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Day 219 of 365

about 13 minutes

Sirach 34-37

Sirach Chapter 34

¹Vain and false hopes are for a man void of understanding. Dreams give wings to fools. ²As one who grasps at a shadow and follows after the wind, so is he who sets his mind on dreams. ³The vision of dreams is a reflection, the likeness of a face near a face. ⁴From an unclean thing what can be cleansed? From that which is false what can be true? ⁵Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain. The heart has fantasies like a woman in labor. ⁶If they are not sent in a visitation from the Most High, don’t give your heart to them. ⁷For dreams have led many astray. They have failed by putting their hope in them. ⁸Without lying the law will be fulfilled. Wisdom is complete in a faithful mouth. ⁹A well-instructed man knows many things. He who has much experience will declare understanding. ¹⁰He who has no experience knows few things. But he who has traveled increases cleverness. ¹¹I have seen many things in my travels. My understanding is more than my words. ¹²I was often in danger even to death. I was preserved because of these experiences. ¹³The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live, for their hope is in him who saves them. ¹⁴Whoever fears the Lord won’t be afraid, and won’t be a coward, for he is his hope. ¹⁵Blessed is the soul of him who fears the Lord. To whom does he give heed? Who is his support? ¹⁶The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him, a mighty protection and strong support, a cover from the hot blast, a shade from the noonday sun, a guard from stumbling, and a help from falling. ¹⁷He raises up the soul, and enlightens the eyes. He gives health, life, and blessing. ¹⁸He who sacrifices a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is made in mockery. The mockeries of wicked men are not acceptable. ¹⁹The Most High has no pleasure in the offerings of the ungodly, Neither is he pacified for sins by the multitude of sacrifices. ²⁰Like one who kills a son before his father’s eyes is he who brings a sacrifice from the goods of the poor. ²¹The bread of the needy is the life of the poor. He who deprives him of it is a man of blood. ²²Like one who murders his neighbor is he who takes away his living. Like a shedder of blood is he who deprives a hireling of his hire. ²³When one builds, and another pulls down, what profit do they have but toil? ²⁴When one prays, and another curses, whose voice will the Lord listen to? ²⁵He who washes himself after touching a dead body, and touches it again, what does he gain by his washing? ²⁶Even so a man fasting for his sins, and going again, and doing the same, who will listen to his prayer? What profit does he have in his humiliation?

1: Vain and false hopes are for a man void of understanding. Dreams give wings to fools.

2: As one who grasps at a shadow and follows after the wind, so is he who sets his mind on dreams.

3: The vision of dreams is a reflection, the likeness of a face near a face.

4: From an unclean thing what can be cleansed? From that which is false what can be true?

5: Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain. The heart has fantasies like a woman in labor.

6: If they are not sent in a visitation from the Most High, don’t give your heart to them.

7: For dreams have led many astray. They have failed by putting their hope in them.

8: Without lying the law will be fulfilled. Wisdom is complete in a faithful mouth.

9: A well-instructed man knows many things. He who has much experience will declare understanding.

10: He who has no experience knows few things. But he who has traveled increases cleverness.

11: I have seen many things in my travels. My understanding is more than my words.

12: I was often in danger even to death. I was preserved because of these experiences.

13: The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live, for their hope is in him who saves them.

14: Whoever fears the Lord won’t be afraid, and won’t be a coward, for he is his hope.

15: Blessed is the soul of him who fears the Lord. To whom does he give heed? Who is his support?

16: The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him, a mighty protection and strong support, a cover from the hot blast, a shade from the noonday sun, a guard from stumbling, and a help from falling.

17: He raises up the soul, and enlightens the eyes. He gives health, life, and blessing.

18: He who sacrifices a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is made in mockery. The mockeries of wicked men are not acceptable.

19: The Most High has no pleasure in the offerings of the ungodly, Neither is he pacified for sins by the multitude of sacrifices.

20: Like one who kills a son before his father’s eyes is he who brings a sacrifice from the goods of the poor.

21: The bread of the needy is the life of the poor. He who deprives him of it is a man of blood.

22: Like one who murders his neighbor is he who takes away his living. Like a shedder of blood is he who deprives a hireling of his hire.

23: When one builds, and another pulls down, what profit do they have but toil?

24: When one prays, and another curses, whose voice will the Lord listen to?

25: He who washes himself after touching a dead body, and touches it again, what does he gain by his washing?

26: Even so a man fasting for his sins, and going again, and doing the same, who will listen to his prayer? What profit does he have in his humiliation?

