Sirach 39:15–49:15a
15 wO magnify His name,
And acknowledge Him with praisew,
HB xWith songs of the harpx yand of stringed instrumentsy;
And zthus shall ye sayz, awith a shouta:
16 The works of God bare all goodb,
cAnd supply every need in its seasonc.
17 (21 c) ccNone may say: This is worse than that;
(21 d) For everything availeth in its seasoncc.
d(By His word) He ordereth (the luminaries in the heavenly height)d,
eAnd by the utterance of His mouth in His treasurye.
HB 18 fIn His place (?) His good pleasure attaineth its endf,
And there is no grestraintg to His deliverance.
19 hThe worksh of all flesh are before Him,
And there is nothing hid from before His eyes.
20 iFrom everlasting to everlasting He beholdethi,
jAnd there is nothing small or petty with Him;
Is there limit (?) to His deliverance?j
There is nothing too wonderful or hard for Him.
k 21 (a) None may say: lWherefore is thisl?
21 (b) For everything mis selected for its usem.
22 nHis blessingn overfloweth as the Nile,
And osaturatetho the world plike the Riverp.
23 qEven so His wrath dispossesseth nationsq,
And He turneth a watered land into salt.
24 rHis pathsr sare plain for the blamelesss;
Even so tthey offer obstaclest uto the presumptuousu.
HB 25 Good things for the goodv hath He allottedv from the beginning;
Even so to the evil wgood and evilw.
26 x(The chief of all the necessaries)x of life for man
Are water and fire, and iron and salt,
xxThe fat of wheatxx, milk and honey,
The blood of the grape, oil and clothing.
27 All these prove good to the good—
Even so for the evil they are turned yto evily.
28 zThere are (winds) which are formed (for punishment)z,
a(And in their fury)a bremove moun(tains)b.
G (S) cIn the season of destruction they pour out their force,
And appease the spirit of their creatorc.
HB 29 Fire and hail, d[famine]d and pestilence—
These also are formed for judgement.
30 eBeasts of preye, scorpions and vipers,
And the avenging sword to exterminate the wicked—
fAll these are created for their uses,
And are in the treasure-house (ready) to be requisitioned in due timef:
31 When He giveth them the command they rejoice,
And gin their prescribed tasksg disobey not His behest.
32 Therefore from the beginning hI was assuredh,
And when I had considered it I set it down in writing:
HB 33 iThe worksi of God are all good,
jThey supplyj every need in its season.
34 None may say: This is worse than that;
For everything kavailethk in its season.
35 And now ring out lwhole-heartedlyl
And praise the name of the Holy One!
(a) 40:1–17. The woes of humanity and the destruction of evil
(= 3 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 distichs).
40 1 Much occupation ahath God apportioneda,
And heavy is the yoke upon the sons of men—
From the day that he cometh forth from his mother’s womb,
Until the day bwhen he returnethb cto the mother of all living:
G (S) 2 dPreoccupation and anxiety of heart,
And watchfulness for the future, till the day of his death!d
HB 3 From him that sitteth in exaltation on a throne,
Unto ehim that is clothede with dust and ashes;
4 From fhim that wearethf diadem and plate,
Even unto fhim that wearethf ga garment of hairg:
HB 5 (a) h(Naught but) anger and jealousyh, anxiety and fear,
Terror of death, istrifei, and contention!
5 (b) And what time he resteth upon his bed,
The sleep of night kdoubleth [his distraction]k.
6 For a little, vainly—lfor a moment—he reposethl,
mAnd then is disturbed by dreamsm:
nDeceivedn by the vision of his soul,
He is like a fugitive fleeing ofrom before the pursuero—
7 p[Now roused he waketh from his sleep]p,
G 8 r(There are) with all flesh, both man and beast,
Yea and upon the ungodly sevenfoldr:
HB 9 Pestilence and bloodshed, sblight and droughts,
tDevastation and destruction, famine and plaguet.
HB 10 uFor the wickedu vevilv is created,
And on his account w[destruction is imposed]w.
11 All things that are from the earth return to the earth,
xAnd what is from on high (returneth) on highx.
G (S) 12 yAll that is false and unjust is destroyed,
But what is true abideth for every.
HB 13 zWealth unjustly gottenz a[cometh to an end] like a torrenta,
bAnd like a water-course that is mighty in a thunder-stormb:
14 cWith its onrush [rocks are rolled away]c—
dEven so doth [plunder] suddenly come to an endd.
15 eA branch (sprung) from violencee f[hath no tender twig]f,
gFor an impious rootg his on the point of a cragh:
HB 16 iLike reed-stalks (?)i jon the bank of a torrentj,
kWhich are consumed before any (other) [plant]k.
17 lBut kindness shall never be movedl,
And righteousness is established for aye.
(b) 40:18–27. The fear of the Lord is the greatest of all good things
(= 10 + 2 distichs).
18 mA life of wine and strong drinkm is sweet,
But better than both is nhe that findeth a treasuren.
19 Child oand cityo establish a name,
pBut better than both is he that findeth wisdom.
Young cattle and planting make [abundance] to flourishp,
But better than both qis a woman belovedq.
20 Wine r[and song]r rejoice the heart,
But better than both is sthe affection of loverss.
HB 21 Pipe and harp make sweet the song,
But better than both is ta tongue sinceret.
