Sirach · Catholic Public Domain Version
Sirach 22 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.
Sirach is not in RV1909.
1 The lazy man is pelted with a dirty stone, and all will speak about his rejection.
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2 The lazy man is pelted with the dung of oxen, and all who touch him will brush off their hands.
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3 An undisciplined son is the shame of his father, but an undisciplined daughter will be to his degradation.
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4 A prudent daughter brings an inheritance to her husband. But she who causes shame will be a disgrace to him who conceived her.
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5 She who is bold shames her father and her husband, and she will not be less offensive to the impious. For she will be held in dishonor by both.
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6 An untimely explanation is like music in a time of mourning. But the sharp correction and doctrine of wisdom are ever timely.
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7 Whoever teaches the foolish is like someone who glues together a broken pot.
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8 Whoever explains a word to one who is not listening is like someone who suddenly awakens a sleeping person from a deep sleep.
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9 Whoever explains wisdom to the senseless is like one speaking to a sleeping person. And at the end of the explanation, he says: “Who is this?”
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10 Weep over the dead, for his light has failed. And weep over the foolish, for his understanding has failed.
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11 Weep only a little over the dead, for he is at rest.
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12 But the wicked life of a wicked fool is worse than death.
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13 The mourning for the dead is seven days; but for the foolish and the impious, it is all the days of their life.
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14 You should not talk at length with the foolish, and you should not go with the senseless.
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15 Keep yourself from him, so that you may not have problems, and so that you will not be polluted by his sin.
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16 Turn away from him, and you will find rest, and you will not be discouraged by his foolishness.
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17 What is heavier than lead? And what else can he be called but foolish?
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18 Sand, and salt, and an iron weight are each easier to bear than an imprudent man, who is both foolish and impious.
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19 A bundle of wood strapped together in the foundation of a building will not be loosened. And similar is the heart that has been strengthened by thoughtful counsel.
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20 The thoughts of one who is understanding will not be corrupted by fear in any situation.
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21 Just as chaff in a high place, or a wall made of mortar without stones set within, will not continue against the face of the wind,
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22 so also a timid heart, and the thoughts of the senseless, will not withstand the forcefulness of fear.
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23 Despite a cowardly heart, the thoughts of the foolish will not fear any situation; yet neither will one who continues always in the precepts of God.
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24 He who jabs an eye produces tears. And he who jabs the heart produces understanding.
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25 He who throws a stone at birds will drive them away. So also, he who accuses his friend dissolves the friendship.
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26 But if you have drawn a sword against a friend, you should not despair; for there may be a way back.
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27 If you have opened a harsh mouth against a friend, you should not fear; for there may be a reconciliation. However, if there are accusations, or abuse, or arrogance, or the revealing of secrets, or a wound from deceitfulness, in all these cases, a friend will flee away.
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28 Hold to faithfulness with a friend in his poverty, so that you may also rejoice in his prosperity.
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29 In the time of his tribulation, remain faithful to him, so that you may also be an heir with him in his inheritance.
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30 Just as the steam from an oven, or the smoke from a fire, rises up before a flame, so also do curses and insults and threats rise up before bloodshed.
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31 I shall not be ashamed to greet a friend, nor shall I hide myself from his face. And if misfortunes befall me because of him, I will endure.
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32 Anyone who hears of this will be wary around him.
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33 Who will provide a keeper for my mouth, and a reliable seal over my lips, so that I may not fall because of them, and so that my tongue does not destroy me?
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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).
It is written, "The mourning for the dead is seven days; for a fool and an ungodly man all the days of his life." What!
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)