Sirach Chapter 23

Other Translations

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

1 Domine pater, et dominator vitæ meæ ne derelinquas me in consilio eorum: nec sinas me cadere in illis.

2 Quis superponet in cogitatu meo flagella, et in corde meo doctrinam sapientiæ, ut ignorationibus eorum non parcant mihi, et non appareant delicta eorum,

3 et ne adincrescant ignorantiæ meæ, et multiplicentur delicta mea, et peccata mea abundent, et incidam in conspectu adversariorum meorum, et gaudeat super me inimicus meus?

4 Domine pater, et Deus vitæ meæ, ne derelinquas me in cogitatu illorum.

5 Extollentiam oculorum meorum ne dederis mihi, et omne desiderium averte a me.

6 Aufer a me ventris concupiscentias, et concubitus concupiscentiæ ne apprehendant me, et animæ irreverenti et infrunitæ ne tradas me.

7 Doctrinam oris audite filii: et qui custodierit illam, non periet labiis, nec scandalizabitur in operibus nequissimis.

8 In vanitate sua apprehenditur peccator, et superbus et maledicus scandalizabitur in illis.

9 Iurationi non assuescat os tuum, multi enim casus in illa.

10 Nominatio vero Dei non sit assidua in ore tuo, et nominibus Sanctorum non admiscearis: quoniam non erit immunis ab eis.

11 Sicut enim servus interrogatus assidue, a livore non minuitur: sic omnis iurans, et nominans, in toto a peccato non purgabitur.

12 Vir multum iurans implebitur iniquitate, et non discedet a domo illius plaga.

13 Et si frustraverit, delictum illius super ipsum erit: et si dissimulaverit, delinquit dupliciter:

14 et si in vacuum iuraverit, non iustificabitur: replebitur enim retributione domus illius.

15 Est et alia loquela contraria morti, non inveniatur in hereditate Iacob.

16 Etenim a misericordibus omnia hæc auferentur, et in delictis non volutabuntur.

17 Indisciplinatæ loquelæ non assuescat os tuum: est enim in illa verbum peccati.

18 Memento patris et matris tuæ, in medio enim magnatorum consistis:

19 ne forte obliviscatur te Deus in conspectu illorum, et assiduitate tua infatuatus, improperium patiaris, et maluisses non nasci, et diem nativitatis tuæ maledicas.

20 Homo assuetus in verbis improperii, in omnibus diebus suis non erudietur.

21 Duo genera abundant in peccatis, et tertium adducit iram, et perditionem.

22 Anima calida quasi ignis ardens non extinguetur donec aliquid glutiat:

23 et homo nequam in ore carnis suæ non desinet donec incendat ignem.

24 Homini fornicario omnis panis dulcis, non fatigabitur transgrediens usque ad finem.

25 Omnis homo qui transgreditur lectum suum, contemnens in animam suam, et dicens: Quis me videt?

26 tenebræ circumdant me, et parietes cooperiunt me, et nemo circumspicit me: quem vereor? delictorum meorum non memorabitur Altissimus.

27 Et non intelligit quoniam omnia videt oculus illius, quoniam expellit a se timorem Dei huiusmodi hominis timor, et oculi hominum timentes illum:

28 et non cognovit quoniam oculi Domini multo plus lucidiores sunt super solem, circumspicientes omnes vias hominum, et profundum abyssi, et hominum corda intuentes in absconditas partes.

29 Domino enim Deo antequam crearentur, omnia sunt agnita: sic et post perfectum respicit omnia.

30 Hic in plateis civitatis vindicabitur, et quasi pullus equinus fugabitur: et ubi non speravit, apprehendetur.

31 Et erit dedecus omnibus, eo quod non intellexerit timorem Domini.

32 Sic et mulier omnis relinquens virum suum, et statuens hereditatem ex alieno matrimonio:

33 primo enim in lege Altissimi incredibilis fuit: secundo in virum suum deliquit: tertio in adulterio fornicata est, et ex alio viro filios statuit sibi.

34 Hæc in ecclesiam adducetur, et in filios eius respicietur.

35 Non tradent filii eius radices, et rami eius non dabunt fructum.

36 derelinquet in maledictum memoriam eius, et dedecus illius non delebitur.

37 Et agnoscent qui derelicti sunt, quoniam nihil melius est quam timor Dei: et nihil dulcius, quam respicere in mandatis Domini.

38 Gloria magna est sequi Dominum: longitudo enim dierum assumetur ab eo.

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).