1 [Fili, accedens ad servitutem Dei sta in justitia et timore, et præpara animam tuam ad tentationem. 2 Deprime cor tuum, et sustine: inclina aurem tuam, et suscipe verba intellectus: et ne festines in tempore obductionis. 3 Sustine sustentationes Dei: conjungere Deo, et sustine, ut crescat in novissimo vita tua. 4 Omne quod tibi applicitum fuerit accipe: et in dolore sustine, et in humilitate tua patientiam habe: 5 quoniam in igne probatur aurum et argentum, homines vero receptibiles in camino humiliationis. 6 Crede Deo, et recuperabit te: et dirige viam tuam, et spera in illum: serva timorem illius, et in illo veterasce.] 7 [Metuentes Dominum, sustinete misericordiam ejus: et non deflectatis ab illo, ne cadatis. 8 Qui timetis Dominum, credite illi, et non evacuabitur merces vestra. 9 Qui timetis Dominum, sperate in illum, et in oblectationem veniet vobis misericordia. 10 Qui timetis Dominum, diligite illum, et illuminabuntur corda vestra. 11 Respicite, filii, nationes hominum: et scitote quia nullus speravit in Domino et confusus est. 12 Quis enim permansit in mandatis ejus, et derelictus est? aut quis invocavit eum, et despexit illum? 13 Quoniam pius et misericors est Deus, et remittet in die tribulationis peccata, et protector est omnibus exquirentibus se in veritate.] 14 [Væ duplici corde, et labiis scelestis, et manibus malefacientibus, et peccatori terram ingredienti duabus viis ! 15 Væ dissolutis corde, qui non credunt Deo, et ideo non protegentur ab eo ! 16 Væ his qui perdiderunt sustinentiam, et qui dereliquerunt vias rectas, et diverterunt in vias pravas ! 17 Et quid facient cum inspicere cœperit Dominus? 18 Qui timent Dominum non erunt incredibiles verbo illius: et qui diligunt illum conservabunt viam illius. 19 Qui timent Dominum inquirent quæ beneplacita sunt ei, et qui diligunt eum replebuntur lege ipsius. 20 Qui timent Dominum præparabunt corda sua, et in conspectu illius sanctificabunt animas suas. 21 Qui timent Dominum custodiunt mandata illius, et patientiam habebunt usque ad inspectionem illius, 22 dicentes: Si pœnitentiam non egerimus, incidemus in manus Domini, et non in manus hominum. 23 Secundum enim magnitudinem ipsius, sic et misericordia illius cum ipso est.]
Sirach 2 Clementine Vulgate
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).
… rise again but what falls, whence they conclude that resurrection pertains to bodies only, and not to souls, because bodies fall, why do they make nothing of the words, "Ye that fear the Lord, wait for His mercy; and go not aside lest ye fall;" and "To his own Master he stands or falls;" and "He that thinketh he standeth, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Where then is that, "Who hath called upon God, and hath been forsaken by Him?" where again is that, "Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord, shall be delivered." Immediately reaching forth the help of His right hand, He lifted him up as he was sinking, and rebuked his distrust; "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
In such manner evidently Thou wilt be angry, because it hath been written, "My son, drawing near unto the service of God, stand thou in righteousness and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation." Think not that now the wrath of God hath passed away, because thou hast been converted.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)