1 Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from the poor. 2 Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the Boor in his want. 3 Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to give to him that is in distress. 4 Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy face from the needy. 5 Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back. 6 For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him. 7 Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble thy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a great man. 8 Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness. 9 Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and be not fainthearted in thy soul. 10 In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother. 11 And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother. 12 Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice. 13 And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her, shall embrace her sweetness. 14 They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing. 15 They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God loveth them that love her. 16 He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that looketh upon her, shall remain secure. 17 If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall be in assurance. 18 For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she chooseth him. 19 She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by her laws, and trust his soul. 20 Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to him, and give him joy, 21 And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon him treasures of knowledge and understanding of justice. 22 But if he go astray, she will forsake him, and deliver him into the hands of his enemy. 23 Son, observe the time, and fly from evil. 24 For thy soul be not ashamed to say the truth. 25 For there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame that bringeth glory and grace. 26 Accept no person against thy own person, nor against thy soul a lie. 27 Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall: 28 And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy wisdom in her beauty. 29 For by the tongue wisdom is discerned: and understanding, and knowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and steadfastness in the works of justice. 30 In nowise speak against the truth, but be ashamed of the lie of thy ignorance. 31 Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but submit not thyself to every man for sin. 32 Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not strive against the stream of the river. 33 Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee. 34 Be not hasty in thy tongue: and slack and remiss in thy works. 35 Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy household, and oppressing them that are under thee. 36 Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldst give.
Sirach · Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
Sirach 4 Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
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).
Now "all consummation" appeareth to me in this place to signify, the striving even unto death for the truth, and the endurance of every evil for the true and chief good: the end of which consummation is to excel in the kingdom of Christ, which hath no end; and there to have without death, without pain, and with great honour, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
"For a word is 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 …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Let not thine hand be only stretched out to receive, but let it be also ready to work.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)