Sirach 40–43: He Is Everything!": Death, Shame, Daughters, and the Works of the Lord
Scripture: World English Bible
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.The expectation of things to come, and the day of death,trouble their thoughts, and cause fear in their hearts.From him who sits on a throne of glory,even to him who is humbled in earth and ashes,from him who wears purple and a crown,even to him who is clothed in burlap,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.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.In the very time of his deliverance, he awakens,and marvels that the fear is nothing.
To all creatures, human and animal,and upon sinners sevenfold more,come death, bloodshed, strife, sword,calamities, famine, suffering, and plague.All these things were created for the wicked,and because of them the flood came.All things that are of the earth turn to the earth again.All things that are of the waters return into the sea.
All bribery and injustice will be blotted out.Good faith will stand forever.The goods of the unjust will be dried up like a river,and like a great thunder in rain will go off in noise.In opening his hands, a man will be made glad;so lawbreakers will utterly fail.The children of the ungodly won’t grow many branches,and are as unhealthy roots on a sheer rock.The reeds by every water or river bankwill be plucked up before all grass.Kindness is like a garden of blessings.Almsgiving endures forever.
The life of one who labors and is content will be made sweet.He who finds a treasure is better than both.Children and the building of a city establish a name.A blameless wife is better than both.Wine and music rejoice the heart.The love of wisdom is better than both.The pipe and the lute make pleasant melody.A pleasant tongue is better than both.Your eye desires grace and beauty,but the green shoots of grain more than both.A friend and a companion is always welcome,and a wife with her husband is better than both.Relatives and helpers are for a time of affliction,but almsgiving rescues better than both.Gold and silver will make the foot stand sure,and counsel is esteemed better than both.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.The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessingand covers a man more than any glory.
My son, don’t lead a beggar’s life.It is better to die than to beg.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.Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the shameless,but it kindles a fire in his belly.
O death, how bitter is the memory of you to a man who is at peace in his possessions,to the man who has nothing to distract him and has prosperity in all things,and who still has strength to enjoy food!O death, your sentence is acceptable to a man who is needy and who fails in strength,who is in extreme old age, is distracted about all things,is perverse, and has lost patience!Don’t be afraid of the sentence of death.Remember those who have been before you and who come after.This is the sentence from the Lord over all flesh.And why do you refuse when it is the good pleasure of the Most High?Whether life lasts ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years,there is no inquiry about life in Hades.
The children of sinners are abominable childrenand they frequent the dwellings of the ungodly.The inheritance of sinners’ children will perishand with their posterity will be a perpetual disgrace.Children will complain of an ungodly father,because they suffer disgrace because of him.Woe to you, ungodly men,who have forsaken the law of the Most High God!If you are born, you will be born to a curse.If you die, a curse will be your portion.All things that are of the earth will go back to the earth;so the ungodly will go from a curse to perdition.
The mourning of men is about their bodies;but the evil name of sinners will be blotted out.Have regard for your name,for it continues with you longer than a thousand great treasures of gold.A good life has its number of days,but a good name continues forever.
My children, follow instruction in peace.But wisdom that is hidden and a treasure that is not seen,what benefit is in them both?Better is a man who hides his foolishnessthan a man who hides his wisdom.Therefore show respect for my words;for it is not good to retain every kind of shame.Not everything is approved by all in good faith.
Be ashamed of sexual immorality before father and mother,of a lie before a prince and a mighty man,of an offense before a judge and ruler,of iniquity before the congregation and the people,of unjust dealing before a partner and friend,and of theft in the place where you sojourn.Be ashamed in regard of the truth of God and his covenant,of leaning on your elbow at dinner,of contemptuous behavior in the matter of giving and taking,of silence before those who greet you,of looking at a woman who is a prostitute,of turning away your face from a kinsman,of taking away a portion or a gift,of gazing at a woman who has a husband,of meddling with his maid—and don’t come near her bed,of abusive speech to friends—and after you have given, don’t insult,of repeating and speaking what you have heard,and of revealing of secrets.So you will be ashamed of the right thingsand find favor in the sight of every man.
Don’t be ashamed of these things,and don’t sin to save face:of the law of the Most High and his covenant,of judgment to do justice to the ungodly,of reckoning with a partner and with travellers,of a gift from the inheritance of friends,of exactness of scales and weights,of getting much or little,of bargaining dealing with merchants,of frequent correction of children,and of making the back of an evil slave to bleed.A seal is good where an evil wife is.Where there are many hands, lock things up.Whatever you hand over, let it be by number and weight.In giving and receiving, let all be in writing.Don’t be ashamed to instruct the unwise and foolish,and one of extreme old age who contends with those who are young.So you will be well instructed indeedand approved in the sight of every living man.
