Sirach 17

¹God created man from the earth, and he made him according to his own image.

²And he returned him again to it, and he clothed him with virtue according to himself.

³He gave him the number and time of his days, and he gave him authority over all the things that are upon the earth.

⁴He placed the fear of him over all flesh, and he had dominion over wild beasts and flying things.

⁵He created from him a helper, similar to himself. He gave them counsel, and language, and sight, and hearing, and a heart, in order to think. And he filled them with the discipline of understanding.

⁶He created within them the knowledge of the spirit. He filled their heart with understanding, and he showed them both good and evil.

⁷He set his eye upon their hearts, to reveal to them the greatness of his works,

⁸so that they might highly praise the name of sanctification, and give glory to his wonders, so that they might declare the greatness of his works.

⁹In addition, he gave them discipline and the law of life, as their inheritance.

¹⁰He established an eternal covenant with them, and he revealed to them his justice and judgments.

¹¹And their eye saw the greatness of his honor, and their ears heard the honor of his voice, and he said to them: “Beware of all iniquity.”

¹²And he commanded each one concerning his neighbor.

¹³Their ways are always in his sight; they are not hidden from his eyes.

¹⁴Over each and every people, he has appointed a ruler.

¹⁵And Israel was made to be the manifest portion of God.

¹⁶And in the sight of God, all their works are like the sun. And his eyes, without ceasing, inspect their ways.

¹⁷The covenants are not hidden by their iniquity, and all their iniquities are in the sight of God.

¹⁸The almsgiving of a man is like a seal upon him, which will guard the grace of a man like the pupil of an eye.

¹⁹And afterward, it will rise up and repay them their reward, each one upon his head, and it will return to the hidden places of the earth.

²⁰Now, to the repentant, he has given the way of justice, and he has strengthened those lacking in patience, and he has fastened them to a destiny of truth.

²¹Convert to the Lord, and relinquish your sins.

²²Make supplication before the face of the Lord, and diminish your offenses.

²³Return to the Lord, and turn away from your injustice, and have immense hatred for abomination.

²⁴And acknowledge the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the circumstances set before you and in prayer to the most high God.

²⁵Go to the side of the holy generation, to those who live in order to give praise to God.

²⁶You should not linger in the error of the impious; confess before death. Confession perishes from the dead as if it were nothing.

²⁷Confess while living; you should give thanks while you are still alive and healthy. And you should praise God and glory in his compassion.

²⁸How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness, for those who convert to him!

²⁹For not all things can be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, and because they are pleased by the emptiness of malice.

³⁰What is brighter than the sun? Yet this will fail. Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood has invented? And this will be reproved.

³¹He beholds the power of the heights of heaven. And all men are earth and ashes.

Sirach 17

¹God created man of the earth, and made him after his own image.

²And he turned him into it again, and clothed him with strength according to himself.

³He gave him the number of his days and time, and gave him power over all things that are upon the earth.

⁴He put the fear of him upon all flesh, and he had dominion over beasts and fowls.

⁵He created of him a helpmate like to himself, he gave them counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, and ears, and a heart to devise: and he filled them with the knowledge of understanding.

⁶He created in them the science of the spirit, he fired their heart with wisdom, and shewed them both good and evil.

⁷He set his eye upon their hearts to shew them the greatness of his works:

⁸That they might praise the name which he hath sanctified: and glory in his wondrous act that they might declare the glorious things of his works.

⁹Moreover he gave them instructions, and the law of life for an inheritance.

¹⁰He made an everlasting covenant with them, and he shewed them his justice and judgments.

¹¹And their eye saw the majesty of his glory, and their ears heard his glorious voice, and he said to them: Beware of all iniquity.

¹²And he gave to every one of them commandment concerning his neighbour.

¹³Their ways are always before him, they are not hidden from his eyes.

¹⁴Over every nation he set a ruler.

¹⁵And Israel was made the manifest portion of God.

¹⁶And all their works are as the sun in the sight of God: and his eyes are continually upon their ways.

¹⁷Their covenants were not hid by their iniquity, and all their iniquities are in the sight of God.

¹⁸The alms of a man is as a signet with him, and shall preserve the grace of a man as the apple of the eye:

¹⁹And afterward he shall rise up, and shall render them their reward, to every one upon their own head, and shall turn them down into the bowels of the earth.

²⁰But to the penitent he hath given the way of justice, and he hath strengthened them that were fainting in patience, and hath appointed to them the lot of truth.

²¹Turn to the Lord, and forsake thy sins:

²²Make thy prayer before the face of the Lord, and offend less.

²³Return to the Lord, and turn away from thy injustice, and greatly hate abomination.

²⁴And know the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the lot set before thee, and in prayer to the most high God.

²⁵Go to the side of the holy age, with them that live and give praise to God.

²⁶Tarry not in the error of the ungodly, give glory before death. Praise perisheth from the dead as nothing.

²⁷Give thanks whilst thou art living, whilst thou art alive and in health thou shalt give thanks, and shalt praise God, and shalt glory in his mercies.

²⁸How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to them that turn to him !

²⁹For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, and they are delighted with the vanity of evil.

³⁰What is brighter than the sun; yet it shall be eclipsed. Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood hath invented? and this shall be reproved.

³¹He beholdeth the power of the height of heaven: and all men are earth and ashes.