Sirach · WEB-C
Sirach
34
Bible textSynthetic voice (AI)
Vain and false hopes are for a man void of understanding. Dreams give wings to fools. As one who grasps at a shadow and follows after the wind, so is he who sets his mind on dreams. The vision of dreams is a reflection, the likeness of a face near a face. From an unclean thing what can be cleansed? From that which is false what can be true? Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain. The heart has fantasies like a woman in labor. If they are not sent in a visitation from the Most High, don’t give your heart to them. For dreams have led many astray. They have failed by putting their hope in them. Without lying the law will be fulfilled. Wisdom is complete in a faithful mouth. A well-instructed man knows many things. He who has much experience will declare understanding. He who has no experience knows few things. But he who has traveled increases cleverness. I have seen many things in my travels. My understanding is more than my words. I was often in danger even to death. I was preserved because of these experiences. The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live, for their hope is in him who saves them. Whoever fears the Lord won’t be afraid, and won’t be a coward, for he is his hope. Blessed is the soul of him who fears the Lord. To whom does he give heed? Who is his support? The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him, a mighty protection and strong support, a cover from the hot blast, a shade from the noonday sun, a guard from stumbling, and a help from falling. He raises up the soul, and enlightens the eyes. He gives health, life, and blessing. He who sacrifices a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is made in mockery. The mockeries of wicked men are not acceptable. The Most High has no pleasure in the offerings of the ungodly, Neither is he pacified for sins by the multitude of sacrifices. Like one who kills a son before his father’s eyes is he who brings a sacrifice from the goods of the poor. The bread of the needy is the life of the poor. He who deprives him of it is a man of blood. Like one who murders his neighbor is he who takes away his living. Like a shedder of blood is he who deprives a hireling of his hire. When one builds, and another pulls down, what profit do they have but toil? When one prays, and another curses, whose voice will the Lord listen to? He who washes himself after touching a dead body, and touches it again, what does he gain by his washing? Even so a man fasting for his sins, and going again, and doing the same, who will listen to his prayer? What profit does he have in his humiliation?
Reflections
No reviewed reflections for this passage yet.
Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)19 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 34:1
Ver. 1. The. Gr. "on dreams. The," &c. H. --- No dependence can be had on the pretended interpretation of dreams, which do not come from God; (C.) as some do. Mat. i. Dan. ii. W.
↑ 1Sirach 34:3
Ver. 3. Man. When he turns away from the mirror, it appears no more. Jam. i.
23.
↑ 3Sirach 34:4
Ver. 4. Unclean. This text has been abused, to prove that the sinner cannot confer grace in the sacraments. C. --- But Christ does this by his ministry. S.
Aug. Ps. x. n. 6.
↑ 4Sirach 34:5
Ver. 5. Deceitful. Gr. "divinations, and auguries, and dreams, are vain."
↑ 5Sirach 34:6
Ver. 6. Travail. Such things cannot be explained. Twenty people will all give different interpretations. --- High, as those of Jacob, Joseph, &c. were. Yet it is difficult to make the discrimination. S. Greg. dial. iv. 48. --- Homer admits of two sorts of dreams. Odys. xix.
↑ 6Sirach 34:7
Ver. 7. Them. The devil takes advantage of their weakness, and they have recourse to magic, &c.
C.
↑ 7Sirach 34:8
Ver. 8. Law, which forbids attention to dreams. Lev. xix 26. Is. viii. 20. A. Lap. ---
No part of the law shall perish; and some will always explain it truly. W.
↑ 8Sirach 34:9
Ver. 9. What. Gr. "A man who has travelled, knows much," &c. H. --- Thus Ulysses became so wise, (Homer) as well as the ancient philosophers, Pythagoras, &c. S. Jer. ad Paulin. --- The knowledge derived from books will not suffice. C.
↑ 9Sirach 34:10
Ver. 10. Experienced. Gr. "much abroad, shall abound with subtlety. (11.) I," &c.
↑ 10Sirach 34:12
Ver. 12. And. Gr. "And I know more than I announce." Grabe's edit.
↑ 12Sirach 34:13
Ver. 13. For. Gr. "On account of these things I have been saved:" (H.) by my great experience, which gives weight to my instructions.
↑ 13Sirach 34:14
Ver. 14. Is. Gr. "shall live. (15.) For...them. (16.) He," &c. H.
↑ 14Sirach 34:20
Ver. 20. From falling, or when a person is fallen.
↑ 20Sirach 34:21
Ver. 21. Mockeries. Some Gr. copies have "gifts." Such unjust presents or sacrifices, God will abhor. Is. xli. 8. Deut. xxiv. 15. C.
↑ 21Sirach 34:22
Ver. 22. Lord. Gr. (23.) "most...wicked, nor," &c.
↑ 22Sirach 34:26
Ver. 26. Bread. Gr. "a livelihood, killeth his neighbour; and he sheddeth blood, who keepeth back the hire of the workman." H.
↑ 26Sirach 34:28
Ver. 28. Labour? So, if your sacrifices be ill-gotten, they will not be received; and if you relapse, you will be as bad as ever. C.
↑ 28Sirach 34:30
This 19th-century note uses polemical language; read it in the light of the note at the top of this panel.
Ver. 30. Dead. Lit. "is baptized by or from the dead;" baptizatur a mortuo. H. ---
S. Cyprian thought this text was peremptory against the baptism of heretics; and Donatists were of the same opinion. They seem not to have read, if he touch him again, which entirely alters the meaning. S.
Aug. admonishes them of this; though he explains it of the pagan rather than of the Jewish purifications, to which it refers. Num. xix. 11. See S. Aug. c. Cres.
i. 24. and ii. 25. c. Petil. i. 9.
S. Cyp. ep. ad Quint. C.
↑ 30Sirach 34:31
Ver. 31. Prayer. A relapse makes the former repentance unless. Mat. xviii. 33.
W.
↑ 31License: 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