Sirach · Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
Sirach 35 Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
DRB Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 He that keepeth the law, multiplieth offerings.
1 He who keeps the law multiplies offerings. He who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
2 It is a wholesome sacrifice to take heed to the commandments, and to depart from all iniquity.
2 He who returns a kindness offers fine flour. He who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.
3 And to depart from injustice, is to offer a propitiatory sacrifice for injustices, and a begging of pardon for sins.
3 To depart from wickedness pleases the Lord. To depart from unrighteousness is an atoning sacrifice.
4 He shall return thanks, that offereth fine flour: and he that doth mercy, offereth sacrifice.
4 See that you don’t appear in the presence of the Lord empty.
5 To depart from iniquity is that which pleaseth the Lord, and to depart from injustice, is an entreaty for sins.
5 For all these things are done because of the commandment.
6 Thou shalt not appear empty in the sight of the Lord.
6 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar. The sweet fragrance of it is before the Most High.
7 For all these things are to be done because of the commandment of God.
7 The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable. It won’t be forgotten.
8 The oblation of the just maketh the altar fat, and is an odour of sweetness in the sight of the most High.
8 Glorify the Lord with generosity. Don’t reduce the first fruits of your hands.
9 The sacrifice of the just is acceptable, and the Lord will not forget the memorial thereof.
9 In every gift show a cheerful countenance, And dedicate your tithe with gladness.
10 Give glory to God with a good heart: and diminish not the firstfruits of thy hands.
10 Give to the Most High according as he has given. As your hand has found, give generously.
11 In every gift shew a cheerful countenance, and sanctify thy tithes with joy.
11 For the Lord repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.
12 Give to the most High according to what he hath given to thee, and with a good eye do according to the ability of thy hands:
12 Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them. Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous sacrifice, For the Lord is the judge, and with him is no respect of persons.
13 For the Lord maketh recompense, and will give thee seven times as much.
13 He won’t accept any person against a poor man. He will listen to the prayer of him who is wronged.
14 Do not offer wicked gifts, for such he will not receive.
14 He will in no way despise the supplication of the fatherless or the widow, when she pours out her tale.
15 And look not upon an unjust sacrifice, for the Lord is judge, and there is not with him respect of person.
15 Don’t the tears of the widow run down her cheek? Isn’t her cry against him who has caused them to fall?
16 The Lord will not accept any person against a poor man, and he will hear the prayer of him that is wronged.
16 He who serves God according to his good pleasure will be accepted. His supplication will reach to the clouds.
17 He will not despise the prayers of the fatherless; nor the widow, when she poureth out her complaint.
17 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds. until it comes near, he will not be comforted. He won’t depart until the Most High visits and he judges righteously and executes judgment.
18 Do not the widow’s tears run down the cheek, and her cry against him that causeth them to fall?
18 And the Lord will not be slack, neither will he be patient toward them, until he has crushed the loins of the unmerciful. He will repay vengeance to the heathen until he has taken away the multitude of the arrogant and broken in pieces the sceptres of the unrighteous,
19 For from the cheek they go up even to heaven, and the Lord that heareth will not be delighted with them.
19 until he has rendered to every man according to his deeds, and repaid the works of men according to their plans, until he has judged the cause of his people, and he will make them rejoice in his mercy.
20 He that adoreth God with joy, shall be accepted, and his prayer shall approach even to the clouds.
20 Mercy is as welcome in the time of his affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.
21 The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds: and till it come nigh he will not be comforted: and he will not depart till the most High behold.
21 Not in this translation
22 And the Lord will not be slack, but will judge for the just, and will do judgment: and the Almighty will not have patience with them, that he may crush their back:
22 Not in this translation
23 And he will repay vengeance to the Gentiles, till he have taken away the multitude of the proud, and broken the sceptres of the unjust,
23 Not in this translation
24 Till he have rendered to men according to their deeds: and according to the works of Adam, and according to his presumption,
24 Not in this translation
25 Till he have judged the cause of his people, and he shall delight the just with his mercy.
25 Not in this translation
26 The mercy of God is beautiful in the time of affliction, as a cloud of rain in the time of drought.
26 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).
Concerning this sweetness of the mercy of God see ye what in another place the Scripture saith: "Like rain in drought, so beautiful is the mercy of God in trouble." That which there he saith to be "beautiful," the same he saith here to be "sweet." Not even bread would be sweet, unless hunger had preceded.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)