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WEBC: World English Bible, Catholic Edition

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Patriarchs
Egypt and Exodus
Desert Wanderings
Conquest and Judges
Royal Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
Exile
Royal Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
Exile
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Maccabean Revolt
Wisdom & Poetry
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Day 220 of 365

about 13 minutes

Sirach 38-40

Sirach Chapter 38

¹Honor a physician according to your need with the honors due to him, for truly the Lord has created him. ²For healing comes from the Most High, and he shall receive a gift from the king. ³The skill of the physician will lift up his head. He will be admired in the sight of great men. ⁴The Lord created medicines out of the earth. A prudent man will not despise them. ⁵Wasn’t water made sweet with wood, that its power might be known? ⁶He gave men skill that he might be glorified in his marvelous works. ⁷With them he heals and takes away pain. ⁸With these, the pharmacist makes a mixture. God’s works won’t be brought to an end. From him, peace is upon the face of the earth. ⁹My son, in your sickness don’t be negligent, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you. ¹⁰Put away wrong doing, and direct your hands in righteousness. Cleanse your heart from all sin. ¹¹Give a sweet savor and a memorial of fine flour, and pour oil on your offering, according to your means. ¹²Then give place to the physician, for truly the Lord has created him. Don’t let him leave you, for you need him. ¹³There is a time when recovery is in their hands. ¹⁴For they also shall ask the Lord to prosper them in diagnosis and in healing for the maintenance of life. ¹⁵He who sins before his Maker, let him fall into the hands of the physician. ¹⁶My son, let your tears fall over the dead, and as one who suffers grievously, begin lamentation. Wind up his body with due honor. Don’t neglect his burial. ¹⁷Make bitter weeping and make passionate wailing. Let your mourning be according to his merit, for one day or two, lest you be spoken evil of; and so be comforted for your sorrow. ¹⁸For from sorrow comes death. Sorrow of heart saps one’s strength. ¹⁹In calamity, sorrow also remains. A poor man’s life is grievous to the heart. ²⁰Don’t give your heart to sorrow. Put it away, remembering the end. ²¹Don’t forget it, for there is no returning again. You do him no good, and you would harm yourself. ²²Remember his end, for so also will yours be: yesterday for him, and today for you. ²³When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest. Be comforted for him when his spirit departs from him. ²⁴The wisdom of the scribe comes by the opportunity of leisure. He who has little business can become wise. ²⁵How could he become wise who holds the plow, who glories in the shaft of the goad, who drives oxen and is occupied in their labors, and who mostly talks about bulls? ²⁶He will set his heart upon turning his furrows. His lack of sleep is to give his heifers their fodder. ²⁷So is every craftsman and master artisan who passes his time by night as by day, those who cut engravings of signets. His diligence is to make great variety. He sets his heart to preserve likeness in his portraiture, and is careful to finish his work. ²⁸So too is the smith sitting by the anvil and considering the unwrought iron. The smoke of the fire will waste his flesh. He toils in the heat of the furnace. The noise of the hammer deafens his ear. His eyes are upon the pattern of the object. He will set his heart upon perfecting his works. He will be careful to adorn them perfectly. ²⁹So is the potter sitting at his work and turning the wheel around with his feet, who is always anxiously set at his work. He produces his handiwork in quantity. ³⁰He will fashion the clay with his arm and will bend its strength in front of his feet. He will apply his heart to finish the glazing. He will be careful to clean the kiln. ³¹All these put their trust in their hands. Each becomes skillful in his own work. ³²Without these no city would be inhabited. Men wouldn’t reside as foreigners or walk up and down there. ³³They won’t be sought for in the council of the people. They won’t mount on high in the assembly. They won’t sit on the seat of the judge. They won’t understand the covenant of judgment. Neither will they declare instruction and judgment. They won’t be found where parables are. ³⁴But they will maintain the fabric of the age. Their prayer is in the handiwork of their craft.

1: Honor a physician according to your need with the honors due to him, for truly the Lord has created him.

2: For healing comes from the Most High, and he shall receive a gift from the king.

3: The skill of the physician will lift up his head. He will be admired in the sight of great men.

4: The Lord created medicines out of the earth. A prudent man will not despise them.

5: Wasn’t water made sweet with wood, that its power might be known?

6: He gave men skill that he might be glorified in his marvelous works.

7: With them he heals and takes away pain.

8: With these, the pharmacist makes a mixture. God’s works won’t be brought to an end. From him, peace is upon the face of the earth.

9: My son, in your sickness don’t be negligent, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.

10: Put away wrong doing, and direct your hands in righteousness. Cleanse your heart from all sin.

11: Give a sweet savor and a memorial of fine flour, and pour oil on your offering, according to your means.

