Sirach 40 Clementine Vulgate
1 [Occupatio magna creata est omnibus hominibus, et jugum grave super filios Adam, a die exitus de ventre matris eorum usque in diem sepulturæ in matrem omnium.
1 Great travail is created for every man. A heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their coming forth from their mother’s womb, until the day for their burial in the mother of all things.
2 Cogitationes eorum, et timores cordis, adinventio exspectationis, et dies finitionis,
2 The expectation of things to come, and the day of death, trouble their thoughts, and cause fear in their hearts.
3 a residente super sedem gloriosam, usque ad humiliatum in terra et cinere:
3 From him who sits on a throne of glory, even to him who is humbled in earth and ashes,
4 ab eo qui utitur hyacintho et portat coronam, usque ad eum qui operitur lino crudo: furor, zelus, tumultus, fluctuatio, et timor mortis, iracundia perseverans, et contentio:
4 from him who wears purple and a crown, even to him who is clothed in burlap,
5 et in tempore refectionis in cubili, somnus noctis immutat scientiam ejus.
5 there is wrath, jealousy, trouble, unrest, fear of death, anger, and strife. In the time of rest upon his bed, his night sleep changes his knowledge.
6 Modicum tamquam nihil in requie, et ab eo in somnis, quasi in die respectus.
6 He gets little or no rest, and afterward in his sleep, as in a day of keeping watch, he is troubled in the vision of his heart, as one who has escaped from the front of battle.
7 Conturbatus est in visu cordis sui, tamquam qui evaserit in die belli: in tempore salutis suæ exsurrexit, et admirans ad nullum timorem:
7 In the very time of his deliverance, he awakens, and marvels that the fear is nothing.
8 cum omni carne, ab homine usque ad pecus, et super peccatores septuplum.
8 To all creatures, human and animal, and upon sinners sevenfold more,
9 Ad hæc mors, sanguis, contentio, et rhomphæa, oppressiones, fames, et contritio, et flagella:
9 come death, bloodshed, strife, sword, calamities, famine, suffering, and plague.
10 super iniquos creata sunt hæc omnia: et propter illos factus est cataclysmus.]
10 All these things were created for the wicked, and because of them the flood came.
11 [Omnia quæ de terra sunt in terram convertentur, et omnes aquæ in mare revertentur.
11 All things that are of the earth turn to the earth again. All things that are of the waters return into the sea.
12 Omne munus et iniquitas delebitur, et fides in sæculum stabit.
12 All bribery and injustice will be blotted out. Good faith will stand forever.
13 Substantiæ injustorum sicut fluvius siccabuntur, et sicut tonitruum magnum in pluvia personabunt.
13 The goods of the unjust will be dried up like a river, and like a great thunder in rain will go off in noise.
14 In aperiendo manus suas lætabitur: sic prævaricatores in consummatione tabescent.
14 In opening his hands, a man will be made glad; so lawbreakers will utterly fail.
15 Nepotes impiorum non multiplicabunt ramos: et radices immundæ super cacumen petræ sonant.
15 The children of the ungodly won’t grow many branches, and are as unhealthy roots on a sheer rock.
16 Super omnem aquam viriditas, et ad oram fluminis ante omne fœnum evelletur.]
16 The reeds by every water or river bank will be plucked up before all grass.
17 [Gratia sicut paradisus in benedictionibus, et misericordia in sæculum permanet.
17 Kindness is like a garden of blessings. Almsgiving endures forever.
18 Vita sibi sufficientis operarii condulcabitur, et in ea invenies thesaurum.
18 The life of one who labors and is content will be made sweet. He who finds a treasure is better than both.
19 Filii et ædificatio civitatis confirmabit nomen: et super hæc mulier immaculata computabitur.
19 Children and the building of a city establish a name. A blameless wife is better than both.
20 Vinum et musica lætificant cor: et super utraque dilectio sapientiæ.
20 Wine and music rejoice the heart. The love of wisdom is better than both.
21 Tibiæ et psalterium suavem faciunt melodiam: et super utraque lingua suavis.
21 The pipe and the lute make pleasant melody. A pleasant tongue is better than both.
22 Gratiam et speciem desiderabit oculus tuus: et super hæc virides sationes.
22 Your eye desires grace and beauty, but the green shoots of grain more than both.
23 Amicus et sodalis in tempore convenientes, et super utrosque mulier cum viro.
23 A friend and a companion is always welcome, and a wife with her husband is better than both.
24 Fratres in adjutorium in tempore tribulationis: et super eos misericordia liberabit.
24 Relatives and helpers are for a time of affliction, but almsgiving rescues better than both.
25 Aurum et argentum est constitutio pedum: et super utrumque consilium beneplacitum.
25 Gold and silver will make the foot stand sure, and counsel is esteemed better than both.
26 Facultates et virtutes exaltant cor, et super hæc timor Domini.
26 Riches and strength will lift up the heart. The fear of the Lord is better than both. There is nothing lacking in the fear of the Lord. In it, there is no need to seek help.
27 Non est in timore Domini minoratio: et non est in eo inquirere adjutorium.
27 The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing and covers a man more than any glory.
28 Timor Domini sicut paradisus benedictionis, et super omnem gloriam operuerunt illum.]
28 My son, don’t lead a beggar’s life. It is better to die than to beg.
29 [Fili, in tempore vitæ tuæ ne indigeas: melius est enim mori quam indigere.
29 A man who looks to the table of another, his life is not to be considered a life. He will pollute his soul with another person’s food, but a wise and well-instructed person will beware of that.
30 Vir respiciens in mensam alienam, non est vita ejus in cogitatione victus: alit enim animam suam cibis alienis:
30 Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the shameless, but it kindles a fire in his belly.
31 vir autem disciplinatus et eruditus custodiet se.
31 Not in this translation
32 In ore imprudentis condulcabitur inopia, et in ventre ejus ignis ardebit.]
32 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).
In short, the words of Scripture, "An heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day that they go out of their mother's womb till the day that they return to the mother of all things," --these words so infallibly find fulfillment, that even the little ones, who by the layer of regeneration have been freed from the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… be not every man who could say this, but one to whom an everlasting country hath been promised in heaven: this I know, "that the life of man on earth is a temptation;" and that "there is a heavy yoke upon the sons of Adam." But it pleaseth me more to discuss the question in accordance with this construction, that …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)