Sirach · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Sirach 19 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 A workman that is a drunkard shall not become rich: He that despiseth small things shall fall by little and little.
1 A worker who is a drunkard will not become rich. He who despises small things will fall little by little.
2 Wine and women will make men of understanding to fall away: And he that cleaveth to harlots will be the more reckless.
2 Wine and women will make men of understanding go astray. He who joins with prostitutes is reckless.
3 Moths and worms shall have him to heritage; And a reckless soul shall be taken away.
3 Decay and worms will have him as their heritage. A reckless soul will be taken away.
4 He that is hasty to trust is light-minded; And he that sinneth shall offend against his own soul.
4 He who is hasty to trust is shallow-hearted. He who sins offends against his own soul.
5 He that maketh merry in his heart shall be condemned:
5 He who rejoices in wickedness will be condemned.
6 And he that hateth talk hath the less wickedness.
6 He who hates gossip has less wickedness.
7 Never repeat what is told thee, And thou shalt fare never the worse.
7 Never repeat what is told you, and you won’t lose anything.
8 Whether it be of friend or foe, tell it not; And unless it is a sin to thee, reveal it not.
8 Whether it is of friend or foe, don’t tell it. Unless it is a sin to you, don’t reveal it.
9 For he hath heard thee, and observed thee, And when the time cometh he will hate thee.
9 For if he has heard you and observed you, when the time comes, he will hate you.
10 Hast thou heard a word? let it die with thee: Be of good courage, it will not burst thee.
10 Have you heard something? Let it die with you. Be brave: it will not make you burst!
11 A fool will travail in pain with a word, As a woman in labour with a child.
11 A fool will travail in pain with a word, as a woman in labor with a child.
12 As an arrow that sticketh in the flesh of the thigh, So is a word in a fool’s belly.
12 As an arrow that sticks in the flesh of the thigh, so is gossip in a fool.
13 Reprove a friend; it may be he did it not: And if he did something, that he may do it no more.
13 Question a friend; it may be he didn’t do it. If he did something, it may be that he may do it no more.
14 Reprove thy neighbour; it may be he said it not: And if he hath said it, that he may not say it again.
14 Question your neighbor; it may be he didn’t say it. If he has said it, it may be that he may not say it again.
15 Reprove a friend; for many times there is slander: And trust not every word.
15 Question a friend; for many times there is slander. Don’t trust every word.
16 There is one that slippeth, and not from the heart: And who is he that hath not sinned with his tongue?
16 There is one who slips, and not from the heart. Who is he who hasn’t sinned with his tongue?
17 Reprove thy neighbour before thou threaten him; And give place to the law of the Most High.
17 Reprove your neighbor before you threaten him; and give place to the law of the Most High.
18 Not in this translation
18 Not in this translation
20 All wisdom is the fear of the Lord; And in all wisdom is the doing of the law.
20 All wisdom is the fear of the Lord. In all wisdom is the doing of the law.
21 Not in this translation
21 Not in this translation
22 And the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom; And the prudence of sinners is not counsel.
22 The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom. The prudence of sinners is not counsel.
23 There is a wickedness, and the same is abomination; And there is a fool wanting in wisdom.
23 There is a wickedness, and it is an abomination. There is a fool lacking in wisdom.
24 Better is one that hath small understanding, and feareth, Than one that hath much prudence, and transgresseth the law.
24 Better is one who has little understanding, and fears God, than one who has much intelligence and transgresses the law.
25 There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust; And there is one that perverteth favour to gain a judgement.
25 There is an exquisite subtlety, and it is unjust. And there is one who perverts favor to gain a judgment.
26 There is one that doeth wickedly, that hangeth down his head with mourning; But inwardly he is full of deceit,
26 There is one who does wickedly, who hangs down his head with mourning; but inwardly he is full of deceit,
27 Bowing down his face, and making as if he were deaf of one ear: Where he is not known, he will be beforehand with thee.
27 bowing down his face, and pretending to be deaf in one ear. Where he isn’t known, he will take advantage of you.
28 And if for want of power he be hindered from sinning, If he find opportunity, he will do mischief.
28 And if for lack of power he is hindered from sinning, if he finds opportunity, he will do mischief.
29 A man shall be known by his look, And one that hath understanding shall be known by his face, when thou meetest him.
29 A man will be known by his appearance. One who has understanding will be known by his face when you meet him.
30 A man’s attire, and grinning laughter, And gait, shew what he is.
30 A man’s attire, grinning laughter, and the way he walks show what he is.
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 so unto that little, adding daily littles (for "he that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little"), she contracted such a habit as, to drink off eagerly her little cup nearly full of wine.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)