12: Then give place to the physician, for truly the Lord has created him. Don’t let him leave you, for you need him.

13: There is a time when recovery is in their hands.

14: For they also shall ask the Lord to prosper them in diagnosis and in healing for the maintenance of life.

15: He who sins before his Maker, let him fall into the hands of the physician.

16: My son, let your tears fall over the dead, and as one who suffers grievously, begin lamentation. Wind up his body with due honor. Don’t neglect his burial.

17: Make bitter weeping and make passionate wailing. Let your mourning be according to his merit, for one day or two, lest you be spoken evil of; and so be comforted for your sorrow.

18: For from sorrow comes death. Sorrow of heart saps one’s strength.

19: In calamity, sorrow also remains. A poor man’s life is grievous to the heart.

20: Don’t give your heart to sorrow. Put it away, remembering the end.

21: Don’t forget it, for there is no returning again. You do him no good, and you would harm yourself.

22: Remember his end, for so also will yours be: yesterday for him, and today for you.

23: When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest. Be comforted for him when his spirit departs from him.

24: The wisdom of the scribe comes by the opportunity of leisure. He who has little business can become wise.

25: How could he become wise who holds the plow, who glories in the shaft of the goad, who drives oxen and is occupied in their labors, and who mostly talks about bulls?

26: He will set his heart upon turning his furrows. His lack of sleep is to give his heifers their fodder.

27: So is every craftsman and master artisan who passes his time by night as by day, those who cut engravings of signets. His diligence is to make great variety. He sets his heart to preserve likeness in his portraiture, and is careful to finish his work.

28: So too is the smith sitting by the anvil and considering the unwrought iron. The smoke of the fire will waste his flesh. He toils in the heat of the furnace. The noise of the hammer deafens his ear. His eyes are upon the pattern of the object. He will set his heart upon perfecting his works. He will be careful to adorn them perfectly.

29: So is the potter sitting at his work and turning the wheel around with his feet, who is always anxiously set at his work. He produces his handiwork in quantity.

30: He will fashion the clay with his arm and will bend its strength in front of his feet. He will apply his heart to finish the glazing. He will be careful to clean the kiln.

31: All these put their trust in their hands. Each becomes skillful in his own work.

32: Without these no city would be inhabited. Men wouldn’t reside as foreigners or walk up and down there.

33: They won’t be sought for in the council of the people. They won’t mount on high in the assembly. They won’t sit on the seat of the judge. They won’t understand the covenant of judgment. Neither will they declare instruction and judgment. They won’t be found where parables are.

34: But they will maintain the fabric of the age. Their prayer is in the handiwork of their craft.

Sirach Chapter 39

¹Not so he who has applied his soul and meditates in the law of the Most High. He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients and will be occupied with prophecies. ²He will keep the sayings of the men of renown and will enter in amidst the subtleties of parables. ³He will seek out the hidden meaning of proverbs and be conversant in the dark sayings of parables. ⁴He will serve among great men and appear before him who rules. He will travel through the land of foreign nations, for he has learned what is good and evil among men. ⁵He will apply his heart to return early to the Lord who made him, and will make supplication before the Most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and will ask for pardon for his sins. ⁶If the great Lord wills, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; he will pour forth the words of his wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the Lord. ⁷He will direct his counsel and knowledge, and he will meditate in his secrets. ⁸He will show the instruction which he has been taught and will glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord. ⁹Many will commend his understanding. So long as the world endures, it won’t be blotted out. His memory won’t depart. His name will live from generation to generation. ¹⁰Nations will declare his wisdom. The congregation will proclaim his praise. ¹¹If he continues, he will leave a greater name than a thousand. If he finally rests, it is enough for him. ¹²Yet more I will utter, which I have thought about. I am filled like the full moon. ¹³Listen to me, you holy children, and bud forth like a rose growing by a brook of water. ¹⁴Give a sweet fragrance like frankincense. Put forth flowers like a lily. Scatter a sweet smell and sing a song of praise. Bless the Lord for all his works! ¹⁵Magnify his name and give utterance to his praise with the songs on your lips and with harps! Say this when you utter his praise: ¹⁶All the works of the Lord are exceedingly good, and every command will be done in its time. ¹⁷No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?” for at the proper time they will all be sought out. At his word, the waters stood as a heap, as did the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth. ¹⁸At his command all his good pleasure is fulfilled. There is no one who can hinder his salvation. ¹⁹The works of all flesh are before him. It’s impossible to be hidden from his eyes. ²⁰He sees from everlasting to everlasting. There is nothing too wonderful for him. ²¹No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?” for all things are created for their own uses. ²²His blessing covered the dry land as a river and saturated it as a flood. ²³As he has made the waters salty, so the heathen will inherit his wrath. ²⁴His ways are plain to the holy. They are stumbling blocks to the wicked. ²⁵Good things are created from the beginning for the good. So are evil things for sinners. ²⁶The main things necessary for the life of man are water, fire, iron, salt, wheat flour, and honey, milk, the blood of the grape, oil, and clothing. ²⁷All these things are for good to the godly, but for sinners, they will be turned into evils. ²⁸There are winds that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on their scourges heavily. In the time of reckoning, they pour out their strength, and will appease the wrath of him who made them. ²⁹Fire, hail, famine, and death— all these are created for vengeance— ³⁰wild beasts’ teeth, scorpions, adders, and a sword punishing the ungodly to destruction. ³¹They will rejoice in his commandment, and will be made ready upon earth when needed. In their seasons, they won’t disobey his command. ³²Therefore from the beginning I was convinced, and I thought it through and left it in writing: ³³All the works of the Lord are good. He will supply every need in its time. ³⁴No one can say, “This is worse than that,” for they will all be well approved in their time. ³⁵Now with all your hearts and voices, sing praises and bless the Lord’s name!

