Between the Testaments · Not dated
Chapter 1
The Fear of the Lord
Sirach is in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles; most Protestant Bibles leave it out or print it apart as the Apocrypha.
Retold fromwith background from
The fear of the Lord is glory, exultation,gladness, and a crown of rejoicing.The fear of the Lord will delight the heart,and will give gladness, joy, and length of days.
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This is a book of wise sayings. Near its end, its writer gives his name: , of . He is a different man from Jesus of Nazareth. He says that in this book he has written teaching about understanding and knowledge, and that he poured out wisdom from his heart.
He begins with where wisdom comes from. He speaks of wisdom as “she.”
All wisdom comes from the Lordand is with him forever.Who can count the sand of the seas,the drops of rain,and the days of eternity?Who will search out the height of the sky,the width of the earth, the deep waters,and wisdom?Wisdom was created before all things,and understanding and good sense from all eternity.Who has been shown the root of wisdom?Who has known her clever plans?There is one who is wise and greatly to be feared,sitting on his throne: the Lord.He created her.He saw her and measured her.He poured her out over all his works.She is with every creature as his gift,and he gave her freely to those who love him.
Then he speaks of the :
The fear of the Lord is glory, rejoicing,gladness, and a crown of joy.The fear of the Lord will delight the heartand give gladness, joy, and a long life.It will go well in the end for whoever fears the Lord.He will be blessed on the day he dies.To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.It was created along with the faithful in the womb.The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom.It makes peace and perfect health flourish.To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom.Her branches are many years of life.
He adds:
If you want wisdom, keep the commandments,and the Lord will give her to you freely;because the fear of the Lord is wisdom and teaching.Faith and humility are what please him.
He writes about serving the Lord:
My son, if you come to serve the Lord,get your soul ready to be tested.Set your heart right, and never give up.Don’t be in a hurry when disaster strikes.Hold on to him, and don’t leave him,so that you will be made greater in the end.Accept whatever happens to you,and be patient when you are humiliated,because gold is tested in fire,and acceptable people are tested in the furnace of humiliation.Trust him, and he will help you.Make your ways straight, and set your hope on him.
All you who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy.Don’t turn aside, or you will fall.All you who fear the Lord, trust him,and your reward will not fail you.All you who fear the Lord, hope for good things,and for gladness that lasts forever, and for mercy.Look at the generations long ago, and see:Who ever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame?Or who kept on fearing him and was abandoned?Or who called on him and was ignored?The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.He forgives sins and saves people in times of trouble.
A little further on he says:
We will fall into the hands of the Lord,and not into human hands;because his mercyis just as great as his majesty.
Next he writes about fathers and mothers:
Listen to me, your father, my children,and do what you hear, so that all of you may be safe.The Lord honors the father over the children,and he supports the mother’s judgment over her sons.Whoever honors his father will make atonement for sins.Whoever gives glory to his motheris like someone storing up treasure.Whoever honors his father will have joy in his own children.On the day he prays, he will be heard.Whoever gives glory to his father will live long.Whoever listens to the Lord will give his mother restand will serve his parents as he would serve masters.Honor your father in what you do and what you say,so that a blessing may come to you from him.
My son, help your father when he is old,and don’t bring him sorrow as long as he lives.If his understanding fails, be patient with him.Don’t dishonor him while you are at your full strength,because kindness to your father will not be forgotten.In place of sins, it will be added to build you up.On the day of your trouble it will be remembered for you.As fair weather melts ice,so your sins too will melt away.Whoever abandons his father is like someone who insults God.Whoever angers his mother is cursed by the Lord.
He writes about being humble:
The greater you are, the more you should humble yourself,and you will find favor with the Lord,because the power of the Lord is great,and the lowly give him glory.
And about the poor:
Water will quench a flaming fire; will make atonement for sins.
My son, don’t take away what a poor man lives on.Don’t make the eyes of the needy wait long.Don’t bring sorrow to someone who is hungry,or anger a man who is in distress.Don’t add more trouble to a heart that is already upset.Don’t put off giving to someone in need.Don’t reject someone who pleads with you in his trouble.Don’t turn your face away from a poor man.Don’t turn your eyes away from someone who asks.Give no one a reason to curse you,because if he curses you out of the bitterness of his soul,the one who made him will hear his plea.
Listen closely to a poor man,and answer him humbly, with peaceful words.Rescue the one who is wrongedfrom the hand of the one who wrongs him.Don’t hesitate when you give judgment.Be like a father to children who have no father,and like a husband to their mother.Then you will be like a son of ,who will love you more than your mother does.
