Sirach 34

The hopes of a man void of understanding are vain and false:

And dreams lift up fools.

²Whoso regardeth dreams

Is like him that catcheth at a shadow,

And followeth after the wind.

³The vision of dreams is the resemblance of one thing to another,

Even as ^athe likeness of a face to a face.

^4bOf an unclean thing what can be cleansed?

And from that thing which is false what truth can come?

⁵Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain:

And the heart fancieth, as a woman’s heart in travail.

^6cIf they be not sent from the most High in thy ^dvisitation,

Set not thy heart upon them.

⁷For dreams have deceived many,

And they have failed that put their trust in them.

⁸The law shall be found perfect ^ewithout lies:

And wisdom is perfection to a faithful mouth.

⁹A man that hath travelled knoweth many things;

And ^fhe that hath much experience will declare wisdom.

¹⁰He that hath no experience knoweth little:

But he that hath travelled is full of ^gprudence.

¹¹When I travelled, I saw many things;

And I understand more than I can express.

¹²I was ofttimes in danger of death:

Yet I was delivered because of ^hthese things.

¹³The spirit of those that fear the Lord shall live;

For their hope is in him that saveth them.

¹⁴Whoso feareth the Lord shall not fear

Nor be afraid; for ⁱhe is his hope.

¹⁵Blessed is the soul of him that feareth the Lord:

To whom doth he ^jlook?

And who is his strength?

¹⁶For ^kthe eyes of the Lord are upon them that love him,

He is their ^lmighty protection and strong stay,

^mA defence from heat, and a cover from the sun at noon,

A preservation from stumbling, and a help from falling.

¹⁷He raiseth up the soul, and lighteneth the eyes:

He giveth health, life, and blessing.

¹⁸He that sacrificeth of a thing ⁿwrongfully gotten, his offering is ridiculous;

And the gifts of unjust men are not accepted.

^19oThe most High is not pleased with the offerings of the wicked;

^pNeither is he pacified for sin by the multitude of sacrifices.

^20qWhoso bringeth an offering of the goods of the poor

Doeth as one that killeth the son before his father’s eyes.

²¹The bread of the needy is their life:

He that defraudeth him thereof is a man of blood.

²²He that taketh away his neighbour’s living slayeth him;

And ^rhe that defraudeth the labourer of his hire is a bloodshedder.

²³When one buildeth, and another pulleth down,

What profit have they then but labour?

²⁴When one prayeth, and another curseth,

Whose voice will the ^sLord hear?

^25tHe that washeth himself after the touching of a dead body, if he touch it again,

What availeth his washing?

²⁶So is it with a man ^uthat fasteth for his sins,

And ^xgoeth again, and doeth the same:

Who will hear his prayer?

Or what doth his humbling profit him?

XXXV.