1: Not so he who has applied his soul and meditates in the law of the Most High. He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients and will be occupied with prophecies.

2: He will keep the sayings of the men of renown and will enter in amidst the subtleties of parables.

3: He will seek out the hidden meaning of proverbs and be conversant in the dark sayings of parables.

4: He will serve among great men and appear before him who rules. He will travel through the land of foreign nations, for he has learned what is good and evil among men.

5: He will apply his heart to return early to the Lord who made him, and will make supplication before the Most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and will ask for pardon for his sins.

6: If the great Lord wills, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; he will pour forth the words of his wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the Lord.

7: He will direct his counsel and knowledge, and he will meditate in his secrets.

8: He will show the instruction which he has been taught and will glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

9: Many will commend his understanding. So long as the world endures, it won’t be blotted out. His memory won’t depart. His name will live from generation to generation.

10: Nations will declare his wisdom. The congregation will proclaim his praise.

11: If he continues, he will leave a greater name than a thousand. If he finally rests, it is enough for him.

12: Yet more I will utter, which I have thought about. I am filled like the full moon.

13: Listen to me, you holy children, and bud forth like a rose growing by a brook of water.

14: Give a sweet fragrance like frankincense. Put forth flowers like a lily. Scatter a sweet smell and sing a song of praise. Bless the Lord for all his works!

15: Magnify his name and give utterance to his praise with the songs on your lips and with harps! Say this when you utter his praise:

16: All the works of the Lord are exceedingly good, and every command will be done in its time.

17: No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?” for at the proper time they will all be sought out. At his word, the waters stood as a heap, as did the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.

18: At his command all his good pleasure is fulfilled. There is no one who can hinder his salvation.

19: The works of all flesh are before him. It’s impossible to be hidden from his eyes.

20: He sees from everlasting to everlasting. There is nothing too wonderful for him.

21: No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?” for all things are created for their own uses.

22: His blessing covered the dry land as a river and saturated it as a flood.

23: As he has made the waters salty, so the heathen will inherit his wrath.

24: His ways are plain to the holy. They are stumbling blocks to the wicked.

25: Good things are created from the beginning for the good. So are evil things for sinners.

26: The main things necessary for the life of man are water, fire, iron, salt, wheat flour, and honey, milk, the blood of the grape, oil, and clothing.

27: All these things are for good to the godly, but for sinners, they will be turned into evils.

28: There are winds that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on their scourges heavily. In the time of reckoning, they pour out their strength, and will appease the wrath of him who made them.

29: Fire, hail, famine, and death— all these are created for vengeance—

30: wild beasts’ teeth, scorpions, adders, and a sword punishing the ungodly to destruction.

31: They will rejoice in his commandment, and will be made ready upon earth when needed. In their seasons, they won’t disobey his command.

32: Therefore from the beginning I was convinced, and I thought it through and left it in writing:

33: All the works of the Lord are good. He will supply every need in its time.

34: No one can say, “This is worse than that,” for they will all be well approved in their time.

35: Now with all your hearts and voices, sing praises and bless the Lord’s name!

