Sirach 35 Clementine Vulgate
1 [Qui conservat legem multiplicat oblationem.
1 He who keeps the law multiplies offerings. He who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
2 Sacrificium salutare est attendere mandatis, et discedere ab omni iniquitate.
2 He who returns a kindness offers fine flour. He who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.
3 Et propitiationem litare sacrificii super injustitias: et deprecatio pro peccatis, recedere ab injustitia.
3 To depart from wickedness pleases the Lord. To depart from unrighteousness is an atoning sacrifice.
4 Retribuet gratiam qui offert similaginem: et qui facit misericordiam offert sacrificium.
4 See that you don’t appear in the presence of the Lord empty.
5 Beneplacitum est Domino recedere ab iniquitate: et deprecatio pro peccatis recedere ab injustitia.
5 For all these things are done because of the commandment.
6 Non apparebis ante conspectum Domini vacuus:
6 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar. The sweet fragrance of it is before the Most High.
7 hæc enim omnia propter mandatum Dei fiunt.
7 The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable. It won’t be forgotten.
8 Oblatio justi impinguat altare, et odor suavitatis est in conspectu Altissimi.
8 Glorify the Lord with generosity. Don’t reduce the first fruits of your hands.
9 Sacrificium justi acceptum est, et memoriam ejus non obliviscetur Dominus.
9 In every gift show a cheerful countenance, And dedicate your tithe with gladness.
10 Bono animo gloriam redde Deo, et non minuas primitias manuum tuarum.
10 Give to the Most High according as he has given. As your hand has found, give generously.
11 In omni dato hilarem fac vultum tuum, et in exsultatione sanctifica decimas tuas.
11 For the Lord repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.
12 Da Altissimo secundum datum ejus, et in bono oculo adinventionem facito manuum tuarum,
12 Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them. Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous sacrifice, For the Lord is the judge, and with him is no respect of persons.
13 quoniam Dominus retribuens est, et septies tantum reddet tibi.
13 He won’t accept any person against a poor man. He will listen to the prayer of him who is wronged.
14 Noli offerre munera prava, non enim suscipiet illa.
14 He will in no way despise the supplication of the fatherless or the widow, when she pours out her tale.
15 Et noli inspicere sacrificum injustum, quoniam Dominus judex est, et non est apud illum gloria personæ.
15 Don’t the tears of the widow run down her cheek? Isn’t her cry against him who has caused them to fall?
16 Non accipiet Dominus personam in pauperem, et deprecationem læsi exaudiet.
16 He who serves God according to his good pleasure will be accepted. His supplication will reach to the clouds.
17 Non despiciet preces pupilli, nec viduam, si effundat loquelam gemitus.
17 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds. until it comes near, he will not be comforted. He won’t depart until the Most High visits and he judges righteously and executes judgment.
18 Nonne lacrimæ viduæ ad maxillam descendunt, et exclamatio ejus super deducentem eas?
18 And the Lord will not be slack, neither will he be patient toward them, until he has crushed the loins of the unmerciful. He will repay vengeance to the heathen until he has taken away the multitude of the arrogant and broken in pieces the sceptres of the unrighteous,
19 A maxilla enim ascendunt usque ad cælum, et Dominus exauditor non delectabitur in illis.
19 until he has rendered to every man according to his deeds, and repaid the works of men according to their plans, until he has judged the cause of his people, and he will make them rejoice in his mercy.
20 Qui adorat Deum in oblectatione suscipietur, et deprecatio illius usque ad nubes propinquabit.]
20 Mercy is as welcome in the time of his affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.
21 [Oratio humiliantis se nubes penetrabit, et donec propinquet non consolabitur, et non discedet donec Altissimus aspiciat.
21 Not in this translation
22 Et Dominus non elongabit: et judicabit justos, et faciet judicium: et Fortissimus non habebit in illis patientiam, ut contribulet dorsum ipsorum:
22 Not in this translation
23 et gentibus reddet vindictam, donec tollat plenitudinem superborum, et sceptra iniquorum contribulet:
23 Not in this translation
24 donec reddat hominibus secundum actus suos, et secundum opera Adæ, et secundum præsumptionem illius:
24 Not in this translation
25 donec judicet judicium plebis suæ, et oblectabit justos misericordia sua.
25 Not in this translation
26 Speciosa misericordia Dei in tempore tribulationis, quasi nubes pluviæ in tempore siccitatis.]
26 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).
Concerning this sweetness of the mercy of God see ye what in another place the Scripture saith: "Like rain in drought, so beautiful is the mercy of God in trouble." That which there he saith to be "beautiful," the same he saith here to be "sweet." Not even bread would be sweet, unless hunger had preceded.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)