Sirach · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Sirach 20 Revised Version with Apocrypha
Sirach is not in RV1909.
1 There is a reproof that is not comely; And there is a man that keepeth silence, and he is wise.
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2 How good is it to reprove, rather than to be wroth; And he that maketh confession shall be kept back from hurt.
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3 Not in this translation
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4 As is the lust of an eunuch to deflower a virgin; So is he that executeth judgements with violence.
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5 There is one that keepeth silence, and is found wise; And there is one that is hated for his much talk.
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6 There is one that keepeth silence, for he hath no answer to make; And there is that keepeth silence, as knowing his time.
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7 A wise man will be silent till his time come; But the braggart and fool will overpass his time.
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8 He that useth many words shall be abhorred; And he that taketh to himself authority therein shall be hated.
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9 There is a prosperity that a man findeth in misfortunes; And there is a gain that turneth to loss.
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10 There is a gift that shall not profit thee; And there is a gift whose recompense is double.
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11 There is an abasement because of glory; And there is that hath lifted up his head from a low estate.
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12 There is that buyeth much for a little, And payeth for it again sevenfold.
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13 He that is wise in words shall make himself beloved; But the pleasantries of fools shall be wasted.
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14 The gift of a fool shall not profit thee; For his eyes are many instead of one.
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15 He will give little, and upbraid much; And he will open his mouth like a crier: To-day he will lend, and to-morrow he will ask it again: Such an one is a hateful man.
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16 The fool will say, I have no friend, And I have no thanks for my good deeds; They that eat my bread are of evil tongue.
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17 How oft, and of how many, shall he be laughed to scorn!
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18 A slip on a pavement is better than [a slip ] with the tongue; So the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.
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19 A man without grace is [as ] a tale out of season: It will be continually in the mouth of the ignorant.
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20 A wise sentence from a fool’s mouth will be rejected; For he will not speak it in its season.
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21 There is that is hindered from sinning through want; And when he taketh rest, he shall not be troubled.
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22 There is that destroyeth his soul through bashfulness; And by a foolish countenance he will destroy it.
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23 There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend; And he maketh him his enemy for nothing.
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24 A lie is a foul blot in a man: It will be continually in the mouth of the ignorant.
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25 A thief is better than a man that is continually lying: But they both shall inherit destruction.
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26 The disposition of a liar is dishonour; And his shame is with him continually.
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27 He that is wise in words shall advance himself; And one that is prudent will please great men.
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28 He that tilleth his land shall raise his heap high; And he that pleaseth great men shall get pardon for iniquity.
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29 Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise, And as a muzzle on the mouth, turn away reproofs.
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30 Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is out of sight, What profit is in them both?
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31 Better is a man that hideth his folly Than a man that hideth his wisdom.
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32 Not in this translation
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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 he hath plenty, and is with her, but cannot satisfy all his desire; but the same result takes place as some wise man mentions; "The lust of eunuch to deflower a virgin;" and, "Like an eunuch embracing a virgin and groaning;" so are all the rich.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)