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Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:15-17
New Catholic Bible
Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:15-17
New Catholic Bible
15 A man who gets into the habit of using shameful language
will never be reformed as long as he lives.
The Blindness of the Immodest[a]
16 Two types of people multiply sins,
and a third[b] incurs wrath.
For burning passion that blazes like a fire
cannot be quenched until it burns itself out:
One who becomes sexually involved with close relatives
will never cease until the fire consumes him.
17 A fornicator finds every cake is sweet[c]
and he will not desist until he dies.
Footnotes
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:16 The immodest reassure themselves that they sin in secret, but God sees everything: no thought, word, or deed escapes his notice.
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:16 Two types of people . . . and a third: this numerical proverb, a common literary form (see Sir 25:1-2, 7-11; 26:5f, 28; Prov 6:16-19), singles out three kinds of lechers: the dissolute (v. 16), the incestuous (v. 17), and the adulterous (vv. 18-21).
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:17 Every cake is sweet: to emphasize his point, the author makes use of a euphemism for the adulterer’s unending quest for new liaisons.
