Jul 13 - Sirach 1-3
Sirach
1All wisdom is from the Lord God, and has always been with him, and is before all time2Who has numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of the rain, and the days of the world? Who has measured the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss3Who has examined the wisdom of God, which precedes all things4Wisdom was created before all things, and the understanding of prudence is before all time5The Word of God on high is the source of wisdom, whose steps are eternal commandments6To whom has the root of wisdom been revealed, and who has recognized her astuteness7To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed and made manifest? And who has understood the multiplicity of her steps8The most high omnipotent Creator is One, and he is the mighty King, and he is exceedingly to be feared, sitting upon his throne, and he is the sovereign God9He created wisdom through the Holy Spirit, and he saw her, and numbered her, and measured her10And he poured her over all his works, and over all flesh, to the extent of his favor, and he has offered her to those who love him11The fear of the Lord is glory, and honor, and rejoicing, and a crown of exultation12The fear of the Lord will delight the heart, and will give joy and gladness and length of days13It will be well, in the very end, for him who fears the Lord, and on the day that he passes away, he will be blessed14The love of God is honorable wisdom15And those to whom she will appear for their consideration love her because of what they see and know of her great works16The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and was created with the faithful in the womb, and walks with elect women, and is known by the just and the faithful17The fear of the Lord is the sanctity of knowledge18Sanctity will guard and justify the heart, and will bestow happiness and joy19It will be well with him who fears the Lord, and at the consummation of his days, he will be blessed20To fear God is the fullness of wisdom, and it is a fullness from its fruits21She will fill her entire house from her offspring, and storehouses from her treasures22The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, the completion of peace, and the fruit of salvation23And the fear of the Lord has seen and numbered wisdom; but both are gifts of God24Wisdom will distribute knowledge and an understanding of prudence; and she lifts up the glory of those who hold to her25The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and its branches are long-lived26In the treasures of wisdom is understanding and the sanctity of knowledge. But to sinners, wisdom is an abomination27The fear of the Lord expels sin28For he who is without fear is not able to be justified. For the disposition of his spirit is his undoing29Those who are patient will suffer for a brief time, and afterwards, happiness will return30A noble mind will hide his words for a brief time, and then the lips of many will declare his understanding31Among the treasures of wisdom is the outward sign of discipline32But to those who sin, the worship of God is an abomination33Son, if you desire wisdom, observe justice, and then God will offer her to you34For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline.35And what pleases him is faith and meekness. And so shall he complete his treasures36You should not be incredulous to the fear of the Lord. And you should not draw close to him with a duplicitous heart37You should not be a hypocrite in the sight of men. And you should not scandalize with your lips38Attend to these things, otherwise you may fall and bring dishonor to your soul39And then God may uncover your secrets, and he may cast you down forcefully in the midst of the congregation40For you drew near to the Lord wickedly, and your heart was filled with deceit and falseness
1Son, when you apply yourself to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare your soul for temptation2Humble your heart, and persevere. Incline your ear, and accept words of understanding. And you should not hurry away in the time of distress3Endure steadfastly for God. Join yourself to God, and persevere, so that your life may increase in the very end4Accept everything that will happen to you, and persevere in your sorrow, and have patience in your humiliation5For gold and silver are tested in fire, yet truly, acceptable men are tested in the furnace of humiliation6Believe God, and he will restore you to health. And straighten your way, and hope in him. Observe his fear, and grow old in it7You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy. And do not turn away from him, lest you fall8You who fear the Lord, believe in him. And your reward will not be taken away9You who fear the Lord, hope in him. And mercy will approach you, to your delight10You who fear the Lord, love him. And your hearts will be illuminated11My sons, consider the nations of men, and know that not one of them hoped in the Lord and was confounded12For who has remained in his commandment and been abandoned? Or who has called upon him, and yet he despised him13For God is upright and merciful, and he will forgive sins in the day of tribulation. And he is the Protector to all those who seek him in truth14Woe to the duplicitous heart, and to the wicked lips, and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner who walks the earth by two ways15Woe to the dissolute in heart, who do not trust God! For, as a result, they will not be protected by him16Woe to those who have lost endurance, and who have abandoned upright ways, and who have turned aside to depraved ways17And what will they do when the Lord begins to examine them18Those who fear the Lord will not be unbelieving toward his Word. And those who love him will keep to his way19Those who fear the Lord will seek the things that are well-pleasing to him. And those who love him will be filled with his law20Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and they will sanctify their souls in his sight21Those who fear the Lord keep his commandments, and they will have patience even until his examination22saying: "If we do not do penance, then we will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.23For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with him
1The sons of wisdom are the Church of the just: and their generation is obedience and love2Sons, listen to the judgment of your father, and act accordingly, so that you may be saved3For God has honored the father in the sons, and, when seeking the judgment of the mother, he has confirmed it in the children4He who loves God will plead with him on behalf of sins, and will keep himself away from sin, and will be heeded in the prayers of his days5And, like one who stores up treasure, so also is he who honors his mother6He who honors his father will find happiness in his own children, and he will be heeded in the day of his prayer7He who honors his father will live a long life. And he who obeys his father will be a refreshment to his mother8He who fears the Lord honors his parents, and he will serve them as masters, for it is they who conceived him9In word and deed, and in all things, honor your father with patience10so that a blessing may come to you from him, and so that his blessing may remain to the very end11The blessing of the father strengthens the houses of the sons; but the curse of the mother uproots even its foundation12Do not boast in the disgrace of your father; for his shame is not your glory13For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a father without honor is a discredit to the son14Son, support your father in his old age, and do not grieve him in his life15And if his mind should fail, show kindness; and do not spurn him when you are in your strength. For almsgiving to the father will never be forgotten16For even in return for the sin of the mother, good will be repaid to you17And you will be built up in justice, and you will be remembered in the day of tribulation. And your sins will dissolve like ice in warm weather18What an evil form has he who forsakes his father! And whoever exasperates his mother is accursed by God19Son, perform your works in meekness, and you shall be loved beyond the glory of men20However great you may be, humble yourself in all things, and you will find grace in the presence of God21For only the power of God is great, and he is honored by the humble22You should not seek the things that are too high for you, and you should not examine the things that are beyond your ability. But as for the things that God has entrusted to you, consider these always. But you should not be curious in too many of his works23For it is not necessary for you to see with your own eyes the things that are hidden24In unnecessary matters, do not choose to be an examiner of many different things, and you should not be curious about too many of his works25For many things have been revealed to you, beyond the understanding of men26Yet uncertainty in these things has also undermined many persons and has detained their minds in vanity27A hardened heart will have evil in the very end, and he who loves peril will perish in it28A heart advancing in two directions will not have success, and the depraved heart will be scandalized in this way29A wicked heart will be burdened with sorrows, and a sinner will add further sins30The synagogue of the arrogant will not be healed. For the stalk of sinfulness will take root in them, and it will not be understood31The heart of the wise is understood by wisdom, and a good ear will listen to wisdom with all its desire32A wise and understanding heart will abstain from sins, and will have success in works of justice33Water extinguishes a burning fire, and almsgiving withstands sins34And God is the watchman for him who repays a kindness. He remembers him afterwards, and in the time of his fall, he will find a firm support