Sirach · Updated Brenton English Septuagint
Sirach 1 Updated Brenton English Septuagint
Notes on this text (1)
- Same Septuagint text as Brenton, with modernised spelling.
Sirach is not in RV1909.
1 [The Prologue to the Wisdom of] Jesus [the son of] Sirach Whereas many and great things have been delivered unto us by the law and the prophets, and by others that have followed their steps, for the which things Israel ought to be commended for learning and wisdom: and whereof not only the readers must needs become skillful themselves,
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1a but also they that desire to learn be able to profit them which are without, both by speaking and by writing: my grandfather Jesus, when he had much given himself to the reading of the law, and the prophets,
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1b and other books of our fathers, and had gotten therein good judgment, was drawn on also himself to write something pertaining to learning and wisdom; to the intent that those which are desirous to learn, and are addicted to these things, might profit much more in living according to the law.
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1c Wherefore let me entreat you to read it with favor and attention, and to pardon us, wherein we may seem to come short of some words,
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1d which we have labored to interpret; for the same things uttered in Hebrew, and translated into another tongue, have not the same force in them. And not only these things, but the law itself, and the prophets,
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1e and the rest of the books, have no small difference, when they are spoken in their own language. For in the eight and thirtieth year coming into Egypt, when Euergetes was king, and continuing there some time, I found a book of no small learning:
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1f therefore I thought it most necessary for me to bestow some diligence and travail to interpret it: using great watchfulness and skill in that space to bring the book to an end, and set it forth for them also, which in a strange country are willing to learn,
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1g being prepared before in manners to live after the law.
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1h All wisdom [cometh] from the Lord, And is with him forever.
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2 Who can number the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain, And the days of eternity?
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3 Who can find out the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, And the deep, and wisdom?
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4 Wisdom hath been created before all things, And the understanding of prudence from everlasting.
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6 To whom hath the root of wisdom been revealed? Or who hath known her wise counsels?
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8 There is one wise and greatly to be feared, The Lord sitting upon his throne.
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9 He created her, and saw her, and numbered her, And poured her out upon all his works.
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10 She [is] with all flesh according to his gift, And he hath given her to them that love him.
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11 The fear of the Lord is honor, and glory, And gladness, and a crown of rejoicing.
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12 The fear of the Lord maketh a merry heart, And giveth joy, and gladness, and long life.
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13 Whoso feareth the Lord, it shall go well with him at the last, And he shall find favor in the day of his death.
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14 To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: And it was created with the faithful in the womb.
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15 She hath built an everlasting foundation with men, And she shall continue with their seed.
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16 To fear the Lord is fullness of wisdom, And filleth men with her fruits.
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17 She filleth all their house with things desirable, And the garners with her increase.
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18 The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, Making peace and perfect health to flourish.
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19 Wisdom raineth down skill and knowledge of understanding, And exalteth them to honor that hold her fast.
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20 The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord, And the branches thereof are long life.
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22 A furious man cannot be justified; For the sway of his fury shall be his destruction.
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23 A patient man will bear for a time, And afterward joy shall spring up unto him.
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24 He will hide his words for a time, And the lips of many shall declare his wisdom.
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25 The parables of knowledge are in the treasures of wisdom: But godliness is an abomination to a sinner.
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26 If thou desire wisdom, keep the commandments, And the Lord shall give her unto thee.
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27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction: And faith and meekness are his delight.
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28 Distrust not the fear of the Lord when thou art poor; And come not unto him with a double heart.
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29 Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, And take good heed what thou speakest.
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30 Exalt not thyself, lest thou fall, And bring dishonor upon thy soul, And so the Lord discover thy secrets, And cast thee down in the midst of the congregation, Because thou camest not in truth to the fear of the Lord, But thy heart is full of deceit.
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What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For although we find no time before it, for wisdom was created before all things, --not certainly that Wisdom manifestly co-eternal and equal unto Thee, our God, His Father, and by Whom all things were created, and in Whom, as the Beginning, Thou createdst heaven and earth; but truly that wisdom which has been created, namely, the intellectual nature, which, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
Wherefore also one said, "The sway of his fury shall be his fall;" by this most of all showing its tyranny, that in a short time it works great ills, and needs not to continue long with us, so that if in addition to its strength it were apt to last, it would indeed be hard to strive against.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… things, --not certainly that Wisdom manifestly co-eternal and equal unto Thee, our God, His Father, and by Whom all things were created, and in Whom, as the Beginning, Thou createdst heaven and earth; but truly that wisdom which has been created, namely, the intellectual nature, which, in the contemplation of light, is light.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
Now "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." As then the things above belong to the perfect, so what he is now going to say belongs to beginners.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)