1 Do not choose to seek iniquitous possessions, and you should not say: “I have all I need in life.” For it will be of no benefit to you in the time of retribution and darkness. 2 You should not pursue, in your strength, the desires of your heart. 3 And you should not say: “How powerful am I?” or, “Who will cast me down because of my deeds?” For God will vindicate with vengeance. 4 You should not say, “I sinned, and what grief has befallen me?” For the Most High is a patient recompensor. 5 Do not be willing to be without fear concerning a forgiven sin, and you should not add sin upon sin. 6 And you should not say: “The compassion of the Lord is great; he will take pity on the multitude of my sins.” 7 For both mercy and wrath go forth quickly from him, and his wrath sets its gaze upon sinners. 8 You should not delay being converted to the Lord, and you should not set it aside from day to day. 9 For his wrath will approach suddenly, and in the time of vindication, he will destroy you. 10 Do not choose to be anxious for unjust wealth. For these things will not benefit you in the day of darkness and retribution. 11 You should not winnow in every wind, and you should not go forth into every path. For so is every sinner proven by his duplicitous tongue. 12 Be steadfast in the way of the Lord and in the truth of your understanding and knowledge, and let words of peace and justice overtake you. 13 Be meek when listening to a word, so that you may understand. And offer a true response in wisdom. 14 If you understand, then answer your neighbor. But if you do not, then let your hand be over your mouth, so that you are not caught by an inept word, and then confounded. 15 Honor and glory are in the words of those who understand, yet truly, the tongue of the imprudent man is his undoing. 16 You should not be called a whisperer, and you should not be caught by your own tongue, and then confounded. 17 For confusion and remorse is upon a thief, and a wicked mark is upon the double-tongued; but for the whisperer, there is hatred and animosity and disgrace. 18 Justify the small and the great similarly.
Sirach · Catholic Public Domain Version
Sirach 5 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.
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).
… despaired wrongly, and were lost in their despair, and called them back to hope; so doth He go forth to these also who would perish through an evil hope; and by another book He saith to them, "Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord." As He had said to the others, "In whatsoever day a man shall turn from …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)