1  Blessed is the man who has not slipped because of a word from his mouth, and who has not been stung by grief because of an offense.

1  Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.

2  Happy is he who does not have sadness in his mind, and who has not fallen away from his hope.

2  Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.

3  Substance is senseless for a greedy and stingy man. And what would a spiteful man do with gold?

3  Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an envious man do with money?

4  Whoever acquires unjustly, according to his own mind, gathers for others. For another will spend his goods lavishly.

4  He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.

5  Whoever is wicked to himself, to whom will he be good? For he will not take enjoyment in his own goods.

5  He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.

6  Whoever has ill will toward himself, nothing is more worthless than he is. But such is the reward of his wickedness.

6  There is none worse than he that envieth himself; and this is a recompence of his wickedness.

7  And if he does good, he does it ignorantly and unwillingly. And in the very end, he realizes his own malice.

7  And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.

8  The eye of the spiteful man is wicked, and he averts his face and despises his own soul.

8  The envious man hath a wicked eye; he turneth away his face, and despiseth men.

9  The eye of the greedy man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity. He will not be satisfied until he has consumed his own soul, withering it away.

9  A covetous man’s eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.

10  An evil eye is directed at evil things. And he will not be satisfied by bread; instead, he will be needy and grieving at his own table.

10  A wicked eye envieth his bread, and he is a niggard at his table.

11  Son, if you have anything, do good to yourself, and offer worthy oblations to God.

11  My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, and give the Lord his due offering.

12  Remember that death has not been delayed, and that the covenant of the grave has been revealed to you. For the covenant of this world will pass away in death.

12  Remember that death will not be long in coming, and that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee.

13  Do good to your friend before you die. And according to your ability, extend your hand and give to the poor.

13  Do good unto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability stretch out thy hand and give to him.

14  Do not cheat yourself out of a good day, and do not let the smallest good gift pass you by.

14  Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire overpass thee.

15  Should you not leave it to others to divide your sorrows and labors by lot?

15  Shalt thou not leave thy travails unto another? and thy labours to be divided by lot?

16  Give, and receive, and justify your soul.

16  Give, and take, and sanctify thy soul; for there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.

17  Before your passing, accomplish justice. For in death, there is no food to be found.

17  All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death.

18  All flesh grows old like the grass, and like the foliage that springs forth from a green tree.

18  As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.

19  Some spring up, and others fall away. Such is the generation of flesh and blood. One is finished, and another is born.

19  Every work rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker thereof shall go withal.

20  Every corruptible work will fail in the end. And its worker will go with it.

20  Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding.

21  But every excellent work will be justified. And whoever worked it will be honored by it.

21  He that considereth her ways in his heart shall also have understanding in her secrets.

22  Blessed is the man who will abide in wisdom, and who will meditate on her righteousness, and who, in his mind, will consider the circumspection of God.

22  Go after her as one that traceth, and lie in wait in her ways.

23  He considers her ways in his heart, and he finds understanding in her secrets. He goes after her like an investigator, and he is constant in her ways.

23  He that prieth in at her windows shall also hearken at her doors.

24  He gazes through her windows, and he listens at her door.

24  He that doth lodge near her house shall also fasten a pin in her walls.

25  He rests next to her house, and, fastening a peg in her walls, he sets up his cottage by her hands. And so, good things will find rest in his cottage as time passes.

25  He shall pitch his tent nigh unto her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.

26  He will station his sons under her covering, and he will abide under her branches.

26  He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches.

27  He will be protected by her covering from the heat, and he will rest in her glory.

27  By her he shall be covered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.

15:1  Whoever fears God will do good. And whoever holds to justice will obtain it.

1  He that feareth the Lord will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.

15:2  And like an honorable mother, she will meet him, and like a virgin bride, she will receive him.

2  And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.

15:3  She will feed him with the bread of life and understanding. And she give him to drink from the water of salvific wisdom. And she will be confirmed in him, and he will not waver.

3  With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.

15:4  And she will hold to him, and he will not be confounded. And she will exalt him, along with those closest to him.

4  He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.

15:5  And in the midst of the Church, she will open his mouth, and she will fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and she will clothe him with a robe of glory.

5  She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.

15:6  She will store up in him a treasure of rejoicing and exultation, and she will cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

6  He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

15:7  But foolish men will not take hold of her. And though understanding men will meet her, foolish men will not catch sight of her. For she is far from arrogance and deceit.

7  But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.

15:8  Lying men will be wary of her. But men who speak the truth will be found with her, and they will have success, even when examined by God.

8  For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.

15:9  Praise is not beautiful in the mouth of a sinner.

9  Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.

15:10  For wisdom was sent from God. And praise will stand before the wisdom of God, and praise will abound in the mouths of the faithful, and the sovereign Lord will give praise to wisdom.

10  For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.

15:11  You should not say: “It is because of God that wisdom is absent.” For you should not do what he detests.

11  Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.

15:12  You should not say: “He has led me astray.” For the impious are of no use to him.

12  Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.

15:13  The Lord hates all abominable error, and those who fear him will not love such things.

13  The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.

15:14  God established man from the beginning, and he left him in the hand of his own counsel.

15:15  He added his commandments and precepts.

15:16  If you choose to keep the commandments, and if, having chosen them, you fulfill them with perpetual fidelity, they will preserve you.

Sir15:15  If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.

15:17  He has set water and fire before you. Extend your hand to whichever one you would choose.

Sir15:16  He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.

15:18  Before man is life and death, good and evil. Whichever one he chooses will be given to him.

15:19  For the wisdom of God is manifold. And he is strong in power, seeing all things without ceasing.

Sir15:18  For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things

15:20  The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, and he knows each one of the works of man.

Sir15:19  And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.