Sirach Chapter 35

¹He who keeps the law multiplies offerings. He who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering. ²He who returns a kindness offers fine flour. He who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering. ³To depart from wickedness pleases the Lord. To depart from unrighteousness is an atoning sacrifice. ⁴See that you don’t appear in the presence of the Lord empty. ⁵For all these things are done because of the commandment. ⁶The offering of the righteous enriches the altar. The sweet fragrance of it is before the Most High. ⁷The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable. It won’t be forgotten. ⁸Glorify the Lord with generosity. Don’t reduce the first fruits of your hands. ⁹In every gift show a cheerful countenance, And dedicate your tithe with gladness. ¹⁰Give to the Most High according as he has given. As your hand has found, give generously. ¹¹For the Lord repays, and he will repay you sevenfold. ¹²Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them. Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous sacrifice, For the Lord is the judge, and with him is no respect of persons. ¹³He won’t accept any person against a poor man. He will listen to the prayer of him who is wronged. ¹⁴He will in no way despise the supplication of the fatherless or the widow, when she pours out her tale. ¹⁵Don’t the tears of the widow run down her cheek? Isn’t her cry against him who has caused them to fall? ¹⁶He who serves God according to his good pleasure will be accepted. His supplication will reach to the clouds. ¹⁷The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds. until it comes near, he will not be comforted. He won’t depart until the Most High visits and he judges righteously and executes judgment. ¹⁸And the Lord will not be slack, neither will he be patient toward them, until he has crushed the loins of the unmerciful. He will repay vengeance to the heathen until he has taken away the multitude of the arrogant and broken in pieces the sceptres of the unrighteous, ¹⁹until he has rendered to every man according to his deeds, and repaid the works of men according to their plans, until he has judged the cause of his people, and he will make them rejoice in his mercy. ²⁰Mercy is as welcome in the time of his affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.

1: He who keeps the law multiplies offerings. He who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.

2: He who returns a kindness offers fine flour. He who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.

3: To depart from wickedness pleases the Lord. To depart from unrighteousness is an atoning sacrifice.

4: See that you don’t appear in the presence of the Lord empty.

5: For all these things are done because of the commandment.

6: The offering of the righteous enriches the altar. The sweet fragrance of it is before the Most High.

7: The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable. It won’t be forgotten.

8: Glorify the Lord with generosity. Don’t reduce the first fruits of your hands.

9: In every gift show a cheerful countenance, And dedicate your tithe with gladness.

10: Give to the Most High according as he has given. As your hand has found, give generously.

11: For the Lord repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.

12: Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them. Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous sacrifice, For the Lord is the judge, and with him is no respect of persons.

13: He won’t accept any person against a poor man. He will listen to the prayer of him who is wronged.

14: He will in no way despise the supplication of the fatherless or the widow, when she pours out her tale.

15: Don’t the tears of the widow run down her cheek? Isn’t her cry against him who has caused them to fall?

16: He who serves God according to his good pleasure will be accepted. His supplication will reach to the clouds.

17: The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds. until it comes near, he will not be comforted. He won’t depart until the Most High visits and he judges righteously and executes judgment.

18: And the Lord will not be slack, neither will he be patient toward them, until he has crushed the loins of the unmerciful. He will repay vengeance to the heathen until he has taken away the multitude of the arrogant and broken in pieces the sceptres of the unrighteous,

19: until he has rendered to every man according to his deeds, and repaid the works of men according to their plans, until he has judged the cause of his people, and he will make them rejoice in his mercy.

20: Mercy is as welcome in the time of his affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.

