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Sirach Chapter 6

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

1 Noli fieri pro amico inimicus proximo: improperium enim et contumeliam malus hereditabit, et omnis peccator invidus et bilinguis.
2 Non te extollas in cogitatione animæ tuæ velut taurus: ne forte elidatur virtus tua per stultitiam,
3 et folia tua comedat, et fructus tuos perdat, et relinquaris velut lignum aridum in eremo.
4 Anima enim nequam disperdet qui se habet, et in gaudium inimicis dat illum, et deducet in sortem impiorum.
5 Verbum dulce multiplicat amicos, et mitigat inimicos: et lingua eucharis in bono homine abundat.
6 Multi pacifici sint tibi, et consiliarius sit tibi unus de mille.
7 Si possides amicum, in tentatione posside eum, et ne facile credas ei.
8 Est enim amicus secundum tempus suum, et non permanebit in die tribulationis.
9 Et est amicus qui convertitur ad inimicitiam: et est amicus qui odium et rixam, et convitia denudabit.
10 Est autem amicus socius mensæ, et non permanebit in die necessitatis.
11 Amicus si permanserit fixus, erit tibi quasi coæqualis, et in domesticis tuis fiducialiter aget:
12 si humiliaverit se contra te, et a facie tua absconderit se, unanimem habebis amicitiam bonam.
13 Ab inimicis tuis separare, et ab amicis tuis attende.
14 Amicus fidelis, protectio fortis: qui autem invenit illum, invenit thesaurum.
15 Amico fideli nulla est comparatio, et non est digna ponderatio auri et argenti contra bonitatem fidei illius.
16 Amicus fidelis, medicamentum vitæ et immortalitatis: et qui metuunt Dominum, invenient illum.
17 Qui timet Deum, æque habebit amicitiam bonam: quoniam secundum illum erit amicus illius.
18 Fili a iuventute tua excipe doctrinam, et usque ad canos invenies sapientiam.
19 Quasi is qui arat, et seminat, accede ad eam, et sustine bonos fructus illius.
20 in opere enim ipsius exiguum laborabis, et cito edes de generationibus illius.
21 Quam aspera est nimium sapientia indoctis hominibus, et non permanebit in illa excors.
22 Quasi lapidis virtus probatio erit in illis, et non demorabuntur proiicere illam.
23 Sapientia enim doctrinæ secundum nomen est eius, et non est multis manifestata: quibus autem cognita est, permanet usque ad conspectum Dei.
24 Audi fili, et accipe consilium intellectus, et ne abiicias consilium meum.
25 Iniice pedem tuum in compedes illius, et in torques illius collum tuum:
26 subiice humerum tuum, et porta illam, et ne acedieris vinculis eius.
27 In omni animo tuo accede ad illam, et in omni virtute tua conserva vias eius.
28 Investiga illam, et manifestabitur tibi, et continens factus ne derelinquas eam:
29 in novissimis enim invenies requiem in ea, et convertetur tibi in oblectationem.
30 Et erunt tibi compedes eius in protectionem fortitudinis, et bases virtutis, et torques illius in stolam gloriæ:
31 decor enim vitæ est in illa, et vincula illius alligatura salutaris.
32 Stolam gloriæ indues eam, et coronam gratulationis superpones tibi.
33 Fili, si attenderis mihi, disces: et si accomodaveris animum tuum, sapiens eris.
34 Si inclinaveris aurem tuam, excipies doctrinam: et si dilexeris audire, sapiens eris.
35 In multitudine presbyterorum prudentium sta, et sapientiæ illorum ex corde coniungere, ut omnem narrationem Dei possis audire, et proverbia laudis non effugiant a te.
36 Et si videris sensatum, evigila ad eum, et gradus ostiorum illius exterat pes tuus.
37 Cogitatum tuum habe in præceptis Dei, et in mandatis illius maxime assiduus esto: et ipse dabit tibi cor, et concupiscentia sapientiæ dabitur tibi.

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).