Sirach 36:1–38:14

1 a bSave usb, cO God of allc,

2  dAnd castd Thy fear upon all the nationse.

3 fShake Thy handf against gthe strange peopleg,

And let them see hThy powerh.

4 As Thou hast sanctified Thyself in us before them,

So iglorify Thyselfi jin themj before us;

5 That they may knowk, as we also know,

That there is none other God but Theel.

6 Renew mthe signsm, and repeat mthe wondersm,

(7) Make Hand and nRight Armn glorious.

7(8) Waken indignation and pour out wrath,

(9) oSubdueo the foe and pexpelp the enemy.

8(10) Hasten qthe ‘end’q and rordain the ‘appointed time’r,

sFor who may say to Thee: What doest Thou?s

G 9(11) tLet uhim that escapethu vbe devouredv in the wglowing firew,

And may Thy people’s xwrongersx yfind destructiony!

H 10(12) Make an end of zthe head of the enemy’s princesz

That saith: There is none beside me!

11a (G 33. 13a) Gather all the tribes of Jacoba,

11b (16b) bThat they may receive their inheritanceb cas in the days of oldc.

12(17) Compassionate dthe peopled that is called by Thy name,

Israel, ewhom Thou didst surname Firstborne.

13(18) Compassionate Thy holy city,

Jerusalem, fthe place of Thy dwellingf.

14(19) Fill Sion gwith Thy majestyg,

And hThy Templeh with Thy glory.

15(20) Give testimony ito the first of Thy worksi,

And establish jthe vision spoken in Thy namej.

16(21) Give reward to them that wait for Thee,

That Thy prophets may be proved trustworthy.

HB 17(22) Thou wilt heark the prayer lof Thy servantsl,

mAccording to Thy good favourm towards nThy peoplen:

That oall the ends of the eartho may know

pThat Thou art the eternal Godp.

(a) 36:18–20 (23–25). Moral discernment the fruit of experience

(= 3 distichs).

18(23) qEvery meat doth rthe bellyr eat,

Yet is sone meat more pleasant than anothers.

HC 19(24) The palate tasteth tthe dainties that are bestowedt,

And the discerning heart ttthe dainties of falsehoodtt.

20(25) uA deceitful heartu produceth sorrow,

But an experienced man vwardeth it offv.

(b) 36:21–26 (26–31). Concerning women

(= 3 + 2 + 2 distichs).

HB 21(26) wA woman will receive any man,

xYet is one woman more pleasant than anotherx.

HB 22(27) The beauty of a woman brighteneth the countenancey,

And excels every zdelight of the eyez.

23(28) zzWhen she possesseth also aa soothing tonguea,

Her husband is not (like other) sons of men.

HB D 24(29) bHe that gettethb a wifebb(getteth) the choicest possessionbb,

cA help meet for himc, and da pillar of supportd.

25(30) Without a hedge the vineyard is laid waste,

And without a wife (a man is) dda wanderer and homelessdd.

26(31) Who trusteth ean armed bande

fThat rushethf from city to city?

So is the man that hath no gnestg,

Who resteth where evening befalls him.

(c) 37:1–6. Of friendship, good and bad

(= 3+3 distichs).

37HD(B) 1 Every friend saith: hI am a friendh;

iBut there is a friend who is (only) friend in namei.

2 Is there not j[a sorrow]j kthat cometh nigh unto deathk—

lA deeply loved friendl mwho changeth to an enemym?

3 nO base nature! why then wast thou createdn,

oTo fillo pthe world’s facep qwith deceitq!

HD(B) 4 rBase is the friend who hath regard to (one’s) tabler,

But in the time of stress standeth aloof.

5 sA good friend contendeth with (one’s) enemys,

tAndt against uadversariesu holdeth the shield.

6 vForget notv a comrade win conflictw,

xAnd forsake him not when thou takest spoilx.

(d) 37:7–15: Of counsellors true and false

(= 4 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 1 distichs).

7 Every counsellor apointeth (with) the handa,

But there is he that counselleth ba way to suit himselfb;

8 Beware of the counsellor,

And inform thyself beforehand what is his interest:

cFor he himself will alsoc take thought:

cc‘Why should it fall out as he wishes?’cc

9 And will say to thee: dHow goodd is thy course!

And (then) stand off to watch ddthy misfortunedd.

