Sirach Chapter 37

Other Translations

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

1 Omnis amicus dicet: Et ego amicitiam copulavi. sed est amicus solo nomine amicus. Nonne tristitia inest usque ad mortem?

2 Sodalis autem et amicus ad inimicitiam convertentur.

3 O præsumptio nequissima, unde create es cooperire aridam malitia, et dolositate illius?

4 Sodalis amico coniucundatur in oblectationibus, et in tempore tribulationis adversarius erit.

5 Sodalis amico condolet causa ventris, et contra hostem accipiet scutum.

6 Non obliviscaris amici tui in animo tuo, et non immemor sis illius in opibus tuis.

7 Noli consiliari cum eo, qui tibi insidiatur, et a zelantibus te absconde consilium.

8 Omnis consiliarius prodit consilium, sed est consiliarius in semetipso.

9 A consiliario serva animam tuam. prius scito quæ sit illius necessitas: et ipse enim animo suo cogitabit:

10 ne forte mittat sudem in terram, et dicat tibi:

11 Bona est via tua; et stet e contrario videre quid tibi eveniat.

12 Cum viro irreligioso tracta de sanctitate, et cum iniusto de iustitia, et cum muliere de ea, quæ æmulatur: cum timido de bello: cum negotiatore de traiectione, cum emptore de venditione, cum viro livido de gratiis agendis,

13 cum impio de pietate, cum inhonesto de honestate, cum operario agrario de omni opere,

14 cum operario annuali de consummatione anni, cum servo pigro de multa operatione: non attendas his in omni consilio.

15 Sed cum viro sancto assiduus esto, quemcumque cognoveris observantem timorem Dei,

16 cuius anima est secundum animam tuam: et qui, cum titubaveris in tenebris, condolebit tibi.

17 Cor boni consilii statue tecum: non est enim tibi aliud pluris illo.

18 Anima viri sancti enunciat aliquando vera, quam septem circumspectores sedentes in excelso ad speculandum.

19 Et in his omnibus deprecare Altissimum ut dirigat in veritate viam tuam.

20 Ante omnia opera verbum verax præcedat te, et ante omnem actum consilium stabile.

21 Verbum nequam immutabit cor: ex quo partes quattuor oriuntur, bonum et malum, vita et mors: et dominatrix illorum est assidua lingua. Est vir astutus multorum eruditor, et animæ suæ inutilis est.

22 Vir peritus multos erudivit, et animæ suæ suavis est.

23 Qui sophistice loquitur, odibilis est: in omni re defraudabitur.

24 non est illi data a Domino gratia: omni enim sapientia defraudatus est.

25 Est sapiens animæ suæ sapiens: et fructus sensus illius laudabilis.

26 Vir sapiens plebem suam erudit, et fructus sensus illius fideles sunt.

27 Vir sapiens implebitur benedictionibus, et videntes illum laudabunt.

28 Vita viri in numero dierum: dies autem Israel innumerabiles sunt.

29 Sapiens in populo hereditabit honorem, et nomen illius erit vivens in æternum.

30 Fili in vita tua tenta animam tuam: et si fuerit nequam, non des illi potestatem:

31 non enim omnia omnibus expediunt, et non omni animæ omne genus placet.

32 Noli avidus esse in omni epulatione, et non te effundas super omnem escam:

33 in multis enim escis erit infirmitas, et aviditas appropinquabit usque ad choleram.

34 Propter crapulam multi obierunt: qui autem abstinens est, adiiciet vitam.

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).