Wisdom of Ben Sira 16

New Catholic Bible

¹ Do not desire a brood of unprofitable^[b] children,
    and take no joy in offspring who are godless.
² No matter how many your children, do not rejoice in them
    unless the fear of the Lord is in them.
³ Do not count on their growing old
    or rely on their numbers.
[For you will grieve in untimely mourning
    and know of their unexpected end.]^[c]
For one can be better than a thousand,
    and to die childless is better than to have godless children.
⁴ Through one wise man an entire city can be populated,
    but a tribe of lawless people can bring about its destruction.
⁵ Many such things my eyes have seen,
    and my ears have heard things even more impressive.
⁶ Against an assembly of sinners a fire is kindled,
    and retribution blazes upon a godless nation.
⁷ God did not forgive the leaders of old
    who rebelled in their strength.
⁸ He did not spare the neighbors of Lot
    whom he abhorred for their arrogance.^[d]
9 He showed no pity toward the doomed people
    who were dispossessed because of their sins.^[e]
[He did all these things to the obstinate nations,
    and he was not appeased by the multitude of his holy ones.]^[f]
10 Neither did he show pity toward those six hundred thousand foot soldiers^[g]
    who perished because of their stubborn defiance.
^[h][Chastising and sparing, striking and healing,
    the Lord persisted in showing mercy and dispensing discipline.]^[i]
11 Even if there had been only one stiff-necked man,
    it would have been a miracle if he had escaped retribution.
For mercy and anger alike belong to the Lord;
    he shows his might in his forgiveness and also as he pours out his wrath.
¹² As great as his mercy is his chastisement;
    he judges an individual according to his deeds.
¹³ The sinner will not escape with plunder,
    nor will the patience of the godly be forgotten.
¹⁴ He does not forget any act of mercy;
    everyone will be treated in accordance with his deeds.
[^15 [j]The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he did not recognize him
    whose works were manifest under the heavens;
¹⁶ his mercy was seen by all creation,
    and he separated the light from the darkness among the sons of Adam.]

¹⁷ Do not say, “I am hidden from the Lord;
    who above gives any thought to me?
Among so many people I will not be noticed;
    for what am I in the immensity of creation?
¹⁸ Behold, heaven itself, the highest heaven,
    the abyss, and the earth tremble at his visitation.
    [The entire world, past and present, is in his will.]^[l]
19 The mountains and the foundations of the earth
    quiver and quake when he looks upon them.
²⁰ What human mind can grasp this
    or comprehend his ways?
²¹ Like a storm wind that is invisible,
    so his works for the most part are concealed.
²² Who will report about his acts of justice?
    Or who can wait for them, since the covenant^[m] is far in the future
    [and a scrutiny for all comes at the end]?”^[n]
23 Such are the thoughts of the one who lacks understanding,
    senseless and misguided in his foolish reasoning.

²⁴ Listen to me, my child, and acquire knowledge;
    pay close attention to what I have to say.
²⁵ I will impart discipline precisely
    and proclaim knowledge accurately.
²⁶ When God created his works in the beginning,
    in doing so he determined their boundaries.
²⁷ He defined their functions for all time
    and their domains for all generations.
They never hunger or grow weary,
    nor do they ever abandon their tasks.
²⁸ Never do they crowd one another,
    nor do they ever disobey his word.
²⁹ Then the Lord looked upon the earth
    and filled it with his good things.
³⁰ With every kind of living creature he covered its surface,
    and into it they must return.