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Sirach Chapter 11

Other Translations

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

1 Sapientia humiliati exaltabit caput illius, et in medio magnatorum consedere illum faciet.
2 Non laudes virum in specie sua, neque spernas hominem in visu suo.
3 brevis in volatilibus est apis, et initium dulcoris habet fructus illius.
4 In vestitu ne glorieris umquam, nec in die honoris tui extollaris: quoniam mirabilia opera Altissimi solius, et gloriosa, et absconsa, et invisa opera illius.
5 Multi tyranni sederunt in throno, et insuspicabilis portavit diadema.
6 Multi potentes oppressi sunt valide, et gloriosi traditi sunt in manus alterorum.
7 Priusquam interroges, ne vituperes quemquam: et cum interrogaveris, corripe iuste.
8 Priusquam audias, ne respondeas verbum: et in medio sermonum ne adiicias loqui.
9 De ea re, quæ te non molestat, ne certeris: et in iudicio peccantium ne consistas.
10 Fili ne in multis sint actus tui: et si dives fueris, non eris immunis a delicto. si enim secutus fueris, non apprehendes: et non effugies, si præcucurreris.
11 Est homo laborans, et festinans, et dolens impius, et tanto magis non abundabit.
12 Est homo marcidus egens recuperatione, plus deficiens virtute, et abundans paupertate:
13 et oculus Dei respexit illum in bono, et erexit eum ab humilitate ipsius, et exaltavit caput eius: et mirati sunt in illo multi, et honoraverunt Deum.
14 Bona et mala, vita et mors, paupertas et honestas a Deo sunt.
15 Sapientia et disciplina, et scientia legis apud Deum. Dilectio, et viæ bonorum apud ipsum.
16 Error et tenebræ peccatoribus concreata sunt: qui autem exultant in malis, consenescunt in malo.
17 Datio Dei permanet iustis, et profectus illius successus habebit in æternum.
18 Est qui locupletatur parce agendo, et hæc est pars mercedis illius.
19 in eo quod dicit: Inveni requiem mihi, et nunc manducabo de bonis meis solus:
20 et nescit quod tempus præteriet, et mors appropinquet, et relinquat omnia aliis, et morietur.
21 Sta in testamento tuo, et in illo colloquere, et in opere mandatorum tuorum veterasce.
22 Ne manseris in operibus peccatorum. Confide autem in Deo, et mane in loco tuo.
23 Facile est enim in oculis Dei subito honestare pauperem.
24 Benedictio Dei in mercedem iusti festinat, et in hora veloci processus illius fructificat.
25 Ne dicas: Quid est mihi opus, et quæ erunt mihi ex hoc bona?
26 Ne dicas: Sufficiens mihi sum: et quid ex hoc pessimabor?
27 In die bonorum ne immemor sis malorum: et in die malorum ne immemor sis bonorum:
28 quoniam facile est coram Deo in die obitus retribuere unicuique secundum vias suas.
29 Malitia horæ oblivionem facit luxuriæ magnæ, et in fine hominis denudatio operum illius.
30 Ante mortem ne laudes hominem quemquam, quoniam in filiis suis agnoscitur vir.
31 Non omnem hominem inducas in domum tuam: multæ enim sunt insidiæ dolosi.
32 Sicut enim eructant præcordia fœtentium, et sicut perdix inducitur in caveam, et ut caprea in laqueum: sic et cor superborum, et sicut prospector videns casum proximi sui.
33 Bona enim in mala convertens insidiatur, et in electis imponet maculam.
34 A scintilla una augetur ignis, et ab uno doloso augetur sanguis: homo vero peccator sanguini insidiatur.
35 Attende tibi a pestifero, fabricat enim mala: ne inducat super te subsannationem in perpetuum.
36 Admitte ad te alienigenam, et subvertet te in turbine, et abalienabit te a tuis propriis.

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).