Ben Sira 16:24-18:14
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Divine Wisdom Seen in Creation[a]
24 Listen to me, my son, and take my advice,
and apply your mind to my words,
25 While I pour out my spirit by measure
and impart knowledge with care.
26 When at the first God created his works
and, as he made them, assigned their tasks,(A)
27 He arranged for all time what they were to do,
their domains from generation to generation.
They were not to go hungry or grow weary,
or ever cease from their tasks.
28 Never does a single one crowd its neighbor,
or do any ever disobey his word.
29 Then the Lord looked upon the earth,
and filled it with his blessings.(B)
30 Its surface he covered with every kind of living creature
which must return into it again.
Chapter 17
Creation of Human Beings
1 The Lord created human beings from the earth,
and makes them return to earth again.(C)
2 A limited number of days he gave them,(D)
but granted them authority over everything on earth.
3 He endowed them with strength like his own,
and made them in his image.
4 He put fear of them in all flesh,
and gave them dominion over beasts and birds.[b]
6 Discernment, tongues, and eyes,
ears, and a mind for thinking he gave them.
7 With knowledge and understanding he filled them;
good and evil he showed them.
8 He put fear of him into their hearts
to show them the grandeur of his works,
9 That they might describe the wonders of his deeds
10 and praise his holy name.
11 He set before them knowledge,
and allotted to them the law of life.
12 An everlasting covenant he made with them,
and his commandments[c] he revealed to them.
13 His majestic glory their eyes beheld,
his glorious voice their ears heard.
14 He said to them, “Avoid all evil”;
to each of them he gave precepts about their neighbor.
15 Their ways are ever known to him,
they cannot be hidden from his eyes.[d]
17 Over every nation he appointed a ruler,[e]
but Israel is the Lord’s own portion.[f](E)
19 All their works are clear as the sun to him,
and his eyes are ever upon their ways.
20 Their iniquities cannot be hidden from him;
all their sins are before the Lord.[g]
22 Human goodness is like a signet ring with God,
and virtue he keeps like the apple of his eye.
23 Later he will rise up and repay them,
requiting each one as they deserve.(F)
Appeal for a Return to God[h]
24 But to the penitent he provides a way back
and encourages those who are losing hope!
25 Turn back to the Lord and give up your sins,
pray before him and make your offenses few.
26 Turn again to the Most High and away from iniquity,
and hate intensely what he loathes.
27 [i]Who in Sheol can glorify the Most High(G)
in place of the living who offer their praise?
28 The dead can no more give praise than those who have never lived;
they who are alive and well glorify the Lord.
29 How great is the mercy of the Lord,
and his forgiveness for those who return to him!
30 For not everything is within human reach,
since human beings are not immortal.
31 Is anything brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed.
How worthless[j] then the thoughts of flesh and blood!
32 God holds accountable the hosts of highest heaven,
while all mortals are dust and ashes.
Chapter 18
The Divine Power and Mercy[k]
1 He who lives forever created the whole universe;
2 the Lord alone is just.[l]
4 To whom has he given power to describe his works,
and who can search out his mighty deeds?
5 Who can measure his majestic power,
or fully recount his mercies?
6 No one can lessen, increase,
or fathom the wonders of the Lord.
7 When mortals finish, they are only beginning,
and when they stop they are still bewildered.
8 What are mortals? What are they worth?
What is good in them, and what is evil?
9 The number of their days seems great
if it reaches a hundred years.(H)
10 Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand,
so are these few years among the days of eternity.
11 That is why the Lord is patient with them
and pours out his mercy on them.
12 He sees and understands that their death is wretched,
and so he forgives them all the more.
13 Their compassion is for their neighbor,
but the Lord’s compassion reaches all flesh,
Reproving, admonishing, teaching,
and turning them back, as a shepherd his flock.(I)
14 He has compassion on those who accept his discipline,
who are eager for his precepts.
Footnotes
- 16:24–17:23 In harmony with Gn 1–2, the author describes God’s wisdom in creating the universe and everything in it (vv. 24–30), endowing human beings with a moral nature, with wisdom, knowledge, and freedom of will (cf. 15:14) according to his own image (17:1–3, 7). Now they can govern the earth (vv. 3–4), praise God’s name (vv. 9–10), obey his law (vv. 11–14), and render to him an account of their deeds (v. 23). Cf. Ps 19; 104.
- 17:4
Other ancient texts read as v. 5:
They received the use of the Lord’s five faculties;
of mind, the sixth, he granted them a share,
as also of speech, the seventh, the interpreter of his actions.
- 17:12 An everlasting covenant…his commandments: God made several covenants, e.g., Gn 9:8–17; 15:17–21; 17:1–22, entered into with humankind, especially on Mount Sinai, where the people saw God’s glory and heard his voice (v. 13; cf. Ex 19:16–24:18).
- 17:15
Other ancient texts read as v. 16:
Their ways are directed toward evils from their youth,
and they are unable to make their hearts flesh rather than stone.
- 17:17 Ruler: this may refer to civil officials or to heavenly beings placed over nations as guardians; see note on Dt 32:8, and the cross-references.
- 17:17
Other ancient texts read as v. 18:
Israel, as his firstborn, he cares for with chastisement;
the light of his love he shares with him without neglect.
- 17:20
Other ancient texts read as v. 21:
But the Lord, being good and knowing how they are formed,
neither neglected them nor ceased to spare them.
- 17:24–32 Ben Sira opens this poem with a prophetic summons to repent, urging sinners to give up their sins and to pray for forgiveness (vv. 24–26, 29). Ben Sira reflects the belief of his day that there was no life after death (vv. 27–28, 30; see note on 11:26–28). Cf. Ez 18:23, 30–32; 33:11–16. See note on Ps 6:6.
- 17:27–28 True life consists in praise of God; this is not possible in Sheol.
- 17:31 Worthless: cf. Gn 6:5. Though moral fault is not excluded, the thought here is the inability to understand the designs of God. Cf. Wis 9:14–18.
- 18:1–14 Not only are God’s justice and power beyond human understanding (vv. 1–7), his mercy also is boundless and surpasses all human compassion (vv. 8–14); he pities human frailty and mortality.
- 18:2
Other ancient texts read as v. 3:
He controls the world within the span of his hand,
and everything obeys his will;
For he in his might is the King of all,
separating what is holy among them from what is profane.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.