Sirach Chapter 36

¹Have mercy upon us, O Lord the God of all, and look at us with favor; ²and send your fear upon all the nations. ³Lift up your hand against the foreign nations and let them see your mighty power. ⁴As you showed your holiness in us before them, so be magnified in them before us. ⁵Let them know you, as we also have known you, that there is no God but only you, O God. ⁶Show new signs, and work various wonders. Glorify your hand and your right arm. ⁷Raise up indignation and pour out wrath. Take away the adversary and destroy the enemy. ⁸Hasten the time and remember your oath. Let them declare your mighty works. ⁹Let him who escapes be devoured by raging fire. May those who harm your people find destruction. ¹⁰Crush the heads of the rulers of the enemies who say, “There is no one but ourselves.” ¹¹Gather all the tribes of Jacob together, and take them for your inheritance, as from the beginning. ¹²O Lord, have mercy upon the people that is called by your name, and upon Israel, whom you likened to a firstborn. ¹³Have compassion upon the city of your sanctuary, Jerusalem, the place of your rest. ¹⁴Fill Zion. Exalt your oracles and fill your people with your glory. ¹⁵Give testimony to those who were your creatures in the beginning, and fulfill the prophecies that have been spoken in your name. ¹⁶Reward those who wait for you, and men will put their trust in your prophets. ¹⁷Listen, O Lord, to the prayer of your servants, according to the blessing of Aaron concerning your people; and all those who are on the earth will know that you are the Lord, the eternal God. ¹⁸The belly will eat any food, but one food is better than another. ¹⁹The mouth tastes meats taken in hunting, so does an understanding heart detect false speech. ²⁰A contrary heart will cause heaviness. A man of experience will pay him back. ²¹A woman will receive any man, but one daughter is better than another. ²²The beauty of a woman cheers the countenance. A man desires nothing more. ²³If kindness and humility are on her tongue, her husband is not like other sons of men. ²⁴He who gets a wife gets his richest treasure, a help meet for him and a pillar of support. ²⁵Where no hedge is, the property will be plundered. He who has no wife will mourn as he wanders. ²⁶For who would trust a nimble robber who skips from city to city? Even so, who would trust a man who has no nest, and lodges wherever he finds himself at nightfall?

1: Have mercy upon us, O Lord the God of all, and look at us with favor;

2: and send your fear upon all the nations.

3: Lift up your hand against the foreign nations and let them see your mighty power.

4: As you showed your holiness in us before them, so be magnified in them before us.

5: Let them know you, as we also have known you, that there is no God but only you, O God.

6: Show new signs, and work various wonders. Glorify your hand and your right arm.

7: Raise up indignation and pour out wrath. Take away the adversary and destroy the enemy.

8: Hasten the time and remember your oath. Let them declare your mighty works.

9: Let him who escapes be devoured by raging fire. May those who harm your people find destruction.

10: Crush the heads of the rulers of the enemies who say, “There is no one but ourselves.”

11: Gather all the tribes of Jacob together, and take them for your inheritance, as from the beginning.

12: O Lord, have mercy upon the people that is called by your name, and upon Israel, whom you likened to a firstborn.

13: Have compassion upon the city of your sanctuary, Jerusalem, the place of your rest.

14: Fill Zion. Exalt your oracles and fill your people with your glory.

15: Give testimony to those who were your creatures in the beginning, and fulfill the prophecies that have been spoken in your name.

16: Reward those who wait for you, and men will put their trust in your prophets.

17: Listen, O Lord, to the prayer of your servants, according to the blessing of Aaron concerning your people; and all those who are on the earth will know that you are the Lord, the eternal God.

18: The belly will eat any food, but one food is better than another.

19: The mouth tastes meats taken in hunting, so does an understanding heart detect false speech.

20: A contrary heart will cause heaviness. A man of experience will pay him back.

21: A woman will receive any man, but one daughter is better than another.

22: The beauty of a woman cheers the countenance. A man desires nothing more.

23: If kindness and humility are on her tongue, her husband is not like other sons of men.

24: He who gets a wife gets his richest treasure, a help meet for him and a pillar of support.

25: Where no hedge is, the property will be plundered. He who has no wife will mourn as he wanders.

26: For who would trust a nimble robber who skips from city to city? Even so, who would trust a man who has no nest, and lodges wherever he finds himself at nightfall?

