Sirach 3 Clementine Vulgate
1 [Filii sapientiæ ecclesia justorum, et natio illorum obedientia et dilectio.
1 Hear me, your father, O my children, and do what you hear, that you all may be safe.
2 Judicium patris audite, filii, et sic facite, ut salvi sitis.
2 For the Lord honors the father over the children, and has confirmed the judgment of the mother over her sons.
3 Deus enim honoravit patrem in filiis: et judicium matris exquirens, firmavit in filios.
3 He who honors his father will make atonement for sins.
4 Qui diligit Deum exorabit pro peccatis, et continebit se ab illis, et in oratione dierum exaudietur.
4 He who gives glory to his mother is as one who lays up treasure.
5 Et sicut qui thesaurizat, ita et qui honorificat matrem suam.
5 Whoever honors his father will have joy in his own children. He will be heard in the day of his prayer.
6 Qui honorat patrem suum jucundabitur in filiis, et in die orationis suæ exaudietur.
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 Qui honorat patrem suum vita vivet longiore, et qui obedit patri refrigerabit matrem.
7 and will serve under his parents, as to masters.
8 Qui timet Dominum honorat parentes, et quasi dominis serviet his qui se genuerunt.
8 Honor your father in deed and word, that a blessing may come upon you from him.
9 In opere, et sermone, et omni patientia, honora patrem tuum,
9 For the blessing of the father establishes the houses of children, but the curse of the mother roots out the foundations.
10 ut superveniat tibi benedictio ab eo, et benedictio illius in novissimo maneat.
10 Don’t glorify yourself in the dishonor of your father, for your father’s dishonor is no glory to you.
11 Benedictio patris firmat domos filiorum: maledictio autem matris eradicat fundamenta.
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 Ne glorieris in contumelia patris tui: non enim est tibi gloria ejus confusio.
12 My son, help your father in his old age, and don’t grieve him as long as he lives.
13 Gloria enim hominis ex honore patris sui, et dedecus filii pater sine honore.
13 If he fails in understanding, have patience with him. Don’t dishonor him in your full strength.
14 Fili, suscipe senectam patris tui, et non contristes eum in vita illius:
14 For the kindness to your father will not be forgotten. Instead of sins it will be added to build you up.
15 et si defecerit sensu, veniam da, et ne spernas eum in virtute tua: eleemosyna enim patris non erit in oblivione.
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 Nam pro peccato matris restituetur tibi bonum:
16 He who forsakes his father is as a blasphemer. He who provokes his mother is cursed by the Lord.
17 et in justitia ædificabitur tibi, et in die tribulationis commemorabitur tui, et sicut in sereno glacies, solventur peccata tua.
17 My son, go on with your business in humility; so you will be loved by an acceptable man.
18 Quam malæ famæ est qui derelinquit patrem, et est maledictus a Deo qui exasperat matrem !]
18 The greater you are, humble yourself the more, and you will find favor before the Lord.
19 [Fili, in mansuetudine opera tua perfice, et super hominum gloriam diligeris.
19 Not in this translation
20 Quanto magnus es, humilia te in omnibus, et coram Deo invenies gratiam:
20 For the power of the Lord is great, and he is glorified by those who are lowly.
21 quoniam magna potentia Dei solius, et ab humilibus honoratur.
21 Don’t seek things that are too hard for you, and don’t search out things that are above your strength.
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.
22 Think about the things that have been commanded you, for you have no need of the things that are secret.
23 Non est enim tibi necessarium ea, quæ abscondita sunt, videre oculis tuis.
23 Don’t be overly busy in tasks that are beyond you, for more things are shown to you than men can understand.
24 In supervacuis rebus noli scrutari multipliciter, et in pluribus operibus ejus non eris curiosus.
24 For the conceit of many has led them astray. Evil opinion has caused their judgment to slip.
25 Plurima enim super sensum hominum ostensa sunt tibi:
25 There is no light without eyes. There is no wisdom without knowledge.
26 multos quoque supplantavit suspicio illorum, et in vanitate detinuit sensus illorum.
26 A stubborn heart will do badly at the end. He who loves danger will perish in it.
27 Cor durum habebit male in novissimo, et qui amat periculum in illo peribit.
27 A stubborn heart will be burdened with troubles. The sinner will heap sin upon sins.
28 Cor ingrediens duas vias non habebit successus, et pravus corde in illis scandalizabitur.
28 The calamity of the proud has no healing, for a weed of wickedness has taken root in him.
29 Cor nequam gravabitur in doloribus, et peccator adjiciet ad peccandum.
29 The heart of the prudent will understand a proverb. A wise man desires the ear of a listener.
30 Synagogæ superborum non erit sanitas, frutex enim peccati radicabitur in illis, et non intelligetur.
30 Water will quench a flaming fire; almsgiving will make atonement for sins.
31 Cor sapientis intelligitur in sapientia, et auris bona audiet cum omni concupiscentia sapientiam.
31 He who repays good turns is mindful of that which comes afterward. In the time of his falling he will find a support.
32 Sapiens cor et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis, et in operibus justitiæ successus habebit.]
32 Not in this translation
33 [Ignem ardentem exstinguit aqua, et eleemosyna resistit peccatis:
33 Not in this translation
34 et Deus prospector est ejus qui reddit gratiam: meminit ejus in posterum, et in tempore casus sui inveniet firmamentum.]
34 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 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)