Sirach · WEB-C
Sirach
17
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The Lord created mankind out of earth, and turned them back to it again. He gave them days by number, and a set time, and gave them authority over the things that are on it. He endowed them with strength proper to them, and made them according to his own image. He put the fear of man upon all flesh, and gave him dominion over beasts and birds. He gave them counsel, tongue, eyes, ears, and heart to have understanding. He filled them with the knowledge of wisdom, and showed them good and evil. He set his eye upon their hearts, to show them the majesty of his works. And they will praise his holy name, that they may declare the majesty of his works. He added to them knowledge, and gave them a law of life for a heritage. He made an everlasting covenant with them, and showed them his decrees. Their eyes saw the majesty of his glory. Their ears heard the glory of his voice. He said to them, “Beware of all unrighteousness.” So he gave them commandment, each man concerning his neighbor. Their ways are ever before him. They will not be hidden from his eyes. For every nation he appointed a ruler, but Israel is the Lord’s portion. All their works are as clear as the sun before him. His eyes are continually upon their ways. Their iniquities are not hidden from him. All their sins are before the Lord. With him the alms of a man is as a signet. He will keep a man’s kindness as the pupil of the eye. Afterwards he will rise up and repay them, and give their repayment upon their head. However to those who repent he grants a return. He comforts those who are losing hope. Return to the Lord, and forsake sins. Make your prayer before his face offend less. Turn again to the Most High, and turn away from iniquity. Greatly hate the abominable thing. Who will give praise to the Most High in Hades, in place of the living who return thanks? Thanksgiving perishes from the dead, as from one who doesn’t exist. He who is in life and health will praise the Lord. How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him! For humans are not capable of everything, because the son of man is not immortal. What is brighter than the sun? Yet even this can be eclipsed. So flesh and blood devise evil. He looks upon the power of the height of heaven, while all men are earth and ashes.
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Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)17 notes
Notes in English 19th-century Catholic commentary by Fr. George Leo Haydock, shown as published.
These notes keep the polemics of their time: some speak harshly of the Jewish people or of other Christians. The Church teaches otherwise today. The Jewish people may not be blamed for the death of Christ (Nostra Aetate 4; Catechism 597–598), and Christians of other communities are our brothers and sisters in the Lord (Unitatis Redintegratio 3). Christian unity
Sirach 17:1
Ver. 1. And made. This is transposed in Gr. to the end of the third verse. H. ---
The creation of other things had been specified before. Man was designed to be immortal, and was made like to God in his soul, which is spiritual, intelligent, &c. But sin caused his days to be shortened. C. ---
By original sin, he lost the justice which he had at first received. W.
↑ 1Sirach 17:4
Ver. 4. Dominion. This is greatly diminished since the fall. C.
↑ 4Sirach 17:6
Ver. 6. Evil. Man has understanding, and may merit, which brutes cannot.
↑ 6Sirach 17:7
Ver. 7. Hearts. God will bring them to judgment, and has given them a law. C.
↑ 7Sirach 17:9
Ver. 9. Life. The observance of which will insure life both now and for ever.
Rom. x. 5. This was the peculiar privilege of Israel, (C.) though the natural law had the same effect, and God had left none without sufficient light. H. --- The law was for a trial of obedience. Gen. ii. W.
↑ 9Sirach 17:10
Ver. 10. Everlasting. The gospel has perfected or fulfilled the law. Matt. v. 17.
↑ 10Sirach 17:11
Ver. 11. Saw. When he gave the law on Mount Sinai. Ch. Ex. xx. 18. --- Voice.
Thunder. Ps.
xxviii. 4. C.
↑ 11Sirach 17:12
Ver. 12. Neighbour. Of whom the second table, or the seven last precepts of the law, speak. H.
↑ 12Sirach 17:13
Ver. 13. Eyes. He conducted them in the pillar, and always watched over them.
Gr. Rom. adds,
"their ways are bent on evils from youth, and he could not." Comp. "for every man is bent on evils from youth, and they could not from stony hearts make them fleshy, (Ezec. xxxvi. 26. C.) for in the division of the nations of all the earth (14.) over," &c. Grabe.
↑ 13Sirach 17:15
Ver. 15. God. Comp. adds, "he nourishes him as his first-born with instruction, and dividing the light of love, he does not abandon him." H. --- But the Rom.
edit. agrees with us. God declared himself king of Israel, (C.) and its guardian, while he intrusted other nations to angels. Orig. S.
Aug. Ps. cxxxviii. Glossa. Deut. xxxii. 8.
↑ 15Sirach 17:16
Ver. 16. Ways. He suffers them not to follow their own inclinations, like the Gentiles; but chastises them if they have done wrong. Acts xiv. 15. C.
↑ 16Sirach 17:17
Ver. 17. Covenants. Gr. "injustices were not concealed from him, and all," &c.
H. --- God.
Complutensian adds, "but the Lord being good, and knowing his work, neither left nor abandoned them, still sparing them." Heb. xiii. 5. H. --- This is a gloss omitted in the Rom. edit. Ps. lxxvii.
34.
↑ 17Sirach 17:18
Ver. 18. Alms, and all good works are placed in God's treasury, and as a ring which a person wears on his finger with the utmost care. Jer. xxii. 24. Cant. viii.
6. --- Eye. Gr. Comp. adds, (C.) "dividing to his sons and daughters penance, (19.) And." H. --- The Rom. and Ald. edit.
agree with the Vulg. --- Head. Giving a crown of glory. --- And shall, &c. is not in Greek. It implies that the wicked will be punished like Core. C.
↑ 18Sirach 17:22
Ver. 22. Offend less: minue offendicula. That is, remove sins, and the occasions of sins. Ch.
↑ 22Sirach 17:24
Ver. 24. And. Gr. "return to the Highest, and be converted from injustice, (for he shall lead from darkness to the light of health) and greatly abhor abomination.
Who shall praise the most high in hell, instead of the living, and of those who make a return of praise, or confession? Praise perisheth from the dead, as from one who has had no being. The living and sound of heart shall praise the Lord. (28.) How," &c. H. Ps. lxxxvii. 11. C. --- We cannot merit perseverance, but must pray for it incessantly. W.
↑ 24Sirach 17:25
Ver. 25. Go to the side, &c. Fly from the side of satan and sin, and join with the holy ones that follow God and godliness. Ch. --- Christ is styled the father of the age to come. Is. ix. M.
↑ 25Sirach 17:29
Ver. 29. Immortal. We all stand in need of a pardon. C. --- And. Gr. (30.)
"what...and it fails.
And flesh and blood shall study evil. (31.) He." H. --- We cannot exact absolute perfection from any mortal. But still a person may be watchful, and trust in God's mercies. C. xviii. C.
↑ 29License: Notes by Fr. George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), from the Douay-Rheims Bible with Haydock's commentary (first ed. Thomas Haydock, Manchester/Dublin, 1811–1814; New York: Edward Dunigan & Brother, 1859); New Testament notes compiled with Fr. Benedict Rayment. Public domain. Digital text: "The Haydock Bible", Internet Archive (archive.org/details/TheHaydockBible), uploaded 2011 under the Public Domain Mark. · Credits and licenses