Sirach · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Sirach 3 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 Hear me your father, O my children, And do thereafter, that ye may be saved.
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 glory as touching the children, And hath confirmed the judgement of the mother as touching the sons.
2 For the Lord honors the father over the children, and has confirmed the judgment of the mother over her sons.
3 He that honoureth his father shall make atonement for sins:
3 He who honors his father will make atonement for sins.
4 And he that giveth glory to 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 children; And in the day of 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 giveth glory to his father shall have length of days; And he that hearkeneth unto the Lord shall bring rest unto 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 And will do service under his parents, as unto masters.
7 and will serve under his parents, as to masters.
8 In deed and word honour thy father, That a blessing may come upon thee from him.
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 the foundations.
9 For the blessing of the father establishes the houses of children, but the curse of the mother roots out the foundations.
10 Glorify not thyself 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 her 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 old 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 he fail in understanding, have patience with him; And dishonour him not [while 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 remember thee; As fair weather upon ice, So shall thy sins also melt away.
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 provoketh his mother is cursed of the Lord.
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 an acceptable man.
17 My son, go on with your business in humility; so you will be loved by an acceptable man.
18 The greater thou art, humble thyself the more, 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 Not in this translation
19 Not in this translation
20 For great is the potency of the Lord, And he is glorified of them that are lowly.
20 For the power of the Lord is great, and he is glorified by those who are lowly.
21 Seek not things that are too hard for thee, And search not out 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 The things that have been commanded thee, think thereupon; For thou hast no need of the things that are 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 over busy in thy superfluous works: For more things are shewed unto thee than men can 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 the conceit of many hath led them astray; And evil surmising hath caused their judgement to slip.
24 For the conceit of many has led them astray. Evil opinion has caused their judgment to slip.
25 Not in this translation
25 There is no light without eyes. There is no wisdom without knowledge.
26 A stubborn heart shall fare ill 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 A stubborn heart shall be laden with troubles; And the sinner shall heap sin upon sin.
27 A stubborn heart will be burdened with troubles. The sinner will heap sin upon sins.
28 The calamity of the proud is no healing; For a 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 the ear of a listener 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 almsgiving will make atonement for sins.
30 Water will quench a flaming fire; almsgiving will make atonement for sins.
31 He that requiteth good turns is mindful of that which cometh afterward; And in the time of his falling he shall find a support.
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)