The Book of Jesus Sirach

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

- Chapter 42 -

Of what things we ought not to be ashamed. Cautions with regard to women. The works and greatness of God.

You 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:

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

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

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

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

A seal is good over a wicked wife.

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

You 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.

The 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.

In 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.

Keep 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.

She 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.(b)

For a moth goes forth from garments, and iniquity over a man goes forth from a woman.(c)

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

(e)

(f)

And 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.

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

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

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

For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

(a)42:2 Notice that the first thing one should not have shame in is good (the law and the covenant), and the second thing is bad (unjust judgment). So there is a two-fold meaning: the type of shame where one feels shame in something that is actually good, wherein there is no reason for shame, and the type of shame which one feels shame for an immoral act, wherein there is reason for shame. Do not have shame in God’s covenant and in His law; follow the covenant and the law without shame. But then, do not have shame in unjust judgment by avoiding unjust judgment (not by doing it without shame).(Conte)

(b)42:12 This passage is advice concerning how one’s young unmarried daughter should behave, in order to retain chastity. So, the verb was changed in translation to the third person singular, feminine, from the second person singular imperative. Looking at the attractiveness of every man is harmful to her chastity. So is spending time with married women, who might talk about marital relations, perhaps even in a crass manner.(Conte)

(c)42:13 Iniquity pertaining to men, i.e. sins committed because of her attraction to a man, proceeds from a woman. Again, this advice pertains to a young unmarried daughter and is in the context of the previous verse about avoiding sins related to attraction of a young unmarried daughter to men.(Conte)

(d)42:14 Yet the iniquity of a man [sins of women pertaining to men] is better than a woman [an older married woman] seeking to benefit [the younger unmarried woman] and yet confusing her to her disgrace.(Conte)

(e)42:14 The sense of verse 14 is that even though the problems a daughter might encounter, which are warned against in verse 13, are harmful, there is a worse situation, that of married women influencing your daughter, leading her into confusion and disgrace. This passage is not saying that men’s sins are better than women’s sins. Rather, it is advice as to how to advise and govern a young unmarried daughter. If she hangs around older women, they might think to ‘help’ her by giving her advice about men which is not fitting to someone who is young and unmarried, so instead of benefiting her, they would lead her into confusion and disgrace. In other words, hanging around older married women might corrupt your virgin unmarried daughter, since they might talk about men in a licentious manner.(Conte)

(f)42:14 Better is the iniquity, etc:That is, there is, commonly speaking, less danger to be apprehended to the soul from the churlishness, or injuries we receive from men, than from the flattering favours and familiarity of women.(Challoner)