Sirach · WEB-C
Sirach
40
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Great travail is created for every man. A heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their coming forth from their mother’s womb, until the day for their burial in the mother of all things. The expectation of things to come, and the day of death, trouble their thoughts, and cause fear in their hearts. From him who sits on a throne of glory, even to him who is humbled in earth and ashes, from him who wears purple and a crown, even to him who is clothed in burlap, there is wrath, jealousy, trouble, unrest, fear of death, anger, and strife. In the time of rest upon his bed, his night sleep changes his knowledge. He gets little or no rest, and afterward in his sleep, as in a day of keeping watch, he is troubled in the vision of his heart, as one who has escaped from the front of battle. In the very time of his deliverance, he awakens, and marvels that the fear is nothing. To all creatures, human and animal, and upon sinners sevenfold more, come death, bloodshed, strife, sword, calamities, famine, suffering, and plague. All these things were created for the wicked, and because of them the flood came. All things that are of the earth turn to the earth again. All things that are of the waters return into the sea. All bribery and injustice will be blotted out. Good faith will stand forever. The goods of the unjust will be dried up like a river, and like a great thunder in rain will go off in noise. In opening his hands, a man will be made glad; so lawbreakers will utterly fail. The children of the ungodly won’t grow many branches, and are as unhealthy roots on a sheer rock. The reeds by every water or river bank will be plucked up before all grass. Kindness is like a garden of blessings. Almsgiving endures forever. The life of one who labors and is content will be made sweet. He who finds a treasure is better than both. Children and the building of a city establish a name. A blameless wife is better than both. Wine and music rejoice the heart. The love of wisdom is better than both. The pipe and the lute make pleasant melody. A pleasant tongue is better than both. Your eye desires grace and beauty, but the green shoots of grain more than both. A friend and a companion is always welcome, and a wife with her husband is better than both. Relatives and helpers are for a time of affliction, but almsgiving rescues better than both. Gold and silver will make the foot stand sure, and counsel is esteemed better than both. Riches and strength will lift up the heart. The fear of the Lord is better than both. There is nothing lacking in the fear of the Lord. In it, there is no need to seek help. The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing and covers a man more than any glory. My son, don’t lead a beggar’s life. It is better to die than to beg. A man who looks to the table of another, his life is not to be considered a life. He will pollute his soul with another person’s food, but a wise and well-instructed person will beware of that. Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the shameless, but it kindles a fire in his belly.
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Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)22 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 40:1
Ver. 1. Labour, "anxiety," ascholia. M. --- All misery (C.) is in consequence of original sin. W.
--- The life of man is a trial. Job vii. 1. and xiv. 1. --- Of all. The earth, (C.) which covers us, when all other things cast us away. Pliny ii. 63.
↑ 1Sirach 40:4
Ver. 4. Purple. Lit. "hyacinth," (H.) or violet colour. Purple was more like scarlet.
↑ 4Sirach 40:5
Ver. 5. Knowledge. He is disquieted by restless (C.) and frightful dreams. v. 6.
H.
↑ 5Sirach 40:7
Ver. 7. Fear, or no reason for it. C.
↑ 7Sirach 40:8
Ver. 8. Beast. Their instinct causes them to fear death, to fight, &c.
↑ 8Sirach 40:9
Ver. 9. Moreover. Gr. "death," &c. are all destined for the wicked.
↑ 9Sirach 40:12
Ver. 12. Out, and severely punished. C. --- They shall not appear in the book of life.
↑ 12Sirach 40:14
Ver. 14. Rejoice. The corrupt judge once rejoiced: but now he shall mourn. H.
--- The possessions and grandeur of the unjust shall end in a moment, like a clap of thunder. Ps. xxxvi.
36. Prov. x. 25. C.
↑ 14Sirach 40:15
Ver. 15. And make. Gr. " they are unclean," (H.) and will produce no fruit.
↑ 15Sirach 40:16
Ver. 16. Weed. Lit. "verdure." Gr. Achei, (H.) properly denotes the rush, papyrus, which grows on the banks of the Nile, (Gen. xli. 2. C.) and was used for fuel. Alpin. i. 7. Matt. vi. 30. ---
Thus the wicked will presently (C.) be treated. M.
↑ 16Sirach 40:17
Ver. 17. Grace. The beneficent will produce fruits, like those of paradise. Gen.
ii. 8.
↑ 17Sirach 40:18
Ver. 18. That is. Gr. "and of one that." --- In it. Gr. "and more than both is one discovering a treasure," (H.) who finds himself rich, without labour or injustice.
↑ 18Sirach 40:19
Ver. 19. Both. Thus Judith, Zenobia, &c. ennobled their husbands. Prov. xxxi.
10.
↑ 19Sirach 40:20
Ver. 20. Wisdom. Virtue gives more content to the soul than corporal pleasures do to the body. It brings us near to God. C.
↑ 20Sirach 40:22
Ver. 22. Green. "The sight of no colour is more agreeable to the eyes." Pliny xxxvii. 1. --- The Church is more excellent than the synagogue. W.
↑ 22Sirach 40:23
Ver. 23. Husband. Their union is closer, and they can best assist each other.
↑ 23Sirach 40:25
Ver. 25. Counsel. By this the Romans conquered the world. 1 Mac. viii. 31.
Prov. xi. 14.
↑ 25Sirach 40:26
Ver. 26. Heart, and make people presumptuous; while piety gives real courage.
Ps. xxvi. 1. C.
↑ 26Sirach 40:28
Ver. 28. It, or "him." H. --- The virtuous man is covered with glory.
↑ 28Sirach 40:29
Ver. 29. Indigent. Gr. "live not by begging," being too lazy to work, or incurring this punishment for thy sins. Lev. xxvi. 16. Ps. cviii. Deut. xv. 4. Involuntary poverty is a most severe scourge.
C. --- All are bound too labour for what is needful; (W.) some by prayer, others by trade, &c. H.
↑ 29Sirach 40:30
Ver. 30. Meat. Such is the condition of the parasite, (C.) and of the beggar. H.
↑ 30Sirach 40:32
Ver. 32. Unwise. Some read, "impudent man," with the Gr. --- Fire. He shall feel the inconveniences of poverty; (H.) yet will not work, being lost to all shame.
C. --- Plato (Leg. 11.) orders magistrates to "clear the country of such an animal," zoou, (H.) and the Lacedemonians suffered no beggars among them.
↑ 32License: 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