Sirach 13:24–29:28

24 Wealth is good if it be without sin,

And evil is poverty awhich is due to presumptiona.

25 The heartb of a man changeth his countenance,

Whether for good or for evilc.

HA 26 The outcomed of a happy heart is a cheerful countenance,

But solitude and meditation occasion toilsome thoughts.

14 1 Blessed is the man whose mouth doth not grieve him,

eAnd (who) doth not mourn for the sorrow of his hearte.

2 Blessed is the man whose soul doth not reproachf him,

And whose hopeg hath not ceased.

(k) 14:3–19. On the proper use of wealth

(= 2 + 3 + 3[ + 1] + 2 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 1 distichs).

3 To him that is small of heart wealth is unfittingh,

And whereforei should the evil-eyed have goldk?

4 He that withholdeth from himself gathereth for another,

And a stranger shall satiate himself with his goods.

5 He that harmeth his own soul, to whom will he do good?

Forl mhe hath no delightm in his own goods.

HA 6 None is worse than him that is evil to his own soul,

And the recompense of his evil is nin himselfn.

G 7 oAnd even if he doeth good, phe doeth it in forgetfulnessp,

And at the last qhe showeth forthq his wickednesso.

8 rEvil is he that envieths with his eye,

Turning away his face and despising mentr.

HA 9 In the eye of the covetousu (too) small is his portion,

But he that taketh his neighbour’s portion vdestroyeth his own portionv.

10 wThe eye of the enviousw hastethx after bread,

And naught is on his table.

y[A good eye causeth bread to increase,

And ‘A dry fountain sendeth forth water’ upon (his) table.]y

Erubin 54a11 zMy son, aif thou possessest aught, do well to thyselfa,

bAnd prosper to the best of thy powerb.

GA 12 cRemember that death tarrieth not,

Nor hath the decree of Sheol been told theec.

13 Before thou diest do good to him that loveth (thee),

And das thou hast prosperedd, give to him.

HA 14 eRefrain not from the joy of the presente,

G fAnd let not the portion of a good desire pass thee byf.

HA 15 Wilt thou not leave thy wealth to another,

And thy labour to them that cast the lot?

16 Give and take; yea, indulge thy soul,

Erubin 54a gFor in Sheol there is no delightg.

17 All flesh witherethh like a garment,

HA And the eternal decree is: ‘Thou shalt surely die!’

18 As the leaf that groweth on a luxuriant tree,

One fadeth, and another sprouteth;

iSo (are) the generations of flesh and blood,

One dieth, and another flourishethji;

19 All his works will surely decay,

And the labour of his hands followeth after him.

(a) 14:20–27. The Blessedness of him who seeks Wisdom

(= 4 + 4 distichs).

20 Blessed (is) the man that meditatethk onl Wisdomll,

And that giveth heedm to understanding,

21 That directethn his heart upon her ways,

And giveth heed unto her pathso;

HA 22 Going forth after her like a spy,

He looketh stealthily uponp her enterings-inq.

23 [Blessed is he] that peereth into her window,

And hearkeneth at her doors;

24 Who encampeth round about her house,

And fixeth his pegs into her wall;

25 rWho pitcheths his tent tclose beside hertr,

And dwelleth in a goodly dwelling;

26 And buildethu his nestv in her foliage,

And lodgeth among her branches;

27 Seeking refuge from the heat in her shade,

He dwelleth within her habitations.

(b) 15:1–10. How Wisdom is to be attained

(= 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 distichs).

15 1 Fora he that feareth the Lord doeth this,

And he that taketh hold of the Law findeth her.

2 And she will meet him as a mother,

And as a youthful wife will she receive him;

3 And she will feed him with the bread of understanding,

And will give him the waters of knowledgeb to drink.

HA 4 And he that stayeth upon her will not fall,

Nor shall he that trusteth in her be ashamed;

5 And she will exalt him above his neighbour,

And will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly.

6 Joy and gladness shall he find,

And she will make him inherit an everlasting name.

7 cUngodly menc shall not obtain her,

And the arrogant shall not look upon her.

8 Far from the mockers is she,

And liars do not think of her.

9 Praised is not seemly in the mouth of the wicked,

For it hath not been apportioned eto hime by God.

10 In the mouth of the wise praise is uttered,

And fhe who is mightyf with her shall teach her.

(c) 15:11–20. On Free-will

(= 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 distichs).

11 Say not: ‘From God is my transgression,’

For that which He hateth made He not.

12 Say not: ‘(It is) He that made me to stumble,’

For there is no need of gevil meng.

13 Evil and abomination doth the Lord hate,

And ggHe doth not let it come nigh to themgg that fear Him.

HA 14 God created man from the beginning,

hAnd placedi him in the hand of his Yeṣer.

15 If thou (so) desirest, thou canst keep the commandment,

jAnd (it is) wisdomk to do His good pleasurej.

16 Poured out before thee (are) fire and water,

Stretch forth thine hand unto that which thou desirest.

17 Life and deathl (are) before man,

That which he desireth shall be given to him.

18 Sufficient is the wisdom of the Lord,

(He is) mighty in power, and seeth all things.

