Sirach · Catholic Public Domain Version
Sirach 10 Catholic Public Domain Version
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 A wise judge will judge his people, and the leadership of an understanding man will be steadfast.
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, so also are his assistants. And whatever kind of man the ruler of a city is, of such a kind also are those who live in it.
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 A foolish king will be the ruin of his people. For cities will be inhabited through the understanding of those with power.
3 An undisciplined king will destroy his people. A city will be established through the understanding of the powerful.
4 Power over the earth is in the hand of God, and, in due time, he will raise up a helpful leader over the earth.
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 The prosperity of a man is in the hand of God, and he will place his honor above the face of the scribe.
5 A man’s prosperity is in the Lord’s hand. He will lay his honor upon the person of the scribe.
6 You should forget all injury done to you by your neighbor, and you should do nothing among the works of injury.
6 Don’t be angry with your neighbor for every wrong. Do nothing by works of violence.
7 Arrogance is hateful in the sight of God and of men. And all iniquity among the nations is abominable.
7 Pride is hateful before the Lord and men. Arrogance is abhorrent in the judgment of both.
8 A kingdom is transferred from one people to another because of injustices, and injuries, and contempt, and every kind of deceit.
8 Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation because of injustice, violence, and greed for money.
9 But nothing is more wicked than a greedy man. Why should that which is earth and ashes be arrogant?
9 Why are dirt and ashes proud? Because in life, my body decays.
10 There is nothing more iniquitous than to love money. For such a one has sold even his own soul. For in his life, he casts aside his innermost being.
10 A long disease mocks the physician. The king of today will die tomorrow.
11 All power is of short life. A prolonged sickness is of grave concern to a physician.
11 For when a man is dead, he will inherit maggots, vermin, and worms.
12 A physician causes a sickness to be shortened. So also, a king is here today, and tomorrow he will die.
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 when a man dies, he will inherit serpents, and wild beasts, and worms.
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 beginning of the arrogance of man is apostasy from God.
14 The Lord cast down the thrones of rulers and set the lowly in their place.
15 For his heart has withdrawn from the One who made him. For arrogance is the beginning of all sin. Whoever holds to it, will be filled with evil words, and it will overthrow him in the end.
15 The Lord plucked up the roots of nations and planted the lowly in their place.
16 Because of this, the Lord has dishonored the gatherings of the evil, and he has destroyed them, even unto the end.
16 The Lord overthrew the lands of nations and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.
17 God has destroyed the seats of arrogant leaders, and he has caused the meek to be seated in their place.
17 He took some of them away and destroyed them, and made their memory to cease from the earth.
18 The roots of arrogant nations, God has dried up, and the humble among these nations, he has planted.
18 Pride has not been created for men, nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women.
19 The Lord has overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and he has utterly destroyed them, even to their foundation.
19 Whose offspring has honor? Human offspring who fear the Lord. Whose offspring has no honor? Human offspring who break the commandments.
20 He has dried up some of them, and he has utterly destroyed them, and he has caused their memory to depart from the earth.
20 In the midst of kindred he who rules them has honor. Those who fear the Lord have honor in his eyes.
21 God has abolished the memory of the arrogant, and he has left behind only the memory of those who are humble in mind.
21 Not in this translation
22 Arrogance was not created for men, nor was an angry temperament created for the gender of women.
22 The rich man, the honorable, and the poor all glory in the fear of the Lord.
23 Those who fear God among the offspring of men will be honored. But those among the offspring who ignore the commandments of the Lord will be dishonored.
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 In the midst of his brothers, a ruler has honor. And those who fear the Lord will have honor in his eyes.
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 The fear of God is the glory of the wealthy, and of the honorable, and of the poor.
25 Free men will minister to a wise servant. A man who has knowledge will not complain.
26 Do not choose to despise a just man who is poor, and do not choose to magnify a sinful man who is rich.
26 Don’t flaunt your wisdom in doing your work. Don’t boast in the time of your distress.
27 The great man, and the judge, and the powerful have honor. But no one is greater than he who fears God.
27 Better is he who labors and abounds in all things, than he who boasts and lacks bread.
28 Those who are free will serve an understanding servant. And a prudent and disciplined man will not murmur at correction. But an ignorant man will not be honored.
28 My son, glorify your soul in humility, and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worthiness.
29 Do not choose to extol yourself in doing your work, and do not be unproductive during the time of distress.
29 Who will justify him who sins against his own soul? Who will honor him who dishonors his own life?
30 He who works, and so abounds in all things, is better than he who boasts, and so lacks bread.
30 A poor man is honored for his knowledge. A rich man is honored for his riches.
31 Son, preserve your soul in meekness, and give it honor according to its merit.
31 But he who is honored in poverty, how much more in riches? He who is dishonored in riches, how much more in poverty?
32 Who will justify one who sins in his soul? And who will honor one who dishonors his soul?
32 Not in this translation
33 The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear. And there is a man who is honored because of his substance.
33 Not in this translation
34 But if someone is glorified in poverty, how much more in substance? And whoever is glorified in substance, let him fear poverty.
34 Not in this translation
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)