> [[sirach-06|← Previous]] | [[sirach-00|TOC]] | [[sirach-08|Next →]] --- # Sirach, Chapter 7 ## Chapter 7 ### Conduct Toward God and Neighbor 1 Do no evil, and evil will not overtake you; ^sirach-07-1 2 avoid wickedness, and it will turn away from you. ^sirach-07-2 3 Do not sow in the furrows of injustice, ^sirach-07-3 lest you harvest it sevenfold. 4 Do not seek from God authority ^sirach-07-4 or from the king a place of honor. 5 Do not parade your righteousness before the LORD, ^sirach-07-5 and before the king do not flaunt your wisdom. 6 Do not seek to become a judge ^sirach-07-6 if you do not have the strength to root out crime, Lest you show fear in the presence of the prominent and mar your integrity. 7 Do not be guilty of any evil before the city court ^sirach-07-7 or disgrace yourself before the assembly. 8 Do not plot to repeat a sin; ^sirach-07-8 even for one, you will not go unpunished. 9 Do not say, “He will appreciate my many gifts; ^sirach-07-9 the Most High God will accept my offerings.” 10 Do not be impatient in prayer ^sirach-07-10 or neglect [[almsgiving]]. 11 Do not ridicule the embittered; ^sirach-07-11 Remember: there is One who exalts and humbles. 12 Do not plot mischief against your relative ^sirach-07-12 or against your friend and companion. 13 Refuse to tell lie after lie, ^sirach-07-13 for it never results in good. 14 Do not babble in the assembly of the elders ^sirach-07-14 or repeat the words of your prayer. 15 Do not hate hard work; ^sirach-07-15 work was assigned by God. 16 Do not esteem yourself more than your compatriots; ^sirach-07-16 remember, his wrath will not delay. 17 More and more, humble your pride; ^sirach-07-17 what awaits mortals is worms. ### Duties of Family Life, Religion and Charity 18 Do not barter a friend for money, ^sirach-07-18 or a true brother for the gold of Ophir. 19 Do not reject a sensible wife; ^sirach-07-19 a gracious wife is more precious than pearls. 20 Do not mistreat a servant who works faithfully, ^sirach-07-20 or laborers who devote themselves to their task. 21 Love wise servants as yourself; ^sirach-07-21 do not refuse them freedom. 22 Do you have livestock? Look after them; ^sirach-07-22 if they are dependable, keep them. 23 Do you have sons? Correct them ^sirach-07-23 and cure their stubbornness in their early youth. 24 Do you have daughters? Keep them chaste, ^sirach-07-24 and do not be indulgent to them. 25 Give your daughter in marriage, and a worry comes to an end; ^sirach-07-25 but give her to a sensible man. 26 Do you have a wife? Do not mistreat her, ^sirach-07-26 but do not trust the wife you hate. 27 With your whole heart honor your father; ^sirach-07-27 your mother’s birth pangs do not forget. 28 Remember, of these parents you were born; ^sirach-07-28 what can you give them for all they gave you? 29 With all your soul fear God ^sirach-07-29 and revere his priests. 30 With all your strength love your Maker ^sirach-07-30 and do not neglect his ministers. 31 Honor God and respect the priest; ^sirach-07-31 give him his portion as you have been commanded: First fruits and contributions, his portion of victims and holy offerings. 32 To the poor also extend your hand, ^sirach-07-32 that your blessing may be complete. 33 Give your gift to all the living, ^sirach-07-33 and do not withhold your kindness from the dead. 34 Do not avoid those who weep, ^sirach-07-34 but mourn with those who mourn. 35 Do not hesitate to visit the sick, ^sirach-07-35 because for such things you will be loved. 36 In whatever you do, remember your last days, ^sirach-07-36 and you will never sin. \* (7:1] – [17) In the conduct of social relations wisdom forbids evil and injustice (vv. [1] – [3]), pride (vv. [5], [15] – [17]), ambition and partiality (vv. [4], [6]), public disorder (v. [7]), presumption and impatience toward God (vv. [9] – [10]), ridicule (v. [11]), mischief and deceit toward one’s neighbor (vv. [8], [12] – [13]). See the several wisdom poems in [Prv 1] – [9]. \* (7:1) There is a play on “evil” which means both moral wrong and material calamity. \* (7:11) One who exalts and humbles: God; cf. [1 Sm 2:7]; [Ps 75:8]; ([[luke-01|Lk 1]]:52]. \* (7:14) Repeat…prayer: brevity of speech is a wisdom ideal; toward superiors and God it is a sign of respect; cf. [Eccl 5:1]; ([[matthew-06|Mt 6]]:7]. \* (7:17) Worms: i.e., corruption; the Septuagint adds “fire.” \* (7:18] – [36) Respect and appreciation, justice and kindness should characterize relations toward members of the household (vv. [18] – [28]), God and the priests (vv. [29] – [31]), the poor and afflicted, the living and the dead (vv. [32] – [35]). \* (7:18) Ophir: the port, at present unidentified, to which the ships of Solomon sailed and from which they brought back gold and silver; cf. note on [Ps 45:10]. \* (7:21) After six years of service a Hebrew slave was entitled to freedom; cf. ([[exodus-21|Ex 21]]:2]; [Dt 15:12] – [15]. \* (7:23) Cure their stubbornness: keep them from rebellious pride; so with the Greek. Cf. [30:1] – [13]. The Hebrew text, probably not original here, reads: “Choose wives for them while they are young.” \* (7:31) First fruits…holy offerings: cf. ([[exodus-29|Ex 29]]:27]; [Lv 7:31] – [34]; [Nm 18:8] – [20]; [Dt 18:1] – [5]. \* (7:33) This seems to refer to the observances ordained toward the dead, that is, proper mourning and burial. Cf. [2 Sm 21:12] – [14]; [Tb 1:17] – [18]; [12:12]. \* (7:36) Never sin: because the last days of the sinner, it was presumed, would be troubled. a. (7:3) [Jb 4:8]; [Prv 22:8]; [Hos 8:7]. b. (7:5) [Jb 9:2]; [Ps 143:2]; [Prv 25:6]; ([[1-corinthians-04|1 Cor 4]]:4]. c. (7:9) [Sir 34:21] – [24]; [35:14] – [15]. d. (7:14) [Sir 32:7] – [10]; ([[matthew-06|Mt 6]]:7]. e. (7:15) [Gn 2:15]; [3:17]. f. (7:17) [[sirach-10|Sir 10]]:11; [Jb 17:14]; [Is 66:24]. g. (7:20) [Lv 19:13]; [Dt 24:14] – [15]; [Jas 5:4]. h. (7:23) [Sir 30:1] – [13]; [Prv 13:24]; [19:18]; [23:13] – [14]; [29:15], [17]. i. (7:24) [Sir 42:9] – [12]. j. (7:27) [Sir 3:1] – [16]; ([[exodus-20|Ex 20]]:12]; [Dt 5:16]; [Tb 4:3] – [4]; [Prv 23:22]. k. (7:31) [Lv 7:31]; [Nm 18:18]. l. (7:34) [Rom 12:15]. m. (7:35) ([[matthew-25|Mt 25]]:36]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[sirach-06|← Previous]] | [[sirach-00|TOC]] | [[sirach-08|Next →]]