HD 10 Consult not ewith [those opposed to thee]e,

And hide thy counsel from him that is envious—

HB(D) 11 Withf a woman gaboutg her rival,

hAnd from [an enemy]h iabout war with himi;

With a merchant about jbusinessj,

And from a buyer about selling;

kWith an evil-disposed mank labout benevolencel,

And a merciless man mabout human happinessm;

n(With) the worthless workmann about his work,

nnAnd the yearly hirelingnn oabout the sowing of seedo;

G (With) the idle slave about much work—

Put no trust in these pfor any counselp!

HB(D) 12 qBut rather with a man that feareth alwaysq,

rWhom thou knowest to be a keeper of the Lawr;

sWhose heart is at one with thine owns,

tWhot, if thou stumblest, uwill be grieved for theeu.

HB(D) 13 Do thou also vtake knowledgev of the counsel of (thine own) heart,

wFor thou hast no one more true to theew.

14 The heart of a man xtelleth (him) his opportunitiesx

Better than seven watchmen yon a towery.

15 But in all this intreat God,

That He may direct thy steps in truth.

(a) 37:16–26. True and false wisdom

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

16 aThe beginning of every action is speech,

And before every work is the thoughta.

17 bThe roots of the heart’s deliberations

(18) Bring forth four branchesb:

18 Good and evil, life and death;

cBut the tongue ruleth over them altogetherc.

HBD(C) 19 dThere is a wise man who is wise for manyd

But for himself eis a foole.

HBHD 20 f gAnd there is a wise man who is loathed for his speechg,

And is cut off hfrom all enjoymenth;

G 21 [For winning grace has not been bestowed upon him from the Lord,

And he depriveth himself of all honour].

HBHD(C) 22 iAnd there is ja wise man who is wisej for himself,

The fruit of whose understanding (is) kupon his bodyk.

HBHD 23 iAnd there is a wise man lwho is wise for his peoplel,

The fruit of whose understanding is mlastingm.

25 nThe life of a man (numbers) odays but fewo,

pBut the life of Jeshurun days innumerablep.

HBHD(C) 24 n qWho is wise for himselfq shall have his fill rof enjoymentr,

And sall who see hims count him happy.

26 tWho is wise (for his) peoplet gaineth uhonouru,

And his name vabideth in life eternalv.

(b) 37:27–31. Wisdom or discretion applied to eating

(= 2 + 2 + 1 distichs).

HBHD 27 My son, prove thy soul win thy lifew,

And see (that) what harmeth it xthou give it not.

HB(HD) 28 For not yeverythingy is good for every one—

zEvery soul maketh not its choice of every kindz.

29 aIndulge not excessa bin anyb enjoyment,

cNor immoderationc in danyd dainties.

30 eFor in much eatinge fnesteth sicknessf,

gAnd he that indulgeth excessg cometh nigh to hloathingh.

31 iBy intemperancei many have perished,

But he that is on his guard prolongeth life.

(a) 38:1–15. The physician has been ordained by God and should be resorted to in sickness

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

38 1 jCultivatej the physician kin accordance with the need of himk,

HB For him also hath God ordained.

HB 2 It is from God that lthe physician getteth wisdoml,

And from the king he receiveth mgiftsm.

3 The skill of the physician lifteth up his head,

nAnd he may stand before noblesn.

4 God ohath createdo medicines out of the earth,

And let not a discerning man reject them.

5 Was not pthe waterp made sweet qby the woodq,

rThat He might make known to all men His powerr?

6 And He gave men discernment,

That they might glory sin His mighty workss.

7 tBy means of them the physician assuageth paint,

8  And likewise uthe apothecary prepareth a confectionu:

HB That His work may not cease,

vNor healthv wfrom the face of His earthw.

9 My son, xin sicknessx ybe not negligenty;

Pray unto God, for He can healz.

10 a[Turn] from iniquity, and [purify thy hands]a;

And from all btransgressionsb cleanse thy heart.

11 c d[Give a meal-offering with] a memoriald,

eAnd offer a fat sacrificee fto the utmost of thy meansf.

12 gAnd to the physician also give a placeg;

Nor should he be far awayh, for of him there is need.

13 For there is a time when successful help is in his power;

14  For he also maketh supplication to God,

iTo make his diagnosis successfuli,

And the treatment, jthat it may promote recoveryj.