Sirach Chapter 16

Other Translations

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

1 Ne iucunderis in filiis impiis, si multiplicentur: nec oblecteris super ipsos, si non est timor Dei in illis.

2 Non credas vitæ illorum, et ne respexeris in labores eorum.

3 Melior est enim unus timens Deum, quam mille filii impii:

4 Et utile est mori sine filiis quam relinquere filios impios.

5 Ab uno sensato inhabitabitur patria, tribus impiorum deseretur.

6 Multa talia vidit oculis meus, et fortiora horum audivit auris mea.

7 In synagoga peccantium exardebit ignis, et in gente incredibili exardescet ira.

8 Non exoraverunt pro peccatis suis antiqui gigantes, qui destructi sunt confidentes suæ virtuti:

9 et non pepercit peregrinationi Lot, et execratus est eos præ superbia verbi illorum.

10 Non misertus est illis, gentem totam perdens, et extollentem se in peccatis suis.

11 Et sicut sexcenta millia peditum, qui congregati sunt in duritia cordis sui: et si unus fuisset cervicatus, mirum si fuisset immunis.

12 misericordia enim et ira est cum illo. Potens exoratio, et effundens iram:

13 secundum misericordiam suam, sic correptio illius homines secundum opera sua iudicat.

14 Non effugiet in rapina peccator, et non retardabit sufferentia misericordiam facientis.

15 Omnis misericordia faciet locum unicuique secundum meritum operum suorum, et secundum intellectum peregrinationis ipsius.

16 Non dicas: A Deo abscondar, et ex summo quis mei memorabitur?

17 In populo magno non agnoscar: quæ est enim anima mea in tam immensa creatura?

18 Ecce cælum, et cæli cælorum, abyssus, et universa terra, et quæ in eis sunt, in conspectu illius commovebuntur.

19 montes simul, et colles, et fundamenta terræ: cum conspexerit illa Deus, tremore concutientur.

20 Et in omnibus his insensatum est cor: et omne cor intelligitur ab illo:

21 et vias illius quis intelligit, et procellam, quam nec oculus videbit hominis?

22 Nam plurima illius opera sunt in absconsis: sed opera iustitiæ eius quis enunciabit? aut quis sustinebit? Longe enim est testamentum a quibusdam, et interrogatio omnium in consummatione est.

23 Qui minoratur corde, cogitat inania: et vir imprudens, et errans cogitat stulta.

24 Audi me fili, et disce disciplinam sensus, et in verbis meis attende in corde tuo,

25 et dicam in æquitate disciplinam, et scrutabor enarrare sapientiam: et in verbis meis attende in corde tuo, et dico in æquitate spiritus virtutes, quas posuit Deus in opera sua ab initio, et in veritate enuncio scientiam eius.

26 In iudicio Dei opera eius ab initio, et ab institutione ipsorum distinxit partes illorum, et initia eorum in gentibus suis.

27 Ornavit in æternum opera illorum, nec esurierunt, nec laboraverunt, et non destiterunt ab operibus suis.

28 Unusquisque proximum sibi non angustiabit in æternum.

29 Non sis incredibilis verbo illius.

30 Post hæc Deus in terram respexit, et implevit illam bonis suis.

31 Anima omnis vitalis denunciavit ante faciem ipsius, et in ipsam iterum reversio illorum.

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).