Sirach Chapter 3

Other Translations

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

1 Filii sapientiæ, ecclesia iustorum: et natio illorum, obedientia et dilectio.

2 Iudicium patris audite filii, et sic facite ut salvi sitis.

3 Deus enim honoravit patrem in filiis: et iudicium matris exquirens, firmavit in filios.

4 Qui diligit Deum, exorabit pro peccatis, et continebit se ab illis, et in oratione dierum exaudietur.

5 Et sicut qui thesaurizat, ita et qui honorificat matrem suam.

6 Qui honorat patrem suum, iucundabitur in filiis, et in die orationis suæ exaudietur.

7 Qui honorat patrem suum, vita vivet longiore: et qui obedit patri, refrigerabit matrem.

8 Qui timet Dominum honorat parentes, et quasi dominis serviet his, qui se genuerunt.

9 In opere et sermone, et omni patientia honora patrem tuum,

10 ut superveniat tibi benedictio ab eo, et benedictio illius in novissimo maneat.

11 Benedictio patris firmat domos filiorum: maledictio autem matris eradicat fundamenta.

12 Ne glorieris in contumelia patris tui: non enim est tibi gloria, eius confusio.

13 gloria enim hominis ex honore patris sui, et dedecus filii pater sine honore.

14 Fili suscipe senectam patris tui, et non contristes eum in vita illius:

15 et si defecerit sensu, veniam da, et ne spernas eum in virtute tua: eleemosyna enim patris non erit in oblivione.

16 Nam pro peccato matris restituetur tibi bonum,

17 et in iustitia ædificabitur tibi, et in die tribulationis commemorabitur tui: et sicut in sereno glacies solventur peccata tua.

18 Quam malæ famæ est, qui derelinquit patrem: et est maledictus a Deo, qui exasperat matrem.

19 Fili in mansuetudine opera tua perfice, et super hominum gloriam diligeris.

20 Quanto magnus es, humilia te in omnibus, et coram Deo invenies gratiam:

21 quoniam magna potentia Dei solius, et ab humilibus honoratur.

22 Altiora te ne quæsieris, et fortiora te ne scrutatus fueris: sed quæ præcepit tibi Deus, illa cogita semper, et in pluribus operibus eius ne fueris curiosus.

23 Non est enim tibi necessarium ea, quæ abscondita sunt, videre oculis tuis.

24 In supervacuis rebus noli scrutari multipliciter, et in pluribus operibus eius non eris curiosus.

25 Plurima enim super sensum hominum ostensa sunt tibi.

26 Multos quoque supplantavit suspicio illorum, et in vanitate detinuit sensus illorum.

27 Cor durum habebit male in novissimo: et qui amat periculum in illo peribit.

28 Cor ingrediens duas vias, non habebit successus, et pravus corde in illis scandalizabitur.

29 Cor nequam gravabitur in doloribus, et peccator adiiciet ad peccandum.

30 Synagogæ superborum non erit sanitas: frutex enim peccati radicabitur in illis, et non intelligetur.

31 Cor sapientis intelligitur in sapientia, et auris bona audiet cum omni concupiscentia sapientiam.

32 Sapiens cor, et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis, et in operibus iustitiæ successus habebit.

33 Ignem ardentem extinguit aqua, et eleemosyna resistit peccatis:

34 et Deus prospector est eius qui reddit gratiam: meminit eius in posterum, et in tempore casus sui inveniet firmamentum.

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).