Scrutatio

Martedi, 14 maggio 2024 - San Mattia ( Letture di oggi)

Sirach 7


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DOUAI-RHEIMSNEW JERUSALEM
1 Do no evils, and no evils shall lay hold of thee.1 Do no evil, and evil wil not befal you;
2 Depart from the unjust, and evils shall depart from thee.2 shun wrong, and it wil avoid you.
3 My son, sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.3 My child, do not sow in the furrows of wickedness, for fear you have to reap them seven times over.
4 Seek not of the Lord a pre-eminence, nor of the king the seat of honour.4 Do not ask the Lord for the highest place, or the king for a seat of honour.
5 Justify not thyself before God, for he knoweth the heart: and desire not to appear wise before the king.5 Do not parade your uprightness before the Lord, or your wisdom before the king.
6 Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to extirpate iniquities: lest thou fear the person of the powerful, and lay a stumblingblock for thy integrity.6 Do not scheme to be appointed judge, for fear you should not be strong enough to stamp out injustice,for fear of being swayed by someone influential and so of risking the loss of your integrity.
7 Offend not against the multitude of a city, neither cast thyself in upon the people,7 Do not wrong the general body of citizens and so lower yourself in popular esteem.
8 Nor bind sin to sin: for even in one thou shalt not be unpunished.8 Do not be drawn to sin twice over, for you wil not go unpunished even once.
9 Be not fainthearted in thy mind:9 Do not say, 'God will be impressed by my numerous offerings; when I sacrifice to God Most High, he isbound to accept.'
10 Neglect not to pray, and to give alms.10 Do not be hesitant in prayer; do not neglect to give alms.
11 Say not: God will have respect to the multitude of my gifts, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept my offerings.11 Do not laugh at someone who is sad of heart, for he who brings low can lift up high.
12 Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one that humbleth and exalteth, God who seeth12 Do not make up lies against your brother, nor against a friend either.
13 Devise not a lie against thy brother: neither do the like against thy friend.13 Mind you tel no lies, for no good can come of it.
14 Be not willing to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.14 Do not talk too much at the gathering of elders, and do not repeat yourself at your prayers.
15 Be not full of words in a multitude of ancients, and repeat not the word in thy prayer.15 Do not shirk tiring jobs or farm work, ordained by the Most High.
16 Hate not laborious works, nor husbandry ordained by the most High.16 Do not swell the ranks of sinners, remember that the retribution wil not delay.
17 Number not thyself among the multitude of the disorderly.17 Be very humble, since the recompense for the godless is fire and worms.
18 Remember wrath, for it will not tarry long.18 Do not barter a friend away for the sake of profit, nor a true brother for the gold of Ophir.
19 Humble thy spirit very much: for the vengeance on the flesh of the ungodly is fire and worms.19 Do not turn against a wise and good wife; her gracious presence is worth more than gold.
20 Do not transgress against thy friend deferring money, nor despise thy dear brother for the sake of gold.20 Do not il -treat a slave who is an honest worker, or a wage-earner who is devoted to you.
21 Depart not from a wise and good wife, whom thou best gotten in the fear of the Lord: for the grace of her modesty is above gold.21 Love an intel igent slave with al your heart, and do not deny such a slave his freedom.
22 Hurt not the servant that worketh faithfully, nor the hired man that giveth thee his life.22 Have you cattle? Look after them; if they are making you a profit, keep them.
23 Let a wise servant be dear to thee as thy own soul, defraud him not of liberty, nor leave him needy.23 Have you children? Educate them, from childhood make them bow the neck.
24 Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for thy profit, keep them with thee.24 Have you daughters? Take care of their bodies, but do not be over-indulgent.
25 Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their childhood.25 Marry a daughter off, and you have finished a great work; but give her to a man of sense.
26 Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew not thy countenance gay towards them.26 Have you a wife to your liking? Do not turn her out; but if you do not love her, never trust her.
27 Marry thy daughter well, and then shalt do a great work, and give her to a wise man.27 With al your heart honour your father, never forget the birthpangs of your mother.
28 If thou hast a wife according to thy soul, cast her not off: and to her that is hateful, trust not thyself. With thy whole heart,28 Remember that you owe your birth to them; how can you repay them for what they have done for you?
29 Honour thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother:29 With al your soul, fear the Lord and revere his priests.
30 Remember that thou hadst not been born but through them: and make a return to them as they have done for thee.30 With al your might love him who made you, and do not abandon his ministers.
31 With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests.31 Fear the Lord and honour the priest and give him the portion enjoined on you: first-fruits, sacrifice ofreparation, shoulder-gift, sanctification sacrifice, first-fruits of the holy things.
32 With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his ministers.32 And also give generously to the poor, so that your blessing may lack nothing.
33 Honour God with all thy soul, and give honour to the priests, and purify thyself with thy arms.33 Let your generosity extend to al the living, do not withhold it even from the dead.
34 Give them their portion, as it is commanded thee, of the firstfruits and of purifications: and for thy negligences purify thyself with a few.34 Do not turn your back on those who weep, but share the grief of the grief-stricken.
35 Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things:35 Do not shrink from visiting the sick; in this way you wil make yourself loved.
36 dummy verses inserted by amos36 In everything you do, remember your end, and you wil never sin.
37 A gift hath grace in the sight of all the living, and restrain not grace from the dead.
38 And stretch out thy hand to the poor, that thy expiation and thy blessing may be perfected.
40 Be not wanting in comforting them that weep, and walk with them that mourn.
41 Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.