Jul 22 - Sirach 26-28
Sirach
1Blessed is the husband of a good wife. For the number of his years is doubled2A good wife delights her husband, and she will fill up the years of his life with peace3A good wife is a good portion. She will be given the portion of those who fear God, like a man who has done good deeds4But, rich or poor, with a good heart, his countenance will be cheerful at all times5Of three things, my heart has been afraid, and at a fourth, my face has shown dread6an accusation made by a city, and the gathering of a mob7and a deceitful false accusation. All these are more grievous than death8A jealous wife is a grief and a mourning to the heart9In a jealous wife, there is a scourge of the tongue, which communicates with everyone10Like a yoke of oxen being provoked, so also is a wicked wife. He who has hold of her is like one who has taken hold of a scorpion11An inebriated wife is a great wrath. And her disgrace and indecency will not be covered12The fornication of a wife will become known by the haughtiness of her eyes and by her eyelids13So that her daughter will not also turn away, keep a strict watch; otherwise, having found an opportunity, she may enjoy herself14Be wary of the irreverence of her eyes, and you should not wonder if she might disregard you15Like a thirsty traveler, she will open her mouth to the fountain, and she will drink from every water nearby, and she will sit down beside every fencepost, and she will open her quiver to every arrow, until she becomes weary16The grace of an attentive wife will delight her husband, and will fatten his bones17Her discipline is a gift from God18Such is an understanding and quiet wife. For there is no substitution for a well-instructed soul19A holy and contrite wife is grace upon grace20And no amount of money is equal to the value of a soul with self-restraint21Like the sun rising over the world in the high places of God, so the beauty of a good wife is the adornment of her house22Like a lamp shining atop a holy lampstand, so is the beauty of a face in the mature stage of life23Like golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet of a mature wife upon the soles of her feet24Like everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so are the commandments of God in the heart of a holy wife25By two things, my heart is greatly saddened, and at a third, anger overwhelms me26a man of war failing because of dire need, and an understanding man treated with contempt27and anyone who crosses over from justice to sin. God has prepared such a one for the spear28Two kinds of things have seemed difficult and dangerous to me: a merchant will not be easily freed from his negligence, and a shopkeeper will not be justified by the sins of his lips
1Because of need, many have sinned. And whoever seeks to be enriched, averts his eye2Like a post fixed in the middle of adjoining stones, so also will sin become wedged between selling and buying3Sin will be crushed with the one who sins4If you do not hold yourself steadfastly to the fear of the Lord, your house will be quickly overthrown5Just as the dust remains when one shakes a sieve, so will the doubt of a man remain in his thoughts6The furnace tests the potter’s vessels, and the trial of the tribulation tests just men7As the pruning of a tree reveals its fruit, so does a word reveal the thoughts in the heart of a man8You should not praise a man before he speaks; for such is the testing of men9If you pursue justice, you will obtain it. And you will be clothed with justice, as with a long robe of honor. And you will live with justice. And justice will protect you continually. And on the day of reckoning, you will find a strong foundation10Birds flock to their own kind. And truth will return to those who practice it11The lion lies in wait for its prey continually. So also do sins lie in wait for those who work iniquity12A holy man persists in wisdom like the sun. But a senseless man changes like the moon13In the midst of the senseless, retain a word for the proper time. But be continually in the midst those who are thoughtful14The discussions of sinners are hateful, and their laughter is a delight in sin15The speech that swears many oaths will cause the hair of the head to stand upright; and its irreverence will cause the ears to be blocked16The shedding of blood is in the quarrels of the arrogant; and their evil talk is grievous to hear17Whoever discloses the secret of a friend breaks faith; and he will not find a friend for his soul18Love your neighbor, and be united with him faithfully19But if you disclose his secrets, you should not continue to follow after him20For like a man who destroys his friend, so also is he who destroys the friendship of his neighbor21And like someone releasing a bird from his hand, so have you abandoned your neighbor, and you will not obtain him again22You should no longer seek him, for he is now far away; he has fled like a roe-deer from a snare. For his soul has been wounded23You will no longer be able to bind his wound. For there may be a reconciliation from cursing24But to disclose the secrets of a friend is the hopeless act of an unhappy soul25One who winks with the eye fabricates iniquity, and no one will cast him aside26In the sight of your eyes, he will sweeten his mouth, and he will admire your talk. But at the very end, he will pervert his mouth, and he will offer a scandal from your own words27I have hated many things, but I have not done as he has done, and the Lord will hate him28Whoever throws a stone straight up will find that it falls on his own head. And a deceitful wound will return to wound the deceitful29And whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever positions a stone against his neighbor will stumble over it. And whoever lays a trap for another will perish by it30Whoever sets in motion a wicked plan will find that it rolls back over him, and he will not know from which direction it will arrive31Mockery and derision are of the arrogant, and vengeance will lie in wait for them, like a lion32Whoever enjoys the fall of the just will perish in a snare, and grief will consume them before they die33Anger and fury are both abominable, and the sinful man will be held by them
1Whoever wishes for vengeance will find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely be attentive to his sins2Forgive your neighbor, if he has harmed you, and then your sins will be forgiven you when you pray3A man holds on to anger against another man, and does he then seek a remedy from God4He has no mercy on a man like himself, and does he then entreat for his own sins5He who is but flesh holds on to anger, and does he then request forgiveness from God? Who can obtain pardon for his sins in this way6Remember your very end, and let animosities cease7For corruption and death are suspended over his commandments8Remember the fear of God, and do not be angry with your neighbor9Remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook the ignorant offenses of your neighbor10Refrain from strife, and you will diminish your sins11For an ill-tempered man enflames conflict, and a sinful man troubles his friends, and he casts hostility into the midst of those who have peace12For the fire burns according to the wood of the forest. And the anger of a man burns according to the strength of the man. And according to his resources, he will exalt his anger13A hasty contention kindles a fire. And a hasty quarrel sheds blood. And an accusatory tongue brings death14If you blow on a spark, it will increase to a fire. But if you spit on it, it will be extinguished. Both of these proceed from the mouth15The double-tongued whisperer is accursed. For he has disturbed many who had peace16A third tongue has stirred up many, and has scattered them from nation to nation17It has destroyed the walled cities of the wealthy, and has undermined the houses of the great18It has cut down the virtues of the peoples, and has broken strong nations19A third tongue has cast down virtuous women, and has deprived them of their labors20Whoever favors it will not have rest, nor will he have a friend in whom he may find peace21The wound of a whip causes a bruise, but the wound of the tongue will crush the bones22Many have fallen by the mouth of the sword, but not as many as have perished by their own tongue23Blessed is he who is protected from a wicked tongue, who has not gone over to its wrath, and has not pulled its yoke, and has not been bound by its chains24For its yoke is a yoke of iron. And its chains are chains of brass25Its death is a most wicked death. And hell is more useful than it is26Its continuance will not be permanent, but it will take hold of the ways of the unjust. And the just will not be burned by its flame27Those who abandon God will fall by it, and it will burn within them and not be quenched. And it will be sent upon them, like a lion, and it will wound them, like a leopard28Hedge your ears with thorns. Do not be willing to listen to a wicked tongue. And make doors and bars for your mouth29Melt down your gold and your silver. And make a scale for your words, and an upright bridle for your mouth30And be attentive, lest perhaps you may slip with your tongue, and fall in the sight of your enemies, who are lying in wait for you, and then your fall may be incurable unto death