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Sirach, Chapter 3

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1
My sons, listen to your⁺ father,And do as he says, that you⁺ may live.[fn]
2
For Yahweh glorified the father over the sons,And he firmly set the mother's judgment over them.[fn]
3
He who honors [his] father makes atonement for sins,
4
And he who gives glory to his mother is as one who lays up treasure.
5
He who honors [his] father will rejoice under [his] sons,And in the day of his prayer he will be listened to.
6
He who glorifies [his] father will have length of days,And he who listens to God honors his mother.[fn]
8
My son, in word and in deed honor your father,So that all blessings may overtake you.
9
A father's blessing lays the foundation for the root,But a mother's curse plucks up the plant.
10
Do not honor yourself by your father's shame,For that is no honor to you.
11
A man's glory is the glory of his father,But he who curses his mother increases sin.
12
My son, strengthen yourself in the honor of your father,And do not forsake him all the days of your life;
13
And even though his mind fails, leave him alone,And do not shame him all the days of his life.[fn]
14
A father's righteousness will not be wiped away,And sin will be the recompense for breaking it down.[fn]
15
In the day of distress it will be remembered to you,As heat on frost, to cause your iniquities to cease.
16
For he who despises his father acts proudly,And he who curses his mother provokes his Creator.
17
My son, in your riches walk in meekness,And you will be loved more than he who gives gifts.
18
The greater you are, make your soul lower,And before God you will find grace.[fn]
20
For many are the mercies of God,And to the meek he reveals his secret.
21
Do not seek out things which are too wonderful for you,And do not search for that which is hidden from you.
22
Think about what you are permitted,And do not occupy yourself in hidden things.
23
And do not get into what is beyond you,For more than you can handle has already been shown to you.
24
For many are the thoughts of the sons of man,And evil imaginations cause [them] to go astray.[fn]
26
A hardened heart grows bad at its end,But he who loves good things is guided in them.
27
A hardened heart increases sorrows,And he who is profane adds iniquity to iniquity.
28
The wound of a scoffer, there are no healings for it,For his plant is of an evil plant.
29
A wise heart understands proverbs of the wise,And an ear that listens to wisdom rejoices.
30
A burning fire is quenched by water,Likewise righteousness atones for sin.
31
He who does good, it will meet him in his ways,And when he is moved he will find support.

Footnotes

1

sons, in Greek: 'children'; see footnote at Sir 2:1.

2

sons is literally 'children' in Greek, but see footnote at 2:1; also compare Prov 1:8 and 6:20.

6

God, follows the Syriac word often used for God in Hebrew. Greek reads, 'the Lord'. The Hebrew version does not contain verse 7.

13

leave him alone, in the sense of 'do not bother him'. See similar phrases at Mark 14:6 and 2 Kings 4:27.

14

breaking it down, see similar phrase at Job 19:10, 24:20 and Psalm 52:5. Also compare Sirach 3:14-15 to Job 24:19-20 and Sirach 43:19-22.

18

Verse 18 follows the Greek and Hebrew MS C. Verse 19 is absent from the Hebrew and from the principal Greek text.

24

Verse 25 has been omitted since it has varying wording and appears in different places in different manuscripts.

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