Sirach chapter 14
[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] The joy of a clear conscience. Using our worldly wealth wisely. Seeking wisdom is a lifelong quest.
The Book of Sirach is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches
THE JOY OF A CLEAR CONSCIENCE
VERSE 1. Blessed is the man that has not slipped with his mouth, And is not pricked with sorrow for sins.
has not slipped with his mouth. If your mouth does NOT get you in trouble, that is great!
pricked with sorrow for sins. If your conscience does NOT convict you of sin, that is great!
VERSE 2. Blessed is he whose soul does not condemn him, And who is not fallen from his hope.
KJV translation. Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.
whose conscience hath not condemned him. Is there anything bugging your conscience?
USING OUR WORLDLY WEALTH WISELY
VERSE 3. Riches are not comely for a stingy person; And what should an envious man do with money?
an envious man. That is, a miser.
VERSE 4. He that gathers by taking from his own soul gathers for others; And others will revel in his goods.
VERSE 5. He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? And he will not rejoice in his possessions.
NAB translation. To whom will he be generous who is stingy with himself and does not enjoy what is his own?
stingy with himself. In order to be generous with others you need to be generous with yourself.
will not rejoice in his possessions. A miser does no good to anyone, even to himself.
VERSE 6. There is none more evil than he that envies himself; And this is a recompense of his wickedness.
VERSE 7. Even if he does good, he does it in forgetfulness; And at the last he shows forth his wickedness.
VERSE 8. Evil is he that envies with his eye, Turning away the face, and despising the souls of men.
VERSE 9. A covetous man’s eye is not satisfied with his portion; And wicked injustice dries up his soul.
VERSE 10. An evil eye is grudging of bread, And he is miserly at his table.
VERSE 11. My son, according as you have, do well to yourself, And bring offerings to the Lord worthily.
do well to yourself. Godly people are free to use worldly goods for enjoyment. They are not sentenced to be stingy.
VERSE 12. Remember that death will not wait, And that the covenant of the grave is not showed to you.
VERSE 13. Do well to your friend before you die; And according to your ability stretch out your hand and give to him.
VERSE 14. Defraud not yourself of a good day; And don’t let the portion of a good desire pass you by.
NAB translation. Deprive yourself not of present good things, let no choice portion escape you.
Some Christians act as though good things are bad.
However, good things are actually good. They need not be shunned.
VERSE 15. Shall you not leave your labors to another? And your toils to be divided by lot?
VERSE 16. Give, and take, and deceive your soul; For there is no seeking of luxury in the grave.
NAB translation:
Give, take, and treat yourself well, for in the nether world there are no joys to seek.
treat yourself well. Some believers treat themselves badly. They think that is spiritual.
However, this verse says to treat yourself well.
VERSE 17. All flesh waxes old as a garment; For the covenant from the beginning is, You shall die the death.
VERSE 18. As of the leaves flourishing on a thick tree, Some it sheds, and some it makes to grow; So also of the generations of flesh and blood, One comes to an end, and another is born.
VERSE 19. Every work rots and falls away, And the worker thereof shall depart with it.
SEEKING WISDOM IS A LIFELONG QUEST
VERSE 20. Blessed is the man that shall meditate in wisdom, And that shall discourse by his understanding.
meditate in wisdom. Do you meditate on wisdom?
Growing in wisdom is a lifelong quest.
VERSE 21. He that considers her ways in his heart Shall also have knowledge in her secrets.
VERSE 22. Go forth after her as one who tracks, And lie in wait in her ways.
Go forth after her as one who tracks. We need to pursue wisdom, tracking it down.
VERSE 23. He that pries in at her windows Shall also listen at her doors.
VERSE 24. He that lodges close to her house Shall also fasten a nail in her walls.
VERSE 25. He shall pitch his tent near at hand to her, And will lodge in a lodging where good things are.
VERSE 26. He will set his children under her shelter, And will rest under her branches.
VERSE 27. By her he will be covered from heat, And will lodge in her glory.
SIRACH
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Chronology
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.