Sirach Chapter 44

Other Translations

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

1 Laudemus viros gloriosos, et parentes nostros in generatione sua.

2 Multam gloriam fecit Dominus magnificentia sua a sæculo.

3 Dominantes in potestatibus suis, homines magni virtute, et prudentia sua præditi, nunciantes in prophetis dignitatem prophetarum,

4 et imperantes in præsenti populo, et virtute prudentiæ populis sanctissima verba.

5 In peritia sua requirentes modos musicos, et narrantes carmina scripturarum.

6 Homines divites in virtute, pulchritudinis studium habentes: pacificantes in domibus suis.

7 Omnes isti in generationibus gentis suæ gloriam adepti sunt, et in diebus suis habentur in laudibus.

8 Qui de illis nati sunt, reliquerunt nomen narrandi laudes eorum:

9 et sunt quorum non est memoria: perierunt quasi qui non fuerint: et nati sunt, quasi non nati, et filii ipsorum cum ipsis.

10 Sed illi viri misericordiæ sunt, quorum pietates non defuerunt:

11 cum semine eorum permanent bona,

12 hereditas sancta nepotes eorum, et in testamentis stetit semen eorum:

13 et filii eorum propter illos usque in æternum manent: semen eorum et gloria eorum non derelinquetur.

14 Corpora ipsorum in pace sepulta sunt, et nomen eorum vivit in generationem et generationem.

15 Sapientiam ipsorum narrent populi, et laudem eorum nunciet ecclesia.

16 Henoch placuit Deo, et translatus est in paradisum, ut det gentibus pœnitentiam.

17 Noe inventus est perfectus, iustus, et in tempore iracundiæ factus est reconciliatio.

18 Ideo dimissum est reliquum terræ, cum factum est diluvium.

19 Testamenta sæculi posita sunt apud illum, ne deleri possit diluvio omnis caro.

20 Abraham magnus pater multitudinis gentium, et non est inventus similis illi in gloria: qui conservavit legem Excelsi, et fuit in testamento cum illo.

21 In carne eius stare fecit testamentum, et in tentatione inventus est fidelis.

22 Ideo iureiurando dedit illi gloriam in gente sua, crescere illum quasi terræ cumulum,

23 et ut stellas exaltare semen eius, et hereditare illos a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terræ.

24 Et in Isaac eodem modo fecit propter Abraham patrem eius.

25 Benedictionem omnium Gentium dedit illi Dominus, et testamentum confirmavit super caput Iacob.

26 Agnovit eum in benedictionibus suis, et dedit illi hereditatem, et divisit illi partem in tribubus duodecim.

27 Et conservavit illi homines misericordiæ, invenientes gratiam in oculis omnis carnis.

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).