Sirach · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Sirach 3 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
1 Hear me your father, O children, and do thereafter, that ye may be safe.
1 Hear me, your father, O my children, and do what you hear, that you all may be safe.
2 For the Lord hath given the father honour over the children, and hath confirmed the authority of the mother over the sons.
2 For the Lord honors the father over the children, and has confirmed the judgment of the mother over her sons.
3 Whoso honoureth his father maketh an atonement for his sins:
3 He who honors his father will make atonement for sins.
4 And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up treasure.
4 He who gives glory to his mother is as one who lays up treasure.
5 Whoso honoureth his father shall have joy of his own children; and when he maketh his prayer, he shall be heard.
5 Whoever honors his father will have joy in his own children. He will be heard in the day of his prayer.
6 He that honoureth his father shall have a long life; and he that is obedient unto the Lord shall be a comfort to his mother.
6 He who gives glory to his father will have length of days. He who listens to the Lord will bring rest to his mother,
7 He that feareth the Lord will honour his father, and will do service unto his parents, as to his masters.
7 and will serve under his parents, as to masters.
8 Honour thy father and mother both in word and deed, that a blessing may come upon thee from them.
8 Honor your father in deed and word, that a blessing may come upon you from him.
9 For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of children; but the curse of the mother rooteth out foundations.
9 For the blessing of the father establishes the houses of children, but the curse of the mother roots out the foundations.
10 Glory not in the dishonour of thy father; for thy father’s dishonour is no glory unto thee.
10 Don’t glorify yourself in the dishonor of your father, for your father’s dishonor is no glory to you.
11 For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father; and a mother in dishonour is a reproach to the children.
11 For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a mother in dishonor is a reproach to her children.
12 My son, help thy father in his age, and grieve him not as long as he liveth.
12 My son, help your father in his old age, and don’t grieve him as long as he lives.
13 And if his understanding fail, have patience with him; and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength.
13 If he fails in understanding, have patience with him. Don’t dishonor him in your full strength.
14 For the relieving of thy father shall not be forgotten: and instead of sins it shall be added to build thee up.
14 For the kindness to your father will not be forgotten. Instead of sins it will be added to build you up.
15 In the day of thine affliction it shall be remembered; thy sins also shall melt away, as the ice in the fair warm weather.
15 In the day of your affliction it will be remembered for you, as fair weather upon ice, so your sins will also melt away.
16 He that forsaketh his father is as a blasphemer; and he that angereth his mother is cursed: of God.
16 He who forsakes his father is as a blasphemer. He who provokes his mother is cursed by the Lord.
17 My son, go on with thy business in meekness; so shalt thou be beloved of him that is approved.
17 My son, go on with your business in humility; so you will be loved by an acceptable man.
18 The greater thou art, the more humble thyself, and thou shalt find favour before the Lord.
18 The greater you are, humble yourself the more, and you will find favor before the Lord.
19 Many are in high place, and of renown: but mysteries are revealed unto the meek.
19 Not in this translation
20 For the power of the Lord is great, and he is honoured of the lowly.
20 For the power of the Lord is great, and he is glorified by those who are lowly.
21 Seek not out things that are too hard for thee, neither search the things that are above thy strength.
21 Don’t seek things that are too hard for you, and don’t search out things that are above your strength.
22 But what is commanded thee, think thereupon with reverence, for it is not needful for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are in secret.
22 Think about the things that have been commanded you, for you have no need of the things that are secret.
23 Be not curious in unnecessary matters: for more things are shewed unto thee than men understand.
23 Don’t be overly busy in tasks that are beyond you, for more things are shown to you than men can understand.
24 For many are deceived by their own vain opinion; and an evil suspicion hath overthrown their judgment.
24 For the conceit of many has led them astray. Evil opinion has caused their judgment to slip.
25 Without eyes thou shalt want light: profess not the knowledge therefore that thou hast not.
25 There is no light without eyes. There is no wisdom without knowledge.
26 A stubborn heart shall fare evil at the last; and he that loveth danger shall perish therein.
26 A stubborn heart will do badly at the end. He who loves danger will perish in it.
27 An obstinate heart shall be laden with sorrows; and the wicked man shall heap sin upon sin.
27 A stubborn heart will be burdened with troubles. The sinner will heap sin upon sins.
28 In the punishment of the proud there is no remedy; for the plant of wickedness hath taken root in him.
28 The calamity of the proud has no healing, for a weed of wickedness has taken root in him.
29 The heart of the prudent will understand a parable; and an attentive ear is the desire of a wise man.
29 The heart of the prudent will understand a proverb. A wise man desires the ear of a listener.
30 Water will quench a flaming fire; and alms maketh an atonement for sins.
30 Water will quench a flaming fire; almsgiving will make atonement for sins.
31 And he that requiteth good turns is mindful of that which may come hereafter; and when he falleth, he shall find a stay.
31 He who repays good turns is mindful of that which comes afterward. In the time of his falling he will find a support.
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).
For Thou hast commanded, saying, Go on with thy business in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved by all men; and good cattle, which neither if they eat, shall they over-abound, nor if they do not eat, have they any want; and good serpents, not destructive to do hurt, but "wise" to take heed; and exploring only so much of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
Seek not the things that are too deep for thee, neither search out the things that are above thy strength: what is commanded thee, think thereupon.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
It is written, "As water quencheth fire, so alms quencheth sin." Again it is written, "Shut up alms in the heart of a poor man, and it shall make supplication for thee before the Lord." Again it is written, "Hear, O king, my counsel, and redeem thy sins by alms." And many other testimonies of the Divine oracles are there, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… abundance of graces is to be feared, that no man may pride himself in the gift of God, but may rather preserve humility, and may do what is written: "The greater thou art, the more humble thyself, and thou shalt find favour before the Lord:" how deeply pride in God's gift should be feared, we must again and again impress …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)