15:21  He has commanded no one to act impiously, and he has given no one permission to sin.

Sir15:20  He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.

15:22  For he does not desire a multitude of unfaithful and useless sons.

16:1  You should not rejoice in impious children, if they are successful; nor should you take delight in them, if the fear of God is not in them.

1  Desire not a multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight in ungodly sons.

16:2  You should not approve of their life, nor should you look with favor on their labors.

2  Though they multiply, rejoice not in them, except the fear of the Lord be with them.

16:3  For one child who fears God is better than one thousand impious children.

3  Trust not thou in their life, neither respect their multitude: for one that is just is better than a thousand; and better it is to die without children, than to have them that are ungodly.

16:4  And it is better to die without children, than to leave behind impious children.

4  For by one that hath understanding shall the city be replenished: but the kindred of the wicked shall speedily become desolate.

16:5  By means one person with understanding, a country will be inhabited. The tribe of the impious will become desolate.

5  Many such things have I seen with mine eyes, and mine ear hath heard greater things than these.

16:6  Many such things my eyes have seen, and greater things than these my ear has heard.

6  In the congregation of the ungodly shall a fire be kindled; and in a rebellious nation wrath is set on fire.

16:7  In the synagogue of sinners, a fire will blaze forth; and amid an unbelieving people, wrath will flare up.

7  He was not pacified toward the old giants, who fell away in the strength of their foolishness.

16:8  The giants of antiquity did not obtain pardon for their sins; they were destroyed by trusting in their own abilities.

8  Neither spared he the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for their pride.

16:9  And he did not spare the place of Lot’s sojourn, and he abhorred them because of the arrogance of their words.

9  He pitied not the people of perdition, who were taken away in their sins

16:10  He did not take pity on them, destroying an entire people, who even extolled themselves concerning their sins.

10  Nor the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts.

16:11  And this was so with six hundred thousand men, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts. And if even a single obstinate person had escaped unpunished, it would be a wonder.

11  And if there be one stiffnecked among the people, it is marvel if he escape unpunished: for mercy and wrath are with him; he is mighty to forgive, and to pour out displeasure.

16:12  For mercy and wrath are with him. He is powerful in forgiveness, and he pours forth wrath.

12  As his mercy is great, so is his correction also: he judgeth a man according to his works

16:13  As is his mercy, so also is his correction; he judges a man according to his works.

13  The sinner shall not escape with his spoils: and the patience of the godly shall not be frustrate.

16:14  The sinner, in his violations, will not escape; but the patience of the One who shows mercy will not be diminished.

14  Make way for every work of mercy: for every man shall find according to his works.

16:15  Every mercy will make a place for each man, according to the merit of his works, and according to the understanding of his sojourn.

15  The Lord hardened Pharaoh, that he should not know him, that his powerful works might be known to the world.

16:16  You should not say: “I am hidden from God,” or, “Who, from on high, will take note of me?”

16  His mercy is manifest to every creature; and he hath separated his light from the darkness with an adamant.

16:17  or, “Among a great number of people, I will not be noticed. For what is my soul amid such an immense creation?”

17  Say not thou, I will hide myself from the Lord: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my soul among such an infinite number of creatures?

16:18  Behold: the heavens, and the heaven of the heavens, the abyss, and the entire earth, and the things that are within these, will be shaken by his gaze,

18  Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the deep, and the earth, and all that therein is, shall be moved when he shall visit.

16:19  together with mountains and hills, and the foundations of the earth. When God casts his gaze upon them, they will be struck with trembling.

19  The mountains also and foundations of the earth be shaken with trembling, when the Lord looketh upon them.

16:20  And concerning all these things, the heart is without understanding; but every heart is understood by him.

20  No heart can think upon these things worthily: and who is able to conceive his ways?

16:21  And who will understand his ways, or the tempest, which no eye of man will see?

21  It is a tempest which no man can see: for the most part of his works are hid.

16:22  For many of his works are concealed. But who will announce the works of his justice? Or who will endure them? For the testament is far from some persons, and the examination of each thing is in its end.

22  Who can declare the works of his justice? or who can endure them? for his covenant is afar off, and the trial of all things is in the end.

16:23  Whoever diminishes the heart, thinks empty thoughts. For the imprudent and erring man thinks up foolishness.

23  He that wanteth understanding will think upon vain things: and a foolish man erring imagineth follies.

16:24  Listen to me, son, and learn the discipline of understanding, and attend to my words in your heart.

24  My son, hearken unto me, and learn knowledge, and mark my words with thy heart.

16:25  And I will speak with equity about discipline, and I will strive to announce wisdom. So attend to my words in your heart, and I will speak with equity of spirit, about the virtues that God has set within his works from the beginning, and I will announce his knowledge in truth.

25  I will shew forth doctrine in weight, and declare his knowledge exactly.

16:26  With the judgment of God, his works have been done from the beginning; and from their institution, he himself distinguished their parts and set their beginnings, in their kinds.

26  The works of the Lord are done in judgement from the beginning: and from the time he made them he disposed the parts thereof.

16:27  He has beautified their works unto eternity. They have neither hungered, nor labored, and they have not ceased from their works.

27  He garnished his works for ever, and in his hand are the chief of them unto all generations: they neither labour, nor are weary, nor cease from their works.

16:28  Neither will any one of them cause anguish to his neighbor, forever.

28  None of them hindereth another, and they shall never disobey his word.

16:29  You should not be incredulous at his word.

16:30  Afterward, God looked with favor upon the earth, and he filled it with his goodness.

Sir16:29  After this the Lord looked upon the earth, and filled it with his blessings.

16:31  The soul of every living thing brought word from before his face, and their return again is to him.

Sir16:30  With all manner of living things hath he covered the face thereof; and they shall return into it again.