Sirach 42

¹You should not repeat a claim heard from the revealing of a hidden word. And then, truly, you will be without shame, and you will find favor in the sight of all men. You should not accept the reputation of someone, so that you would sin, nor should you be confounded in any of the following things:

²in the law of the Most High and his covenant, or by giving a judgment to justify the impious;

³in a word among companions and fellow travelers, or by distributing the inheritance of friends;

⁴in the fairness of scales and weights, or in acquiring much or little;

⁵by the corruption of buying and negotiating, or in the ample discipline of children, or in causing the side of a wicked servant to bleed.

⁶A seal is good over a wicked wife.

⁷Where there are many hands, seal and deliver all things by number and weight; and truly, give and receive everything in writing.

⁸You should not have shame in correcting the senseless, the foolish, and those youths who would judge their elders. And so shall you be well-instructed in all things and well-approved in the sight of all the living.

⁹The vigilance of a father for his daughter is hidden, and his concern for her takes away his sleep. For perhaps, in her adolescence, she might be brought into adulthood. Or when she lives with her husband, she might become hateful.

¹⁰In her virginity, she might be defiled, and then she may be found to be pregnant in her father’s house. Or perhaps, when she lives with her husband, she might stray, or at least become barren.

¹¹Keep a close watch over a self-indulgent daughter. Otherwise, at some time, she might bring you into disgrace before your enemies, and into disrepute in the city, and into reproach among the people, and so she may confound you before the multitude of the people.

¹²She should not choose to gaze upon the beauty of every man, and she should not choose to spend her time in the midst of married women.

¹³For a moth goes forth from garments, and iniquity over a man goes forth from a woman.

¹⁴Yet iniquity over a man is better for her than if a married woman, seeking to benefit her, instead leads her into confusion and disgrace.

¹⁵And now, I will remember the works of the Lord, and I will announce what I have seen. The words of the Lord are in his works.

¹⁶The sun illuminates and considers all things, and its work shows the fullness of the glory of the Lord.

¹⁷Has not the Lord caused the holy ones to describe all his miracles, which the all-powerful Lord has firmly established in his glory?

¹⁸He has examined the abyss and the hearts of men. And he has considered their astuteness.

¹⁹For the Lord comprehends all knowledge, and he has gazed upon the signs of the times: announcing the things of the past, as well as the things of the future, and revealing the traces of hidden things.

²⁰No thought passes by him unnoticed, and no word can conceal itself from him.

²¹He has adorned the magnificent works of his wisdom. He is before eternity and even unto eternity. And nothing can be added,

²²and nothing can be taken away. And he has no need of any counselor.

²³O how desirable are all his works! And all that we consider is but a spark.

²⁴All these works exist, and they remain in the present age, and they all obey him in every purpose.

²⁵All things are two-fold, one facing another, and he has not made anything to be lacking.

²⁶He has confirmed each thing as good. And who would tire of beholding his glory?

Sirach 42

¹Repeat not the word which thou hast heard, and disclose not the thing that is secret; so shalt thou be truly without confusion, and shalt find favour before all men: be not ashamed of any of these things, and accept no person to sin thereby:

²Of the law of the most High, and of his covenant, and of judgment to justify the ungodly:

³Of the affair of companions and travellers, and of the gift of the inheritance of friends:

⁴Of exactness of balance and weights, of getting much or little:

⁵Of the corruption of buying, and of merchants, and of much correction of children, and to make the side of a wicked slave to bleed.

⁶Sure keeping is good over a wicked wife.

⁷Where there are many hands, shut up, and deliver all things in number, and weight: and put all in writing that thou givest out or receivest in.

⁸Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the aged, that are judged by young men: and thou shalt be well instructed in all things, and well approved in the sight of all men living.

⁹The father waketh for the daughter when no man knoweth, and the care for her taketh away his sleep, when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age, and when she is married, lest she should be hateful:

¹⁰In her virginity, lest she should be corrupted, and be found with child in her father's house: and having a husband, lest she should misbehave herself, or at the least become barren.

¹¹Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter: lest at anytime she make thee become a laughingstock to thy enemies, and a byword in the city, and a reproach among the people, and she make thee ashamed before all the multitude.

¹²Behold not everybody's beauty: and tarry not among women.

¹³For from garments cometh a moth, and from a woman the iniquity of a man.

¹⁴For better is the iniquity of a man, than a woman doing a good turn, and a woman bringing shame and reproach.

¹⁵I will now remember the works of the Lord, and I will declare the things I have seen. By the words of the Lord are his works.

¹⁶The sun giving light hath looked upon all things, and full of the glory of the Lord is his work.

¹⁷Hath not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful works, which the Lord Almighty hath firmly settled to be established for his glory?

¹⁸He hath searched out the deep, and the heart of men: and considered their crafty devices.

¹⁹For the Lord knoweth all knowledge, and hath beheld the signs of the world, he declareth the things that are past, and the things that are to come, and revealeth the traces of hidden things.

²⁰No thought escapeth him, and no word can hide itself from him.

²¹He hath beautified the glorious works of his wisdom: and he is from eternity to eternity, and to him nothing may be added,

²²Nor can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor.

²³O how desirable are all his works, and what we can know is but as a spark!

²⁴All these things live, and remain for ever, and for every use all things obey him.

²⁵All things are double, one against another, and he hath made nothing defective.

²⁶He hath established the good things of every one. And who shall be filled with beholding his glory?