| 16 | Ecclesiasticus | ||
| 1 | Do not desire a multitude of useless children, nor rejoice in ungodly sons. | God's punishment on sinners. Sir.16.1-23 | |
| 2 | If they multiply , do not rejoice in them, unless the fear of the Lord is in them. | ||
| 3 | Do not trust in their survival, and do not rely on their multitude; for one is better than a thousand, and to die childless is better than to have ungodly children. | ||
| 4 | For through one man of understanding a city will be filled with people, but through a tribe of lawless men it will be made desolate. | ||
| 5 | Many such things my eye has seen, and my ear has heard things more striking than these. | ||
| 6 | In an assembly of sinners a fire will be kindled, and in a disobedient nation wrath was kindled. | ||
| 7 | He was not propitiated for the ancient giants who revolted in their might. | ||
| 8 | He did not spare the neighbours of Lot, whom he loathed on account of their insolence. | ||
| 9 | He showed no pity for a nation devoted to destruction, for those destroyed in their sins; | ||
| 10 | nor for the six hundred thousand men on foot, who rebelliously assembled in their stubbornness. | ||
| 11 | Even if there is only one stiff-necked person, it will be a wonder if he remains unpunished. For mercy and wrath are with the Lord; he is mighty to forgive, and he pours out wrath. | ||
| 12 | As great as his mercy, so great is also his reproof; he judges a man according to his deeds. | ||
| 13 | The sinner will not escape with his plunder, and the patience of the godly will not be frustrated. | ||
| 14 | He will make room for every act of mercy; every one will receive in accordance with his deeds. | ||
| 17 | Do not say, "I shall be hidden from the Lord, and who from on high will remember me? Among so many people I shall not be known, for what is my soul in the boundless creation? | ||
| 18 | Behold, heaven and the highest heaven, the abyss and the earth, will tremble at his visitation. | ||
| 19 | The mountains also and the foundations of the earth shake with trembling when he looks upon them. | ||
| 20 | And no mind will reflect on this. Who will ponder his ways? | ||
| 21 | Like a tempest which no man can see, so most of his works are concealed. | ||
| 22 | Who will announce his acts of justice? Or who will await them? For the covenant is far off." | ||
| 23 | This is what one devoid of understanding thinks; a senseless and misguided man thinks foolishly. | ||
| 24 | Listen to me, my son, and acquire knowledge, and pay close attention to my words. | Wisdom in creation. Sir.16.24-17.14 | |
| 25 | I will impart instruction by weight, and declare knowledge accurately. | ||
| 26 | The works of the Lord have existed from the beginning by his creation, and when he made them, he determined their divisions. | ||
| 27 | He arranged his works in an eternal order, and their dominion for all generations; they neither hunger nor grow weary, and they do not cease from their labours. | ||
| 28 | They do not crowd one another aside, and they will never disobey his word. | ||
| 29 | After this the Lord looked upon the earth, and filled it with his good things; | ||
| 30 | with all kinds of living beings he covered its surface, and to it they return. | ||
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