Sirach Chapter 1

Other Translations

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Omnis sapientia a Domino Deo est, et cum illo fuit semper, et est ante ævum.

2 Arenam maris, et pluviæ guttas, et dies sæculi quis dinumeravit? Altitudinem cæli, et latitudinem terræ, et profundum abyssi quis dimensus est?

3 Sapientiam Dei præcedentem omnia quis investigavit?

4 Prior omnium creata est sapientia, et intellectus prudentiæ ab ævo.

5 Fons sapientiæ verbum Dei in excelsis, et ingressus illius mandata æterna.

6 Radix sapientiæ cui revelata est, et astutias illius quis agnovit?

7 Disciplina sapientiæ cui revelata est, et manifestata? et multiplicationem ingressus illius quis intellexit?

8 Unus est altissimus Creator omnipotens, et Rex potens, et metuendus nimis, sedens super thronum illius et dominans Deus.

9 Ipse creavit illam in Spiritu sancto, et vidit, et dinumeravit, et mensus est.

10 Et effudit illam super omnia opera sua, et super omnem carnem secundum datum suum, et præbuit illam diligentibus se.

11 Timor Domini gloria, et gloriatio, et lætitia, et corona exultationis.

12 Timor Domini delectabit cor, et dabit lætitiam, et gaudium, et longitudinem dierum.

13 Timenti Dominum bene erit in extremis, et in die defunctionis suæ benedicetur.

14 Dilectio Dei honorabilis sapientia.

15 Quibus autem apparuerit in visu, diligunt eam in visione, et in agnitione magnalium suorum.

16 Initium sapientiæ, timor Domini, et cum fidelibus in vulva concreatus est, cum electis feminis graditur, et cum iustis et fidelibus agnoscitur.

17 Timor Domini, scientiæ religiositas.

18 Religiositas custodiet et iustificabit cor, iucunditatem atque gaudium dabit.

19 Timenti Dominum bene erit, et in diebus consummationis illius benedicetur.

20 Plenitudo sapientiæ est timere Deum, et plenitudo a fructibus illius.

21 Omnem domum illius implebit a generationibus, et receptacula a thesauris illius.

22 Corona sapientiæ, timor Domini, replens pacem, et salutis fructum:

23 et vidit, et dinumeravit eam: utraque autem sunt dona Dei.

24 Scientiam, et intellectum prudentiæ sapientia compartietur: et gloriam tenentium se, exaltat.

25 Radix sapientiæ est timere Dominum: et rami illius longævi.

26 In thesauris sapientiæ intellectus, et scientiæ religiositas: execratio autem peccatoribus sapientia.

27 Timor Domini expellit peccatum:

28 nam qui sine timore est, non poterit iustificari: iracundia enim animositatis illius, subversio illius est.

29 Usque in tempus sustinebit patiens, et postea redditio iucunditatis.

30 Bonus sensus usque in tempus abscondet verba illius, et labia multorum enarrabunt sensum illius.

31 In thesauris sapientiæ significatio disciplinæ:

32 execratio autem peccatori, cultura Dei.

33 Fili concupiscens sapientiam, conserva iustitiam, et Deus præbebit illam tibi.

34 Sapientia enim et disciplina timor Domini: et quod beneplacitum est illi,

35 fides, et mansuetudo, et adimplebit thesauros illius.

36 Ne sis incredibilis timori Domini: et ne accesseris ad illum duplici corde.

37 Ne fueris hypocrita in conspectu hominum, et non scandalizeris in labiis tuis.

38 Attende in illis, ne forte cadas, et adducas animæ tuæ inhonorationem,

39 et revelet Deus absconsa tua, et in medio synagogæ elidat te:

40 quoniam accessisti maligne ad Dominum, et cor tuum plenum est dolo et fallacia.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).