Sirach Chapter 40

¹Great travail is created for every man. A heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their coming forth from their mother’s womb, until the day for their burial in the mother of all things. ²The expectation of things to come, and the day of death, trouble their thoughts, and cause fear in their hearts. ³From him who sits on a throne of glory, even to him who is humbled in earth and ashes, ⁴from him who wears purple and a crown, even to him who is clothed in burlap, ⁵there is wrath, jealousy, trouble, unrest, fear of death, anger, and strife. In the time of rest upon his bed, his night sleep changes his knowledge. ⁶He gets little or no rest, and afterward in his sleep, as in a day of keeping watch, he is troubled in the vision of his heart, as one who has escaped from the front of battle. ⁷In the very time of his deliverance, he awakens, and marvels that the fear is nothing. ⁸To all creatures, human and animal, and upon sinners sevenfold more, ⁹come death, bloodshed, strife, sword, calamities, famine, suffering, and plague. ¹⁰All these things were created for the wicked, and because of them the flood came. ¹¹All things that are of the earth turn to the earth again. All things that are of the waters return into the sea. ¹²All bribery and injustice will be blotted out. Good faith will stand forever. ¹³The goods of the unjust will be dried up like a river, and like a great thunder in rain will go off in noise. ¹⁴In opening his hands, a man will be made glad; so lawbreakers will utterly fail. ¹⁵The children of the ungodly won’t grow many branches, and are as unhealthy roots on a sheer rock. ¹⁶The reeds by every water or river bank will be plucked up before all grass. ¹⁷Kindness is like a garden of blessings. Almsgiving endures forever. ¹⁸The life of one who labors and is content will be made sweet. He who finds a treasure is better than both. ¹⁹Children and the building of a city establish a name. A blameless wife is better than both. ²⁰Wine and music rejoice the heart. The love of wisdom is better than both. ²¹The pipe and the lute make pleasant melody. A pleasant tongue is better than both. ²²Your eye desires grace and beauty, but the green shoots of grain more than both. ²³A friend and a companion is always welcome, and a wife with her husband is better than both. ²⁴Relatives and helpers are for a time of affliction, but almsgiving rescues better than both. ²⁵Gold and silver will make the foot stand sure, and counsel is esteemed better than both. ²⁶Riches and strength will lift up the heart. The fear of the Lord is better than both. There is nothing lacking in the fear of the Lord. In it, there is no need to seek help. ²⁷The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing and covers a man more than any glory. ²⁸My son, don’t lead a beggar’s life. It is better to die than to beg. ²⁹A man who looks to the table of another, his life is not to be considered a life. He will pollute his soul with another person’s food, but a wise and well-instructed person will beware of that. ³⁰Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the shameless, but it kindles a fire in his belly.

1: Great travail is created for every man. A heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their coming forth from their mother’s womb, until the day for their burial in the mother of all things.

2: The expectation of things to come, and the day of death, trouble their thoughts, and cause fear in their hearts.

3: From him who sits on a throne of glory, even to him who is humbled in earth and ashes,

4: from him who wears purple and a crown, even to him who is clothed in burlap,

5: there is wrath, jealousy, trouble, unrest, fear of death, anger, and strife. In the time of rest upon his bed, his night sleep changes his knowledge.

6: He gets little or no rest, and afterward in his sleep, as in a day of keeping watch, he is troubled in the vision of his heart, as one who has escaped from the front of battle.

7: In the very time of his deliverance, he awakens, and marvels that the fear is nothing.

8: To all creatures, human and animal, and upon sinners sevenfold more,

9: come death, bloodshed, strife, sword, calamities, famine, suffering, and plague.

10: All these things were created for the wicked, and because of them the flood came.

11: All things that are of the earth turn to the earth again. All things that are of the waters return into the sea.

12: All bribery and injustice will be blotted out. Good faith will stand forever.

13: The goods of the unjust will be dried up like a river, and like a great thunder in rain will go off in noise.

14: In opening his hands, a man will be made glad; so lawbreakers will utterly fail.

15: The children of the ungodly won’t grow many branches, and are as unhealthy roots on a sheer rock.

16: The reeds by every water or river bank will be plucked up before all grass.

17: Kindness is like a garden of blessings. Almsgiving endures forever.

18: The life of one who labors and is content will be made sweet. He who finds a treasure is better than both.

19: Children and the building of a city establish a name. A blameless wife is better than both.

20: Wine and music rejoice the heart. The love of wisdom is better than both.

21: The pipe and the lute make pleasant melody. A pleasant tongue is better than both.

22: Your eye desires grace and beauty, but the green shoots of grain more than both.

23: A friend and a companion is always welcome, and a wife with her husband is better than both.

24: Relatives and helpers are for a time of affliction, but almsgiving rescues better than both.

25: Gold and silver will make the foot stand sure, and counsel is esteemed better than both.

26: Riches and strength will lift up the heart. The fear of the Lord is better than both. There is nothing lacking in the fear of the Lord. In it, there is no need to seek help.

27: The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing and covers a man more than any glory.

28: My son, don’t lead a beggar’s life. It is better to die than to beg.

29: A man who looks to the table of another, his life is not to be considered a life. He will pollute his soul with another person’s food, but a wise and well-instructed person will beware of that.

30: Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the shameless, but it kindles a fire in his belly.

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

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