Sirach · Brenton's English Septuagint
Sirach 10 Brenton's English Septuagint
Notes on this text (2)
- Square brackets mark words Brenton supplied for English sense.
- Old Testament only (no New Testament). First printed 1844; the 1851 edition added the deuterocanonical books.
1 A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered.
1 A wise judge will instruct his people. The government of a man of understanding will be well ordered.
2 As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein.
2 As is the judge of his people, so are his officials. As the city’s ruler is, so are all those who dwell in it.
3 An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited.
3 An undisciplined king will destroy his people. A city will be established through the understanding of the powerful.
4 The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable.
4 The government of the earth is in the Lord’s hand. In due time, he will raise up over it the right person at the right time.
5 In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour.
5 A man’s prosperity is in the Lord’s hand. He will lay his honor upon the person of the scribe.
6 Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong; and do nothing at all by injurious practices.
6 Don’t be angry with your neighbor for every wrong. Do nothing by works of violence.
7 Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity.
7 Pride is hateful before the Lord and men. Arrogance is abhorrent in the judgment of both.
8 Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is translated from one people to another.
8 Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation because of injustice, violence, and greed for money.
9 Why is earth and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale; because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels.
9 Why are dirt and ashes proud? Because in life, my body decays.
10 The physician cutteth off a long disease: and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die.
10 A long disease mocks the physician. The king of today will die tomorrow.
11 For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, beasts, and worms.
11 For when a man is dead, he will inherit maggots, vermin, and worms.
12 The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker.
12 It is the beginning of pride when a man departs from the Lord. His heart has departed from him who made him.
13 For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that hath it shall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, and overthrew them utterly.
13 For the beginning of pride is sin. He who keeps it will pour out abomination. For this cause the Lord brought upon them strange calamities and utterly overthrew them.
14 The Lord hath cast down the thrones of proud princes, and set up the meek in their stead.
14 The Lord cast down the thrones of rulers and set the lowly in their place.
15 The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place.
15 The Lord plucked up the roots of nations and planted the lowly in their place.
16 The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.
16 The Lord overthrew the lands of nations and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.
17 He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth.
17 He took some of them away and destroyed them, and made their memory to cease from the earth.
18 Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman.
18 Pride has not been created for men, nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women.
19 They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honourable plant: they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed; they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed.
19 Whose offspring has honor? Human offspring who fear the Lord. Whose offspring has no honor? Human offspring who break the commandments.
20 Among brethren he that is chief is honourable; so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes.
20 In the midst of kindred he who rules them has honor. Those who fear the Lord have honor in his eyes. 21 Not in this translation
22 Whether he be rich, noble or poor, their glory is the fear of the Lord.
22 The rich man, the honorable, and the poor all glory in the fear of the Lord.
23 It is not meet to despise the poor man that hath understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a sinful man.
23 It is not right to dishonor a poor man who has understanding. It is not fitting to glorify a man who is a sinner.
24 Great men, and judges, and potentates, shall be honoured; yet is there none of them greater than he that feareth the Lord.
24 The prince, the judge, and the mighty man will be honored. There is not one of them greater than he who fears the Lord.
25 Unto the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service: and he that hath knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed.
25 Free men will minister to a wise servant. A man who has knowledge will not complain.
26 Be not overwise in doing thy business; and boast not thyself in the time of thy distress.
26 Don’t flaunt your wisdom in doing your work. Don’t boast in the time of your distress.
27 Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread.
27 Better is he who labors and abounds in all things, than he who boasts and lacks bread.
28 My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to the dignity thereof.
28 My son, glorify your soul in humility, and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worthiness.
29 Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life?
29 Who will justify him who sins against his own soul? Who will honor him who dishonors his own life?
30 The poor man is honoured for his skill, and the rich man is honoured for his riches.
30 A poor man is honored for his knowledge. A rich man is honored for his riches.
31 He that is honoured in poverty, how much more in riches? and he that is dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty?
31 But he who is honored in poverty, how much more in riches? He who is dishonored in riches, how much more in poverty?
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).
Nor ought blessedness to begin at any other point whatever, if indeed it is to attain unto the highest wisdom; "but the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;" for, on the other hand also, "pride" is entitled "the beginning of all sin." Let the proud, therefore, seek after and love the kingdoms of the earth; but "blessed …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Let him hear it said to him, "Why is earth and ashes proud?" Even if the devil is proud, he is not "earth and ashes." Therefore was it said, "But ye shall die like men, and shall fall as one of the princes." Ye do not consider that ye are mortals, and ye are proud as the devil.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
That his earth has reference to the inner man, and that man is cast forth thence by pride, may be particularly seen in that which is written, "Why is earth and ashes proud? Because, in his life, he cast forth his bowels." For, whence he hath been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)