A daughter is a secret cause of wakefulness to a father.Care for her takes away sleep—in her youth, lest she pass the flower of her age;when she is married, lest she should be hated;in her virginity, lest she should be defiled and be with child in her father’s house;when she has a husband, lest she should transgress;and when she is married, lest she should be barren.Keep a strict watch over a headstrong daughter,lest she make you a laughingstock to your enemies,a byword in the city and notorious among the people,and shame you in public.
Don’t gaze at every beautiful body.Don’t sit in the midst of women.For from garments comes a moth,and from a woman comes a woman’s wickedness.Better is the wickedness of a man than a pleasant woman,a woman who puts you to shame and disgrace.
I will make mention now of the works of the Lord,and will declare the things that I have seen.The Lord’s works are in his words.The sun that gives light looks at all things.The Lord’s work is full of his glory.The Lord has not given power to the saints to declare all his marvelous works,which the Almighty Lord firmly settled,that the universe might be established in his glory.He searches out the deep and the heart.He has understanding of their secrets.For the Most High knows all knowledge.He sees the signs of the world.He declares the things that are past and the things that shall be,and reveals the traces of hidden things.No thought escapes him.There is not a word hidden from him.He has ordered the mighty works of his wisdom.He is from everlasting to everlasting.Nothing has been added to them, nor diminished from them.He had no need of any counselor.How desirable are all his works!One may see this even in a spark.All these things live and remain forever in all manner of uses.They are all obedient.All things are in pairs, one opposite the other.He has made nothing imperfect.One thing establishes the good things of another.Who could ever see enough of his glory?
The pride of the heavenly heights is the clear sky,the appearance of heaven, in the spectacle of its glory.The sun, when it appears, bringing tidings as it rises,is a marvelous instrument, the work of the Most High.At noon, it dries up the land.Who can stand against its burning heat?A man tending a furnace is in burning heat,but the sun three times more, burning up the mountains,breathing out fiery vapors,and sending out bright beams, it blinds the eyes.Great is the Lord who made it.At his word, he hastens on its course.
The moon marks the changing seasons,declares times, and is a sign for the world.From the moon is the sign of feast days,a light that wanes when it completes its course.The month is called after its name,increasing wonderfully in its changing—an instrument of the army on high,shining in the structure of heaven,the beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars,an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord.At the word of the Holy One, they will stand in due order.They won’t faint in their watches.Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it.It is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness.It encircles the sky with its glorious circle.The hands of the Most High have stretched it out.
By his commandment, he makes the snow falland swiftly sends the lightnings of his judgment.Therefore the storehouses are opened,and clouds fly out like birds.By his mighty power, he makes the clouds strongand the hailstones are broken in pieces.At his appearing, the mountains will be shaken.At his will, the south wind will blow.The voice of his thunder rebukes the earth.So does the northern storm and the whirlwind.Like birds flying down, he sprinkles the snow.It falls down like the lighting of locusts.The eye is dazzled at the beauty of its whiteness.The heart is amazed as it falls.He also pours out frost on the earth like salt.When it freezes, it has points like thorns.
The cold north wind blowsand ice freezes on the water.It settles on every pool of water.The water puts it on like it was a breastplate.It will devour the mountains, burn up the wilderness,and consume the green grass like fire.A mist coming speedily heals all things.A dew coming after heat brings cheerfulness.
By his counsel, he has calmed the deepand planted islands in it.Those who sail on the sea tell of its dangers.We marvel when we hear it with our ears.There are also those strange and wondrous works in it—variety of all that has life and the huge creatures of the sea.Because of him, his messengers succeed.By his word, all things hold together.
We may say many things, but couldn’t say enough.The summary of our words is, “He is everything!”How could we have strength to glorify him?For he is himself the greater than all his works.The Lord is awesome and exceedingly great!His power is marvelous!Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can!For even yet, he will surpass that.When you exalt him, summon your full strength.Don’t be weary, because you can’t praise him enough.Who has seen him, that he may describe him?Who can magnify him as he is?Many things greater than these are hidden,for we have seen just a few of his works.For the Lord made all things.He gave wisdom to the godly.