| 34 | Ecclesiasticus | ||
| 1 | A man of no understanding has vain and false hopes, and dreams give wings to fools. | Dreams mean nothing. Sir.34.1-8 | |
| 2 | As one who catches at a shadow and pursues the wind, so is he who gives heed to dreams. | ||
| 3 | The vision of dreams is this against that, the likeness of a face confronting a face. | ||
| 4 | From an unclean thing what will be made clean? And from something false what will be true? | ||
| 5 | Divinations and omens and dreams are folly, and like a woman in travail the mind has fancies. | ||
| 6 | Unless they are sent from the Most High as a visitation, do not give your mind to them. | ||
| 7 | For dreams have deceived many, and those who put their hope in them have failed. | ||
| 8 | Without such deceptions the law will be fulfilled, and wisdom is made perfect in truthful lips. | ||
| 9 | An educated man knows many things, and one with much experience will speak with understanding. | Travel. Sir.34.9-12 | |
| 10 | He that is inexperienced knows few things, | ||
| 11 | but he that has travelled acquires much cleverness. | ||
| 12 | I have seen many things in my travels, and I understand more than I can express. | ||
| 13 | I have often been in danger of death, but have escaped because of these experiences. | Fear the LORD. Sir.34.13-17 | |
| 14 | The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live, | ||
| 15 | for their hope is in him who saves them. | ||
| 16 | He who fears the Lord will not be timid, nor play the coward, for he is his hope. | ||
| 17 | Blessed is the soul of the man who fears the Lord! | ||
| 18 | To whom does he look? And who is his support? | Offering sacrifice. Sir.34.18-35.12 | |
| 19 | The eyes of the Lord are upon those who love him, a mighty protection and strong support, a shelter from the hot wind and a shade from noonday sun, a guard against stumbling and a defence against falling. | ||
| 20 | He lifts up the soul and gives light to the eyes; he grants healing, life, and blessing. | ||
| 21 | If one sacrifices from what has been wrongfully obtained, the offering is blemished; | ||
| 22 | the gifts of the lawless are not acceptable. | ||
| 23 | The Most High is not pleased with the offerings of the ungodly; and he is not propitiated for sins by a multitude of sacrifices. | ||
| 24 | Like one who kills a son before his father's eyes is the man who offers a sacrifice from the property of the poor. | ||
| 25 | The bread of the needy is the life of the poor; whoever deprives them of it is a man of blood. | ||
| 26 | To take away a neighbour's living is to murder him; | ||
| 27 | to deprive an employee of his wages is to shed blood. | ||
| 28 | When one builds and another tears down, what do they gain but toil? | ||
| 29 | When one prays and another curses, to whose voice will the Lord listen? | ||
| 30 | If a man washes after touching a dead body, and touches it again, what has he gained by his washing? | ||
| 31 | So if a man fasts for his sins, and goes again and does the same things, who will listen to his prayer? And what has he gained by humbling himself? | ||
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