Sirach 40
Human life is marked by toil, fear, and suffering from birth to death, with even the wealthy and powerful experiencing turmoil. However, the wicked suffer seven times more than the righteous. All earthly things will return to the earth, but faith will endure. The wicked will ultimately perish, while the righteous will find joy and contentment in a simple life, with the fear of the Lord being the greatest treasure.
A great occupation was created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their departure from their mother’s womb, even until the day of their burial into the mother of alltheir thoughts, and the fears of their heart, their imagined expectations, and the day of their endfrom him who sits upon a glorious throne, even to him who is humbled in earth and ashesfrom him who wears hyacinth and bears a crown, even to him who is covered with rough linen: wrath, envy, tumult, restlessness, and the fear of death, continual anger and contentionAnd in the time of rest upon his bed, the sleep of the night changes his knowledgeThere is little or no rest, and sleep is taken from him, as if on a day of keeping watchHe is disturbed by a vision of his heart, as if he had escaped in a day of warfare. In the time of his salvation, he rose up and wondered that there was no fearThis is so with all flesh, from man even to cattle, but upon sinners it is seven times as greatAdd to this: death, bloodshed, contention, and the spear, oppression, famine, and affliction, and scourgesAll these things have been created because of iniquity, and it is due to iniquity that the great flood was madeAll things that are of the earth shall return to the earth, and all waters shall return to the seaAll bribery and iniquity will be wiped away, but faith shall stand foreverThe substance of the unjust will dry up like a river, and will pass away with a noise like loud thunder in a rainstormWhen he opens his hands, he will rejoice. So will transgressors pass away at the consummationThe descendents of the impious will not produce many branches, for they may be compared to dirty roots at the edge of a rockThe weeds, which grow above every water and beside the banks of the river, will be uprooted before all the grassGrace is like a paradise of blessings, and mercy continues for eternityThe life of a worker, when content with what is sufficient, will become sweet, and in it you will find a treasureSons, and the building of a city, will establish a name, but an immaculate wife will be ranked above these thingsWine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above them bothThe flute and the psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant word is above them bothYour eye desires elegance and beauty, but verdant fields are above these thingsA friend and a companion meet one another in time, but above them both is a wife with her husbandBrothers are a help in time of tribulation, but mercy will liberate, more so than they willGold and silver provide a firm position for the feet, but well-spoken counsel is above them bothAbility and strength lift up the heart, but the fear of the Lord is above these thingsThere is no loss in the fear of the Lord, and it has no need to ask for assistanceThe fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessings, and they have covered it above all glorySon, in your lifetime you should not be indigent, for it is better to die than to be destituteThe life of him who looks to another man’s table should not be thought of as a way of life. For he feeds his life with another man’s foodBut a disciplined and well-taught man will take care of himselfScarcity will seem sweet to the mouth of the imprudent, but a fire will burn in his belly
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