I obtained a possession.

7: With all these I sought rest. In whose inheritance shall I lodge?

8: Then the Creator of all things gave me a command. He who created me made my tent to rest, and said, ‘Let your dwelling be in Jacob, and your inheritance in Israel.’

9: He created me from the beginning, before the ages. For all ages, I will not cease to exist.

10: In the holy tabernacle, I ministered before him. So I was established in Zion.

11: In the beloved city, likewise he gave me rest. In Jerusalem was my domain.

12: I took root in a people that was honored, even in the portion of the Lord’s own inheritance.

13: I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon, And like a cypress tree on the mountains of Hermon.

14: I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore, like rose bushes in Jericho, and like a fair olive tree in the plain. I was exalted like a plane tree.

15: Like cinnamon and aspalathus, I have given a scent to perfumes. Like choice myrrh, I spread abroad a pleasant fragrance, like galbanum, onycha, stacte, and as the smell of frankincense in the tabernacle.

16: Like the terebinth, I stretched out my branches. My branches are glorious and graceful.

17: Like the vine, I put forth grace. My flowers are the fruit of glory and riches.

19: “Come to me, all you who desire me, and be filled with my fruits.

20: For my memory is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance than the honeycomb.

21: Those who eat me will be hungry for more. Those who drink me will be thirsty for more.

22: He who obeys me will not be ashamed. Those who work with me will not sin.”

23: All these things are the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law which Moses commanded us for an inheritance for the assemblies of Jacob.

25: It is he who makes wisdom abundant, as Pishon, and as Tigris in the days of first fruits.

26: He makes understanding full as the Euphrates, and as the Jordan in the days of harvest,

27: who makes instruction shine forth as the light, as Gihon in the days of vintage.

28: The first man didn’t know her perfectly. In like manner, the last has not explored her.

29: For her thoughts are filled from the sea, and her counsels from the great deep.

30: I came out as a canal stream from a river, and as an irrigation ditch into a garden.

31: I said, “I will water my garden, and will drench my garden bed.” Behold, my stream became a river, and my river became a sea.

32: I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning, and will make these things clear from far away.

33: I will continue to pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave it to all generations.

34: See that I have not labored for myself only, but for all those who diligently seek wisdom.

Sirach Chapter 25

¹I enjoy three things, and they are beautiful before the Lord and men: the agreement of kindred, the friendship of neighbors, and a woman and her husband who walk together in agreement. ²But my soul hates three sorts of people, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man who is arrogant, a rich man who is a liar, and an old fool who is an adulterer. ³If you gathered nothing in your youth, how could you find anything in your old age? ⁴How beautiful a thing is judgment in the gray-haired, and for elders to know good counsel! ⁵How beautiful is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men who are in honor! ⁶Much experience is the crown of the aged. Their glory is the fear of the Lord. ⁷There are nine things that I have thought of, and in my heart counted happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: a man who has joy with his children, and a man who lives and sees the fall of his enemies. ⁸Happy is he who dwells with a wife of understanding, he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served a man who is unworthy of him. ⁹Happy is he who has found prudence, and he who speaks in the ears of those who listen. ¹⁰How great is he who has found wisdom! Yet there is none greater than one who fears the Lord. ¹¹The fear of the Lord surpasses all things. To whom shall he who holds it be likened? ¹³Any wound but a wound of the heart! Any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman! ¹⁴Any calamity but a calamity from those who hate me! Any vengeance but the vengeance of enemies! ¹⁵There is no venom worse than a snake’s venom. There is no wrath worse than an enemy’s wrath. ¹⁶I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon than keep house with a wicked woman. ¹⁷The wickedness of a woman changes her appearance, and darkens her countenance like that of a bear. ¹⁸Her husband will sit among his neighbors, and when he hears it, he sighs bitterly. ¹⁹All malice is small compared to the malice of a woman. Let the portion of a sinner fall on her. ²⁰As walking up a sandy hill is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man. ²¹Don’t be ensnared by a woman’s beauty. Don’t desire a woman for her beauty. ²²There is anger, impudence, and great reproach if a woman supports her husband. ²³A wicked woman is abasement of heart, sadness of countenance, and a wounded heart. A woman who won’t make her husband happy is like hands that hang down, and weak knees. ²⁴The beginning of sin came from a woman. Because of her, we all die. ²⁵Don’t give water an outlet, and don’t give a wicked woman freedom of speech. ²⁶If she doesn’t go as you direct, cut her away from your flesh.

1: I enjoy three things, and they are beautiful before the Lord and men: the agreement of kindred, the friendship of neighbors, and a woman and her husband who walk together in agreement.

2: But my soul hates three sorts of people, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man who is arrogant, a rich man who is a liar, and an old fool who is an adulterer.

3: If you gathered nothing in your youth, how could you find anything in your old age?

4: How beautiful a thing is judgment in the gray-haired, and for elders to know good counsel!

5: How beautiful is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men who are in honor!

6: Much experience is the crown of the aged. Their glory is the fear of the Lord.

7: There are nine things that I have thought of, and in my heart counted happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: a man who has joy with his children, and a man who lives and sees the fall of his enemies.

8: Happy is he who dwells with a wife of understanding, he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served a man who is unworthy of him.

9: Happy is he who has found prudence, and he who speaks in the ears of those who listen.

10: How great is he who has found wisdom! Yet there is none greater than one who fears the Lord.

11: The fear of the Lord surpasses all things. To whom shall he who holds it be likened?

13: Any wound but a wound of the heart! Any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman!

14: Any calamity but a calamity from those who hate me! Any vengeance but the vengeance of enemies!

15: There is no venom worse than a snake’s venom. There is no wrath worse than an enemy’s wrath.

16: I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon than keep house with a wicked woman.

17: The wickedness of a woman changes her appearance, and darkens her countenance like that of a bear.

18: Her husband will sit among his neighbors, and when he hears it, he sighs bitterly.

19: All malice is small compared to the malice of a woman. Let the portion of a sinner fall on her.

20: As walking up a sandy hill is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.

21: Don’t be ensnared by a woman’s beauty. Don’t desire a woman for her beauty.

22: There is anger, impudence, and great reproach if a woman supports her husband.

23: A wicked woman is abasement of heart, sadness of countenance, and a wounded heart. A woman who won’t make her husband happy is like hands that hang down, and weak knees.

24: The beginning of sin came from a woman. Because of her, we all die.

25: Don’t give water an outlet, and don’t give a wicked woman freedom of speech.

26: If she doesn’t go as you direct, cut her away from your flesh.

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Scripture text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (WEBC) — public domain

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