Sirach Chapter 37

¹Every friend will say, “I also am his friend”; but there is a friend which is only a friend in name. ²Isn’t there a grief in it even to death when a companion and friend is turned into an enemy? ³O wicked imagination, why were you formed to cover the dry land with deceit? ⁴There is a companion who rejoices in the gladness of a friend, but in time of affliction will be against him. ⁵There is a companion who for the belly’s sake labors with his friend, yet in the face of battle will carry his buckler. ⁶Don’t forget a friend in your soul. Don’t be unmindful of him in your riches. ⁷Every counselor extols counsel, but some give counsel in their own interest. ⁸Let your soul beware of a counselor, and know in advance what is his interest (for he will take counsel for himself), lest he cast the lot against you, ⁹and say to you, “Your way is good.” Then he will stand near you, to see what will happen to you. ¹⁰Don’t take counsel with one who looks askance at you. Hide your counsel from those who are jealous of you. ¹¹Don’t consult with a woman about her rival, with a coward about war, with a merchant about business, with a buyer about selling, with an envious man about thankfulness, with an unmerciful man about kindliness, with a sluggard about any kind of work, with a hireling in your house about finishing his work, or with an idle servant about much business. Pay no attention to these in any matter of counsel. ¹²But rather be continually with a godly man, whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments, who in his soul is as your own soul, and who will grieve with you, if you fail. ¹³Make the counsel of your heart stand, for there is no one more faithful to you than it. ¹⁴For a man’s soul is sometimes inclined to inform him better than seven watchmen who sit on high on a watch-tower. ¹⁵Above all this ask the Most High that he may direct your way in truth. ¹⁶Let reason be the beginning of every work. Let counsel go before every action. ¹⁷As a token of the changing of the heart, ¹⁸four kinds of things rise up: good and evil, life and death. That which rules over them continually is the tongue. ¹⁹There is one who is clever and the instructor of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul. ²⁰There is one who is subtle in words, and is hated. He will be destitute of all food. ²¹For grace was not given to him from the Lord, because he is deprived of all wisdom. ²²There is one who is wise to his own soul; and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy in the mouth. ²³A wise man will instruct his own people. The fruits of his understanding are trustworthy. ²⁴A wise man will be filled with blessing. All those who see him will call him happy. ²⁵The life of a man is counted by days. The days of Israel are innumerable. ²⁶The wise man will inherit confidence among his people. His name will live forever. ²⁷My son, test your soul in your life. See what is evil for it, and don’t give in to it. ²⁸For not all things are profitable for all men. Not every soul has pleasure in everything. ²⁹Don’t be insatiable in any luxury. Don’t be greedy in the things that you eat. ³⁰For overeating brings disease, and gluttony causes nausea. ³¹Because of gluttony, many have perished, but he who takes heed shall prolong his life.

1: Every friend will say, “I also am his friend”; but there is a friend which is only a friend in name.

2: Isn’t there a grief in it even to death when a companion and friend is turned into an enemy?

3: O wicked imagination, why were you formed to cover the dry land with deceit?

4: There is a companion who rejoices in the gladness of a friend, but in time of affliction will be against him.

5: There is a companion who for the belly’s sake labors with his friend, yet in the face of battle will carry his buckler.

6: Don’t forget a friend in your soul. Don’t be unmindful of him in your riches.

7: Every counselor extols counsel, but some give counsel in their own interest.

8: Let your soul beware of a counselor, and know in advance what is his interest (for he will take counsel for himself), lest he cast the lot against you,

9: and say to you, “Your way is good.” Then he will stand near you, to see what will happen to you.

10: Don’t take counsel with one who looks askance at you. Hide your counsel from those who are jealous of you.

11: Don’t consult with a woman about her rival, with a coward about war, with a merchant about business, with a buyer about selling, with an envious man about thankfulness, with an unmerciful man about kindliness, with a sluggard about any kind of work, with a hireling in your house about finishing his work, or with an idle servant about much business. Pay no attention to these in any matter of counsel.

12: But rather be continually with a godly man, whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments, who in his soul is as your own soul, and who will grieve with you, if you fail.

13: Make the counsel of your heart stand, for there is no one more faithful to you than it.

14: For a man’s soul is sometimes inclined to inform him better than seven watchmen who sit on high on a watch-tower.

15: Above all this ask the Most High that he may direct your way in truth.

16: Let reason be the beginning of every work. Let counsel go before every action.

17: As a token of the changing of the heart,

18: four kinds of things rise up: good and evil, life and death. That which rules over them continually is the tongue.

19: There is one who is clever and the instructor of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul.

20: There is one who is subtle in words, and is hated. He will be destitute of all food.

21: For grace was not given to him from the Lord, because he is deprived of all wisdom.

22: There is one who is wise to his own soul; and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy in the mouth.

23: A wise man will instruct his own people. The fruits of his understanding are trustworthy.

24: A wise man will be filled with blessing. All those who see him will call him happy.

25: The life of a man is counted by days. The days of Israel are innumerable.

26: The wise man will inherit confidence among his people. His name will live forever.

27: My son, test your soul in your life. See what is evil for it, and don’t give in to it.

28: For not all things are profitable for all men. Not every soul has pleasure in everything.

29: Don’t be insatiable in any luxury. Don’t be greedy in the things that you eat.

30: For overeating brings disease, and gluttony causes nausea.

31: Because of gluttony, many have perished, but he who takes heed shall prolong his life.

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Scripture text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (WEBC) — public domain

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