Sirach Chapter 18

Other Translations

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

1 Qui vivet in æternum, creavit omnia simul. Deus solus iustificabitur, et manet invictus rex in æternum.

2 Quis sufficit enarrare opera illius?

3 Quis enim investigabit magnalia eius?

4 Virtutem autem magnitudinis eius quis enunciabit? aut quis adiiciet enarrare misericordiam eius?

5 Non est minuere, neque adiicere, nec est invenire magnalia Dei.

6 Cum consummaverit homo, tunc incipiet: et cum quieverit, aporiabitur.

7 Quid est homo, et quæ est gratia illius? et quid bonum, aut quid nequam illius?

8 Numerus dierum hominum ut multum centum anni: quasi gutta aquæ maris deputati sunt: et sicut calculus arenæ, sic exigui anni in die ævi.

9 Propter hoc patiens est Deus in illis, et effundit super eos misericordiam suam.

10 Vidit præsumptionem cordis eorum quoniam mala est, et cognovit subversionem illorum quoniam nequam est.

11 Ideo adimplevit propitiationem suam in illis, et ostendit eis viam æquitatis.

12 Miseratio hominis circa proximum suum: misericordia autem Dei super omnem carnem.

13 Qui misericordiam habet, docet, et erudit quasi pastor gregem suum.

14 Miseretur excipientis doctrinam miserationis, et qui festinat in iudiciis eius.

15 Fili in bonis non des querelam, et in omni dato non des tristitiam verbi mali.

16 Nonne ardorem refrigerabit ros? sic et verbum melius quam datum.

17 Nonne ecce verbum super datum bonum? sed utraque cum homine iustificato.

18 Stultus acriter improperabit: et datus indisciplinati tabescere facit oculos.

19 Ante iudicium para iustitiam tibi, et antequam loquaris disce.

20 Ante languorem adhibe medicinam, et ante iudicium interroga teipsum, et in conspectu Dei invenies propitiationem.

21 Ante languorem humilia te, et in tempore infirmitatis ostende conversationem tuam.

22 Non impediaris orare semper, et ne verearis usque ad mortem iustificari: quoniam merces Dei manet in æternum.

23 Ante orationem præpara animam tuam: et noli esse quasi homo qui tentat Deum.

24 Memento iræ in die consummationis, et tempus retributionis in conversatione faciei.

25 Memento paupertatis in tempore abundantiæ, et necessitatum paupertatis in die divitiarum.

26 A mane usque ad vesperam immutabitur tempus, et hæc omnia citata in oculis Dei.

27 Homo sapiens in omnibus metuet, et in diebus delictorum attendet ab inertia.

28 Omnis astutus agnoscit sapientiam, et invenienti eam dabit confessionem.

29 Sensati in verbis et ipsi sapienter egerunt: et intellexerunt veritatem et iustitiam, et impleverunt proverbia et iudicia.

30 Post concupiscentias tuas non eas, et a voluntate tua avertere.

31 Si præstes animæ tuæ concupiscentias eius, faciat te in gaudium inimicis tuis.

32 Ne oblecteris in turbis nec in modicis: assidua enim est commissio illorum.

33 Ne fueris mediocris in contentione ex fœnore, et est tibi nihil in sacculo: eris enim invidus vitæ tuæ.

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).