Sirach · Catholic Public Domain Version
Sirach 9 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 You should not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, lest she reveal, because of you, the malice of a wicked lesson.
1 Don’t be jealous over the wife of your bosom, and don’t teach her an evil lesson against yourself.
2 You should not give authority over your soul to a woman, lest she obtain your strength, and then you would be confounded.
2 Don’t give your soul to a woman and let her trample down your strength.
3 You should not look with favor on a woman with many desires, lest perhaps you may fall into her traps.
3 Don’t go to meet a woman who plays the prostitute, lest perhaps you fall into her snares.
4 You should not be continually in need of entertainment, nor should you be persuaded by it, lest perhaps you may perish by its effectiveness.
4 Don’t associate with a woman who is a singer, lest perhaps you be caught by her tricks.
5 You should not stare at a virgin, lest perhaps you may be scandalized by her beauty.
5 Don’t gaze at a virgin, lest perhaps you stumble and incur penalties for her.
6 You should not give your soul, in any way, to fornicators, lest you destroy yourself and your inheritance.
6 Don’t give your soul to prostitutes, that you not lose your inheritance.
7 Do not choose to look around in the streets of the city, nor should you wander along its thoroughfares.
7 Don’t look around in the streets of the city. Don’t wander in its deserted places.
8 Avert your face from an ornate woman, for you should not gaze upon strange beauty.
8 Turn your eye away from a beautiful woman, and don’t gaze at another’s beauty. Many have been led astray by the beauty of a woman; and with this, passion is kindled like a fire.
9 Many have perished because of the beauty of a woman; and by this, desire is kindled like a fire.
9 Don’t dine at all with a woman who has a husband, or revel with her at wine, lest perhaps your soul turn away to her, and with your spirit you slide into destruction.
10 Every woman who is a fornicator will be trampled down, like the filth in the street.
10 Don’t forsake an old friend; for a new one is not comparable to him. A new friend is like new wine: if it becomes old, you will drink it with gladness.
11 Many, by admiring the beauty of the wife of another, have become reprobate. For familiarity with her flares up like a fire.
11 Don’t envy the success of a sinner; for you don’t know what his end will be.
12 You should not sit down at all with another man’s wife, nor recline with her on a couch.
12 Don’t delight in the delights of the ungodly. Remember they will not go unpunished to the grave.
13 And you should not argue with her over wine, lest perhaps your heart may turn toward her, and by your emotion, you would be toppled into perdition.
13 Keep yourself far from the man who has power to kill, and you will not be troubled by the fear of death. If you come to him, commit no fault, lest he take away your life. Know surely that you go about in the midst of snares, and walk upon the battlements of a city.
14 You should not abandon an old friend. For a new one will not be similar to him.
14 As well as you can, aim to know your neighbors, and take counsel with the wise.
15 A new friend is like new wine. It will grow old, and then you will enjoy drinking it.
15 Let your conversation be with men of understanding. Let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High.
16 You should not envy the glory and wealth of a sinner. For you do not know what may be his undoing in the future.
16 Let righteous people be companions at your table. Let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord.
17 The injury of the unjust should not please you, knowing that, until they are in hell, the impious will not please.
17 A work is commended because of the skill of the artisan; so he who rules the people will be considered wise for his speech.
18 Keep yourself far from a man having the power to kill, and then you will not have the fear of death suspended over you.
18 A loudmouthed man is dangerous in his city. He who is reckless in his speech will be hated.
19 But if you do approach him, do nothing to offend, lest perhaps he may take away your life.
19 Not in this translation
20 Know that this is a communion with death. For you would be entering the midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of the grieving.
20 Not in this translation
21 According to your ability, be cautious of your neighbor, and treat him as the wise and prudent would.
21 Not in this translation
22 Let just men be your companions, and let your glory be in the fear of God.
22 Not in this translation
23 And let the thought of God be in your mind, and let all your discourse be on the precepts of the Most High.
23 Not in this translation
24 Works will be praised for the hands of the artists, and a leader of the people will be praised for the wisdom of his words, yet truly, the word of the elders will be praised for its understanding.
24 Not in this translation
25 A man full of words is a dread to his city, but one who speaks rashly will be hated for his word.
25 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).
Whence too it is said in the Psalm, "They have laid stumblingblocks for me by the way side." And another Scripture saith, "Remember that thou walkest in the midst of snares." These snares among which we walk are not in the way; but yet they are "by the way side." What fearest thou, what art thou alarmed at, so thou …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
This even the ancient Scripture corrects from the first, saying, "Contemplate not beauty which is another's." And then, lest any one should say, "what then, if I contemplate, and be not taken captive," He punishes the look, lest confiding in this security thou shouldest some time fall into sin.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… a better thing than a gift," and "answer the poor man peaceably with meekness." And all the rest of thy time too adorn it with the rehearsing of the laws of God; "Yea, let all thy communication be in the law of the Most High." Having thus adorned ourselves, let us come to our King, and fall at His knees, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)