Sirach Chapter 2

Other Translations

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

1 Fili accedens ad servitutem Dei, sta in iustitia, et timore, et præpara animam tuam ad tentationem.

2 Deprime cor tuum, et sustine: inclina aurem tuam, et suscipe verba intellectus: et ne festines in tempore obductionis.

3 Sustine sustentationes Dei: coniungere Deo, et sustine, ut crescat in novissimo vita tua.

4 Omne, quod tibi applicitum fuerit, accipe: et in dolore sustine, et in humilitate tua patientiam habe:

5 quoniam in igne probatur aurum et argentum, homines vero receptibiles in camino humiliationis.

6 Crede Deo, et recuperabit te. et dirige viam tuam, et spera in illum. Serva timorem illius, et in illo veterasce.

7 Metuentes Dominum sustinete misericordiam eius: et non deflectatis ab illo ne cadatis.

8 Qui timetis Dominum, credite illi: et non evacuabitur merces vestra.

9 Qui timetis Dominum, sperate in illum: et in oblectationem veniet vobis misericordia.

10 Qui timetis Dominum diligite illum, et illuminabuntur corda vestra.

11 Respicite filii nationes hominum: et scitote quia nullus speravit in Domino, et confusus est.

12 Quis enim permansit in mandatis eius, et derelictus est? aut quis invocavit eum, et despexit illum?

13 Quoniam pius et misericors est Deus, et remittet in die tribulationis peccata: et protector est omnibus exquirentibus se in veritate.

14 Væ duplici corde, et labiis scelestis, et manibus malefacientibus, et peccatori terram ingredienti duabus viis.

15 Væ dissolutis corde, qui non credunt Deo: et ideo non protegentur ab eo.

16 Væ his, qui perdiderunt sustinentiam, et qui dereliquerunt vias rectas, et diverterunt in vias pravas.

17 Et quid facient, cum inspicere cœperit Dominus?

18 Qui timent Dominum, non erunt incredibiles verbo illius: et qui diligunt illum, conservabunt viam illius.

19 Qui timent Dominum, inquirent quæ beneplacita sunt ei: et qui diligunt eum, replebuntur lege ipsius.

20 Qui timent Dominum, præparabunt corda sua, et in conspectu illius sanctificabunt animas suas.

21 Qui timent Dominum, custodiunt mandata illius, et patientiam habebunt usque ad inspectionem illius,

22 dicentes: Si pœnitentiam non egerimus, incidemus in manus Domini, et non in manus hominum.

23 Secundum enim magnitudinem ipsius, sic et misericordia illius cum ipso est.

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).