Sirach Chapter 5

Other Translations

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

1 Noli attendere ad possessiones iniquas, et ne dixeris: Est mihi sufficiens vita: nihil enim proderit in tempore vindictæ et obductionis.

2 Ne sequaris in fortitudine tua concupiscentiam cordis tui:

3 et ne dixeris: Quomodo potui? aut quis me subiiciet propter facta mea? Deus enim vindicans vindicabit.

4 Ne dixeris: Peccavi, et quid mihi accidit triste? Altissimus enim est patiens redditor.

5 De propitiatio peccato noli esse sine metu, neque adiicias peccatum super peccatum.

6 Et ne dicas: Miseratio Domini magna est, multitudinis peccatorum meorum miserebitur.

7 Misericordia enim, et ira ab illo cito proximant, et in peccatores respicit ira illius.

8 Non tardes converti ad Dominum, et ne differas de die in diem.

9 subito enim veniet ira illius, et in tempore vindictæ disperdet te.

10 Noli anxius esse in divitiis iniustis: non enim proderunt tibi in die obductionis et vindictæ.

11 Non ventiles te in omnem ventum, et non eas in omnem viam. sic enim omnis peccator probatur in duplici lingua.

12 Esto firmus in via Domini, et in veritate sensus tui et scientia, et prosequatur te verbum pacis et iustitiæ.

13 Esto mansuetus ad audiendum verbum, ut intelligas: et cum sapientia proferas responsum verum.

14 Si est tibi intellectus, responde proximo: sin autem, sit manus tua super os tuum, ne capiaris in verbo indisciplinato, et confundaris.

15 Honor et gloria in sermone sensati, lingua vero imprudentis subversio est ipsius.

16 Non appelleris susurro, et lingua tua ne capiaris, et confundaris.

17 Super furem enim est confusio et pœnitentia, et denotatio pessima super bilinguem: susurratori autem odium, et inimicitia, et contumelia.

18 Iustifica pusillum, et magnum similiter.

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).