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Sirach Chapter 39

Other Translations

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

1 Sapientiam omnium antiquorum exquiret sapiens, et in prophetis vacabit.
2 Narrationem virorum nominatorum conservabit, et in versutias parabolarum simul introibit.
3 Occulta proverbiorum exquiret, et in absconditis parabolarum conversabitur.
4 In medio magnatorum ministrabit, et in conspectu præsidis apparebit.
5 In terram alienigenarum gentium pertransiet: bona enim et mala in hominibus tentabit.
6 Cor suum tradet ad vigilandum diluculo ad Dominum, qui fecit illum, et in conspectu Altissimi deprecabitur.
7 Aperiet os suum in oratione, et pro delictis suis deprecabitur.
8 Si enim Dominus magnus voluerit, spiritu intelligentiæ replebit illum:
9 et ipse tamquam imbres mittet eloquia sapientiæ suæ, et in oratione confitebitur Domino:
10 et ipse diriget consilium eius, et disciplinam, et in absconditis suis consiliabitur.
11 Ipse palam faciet disciplinam doctrinæ suæ, et in lege testamenti Domini gloriabitur.
12 Collaudabunt multi sapientiam eius, et usque in sæculum non delebitur.
13 Non recedet memoria eius, et nomen eius requiretur a generatione in generationem.
14 Sapientiam eius enarrabunt gentes, et laudem eius enunciabit ecclesia.
15 Si permanserit, nomen derelinquet plus quam mille: et si requieverit, proderit illi.
16 Adhuc consiliabor ut enarrem: ut furore enim repletus sum.
17 In voce dicit: Obaudite me divini fructus, et quasi rosa plantata super rivos aquarum fructificate.
18 Quasi Libanus odorem suavitatis habete.
19 Florete flores, quasi lilium, et date odorem, et frondete in gratiam, et collaudate canticum, et benedicite Dominum in operibus suis.
20 Date nomini eius magnificentiam, et confitemini illi in voce labiorum vestrorum, et in canticis labiorum, et citharis, et sic dicetis in confessione:
21 Opera Domini universa bona valde.
22 In verbo eius stetit aqua sicut congeries: et in sermone oris illius sicut exceptoria aquarum:
23 quoniam in præcepto ipsius placor fit, et non est minoratio in salute ipsius.
24 Opera omnis carnis coram illo, et non est quidquam absconditum ab oculis eius.
25 A sæculo usque in sæculum respicit, et nihil est mirabile in conspectu eius.
26 Non est dicere: Quid est hoc, aut quid est istud? omnia enim in tempore suo quærentur.
27 Benedictio illius quasi fluvius inundavit.
28 quomodo cataclysmus aridam inebriavit, sic ira ipsius gentes, quæ non exquisierunt eum, hereditabit.
29 Quomodo convertit aquas in siccitatem, et siccata est terra: et viæ illius viis illorum directæ sunt: sic peccatoribus offensiones in ira eius.
30 Bona bonis creata sunt ab initio, sic nequissimis bona et mala.
31 Initium necessariæ rei vitæ hominum, aqua, ignis, et ferrum, sal, lac, et panis similagineus, et mel et botrus uvæ, et oleum, et vestimentum.
32 Hæc omnia sanctis in bona, sic et impiis et peccatoribus in mala convertentur.
33 Sunt spiritus, qui ad vindictam creati sunt, et in furore suo confirmaverunt tormenta sua:
34 in tempore consummationis effundent virtutem: et furorem eius, qui fecit illos, placabunt.
35 Ignis, grando, fames, et mors, omnia hæc ad vindictam creata sunt:
36 bestiarum dentes, et scorpii, et serpentes, et romphæa vindicans in exterminium impios.
37 In mandatis eius epulabuntur, et super terram in necessitatem præparabuntur, et in temporibus suis non præterient verbum.
38 Propterea ab initio confirmatus sum, et consiliatus sum, et cogitavi, et scripta dimisi.
39 Omnia opera Domini bona, et omne opus hora sua subministrabit.
40 Non est dicere: Hoc illo nequius est: omnia enim in tempore suo comprobabuntur.
41 Et nunc in omni corde et ore collaudate, et benedicite nomen Domini.

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).