Sirach 16 Clementine Vulgate
1 [Ne jucunderis in filiis impiis, si multiplicentur: nec oblecteris super ipsos, si non est timor Dei in illis.
1 Don’t desire a multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight in ungodly sons.
2 Non credas vitæ illorum, et ne respexeris in labores eorum.
2 If they multiply, don’t delight in them unless the fear of the Lord is in them.
3 Melior est enim unus timens Deum, quam mille filii impii:
3 Don’t trust in their life. Don’t rely on their numbers; for one can be better than a thousand, and to die childless than to have ungodly children.
4 et utile est mori sine filiis, quam relinquere filios impios.
4 For from one who has understanding, a city will be populated, but a race of wicked men will be made desolate.
5 Ab uno sensato inhabitabitur patria: tribus impiorum deseretur.
5 I have seen many such things with my eyes. My ear has heard mightier things than these.
6 Multa talia vidit oculis meus, et fortiora horum audivit auris mea.
6 In a congregation of sinners, a fire will be kindled. In a disobedient nation, wrath is kindled.
7 In synagoga peccantium exardebit ignis, et in gente incredibili exardescet ira.
7 He was not pacified toward the giants of old time, who revolted in their strength.
8 Non exoraverunt pro peccatis suis antiqui gigantes, qui destructi sunt confidentes suæ virtuti.
8 He didn’t spare Lot’s neighbors, whom he abhorred for their pride.
9 Et non pepercit peregrinationi Lot, et execratus est eos præ superbia verbi illorum.
9 He didn’t pity the people of perdition who were taken away in their sins,
10 Non misertus est illis, gentem totam perdens, et extollentem se in peccatis suis.
10 or in like manner, the six hundred thousand footmen who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts.
11 Et sicut sexcenta millia peditum, qui congregati sunt in duritia cordis sui: et si unus fuisset cervicatus, mirum si fuisset immunis.
11 Even if there is one stiff-necked person, it is a marvel if he will be unpunished; for mercy and wrath are both with him who is mighty to forgive, and he pours out wrath.
12 Misericordia enim et ira est cum illo: potens exoratio, et effundens iram.
12 As his mercy is great, so is his correction also. He judges a man according to his works.
13 Secundum misericordiam suam, sic correptio illius homines secundum opera sua judicat.
13 The sinner will not escape with plunder. The perseverance of the godly will not be frustrated.
14 Non effugiet in rapina peccator, et non retardabit sufferentia misericordiam facientis.
14 He will make room for every work of mercy. Each man will receive according to his works.
15 Omnis misericordia faciet locum unicuique, secundum meritum operum suorum, et secundum intellectum peregrinationis ipsius.]
15 Not in this translation
16 [Non dicas: A Deo abscondar: et ex summo, quis mei memorabitur?
16 Not in this translation
17 in populo magno non agnoscar: quæ est enim anima mea in tam immensa creatura?
17 Don’t say, “I will be hidden from the Lord,” and “Who will remember me from on high?” I will not be known among so many people, for what is my soul in a boundless creation?
18 Ecce cælum et cæli cælorum, abyssus, et universa terra, et quæ in eis sunt, in conspectu illius commovebuntur.
18 Behold, heaven, the heaven of heavens, the deep, and the earth, will be moved when he visits.
19 Montes simul, et colles, et fundamenta terræ, cum conspexerit illa Deus, tremore concutientur.
19 The mountains and the foundations of the earth together are shaken with trembling when he looks at them.
20 Et in omnibus his insensatum est cor, et omne cor intelligitur ab illo.
20 No heart will think about these things. Who could comprehend his ways?
21 Et vias illius quis intelligit, et procellam quam nec oculus videbit hominis?
21 Like a tempest which no man can see, so, the majority of his works are hidden.
22 Nam plurima illius opera sunt in absconsis: sed opera justitiæ ejus quis enuntiabit, aut quis sustinebit? longe enim est testamentum a quibusdam, et interrogatio omnium in consummatione est.
22 Who will declare his works of righteousness? Who will wait for them? For his covenant is afar off.
23 Qui minoratur corde cogitat inania, et vir imprudens et errans cogitat stulta.]
23 He who is lacking in understanding thinks about these things. An unwise and erring man thinks foolishly.
24 [Audi me, fili, et disce disciplinam sensus, et in verbis meis attende in corde tuo:
24 My son, listen to me, learn knowledge, and heed my words with your heart.
25 et dicam in æquitate disciplinam, et scrutabor enarrare sapientiam: et in verbis meis attende in corde tuo, et dico in æquitate spiritus virtutes quas posuit Deus in opera sua ab initio, et in veritate enuntio scientiam ejus.
25 I will impart instruction with precision, and declare knowledge exactly.
26 In judicio Dei opera ejus ab initio, et ab institutione ipsorum distinxit partes illorum, et initia eorum in gentibus suis.
26 In the judgment of the Lord are his works from the beginning. From the making of them he determined their boundaries.
27 Ornavit in æternum opera illorum: nec esurierunt, nec laboraverunt, et non destiterunt ab operibus suis.
27 He arranged his works for all time, and their beginnings to their generations. They aren’t hungry or weary, and they don’t cease from their works.
28 Unusquisque proximum sibi non angustiabit in æternum:
28 No one pushes aside his neighbor. They will never disobey his word.
29 non sis incredibilis verbo illius.
29 After this also the Lord looked at the earth and filled it with his blessings.
30 Post hæc Deus in terram respexit, et implevit illam bonis suis:
30 All manner of living things covered its surface, and they return into it.
31 anima omnis vitalis denuntiavit ante faciem ipsius, et in ipsam iterum reversio illorum.]
31 Not in this translation
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," as it is written, "God filled the earth with His good things." What is "His"?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)