Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 18

¹ He who lives for ever created all the universe.

² The Lord alone will be found righteous.

⁴ He has given no one the power to proclaim his works, and who can fathom his magnificent deeds?

⁵ Who can assess his magnificent strength, and who can go further and tell of his mercies?

⁶ Nothing can be added to them, nothing subtracted, it is impossible to fathom the marvels of the Lord.

⁷ When a man finishes he is only beginning, and when he stops he is as puzzled as ever.

⁸ What is man, what purpose does he serve? What is the good in him, and what the bad?

⁹ Take the number of a man’s days; a hundred years is very long.

¹⁰ Like a drop of water from the sea, or a grain of sand, such are these few years compared with eternity.

¹¹ For this reason the Lord shows them forbearance, and pours out his mercy on them.

¹² He sees and recognises how wretched their end is, and so he makes his forgiveness the greater.

¹³ Man’s compassion extends to his neighbour, but the compassion of the Lord extends to everything that lives; rebuking, correcting and teaching, bringing them back as a shepherd brings back a flock.

¹⁴ He has compassion on those who accept correction, who fervently look for judgements.

¹⁵ My son, do not temper your favours with disparagement, nor any of your gifts with words that hurt.

¹⁶ Does not dew relieve the heat? In the same way a word is worth more than a gift.

¹⁷ Why surely, a word is better than a good present, but a generous man is ready with both.

¹⁸ A fool will offer nothing but insult, and a grudging man’s gift makes the eyes smart.

¹⁹ Learn before you speak, take care of yourself before you fall ill.

²⁰ Examine yourself before judgement comes, and on the day of visitation you will find yourself acquitted.

²¹ Humble yourself before you fall ill, and when you sin, repent.

²² Let nothing prevent your discharging a vow in good time, and do not wait till death before setting matters to rights.

²³ Prepare yourself before making a vow, and do not be like a man who tempts the Lord.

²⁴ Bear the wrath of the last days in mind, the time of vengeance when God averts his face.

²⁵ In a time of plenty remember times of famine, poverty and want in days of wealth.

²⁶ The time slips by between dawn and dusk, all things pass swiftly in the presence of the Lord.

²⁷ A wise man will be cautious in everything, and in sinful days he will take care not to offend.

²⁸ Every man of sense recognises wisdom, and will respect anyone who has found her.

²⁹ Those who understand sayings have themselves grown wise and have poured out apt proverbs.

³⁰ Do not follow your lusts, restrain your desires.

³¹ If you allow yourself to satisfy your desires, this will make you the laughing-stock of your enemies.

³² Do not indulge in luxurious living, nor get involved in such society.

³³ Do not beggar yourself by banqueting on credit when there is nothing in your pocket.