Sirach · Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
Sirach 39 Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
DRB Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 The wise men will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.
1 Not so he who has applied his soul and meditates in the law of the Most High. He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients and will be occupied with prophecies.
2 He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.
2 He will keep the sayings of the men of renown and will enter in amidst the subtleties of parables.
3 He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.
3 He will seek out the hidden meaning of proverbs and be conversant in the dark sayings of parables.
4 He shall serve among great men, and: appear before the governor.
4 He will serve among great men and appear before him who rules. He will travel through the land of foreign nations, for he has learned what is good and evil among men.
5 He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.
5 He will apply his heart to return early to the Lord who made him, and will make supplication before the Most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and will ask for pardon for his sins.
6 He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.
6 If the great Lord wills, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; he will pour forth the words of his wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the Lord.
7 He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.
7 He will direct his counsel and knowledge, and he will meditate in his secrets.
8 For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:
8 He will show the instruction which he has been taught and will glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
9 And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.
9 Many will commend his understanding. So long as the world endures, it won’t be blotted out. His memory won’t depart. His name will live from generation to generation.
10 And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.
10 Nations will declare his wisdom. The congregation will proclaim his praise.
11 He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
11 If he continues, he will leave a greater name than a thousand. If he finally rests, it is enough for him.
12 Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.
12 Yet more I will utter, which I have thought about. I am filled like the full moon.
13 The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.
13 Listen to me, you holy children, and bud forth like a rose growing by a brook of water.
14 Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise.
14 Give a sweet fragrance like frankincense. Put forth flowers like a lily. Scatter a sweet smell and sing a song of praise. Bless the Lord for all his works!
15 If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he rest, it shall be to his advantage.
15 Magnify his name and give utterance to his praise with the songs on your lips and with harps! Say this when you utter his praise:
16 I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a holy transport.
16 All the works of the Lord are exceedingly good, and every command will be done in its time.
17 By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of waters.
17 No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?” for at the proper time they will all be sought out. At his word, the waters stood as a heap, as did the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.
18 Give ye a sweet odour as frankincense.
18 At his command all his good pleasure is fulfilled. There is no one who can hinder his salvation.
19 Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.
19 The works of all flesh are before him. It’s impossible to be hidden from his eyes.
20 Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your lips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in praising him, you shall say in this manner:
20 He sees from everlasting to everlasting. There is nothing too wonderful for him.
21 All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.
21 No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?” for all things are created for their own uses.
22 At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters:
22 His blessing covered the dry land as a river and saturated it as a flood.
23 For at his commandment favour is shewn, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.
23 As he has made the waters salty, so the heathen will inherit his wrath.
24 The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.
24 His ways are plain to the holy. They are stumbling blocks to the wicked.
25 He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before him.
25 Good things are created from the beginning for the good. So are evil things for sinners.
26 There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things shall be sought in their time.
26 The main things necessary for the life of man are water, fire, iron, salt, wheat flour, and honey, milk, the blood of the grape, oil, and clothing.
27 His blessing hath overflowed like a river.
27 All these things are for good to the godly, but for sinners, they will be turned into evils.
28 And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit the nations, that have not sought after him:
28 There are winds that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on their scourges heavily. In the time of reckoning, they pour out their strength, and will appease the wrath of him who made them.
29 Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was made dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners they are stumblingblocks in his wrath.
29 Fire, hail, famine, and death— all these are created for vengeance—
30 Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good and evil things.
30 wild beasts’ teeth, scorpions, adders, and a sword punishing the ungodly to destruction.
31 The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.
31 They will rejoice in his commandment, and will be made ready upon earth when needed. In their seasons, they won’t disobey his command.
32 All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.
32 Therefore from the beginning I was convinced, and I thought it through and left it in writing:
33 There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on grievous torments.
33 All the works of the Lord are good. He will supply every need in its time.
34 In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.
34 No one can say, “This is worse than that,” for they will all be well approved in their time.
35 Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance.
35 Now with all your hearts and voices, sing praises and bless the Lord’s name!
36 The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword taking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.
36 Not in this translation
37 In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready upon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not transgress his word.
37 Not in this translation
38 Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have meditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing.
38 Not in this translation
39 All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.
39 Not in this translation
40 It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be well approved in their time.
40 Not in this translation
41 Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.
41 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).
… and a new....But in many places of holy Scriptures we have already made known to you that confession is also put for praise: as in this passage it is, "These words ye shall say in confession, That the works of the Lord are very good.'" And especially that which the Saviour Himself saith, who had not any sin at all, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)