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Sirach Chapter 4

Other Translations

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

1 Fili eleemosynam pauperis ne defraudes, et oculos tuos ne transvertas a paupere.
2 Animam esurientem ne despexeris: et non exasperes pauperem in inopia sua.
3 Cor inopis ne afflixeris, et non protrahas datum angustianti.
4 Rogationem contribulati ne abiicias: et non avertas faciem tuam ab egeno.
5 Ab inope ne avertas oculos tuos propter iram: et non relinquas quærentibus tibi retro maledicere:
6 maledicentis enim tibi in amaritudine animæ exaudietur deprecatio illius: exaudiet autem eum, qui fecit illum.
7 Congregationi pauperum affabilem te facito, et presbytero humilia animam tuam, et magnato humilia caput tuum.
8 Declina pauperi sine tristitia aurem tuam, et redde debitum tuum, et responde illi pacifica in mansuetudine.
9 Libera eum, qui iniuriam patitur de manu superbi: et non acide feras in anima tua.
10 In iudicando esto pupillis misericors ut pater, et pro viro matri illorum:
11 et eris tu velut filius Altissimi obediens, et miserebitur tui magis quam mater.
12 Sapientia filiis suis vitam inspirat, et suscipit inquirentes se, et præibit in via iustitiæ.
13 et qui illam diligit, diligit vitam: et qui vigilaverint ad illam, complectentur placorem eius.
14 Qui tenuerint illam, vitam hereditabunt: et quo introibit, benedicet Deus.
15 Qui serviunt ei, obsequentes erunt sancto: et eos, qui diligunt illam, diligit Deus.
16 Qui audit illam, iudicabit Gentes: et qui intuetur illam, permanebit confidens.
17 Si crediderit ei, hereditabit illam, et erunt in confirmatione creaturæ illius.
18 quoniam in tentatione ambulat cum eo, et in primis eligit eum.
19 Timorem et metum, et probationem inducet super illum: et cruciabit illum in tribulatione doctrinæ suæ, donec tentet eum in cogitationibus suis, et credat animæ illius.
20 Et firmabit illum, et iter adducet directum ad illum, et lætificabit illum,
21 et denudabit absconsa sua illi, et thesaurizabit super illum scientiam et intellectum iustitiæ.
22 Si autem oberraverit, derelinquet eum, et tradet eum in manus inimici sui.
23 Fili conserva tempus, et devita a malo.
24 Pro anima tua ne confundaris dicere verum.
25 Est enim confusio adducens peccatum, et est confusio adducens gloriam et gratiam.
26 Ne accipias faciem adversus faciem tuam, nec adversus animam tuam mendacium.
27 Ne reverearis proximum tuum in casu suo:
28 nec retineas verbum in tempore salutis. Non abscondas sapientiam tuam in decore suo.
29 In lingua enim sapientia dignoscitur: et sensus, et scientia, et doctrina in verbo sensati, et firmamentum in operibus iustitiæ.
30 Non contradicas verbo veritatis ullo modo, et de mendacio ineruditionis tuæ confundere.
31 Non confundaris confiteri peccata tua, et ne subiicias te omni homini pro peccato.
32 Noli resistere contra faciem potentis, nec coneris contra ictum fluvii.
33 Pro iustitia agonizare pro anima tua, et usque ad mortem certa pro iustitia, et Deus expugnabit pro te inimicos tuos.
34 Noli citatus esse in lingua tua: et inutilis, et remissus in operibus tuis.
35 Noli esse sicut leo in domo tua, evertens domesticos tuos, et opprimens subiectos tibi.
36 Non sit porrecta manus tua ad accipiendum, et ad dandum collecta.

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).