Scrutatio

Venerdi, 29 marzo 2024 - Santi Simplicio e Costantino ( Letture di oggi)

Sirach 10


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1A sagacious ruler educates his people, and he makes his subjects understand order.2As the magistrate is, so will his officials be, as the governor is, so wil be the inhabitants of his city.3An undisciplined king wil be the ruin of his people, a city owes its prosperity to the intel igence of itsleading men.4The government of the earth is in the hands of the Lord, he sets the right leader over it at the right time.5Human success is in the hands of the Lord. He invests the scribe with honour.6Do not resent your neighbour's every offence, and never act in a fit of passion.7Pride is hateful to God and humanity, and injustice is abhorrent to both.8Sovereignty passes from nation to nation because of injustice, arrogance and money.9What has dust and ashes to pride itself on? Even in life its entrails are repel ent.10A long illness makes a fool of the doctor; a king today is a corpse tomorrow.11For in death the portion of al alike wil be insects, wild animals and worms.12The first stage of pride is to desert the Lord and to turn one's heart away from one's Maker.13Since the first stage of pride is sin, whoever clings to it will pour forth filth. This is why the Lord inflictsunexpected punishments on such people, utterly destroying them.14The Lord has turned mighty princes off their thrones and seated the humble there instead.15The Lord has plucked up the proud by the roots, and planted the lowly in their place.16The Lord has overthrown the lands of the nations and destroyed them to the very foundations of theearth.17Sometimes he has taken them away and destroyed them, and blotted out their memory from the earth.18Pride was not created for human beings, nor furious rage for those born of woman.19What race deserves honour? The human race. What race deserves honour? Those who fear the Lord.What race deserves contempt? The human race. What race deserves contempt? Those who break the Law.20A leader is honoured by his brothers, and those who fear the Lord are honoured by him.2122The rich, the noble, the poor, let them pride themselves on fearing the Lord.23It is not right to despise one who is poor but intel igent, and it is not good to honour one who is asinner.24Magnate, magistrate, potentate, all are to be honoured, but none is greater than the one who fears theLord.25A wise slave wil have free men waiting on him, and the enlightened wil not complain.26Do not try to be smart when you do your work, do not put on airs when you are in difficulties.27Better the hardworking who has plenty of everything, than the pretentious at a loss for a meal.28My child, be modest in your self-esteem, and value yourself at your proper worth.29Who can justify one who inflicts injuries on himself, or respect one who is ful of self-contempt?30The poor is honoured for wit, and the rich for wealth.31Honoured in poverty, how much the more in wealth! