Christian Community Bible
Sirach
The greatness of God
18
1 He who lives forever created all without exception. 2 The Lord alone will be found righteous.
4 He has made no one powerful enough to proclaim his works
5 Who can calculate the power of his majesty and relate his great goodness?
6 Nothing can be added to him or taken away
7 When man thinks he has finished, then he is only beginning and when he stops he is puzzled by it all.
8 What is man? What is his purpose? What is the good in him and what the bad?
9 Take the length of his life: a hundred years is long. 10 Like a drop of water from the sea, a grain of sand, such are his few years compared with eternity.
11 For this reason, the Lord has pa tience with them and pours out his mercy on them.
12 He sees and realizes how miserable their end is and so he heaps his forgiveness upon them.
13 Mans mercy is for his neighbor but the compassion of the Lord reaches all people
15 My son, do not mix your favors with un kind remarks or your gifts with bitter words.
16 Does not dew temper the heat? So, too, a kind word is much better than a gift.
17 The gift is not as valuable as the words which accompany it, but a generous man brings both.
18 The fool intends to please but in sults, a grudging mans gift makes the eyes smart.
19 Find out the facts before you speak
20 Examine yourself before judgment comes and, on the day of Gods visitation, you will be forgiven.
21 Humble yourself before you become ill and show repentance for your sins.
22 Let nothing prevent you from fulfilling your vow on time
23 Prepare yourself before praying and do not be one of those who tempt the Lord.
24 Keep in mind the justice of the last days
25 When you experience abundance, remem ber the days of famine
26 Time slips by between morning and eve ning, all things pass quickly before the Lord.
27 The prudent man is cautious in every thing
28 Every sensible man recognizes wisdom and respects those who obtain her.
29 Those who speak sensibly are wise, and marvelous sayings flow from them.
30 Do not let your passions rule you and re strain your desires.
31 If you satisfy your lusts you will make your self the laughingstock of your enemies.
32 Do not take pleasure in great luxury, lest you become impoverished by its expense.
33 Do not impoverish yourself by feasting on credit when you have nothing in your pocket.
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