Sirach 27:30-28:7
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Anger and Vengeance
30 Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
yet a sinner holds on to them.
28 The vengeful will face the Lord’s vengeance,
for he keeps a strict account of[a] their sins.
2 Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
3 Does anyone harbor anger against another,
and expect healing from the Lord?
4 If one has no mercy toward another like himself,
can he then seek pardon for his own sins?
5 If a mere mortal harbors wrath,
who will make an atoning sacrifice for his sins?
6 Remember the end of your life, and set enmity aside;
remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments.
7 Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor;
remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults.
Footnotes
- Sirach 28:1 Other ancient authorities read for he firmly establishes
Sirach 27:30-28:7
Good News Translation
Resentment
30 Anger and a hot temper are horrible things, but sinners have both. 28 1 The Lord is taking note of your sins, and if you take vengeance on someone, the Lord will take vengeance on you. 2 (A)But if you forgive someone who has wronged you, your sins will be forgiven when you pray. 3 You cannot expect the Lord to pardon you while you are holding a grudge against someone else. 4 You yourself are a sinner, and if you won't forgive another person, you have no right to pray that the Lord will forgive your sins. 5 If you cannot get rid of your anger, you have no hope of forgiveness—you are only a human being. 6 Think about it! Some day you will die, and your body will decay. So give up hate and live by the Lord's commands, 7 the commands in the covenant of the Most High. Instead of getting upset over your neighbor's faults, overlook them.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.