22 uGrace and beautyu vcharm the eyev,
But better than both are wthe crops of the fieldw.
23 xA friend and companion will each conduct himself opportunelyx,
But better than both is ya discreet wifey.
24 zA brother and helper will come to the rescue in a time of adversityz,
But more than both doth righteousness deliver.
25 Gold and silver amake the foot stand surea,
But better than both bis good counselb.
26 Wealth and strength clift upc the heart,
But better than both is the fear of Godd.
In the fear of Jahveh there is no want,
And with it there is no need to seek esupporte.
27 The fear of God is a very Eden of blessing,
And fits canopyf (stretcheth) goverg all that is glorious.
(c) 40:28–30. A beggar’s life no life at all
(= 3 + 1 distichs).
HB 28 My son, live not ha beggar’s lifeh;
Better is one dead ithan importunatei.
29 A man that looketh to a stranger’s table—
His life is not to be reckoned as a life:
jA pollution of his soulj are kthe dainties presentedk,
lAnd to an understanding man inward torturel.
30 mIn the mouth of an insatiable (man)m begging is sweet,
But inwardly it burneth as fire.
(d) 41:1–4. Two views on death
41 1 a bAh!c Death, how bitter is dthe remembrance of theed b
To hime fthat liveth at peacef in ghis habitationg;
hTo him that is at easeh, and prospereth in all,
And that still hath strength to enjoy luxuryi.
2 Hail! Death, howk welcome is thy decreel
mTo the luckless manm, and that lacketh strength,
nThat stumbleth and trippethn oat everythingo,
pThat is brokenp, qand hath lost hopeq.
HB 3 rFear not Death, (it is) thy destinyr,
Remember that the former and the latter (share it) with thee.
4 This is the portions of all flesh from God,
tAnd how canst thou withstandu the decreev oft the Most High!
w(Be it) for a thousand years, for a hundred, or for ten (that thou livest)w,
In Sheol there are nox reproaches concerning life.
(e) 41:5–13. The end of the ungodly contrasted with the honour accorded to the name of the righteous
5 An abominable offspring is the generationy of sinners,
And za godless sproutz is ain the dwellings of the wickeda.
6 bFrom the son of the unrighteous man cshall the dominion be wrenched awaycb,
S dAnd wante shall ever abide with his seedd.
HB 7 A godless father do the childrenf curse,
G gFor because of him do they suffer reproachg.
8 hWoe unto you, ungodly men,
iWho have forsaken the Law of the Most High Godih!
HB 9 kIf ye increase (it will be) for mischiefk,
lAnd if ye bear children (it will be) for sighing;
If ye stumble (it will be) for everlasting joyl,
And if ye die (it will be)m for a cursen.
HB 10 oAll that is of naught returneth to naughto,
pSo the godless man,—from nothingness to nothingnessp.
11 qVanity is man (concerning) his bodyq,
rBut the name of the pious shall not be cut offr.
12 Be in fear for thy name, for that abideth longer for thee
Than thousands of sprecious treasuress.
13 tLife’s goods last for limited dayst,
uBut the reward of a name for days without numberu.
(a) 41:14–42:8. Moral duties enumerated under the category of shame.
(1) 41:14–15. Introduction to the section on the subject of shame
(= 2 distichs).
14 [vHidden wisdom and concealed treasure,
What is the use of either?
15 Better the man who hideth his folly,
Than the man who hideth his wisdom.]
(2) 41:16–42:8. x Instruction concerning shamex
(= 2 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 9 distichs).
16 yHear, O children, instruction concerning shamez y,
And be abashed aaccording to my judgementa.
(16)For not every kind of shame is meet to retain,
bAnd not every kind of abashment is to be approvedb.
17 cBe ashamed of a father and a mother of whoredom,
Of a prince and a rulercc of lies,
HB 18 dOf a master and a mistressd of deceit,
Of an assembly and a people of transgression,
Of a comrade and friend of treachery,
19 And of a place, where thou sojournest, of pridee.
ee[Be ashamed] to break an oath or a covenantee,
To stretch out thine elbow at meat,
fTo withholdg a gift that is asked forf,
21a (G) hTo turn away the faceh of thy friend,
21b (G) iTo cause the dividing of portions to ceasei,
20a (G) To be silent towards jhim that greeteth (thee)j,
20b (G) To look upon a woman that is a whore,
G 21c kTo gaze on a woman that hath a husband,
22a To be busy with his maidk l,
HB 22b (G) mAnd to violate her bedm,
22c (G) To [speak to] a friend with reproachful words;—
22d (G) And after giving a gift contemn not,—
42 1 nTo repeat othe word thou hast heardo,
And to lay bare any secret counsel:
So shalt thou be truly pshamefastp,
And find favour in the sight of all living.
qBut of these things be not ashamed,
And accept not persons runto sinr:
2 Of the Law of the Most High, and the statute;
And of justice, to do right by the wicked;
HB 3 Of reckoning with a comrade sand (fellow) travellers,
And of the division of an inheritance tand a propertyt;
4 uOf the small dustu of the scales and balance,
vAnd wof testingw measure and weighty;
4(b) Of buying whether little or much,
5 wwAnd of profit from traffick with the merchantww;
G xOf frequent correction of children,
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