Sirach · WEB-C
Sirach
20
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There is a reproof that is not timely; and there is a person who is wise enough to keep silent. How good is it to reprove, rather than to be angry. He who confesses will be kept back from harm. As is the lust of a eunuch to deflower a virgin, so is he who executes judgments with violence. There is one who keeps silent and is found wise; and there is one who is hated for his much talk. There is one who keeps silent, for he has no answer to make; And there is one who keeps silent, knowing when to speak. A wise man will be silent until his time has come, but the braggart and fool will miss his time. He who uses many words will be abhorred. He who takes authority for himself will be hated in it. There is a prosperity that a man finds in misfortunes; and there is a gain that turns to loss. There is a gift that will not profit you; and there is a gift that pays back double. There are losses because of glory; and there is one who has lifted up his head from a low estate. There is one who buys much for a little, and pays for it again sevenfold. He who is wise in words will make himself beloved; but the pleasantries of fools will be wasted. The gift of a fool will not profit you, for he looks for repayment many times instead of one. He will give little and insult much. He will open his mouth like a crier. Today he will lend, and tomorrow he will ask for it back. Such a one is a hateful man. The fool will say, “I have no friend, and I have no thanks for my good deeds. Those who eat my bread have an evil tongue.” How often, and of how many, will he be laughed to scorn! A slip on a pavement is better than a slip with the tongue. So the fall of the wicked will come speedily. A man without grace is a tale out of season. It will be continually in the mouth of the ignorant. A parable from a fool’s mouth will be rejected; for he won’t tell it at the proper time. There is one who is hindered from sinning through lack. When he rests, he will not be troubled. There is one who destroys his soul through bashfulness. By a foolish countenance, he will destroy it. There is one who for bashfulness makes promises to his friend; and he makes him his enemy for nothing. A lie is an ugly blot on a person. It will be continually in the mouth of the ignorant. A thief is better than a man who is continually lying, but they both will inherit destruction. The destination of a liar is dishonor. His shame is with him continually. He who is wise in words will advance himself. And one who is prudent will please great men. He who tills his land will raise his harvest high. He who pleases great men will get pardon for iniquity. Favors and gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and as a muzzle on the mouth, turn away reproofs. Wisdom that is hidden, and treasure that is out of sight— what profit is in either of them? Better is a man who hides his folly than a man who hides his wisdom.
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Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)24 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 20:1
Ver. 1. Prayer. A friend's excuses must be heard. C. --- Gr. "and he who apologises shall be preserved from ruin." Grabe adds, "how good it is for one who has been rebuked," &c. v. 4. H.
--- Thus the guilty merit pardon, and the innocent obtain a greater reward, and satisfy for former offences. W.
↑ 1Sirach 20:2
Ver. 2. Maiden. Or "woman," (H.) who has been entrusted to his care. M. ---
Such people are not free from concupiscence, which must be restrained by the virtue of chastity. S. Aug. c. Jul. vi.
14.
↑ 2Sirach 20:8
Ver. 8. Hated. As the pests of society. See Cic. off. 1.
↑ 8Sirach 20:9
Ver. 9. Loss. The prosperity of the wicked must not be envied. Ps. xxxviii. 1, 8.
C.
↑ 9Sirach 20:11
Ver. 11. Glory. Galba "would have been universally deemed worthy of the empire, if he had not reigned." Tacit. Hist. 1. --- Adrian VI. thought the pontificate the greatest misfortune to which he had been exposed; and this observation ws engraven on his tomb. --- Estate. By merit.
↑ 11Sirach 20:12
Ver. 12. Sevenfold. As the merchandise was good for nothing, which the miser had obtained for a little money, thinking to save thereby.
↑ 12Sirach 20:13
Ver. 13. Graces. Or favours bestowed with ill-nature.
↑ 13Sirach 20:14
Ver. 14. Sevenfold. He expects more. C. --- His intention is full of guile, who flattereth and detracteth for the sake of gain. W.
↑ 14Sirach 20:15
Ver. 15. Much. As Dido did. "This is to make a display of favours to excite hatred." Sen. Ben.
↑ 15Sirach 20:16
Ver. 16. Hateful. He seems to distrust you, and will not permit his goods to be of any service. C.
↑ 16Sirach 20:17
Ver. 17. Have. Gr. "say I have," &c. --- His. Gr. "my," as also v. 18. H. --- Such is the language of the fool.
↑ 17Sirach 20:19
Ver. 19. That, &c. Riches and poverty are both wrong to misers and fools. Gr.
"he had as well be without any thing." C.
↑ 19Sirach 20:20
Ver. 20. Pavement. It is equally destructive.
↑ 20Sirach 20:21
Ver. 21. Grace, ( acharis) impolite and importunate. C.
↑ 21Sirach 20:23
Ver. 23. Shall. Gr. adds, "not." Yet if a person has had the will to offend, he must repent, though the could not put it in execution. H.
↑ 23Sirach 20:24
Ver. 24. Himself. Being afraid to beg for necessaries, or given too much.
↑ 24Sirach 20:25
Ver. 25. Nothing. People are always displeased, when a promise is broken. C.
↑ 25Sirach 20:26
Ver. 26. Man. "It is the vice of slaves." Arist. Ethic.
↑ 26Sirach 20:27
Ver. 27. Lying. He exposes honour and virtue, without making restitution. C. ---
He throws all into confusion, and we can trust him with nothing. M.
↑ 27Sirach 20:29
Ver. 29. A. Gr. adds a title, "discourses of proverbs."
↑ 29Sirach 20:30
Ver. 30. And...exalted, is not in Gr. but explains the meaning of the former sentence. --- Escape.
Gr. "obtain pardon for iniquity." H. --- The great will protect him.
↑ 30Sirach 20:31
Ver. 31. Make. Gr. "like a bit in the mouth, remove corrections." Ex. xxiii. 8. C.
↑ 31Sirach 20:32
Ver. 32. Both? He who, through a false humility refuses to take charge of others, resembles a man who locks up his corn in time of scarcity. S. Greg.
Part. iii. 26. Matt. xxv. C. --- Wisdom must be shewn for the benefit of others. W.
↑ 32Sirach 20:33
Ver. 33. Folly. He may still appear to have some sense, and injures none. --- It is convenient to conceal faults, provided they be amended. W.
↑ 33License: 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