19 And the eyes of God behold his works,

And He knoweth every deed of man.

20 He commanded no man to sin,

Nor gave strength to men of liesm.

(d) 16:1–5. The Curse of sinful Children

(= 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 distichs).

16 1 aDesire not the sightb of unprofitable sons,

And delight not in corrupt children;

2 Yea, and if they care fruitfulc, exult not because of them

If they have no fear of the Lord.

3 Trust not thou in their life,

dNor rely on their eende d;

HA For better is onef than a thousandg,

And to die childless than h(to have)h a presumptuous posterity.

4 From one thathh feareth the Lord a city is peopled,

But through a race of treacherous men it is desolatedi.

5 Many things like these mine eye hath seen,

And mightier things than these mine ear hath heard.

(e) 16:6–14. God’s righteous wrath against the Wicked

(= 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2[ + 2] distichs).

6 In the assembly of the wicked a fire is kindled,

And in an apostate nation doth wrath burn.

7 He forgave not the princesk of old,

lWho revoltedm l in their might.

8 He spared not nthe place where Lot sojournedn,

Who were arrogant in their pride;

9 Nor did He spare the nation accursedo,

Dispossessed because of their sinp.

10 Thus (did it happen) to the six hundred thousand footmen,

Who were destroyed in the arrogancy of their heartq.

11 Yea, and if there be one who is stiff-necked,

A marvel it would be were he not punished.

For mercy and wrath are with Him,

He forgiveth and pardoneth, but rupon the wicked He causeth His wrath to restr.

12 As great as His mercy (is), so is His chastisements:

(Each) man doth He judge according to his works.

HA 13 The sinner shall not escape with his spoil,

And He will not suffer the desiret of the righteous to fail for ever.

14 Every one that doeth righteousness shall receive his reward,

And every man shall findu (his reward) before Him, according to his works.

15 [vThe Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh who knew Him not,

Whose works were manifest under the heavens;

16 His mercies are seen by all His creation,

And His light and His darknessw hath He apportioned unto the children of men.]v

(f) 16:17–23. Man’s insignificance in the sight of God

(= 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 distichs).

17 Say not: ‘I am hidden from God,

And in the height who will remember me?

I shall not be noticedx among so illustrious a people,

And what is my soul among the mass of the spirits yof all the children of meny?’

18 Behold the heavens and the heavens of the heavens,

And the deep, and the earthz;

19 aWhen He treadeth upon them they stand firm,

And when He visiteth them they tremblea.

bYea, the bottoms of the mountains, and the foundations of the world,

When Hec looketh upon them they tremble greatly.

HA 20 ‘In truth, unto me He will not have respect;

And as for my ways, who will mark them?cc

21 If I sin, no eye beholdeth it,

Or if I deal untruly in all secrecy, who will know it?

22 dMy righteous dealing, who declareth it?

And what hope (is there)? for the decree is distant *d e.’

23 They that lack understanding think these things,

And the man of folly thinketh this.

(a). 16:24–30. Wisdom as seen in Creation

(= 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 distichs).

24 Hearken ye unto me, and receive my wisdom,

And set your heart upon my words.

25 I will pour out my spiritf by weight,

And gby measureg will I declare my knowledge.

26 When God created His works from the beginning,

G hAfter making themh He assigned them (their) portionsi.

27 He set in order Hisk works for ever,

lAnd their authority unto their generationsl.

They hunger not, neither mare they weakm,

And they cease not from their worksn.

G 28 oNot one thrusteth aside his neighbouro,

They never disobey His word.

29 And after this the Lord looked upon the earth,

And pfilled it with His good thingsp.

30 With every living thing He filledq the earth;

rAnd into it is their returnr.

(b) 17:1–14. God’s gifts to man

(= 2 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 2 distichs).

17 1 Goda created manb out of dustc,

And turned him back thereunto.

2 He granted them da [fixed] number of daysd,

And gave them authority over alle things fon the earthf.

3 gHe clothed them with strength gglike unto Himselfgg g,

And made them according to His ownh image.

4 He put the fear of themi upon all flesh,

And kcaused them to have powerk over beasts and birdsl.

G S* 7a mWith insight and understanding He filled their heartm,

7b  And taughtm m them good and evil.

6a nHe created for themn tongue, and eyes, and ears,

6b  And He gaveo them a heart to understand,

G S 8b pTo show them the majesty of His works,

8c qAnd that they might glory in His wondrous actsq;

*9 That they might evermore declarer His glorious worksr,

10 And praises His holy name.

G 11 He set beforet them the covenanttt;

The law of life u He gave them for a heritageu.

12 He made an everlasting covenant with them,

And showeduu them His judgements.

13 Their eyes beheld xHisx glorious majesty,

yAnd their ear heard Hisz glorious voicez;

14 And He said unto them, aBeware of all unrighteousnessa;

And He gave them commandment, to each man concerning his neighbour.

(c) 17:15–24. God’s recompense to those who serve Him

(= 2[ + 1] + 2 + 2 distichs).

15 Their ways bare everb before Him,

They are not hid from His eyesc.

17 [dFor every nation He appointed a ruler,

But Israel is the Lord’s portione].

G 19 All their works fare [clear]f as…