Sirach · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Sirach 33 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 There shall no evil happen unto him that feareth the Lord; But in temptation once and again will he deliver him.
1 No evil will happen to him who fears the Lord, but in trials once and again he will deliver him.
2 A wise man will not hate the law; But he that is a hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm.
2 A wise man will not hate the law, but he who is a hypocrite about it is like a boat in a storm.
3 A man of understanding will put his trust in the law; And the law is faithful unto him, as when one asketh at the oracle.
3 A man of understanding will put his trust in the law. And the law is faithful to him, as when one asks a divine oracle.
4 Prepare [thy ] speech, and so shalt thou be heard; Bind up instruction, and make thine answer.
4 Prepare your speech, and so you will be heard. Bind up instruction, and make your answer.
5 The heart of a fool is [as ] a cartwheel; And his thoughts like a rolling axletree.
5 The heart of a fool is like a cartwheel. His thoughts are like a rolling axle.
6 A stallion horse is as a mocking friend; He neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.
6 A stallion horse is like a mocking friend. He neighs under every one who sits upon him.
7 Why doth one day excel another, When all the light of every day in the year is of the sun?
7 Why does one day excel another, when all the light of every day in the year is from the sun?
8 By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished; And he varied seasons and feasts:
8 They were distinguished by the Lord’s knowledge, and he varied seasons and feasts.
9 Some of them he exalted and hallowed, And some of them hath he made ordinary days.
9 Some of them he exalted and hallowed, and some of them he has made ordinary days.
10 And all men are from the ground, And Adam was created of earth.
10 And all men are from the ground. Adam was created from dust.
11 In the abundance of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them, And made their ways various:
11 In the abundance of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them, and made their ways different.
12 Some of them he blessed and exalted, And some of them he hallowed and brought nigh to himself: Some of them he cursed and brought low, And overthrew them from their place.
12 Some of them he blessed and exalted, and some of them he made holy and brought near to himself. Some of them he cursed and brought low, and overthrew them from their place.
13 As the clay of the potter in his hand, All his ways are according to his good pleasure; So men are in the hand of him that made them, To render unto them according to his judgement.
13 As the clay of the potter in his hand, all his ways are according to his good pleasure, so men are in the hand of him who made them, to give to them according to his judgment.
14 Good is set over against evil, And life over against death: So is the sinner over against the godly.
14 Good is the opposite of evil, and life is the opposite of death; so the sinner is the opposite of the godly.
15 And thus look upon all the works of the Most High; Two and two, one against another.
15 Look upon all the works of the Most High like this, they come in pairs, one against another.
16 And I waked up last, As one that gleaneth after the grape-gatherers: By the blessing of the Lord I got before them, And filled my winepress as one that gathereth grapes.
16 I was the last on watch, like one who gleans after the grape gatherers.
17 Consider that I laboured not for myself alone, But for all them that seek instruction.
17 By the Lord’s blessing I arrived before them, and filled my winepress like one who gathers grapes.
18 Hear me, ye great men of the people, And hearken with your ears, ye rulers of the congregation.
18 Consider that I labored not for myself alone, but for all those who seek instruction.
19 To son and wife, to brother and friend, Give not power over thee while thou livest; And give not thy goods to another, Lest thou repent and make supplication for them [again. ]
19 Hear me, you great men of the people, and listen with your ears, you rulers of the congregation.
20 Whilst thou yet livest, and breath is in thee, Give not thyself over to anybody.
20 To son and wife, to brother and friend, don’t give power over yourself while you live, and don’t give your goods to another, lest you regret it and must ask for them.
21 For better it is that thy children should supplicate thee, Than that thou shouldest look to the hand of thy sons.
21 While you still live and breath is in you, don’t give yourself over to anybody.
22 In all thy works keep the upper hand; Bring not a stain on thine honour.
22 For it is better that your children should ask from you than that you should look to the hand of your children.
23 In the day that thou endest the days of thy life, And in the time of death, distribute thine inheritance.
23 Excel in all your works. Don’t bring a stain on your honor.
24 Fodder, a stick, and burdens, for an ass; Bread, and discipline, and work, for a servant.
24 In the day that you end the days of your life, in the time of death, distribute your inheritance.
25 Set thy servant to work, and thou shalt find rest: Leave his hands idle, and he will seek liberty.
25 Fodder, a stick, and burdens are for a donkey. Bread, discipline, and work are for a servant.
26 Yoke and thong will bow the neck: And for an evil servant there are racks and tortures.
26 Set your slave to work, and you will find rest. Leave his hands idle, and he will seek liberty.
27 Send him to labour, that he be not idle; For idleness teacheth much mischief.
27 Yoke and whip will bow the neck. For an evil slave there are racks and tortures.
28 Set him to work, as is fit for him; And if he obey not, make his fetters heavy.
28 Send him to labor, that he not be idle, for idleness teaches much mischief.
29 And be not excessive toward any; And without judgement do nothing.
29 Set him to work, as is fit for him. If he doesn’t obey, make his fetters heavy.
30 If thou hast a servant, let him be as thyself, Because thou hast bought him with blood.
30 Don’t be excessive toward any. Do nothing unjust.
31 If thou hast a servant, treat him as thyself; For as thine own soul wilt thou have need of him: If thou treat him ill, and he depart and run away, Which way wilt thou go to seek him?
31 If you have a slave, treat him like yourself, because you have bought him with blood.
32 Not in this translation
32 If you have a slave, treat him like yourself. For like your own soul, you will need him. If you treat him ill, and he departs and runs away,
33 Not in this translation
33 which way will you go to seek him?
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).
So look upon all the works of the Most High, and these are two and two, one against another."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)