1 [Non zeles mulierem sinus tui, ne ostendat super te malitiam doctrinæ nequam. 2 Non des mulieri potestatem animæ tuæ, ne ingrediatur in virtutem tuam, et confundaris. 3 Ne respicias mulierem multivolam, ne forte incidas in laqueos illius. 4 Cum saltatrice ne assiduus sis, nec audias illam, ne forte pereas in efficacia illius. 5 Virginem ne conspicias, ne forte scandalizeris in decore illius. 6 Ne des fornicariis animam tuam in ullo, ne perdas te et hæreditatem tuam. 7 Noli circumspicere in vicis civitatis, nec oberraveris in plateis illius. 8 Averte faciem tuam a muliere compta, et ne circumspicias speciem alienam. 9 Propter speciem mulieris multi perierunt: et ex hoc concupiscentia quasi ignis exardescit. 10 Omnis mulier quæ est fornicaria, quasi stercus in via conculcabitur. 11 Speciem mulieris alienæ multi admirati, reprobi facti sunt: colloquium enim illius quasi ignis exardescit. 12 Cum aliena muliere ne sedeas omnino, nec accumbas cum ea super cubitum: 13 et non alterceris cum illa in vino, ne forte declinet cor tuum in illam, et sanguine tuo labaris in perditionem.] 14 [Ne derelinquas amicum antiquum: novus enim non erit similis illi. 15 Vinum novum amicus novus: veterascet, et cum suavitate bibes illud. 16 Non zeles gloriam et opes peccatoris: non enim scis quæ futura sit illius subversio. 17 Non placeat tibi injuria injustorum, sciens quoniam usque ad inferos non placebit impius. 18 Longe abesto ab homine potestatem habente occidendi, et non suspicaberis timorem mortis. 19 Et si accesseris ad illum, noli aliquid committere, ne forte auferat vitam tuam. 20 Communionem mortis scito, quoniam in medio laqueorum ingredieris, et super dolentium arma ambulabis. 21 Secundum virtutem tuam cave te a proximo tuo, et cum sapientibus et prudentibus tracta. 22 Viri justi sint tibi convivæ, et in timore Dei sit tibi gloriatio: 23 et in sensu sit tibi cogitatus Dei, et omnis enarratio tua in præceptis Altissimi. 24 In manu artificum opera laudabuntur, et princeps populi in sapientia sermonis sui, in sensu vero seniorum verbum. 25 Terribilis est in civitate sua homo linguosus: et temerarius in verbo suo odibilis erit.]
Sirach 9 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).
Whence too it is said in the Psalm, "They have laid stumblingblocks for me by the way side." And another Scripture saith, "Remember that thou walkest in the midst of snares." These snares among which we walk are not in the way; but yet they are "by the way side." What fearest thou, what art thou alarmed at, so thou …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
This even the ancient Scripture corrects from the first, saying, "Contemplate not beauty which is another's." And then, lest any one should say, "what then, if I contemplate, and be not taken captive," He punishes the look, lest confiding in this security thou shouldest some time fall into sin.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… a better thing than a gift," and "answer the poor man peaceably with meekness." And all the rest of thy time too adorn it with the rehearsing of the laws of God; "Yea, let all thy communication be in the law of the Most High." Having thus adorned ourselves, let us come to our King, and fall at His knees, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)