He writes about wisdom again:
Wisdom lifts up her sonsand takes hold of those who seek her.Anyone who loves her loves life.Those who seek her early will be filled with gladness.Whoever holds her tight will inherit glory.Wherever he enters, the Lord will give his blessing.Those who serve her serve .The Lord loves those who love her.The one who listens to her will judge the nations.Whoever pays attention to her will live safely.If he trusts her, he will inherit her,and his descendants will possess her.At first she will walk with him on twisting paths.She will bring fear and dread on himand torment him with her discipline,until she can trust his souland test him by her judgments.Then she will bring him back to the straight road.She will make him glad and show him her secrets.If he wanders off, she will abandon himand hand him over to his downfall.
About speaking, he says:
Be steady in what you understand,and let what you say be consistent.Be quick to listen,and patient when you answer.If you have understanding, answer your neighbor;but if not, put your hand over your mouth.Glory and dishonor both come through talk,and a person’s tongue can be his downfall.Don’t be known for whispering about people.Don’t use your tongue to ambush anyone;because shame falls on the thief,and harsh judgment on the one who is two-faced.Don’t become an enemy instead of a friend,because a bad name ends in shame and disgrace.It is the same for the sinner who is two-faced.
And about friends:
Sweet words will win a person more friends,and a kind tongue brings more friendly greetings.Let many people be at peace with you,but let only one in a thousand be your adviser.If you want to make a friend, test him first,and don’t be in a hurry to trust him,because there is a friend just for a time.He won’t stay with you on the day of your trouble.And there is a friend who turns into an enemy.He will make your quarrel public, to your shame.And there is a friend who keeps you company at the table,but he won’t stay with you on the day of your trouble.When things go well for you, he will be like a second you,and he will order your servants around.If things go badly for you, he will be against you,and he will keep out of your sight.Keep yourself apart from your enemies,and beware of your friends.
A faithful friend is a strong defense.Whoever has found one has found a treasure.Nothing can be traded for a faithful friend.His worth is beyond price.A faithful friend is a life-saving medicine.Those who fear the Lord will find one.Whoever fears the Lord guides his friendships rightly,because his neighbor is like him.
Later in the book he adds:
Don’t abandon an old friend,because a new one can’t compare with him.A new friend is like new wine:if it grows old, you will drink it with gladness.
He writes about rich and poor:
Good things and bad, life and death,poverty and riches, are from the Lord.
One person grows rich by working hard and going without,and this is his share of the reward:He says, “I have found rest,and now I will eat from my goods!”But he doesn’t know how much time will passuntil he leaves them to others and dies.Stand firm in your and carry it out,and grow old at your work.Don’t be amazed at what a sinner does,but trust the Lord and stay at your work;because it is easy for the Lordto make a poor man rich, quickly and suddenly.
Further on he says:
Do good to your friends before you die.As far as you are able, reach out and give to them.Every creature grows old like clothing,because the covenant from the beginning is, “You must die!”A thick tree full of thriving leavesdrops some of them, while others grow.It is the same with the generations of flesh and blood:one comes to an end, and another is born.
He writes about choosing:
Don’t say, “It is because of the Lord that I fell away,”since you must not do the things he hates.Don’t say, “He is the one who made me go wrong,”because he has no need of a sinful man.The Lord hates everything detestable,and those who fear him don’t love such things.He himself made man in the beginningand left him to decide for himself.If you choose, you can keep the commandments.Whether you are faithful is your own choice.He has set fire and water in front of you.You will reach out your hand to whichever you want.Life and death lie in front of each person,and whichever he likes will be given to him.The wisdom of the Lord is great.He is mighty in power, and he sees all things.His eyes are on those who fear him.He knows everything a person does.He has commanded no one to be ungodly.He has given no one the right to sin.
He writes about the Lord’s mercy and his anger:
Even if there is one stubborn person,it would be a wonder if he went unpunished,because mercy and anger are both with the Lord.He is mighty to forgive, and he pours out anger.His mercy is great,and his correction is just as great.He judges a person according to what he does.The sinner will not get away with what he has stolen,and the patient endurance of the godly will not be for nothing.He will make room for every work of mercy.Each person will receive according to what he has done.
Don’t say, “I will be hidden from the Lord,”and, “Who will remember me from on high?I won’t be noticed among so many people.What does my soul matter in a creation without end?”Look, heaven, the highest heavens,the deep waters, and the earth will be shaken when he comes.The mountains and the foundations of the earthtremble and quake together when he looks at them.
And about the works the Lord made:
From the beginning, the Lord’s works have been as he decided.When he made them, he marked out their limits.He set his works in order for all time,and their beginnings for all the generations to come.They don’t get hungry or tired,and they never stop working.Not one pushes its neighbor aside.They will never disobey his word.After this the Lord also looked at the earthand filled it with his blessings.Every kind of living thing covered its surface,and they go back into it.