1 A wise judge will instruct his people; And the government of a man of understanding shall be well ordered. 2 As is the judge of his people, so are his ministers; And as is the ruler of the city, [such are ] all they that dwell therein. 3 An uninstructed king will destroy his people; And a city will be established through the understanding of the powerful. 4 In the hand of the Lord is the authority of the earth; And in due time he will raise up over it one that is profitable. 5 In the hand of the Lord is the prosperity of a man; And upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour. 6 Be not wroth with thy neighbour for every wrong; And do nothing by works of violence. 7 Pride is hateful before the Lord and [before ] men; And in the judgement of both will unrighteousness err. 8 Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation, Because of iniquities, and deeds of violence, and greed of money. 9 Why is earth and ashes proud? Because in [his ] life he hath cast away his bowels. 10 [It is ] a long disease; the physician mocketh: And [he is ] a king to-day, and to-morrow he shall die. 11 For when a man is dead, He shall inherit creeping things, and beasts, and worms. 12 [It is ] the beginning of pride when a man departeth from the Lord; And his heart is departed from him that made him. 13 For the beginning of pride is sin; And he that keepeth it will pour forth abomination. For this cause the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, And overthrew them utterly. 14 The Lord cast down the thrones of rulers, And set the meek in their stead. 15 The Lord plucked up the roots of nations, And planted the lowly in their stead. 16 The Lord overthrew the lands of nations, And destroyed them unto the foundations of the earth. 17 He took some of them away, and destroyed them, And made their memorial to cease from the earth. 18 Pride hath not been created for men, Nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women. 19 What manner of seed hath honour? the seed of man. What manner of seed hath honour? they that fear the Lord. What manner of seed hath no honour? the seed of man. What manner of seed hath no honour? they that transgress the commandments. 20 In the midst of brethren he that ruleth them hath honour; And in the eyes of the Lord they that fear him. 21 Not in this translation 22 The rich man, and the honourable, and the poor, Their glorying is the fear of the Lord. 23 It is not right to dishonour a poor man that hath understanding; And it is not fitting to glorify a man that is a sinner. 24 The great man, and the judge, and the mighty man, shall be glorified; And there is not one of them greater than he that feareth the Lord. 25 Free men shall minister unto a wise servant; And a man that hath knowledge will not murmur [thereat. ] 26 Be not over wise in doing thy work; And glorify not thyself in the time of thy distress. 27 Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, Than he that glorifieth himself, and lacketh bread. 28 My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, And give it honour according to the worthiness thereof. 29 Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? And who will glorify him that dishonoureth his own life? 30 A poor man is glorified for his knowledge; And a rich man is glorified for his riches. 31 But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in riches? And he that is inglorious in riches, how much more in poverty?
Sirach · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Sirach 10 Revised Version with Apocrypha
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).
Nor ought blessedness to begin at any other point whatever, if indeed it is to attain unto the highest wisdom; "but the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;" for, on the other hand also, "pride" is entitled "the beginning of all sin." Let the proud, therefore, seek after and love the kingdoms of the earth; but "blessed …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Let him hear it said to him, "Why is earth and ashes proud?" Even if the devil is proud, he is not "earth and ashes." Therefore was it said, "But ye shall die like men, and shall fall as one of the princes." Ye do not consider that ye are mortals, and ye are proud as the devil.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
That his earth has reference to the inner man, and that man is cast forth thence by pride, may be particularly seen in that which is written, "Why is earth and ashes proud? Because, in his life, he cast forth his bowels." For, whence he hath been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)