Sirach 34

¹ Empty and false are the hopes of the senseless, and fools are borne aloft by dreams.

² Like a man who catches at shadows or chases the wind, is the one who believes in dreams.

³ What is seen in dreams is to reality what the reflection of a face is to the face itself.

⁴ Can the unclean produce the clean? can the liar ever speak the truth?

⁵ Divination, omens and dreams all are unreal; what you already expect, the mind depicts.

⁶ Unless it be a vision specially sent by the Most High, fix not your heart on it;

⁷ For dreams have led many astray, and those who believed in them have perished.

⁸ The law is fulfilled without fail, and perfect wisdom is found in the mouth of the faithful man.

⁹ A man with training gains wide knowledge; a man of experience speaks sense.

¹⁰ One never put to the proof knows little, whereas with travel a man adds to his resourcefulness.

¹¹ I have seen much in my travels, learned more than ever I could say.

¹² Often I was in danger of death, but by these attainments I was saved.

¹³ Lively is the courage of those who fear the LORD, for they put their hope in their savior;

¹⁴ He who fears the LORD is never alarmed, never afraid; for the LORD is his hope.

¹⁵ Happy the soul that fears the LORD! In whom does he trust, and who is his support?

¹⁶ The eyes of the LORD are upon those who love him; he is their mighty shield and strong support, A shelter from the heat, a shade from the noonday sun, a guard against stumbling, a help against falling.

¹⁷ He buoys up the spirits, brings a sparkle to the eyes, gives health and life and blessing.

¹⁸ Tainted his gifts who offers in sacrifice ill-gotten goods! Mock presents from the lawless win not God's favor.

¹⁹ The Most High approves not the gifts of the godless, nor for their many sacrifices does he forgive their sins.

²⁰ Like the man who slays a son in his father's presence is he who offers sacrifice from the possessions of the poor.

²¹ The bread of charity is life itself for the needy; he who withholds it is a man of blood.

²² He slays his neighbor who deprives him of his living: he sheds blood who denies the laborer his wages.

²³ If one man builds up and another tears down, what do they gain but trouble?

²⁴ If one man prays and another curses, whose voice will the LORD hear?

²⁵ If a man again touches a corpse after he has bathed, what did he gain by the purification?

²⁶ So with a man who fasts for his sins, but then goes and commits them again: Who will hear his prayer, and what has he gained by his mortification?