Sirach Chapter 7

Other Translations

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

1 Noli facere mala, et non te apprehendent.

2 Discede ab iniquo, et deficient mala abs te.

3 Fili, non semines mala in sulcis iniustitiæ, et non metes ea in septuplum.

4 Noli quærere a domino ducatum, neque a rege cathedram honoris.

5 Non te iustifices ante Deum, quoniam agnitor cordis ipse est: et penes regem noli velle videri sapiens.

6 Noli quærere fieri iudex, nisi valeas virtute irrumpere iniquitates: ne forte extimescas faciem potentis, et ponas scandalum in æquitate tua.

7 Non pecces in multitudinem civitatis, nec te immittas in populum,

8 neque alliges duplicia peccata: nec enim in uno eris immunis.

9 Noli esse pusillanimis in animo tuo:

10 exorare, et facere eleemosynam ne despicias.

11 Ne dicas: In multitudine munerum meorum respiciet Deus, et offerente me Deo altissimo, munera mea suscipiet.

12 Non irrideas hominem in amaritudine animæ: est enim qui humiliat et exaltat, circumspector Deus.

13 Noli amare mendacium adversus fratrem tuum: neque in amicum similiter facias.

14 Noli velle mentiri omne mendacium: assiduitas enim illius non est bona.

15 Noli verbosus esse in multitudine presbyterorum, et non iteres verbum in oratione tua.

16 Non oderis laboriosa opera, et rusticationem creatam ab Altissimo.

17 Non te reputes in multitudine indisciplinatorum.

18 Memento iræ, quoniam non tardabit.

19 Humilia valde spiritum tuum: quoniam vindicta carnis impii, ignis et vermis.

20 Noli prævaricari in amicum pecuniam differentem, neque fratrem charissimum auro spreveris.

21 Noli discedere a muliere sensata et bona, quam sortitus es in timore Domini: gratia enim verecundiæ illius super aurum.

22 Non lædas servum in veritate operantem, neque mercenarium dantem animam suam.

23 Servus sensatus sit tibi dilectus quasi anima tua, non defraudes illum libertate, neque inopem derelinquas illum.

24 Pecora tibi sunt? attende illis: et si sunt utilia, perseverent apud te.

25 Filii tibi sunt? erudi illos, et curva illos a pueritia illorum.

26 Filiæ tibi sunt? serva corpus illarum, et non ostendas hilarem faciem tuam ad illas.

27 Trade filiam, et grande opus feceris, et homini sensato da illam.

28 Mulier si est tibi secundum animam tuam, non proiicias illam: et odibili non credas te. In toto corde tuo

29 honora patrem tuum, et gemitus matris tuæ ne obliviscaris:

30 memento quoniam nisi per illos natus non fuisses: et retribue illis, quomodo et illi tibi.

31 In tota anima tua time Dominum, et sacerdotes illius sanctifica.

32 In omni virtute tua dilige eum qui te fecit: et ministros eius ne derelinquas.

33 Honora Deum ex tota anima tua, et honorifica sacerdotes, et propurga te cum brachiis.

34 Da illis partem, sicut mandatum est tibi, primitiarum et purgationis: et de negligentia tua purga te cum paucis.

35 Datum brachiorum tuorum et sacrificium sanctificationis offeres Domino, et initia sanctorum:

36 et pauperi porrige manum tuam, ut perficiatur propitiatio, et benedictio tua.

37 Gratia dati in conspectu omnis viventis, et mortuo non prohibeas gratiam.

38 Non desis plorantibus in consolatione, et cum lugentibus ambula.

39 Non te pigeat visitare infirmum: ex his enim in dilectione firmaberis.

40 In omnibus operibus tuis memorare novissima tua, et in æternum non peccabis.

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).