1 [Filii sapientiæ ecclesia justorum, et natio illorum obedientia et dilectio. 2 Judicium patris audite, filii, et sic facite, ut salvi sitis. 3 Deus enim honoravit patrem in filiis: et judicium matris exquirens, firmavit in filios. 4 Qui diligit Deum exorabit pro peccatis, et continebit se ab illis, et in oratione dierum exaudietur. 5 Et sicut qui thesaurizat, ita et qui honorificat matrem suam. 6 Qui honorat patrem suum jucundabitur in filiis, et in die orationis suæ exaudietur. 7 Qui honorat patrem suum vita vivet longiore, et qui obedit patri refrigerabit matrem. 8 Qui timet Dominum honorat parentes, et quasi dominis serviet his qui se genuerunt. 9 In opere, et sermone, et omni patientia, honora patrem tuum, 10 ut superveniat tibi benedictio ab eo, et benedictio illius in novissimo maneat. 11 Benedictio patris firmat domos filiorum: maledictio autem matris eradicat fundamenta. 12 Ne glorieris in contumelia patris tui: non enim est tibi gloria ejus confusio. 13 Gloria enim hominis ex honore patris sui, et dedecus filii pater sine honore. 14 Fili, suscipe senectam patris tui, et non contristes eum in vita illius: 15 et si defecerit sensu, veniam da, et ne spernas eum in virtute tua: eleemosyna enim patris non erit in oblivione. 16 Nam pro peccato matris restituetur tibi bonum: 17 et in justitia ædificabitur tibi, et in die tribulationis commemorabitur tui, et sicut in sereno glacies, solventur peccata tua. 18 Quam malæ famæ est qui derelinquit patrem, et est maledictus a Deo qui exasperat matrem !] 19 [Fili, in mansuetudine opera tua perfice, et super hominum gloriam diligeris. 20 Quanto magnus es, humilia te in omnibus, et coram Deo invenies gratiam: 21 quoniam magna potentia Dei solius, et ab humilibus honoratur. 22 Altiora te ne quæsieris, et fortiora te ne scrutatus fueris: sed quæ præcepit tibi Deus, illa cogita semper, et in pluribus operibus ejus ne fueris curiosus. 23 Non est enim tibi necessarium ea, quæ abscondita sunt, videre oculis tuis. 24 In supervacuis rebus noli scrutari multipliciter, et in pluribus operibus ejus non eris curiosus. 25 Plurima enim super sensum hominum ostensa sunt tibi: 26 multos quoque supplantavit suspicio illorum, et in vanitate detinuit sensus illorum. 27 Cor durum habebit male in novissimo, et qui amat periculum in illo peribit. 28 Cor ingrediens duas vias non habebit successus, et pravus corde in illis scandalizabitur. 29 Cor nequam gravabitur in doloribus, et peccator adjiciet ad peccandum. 30 Synagogæ superborum non erit sanitas, frutex enim peccati radicabitur in illis, et non intelligetur. 31 Cor sapientis intelligitur in sapientia, et auris bona audiet cum omni concupiscentia sapientiam. 32 Sapiens cor et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis, et in operibus justitiæ successus habebit.] 33 [Ignem ardentem exstinguit aqua, et eleemosyna resistit peccatis: 34 et Deus prospector est ejus qui reddit gratiam: meminit ejus in posterum, et in tempore casus sui inveniet firmamentum.]
Sirach 3 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).
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)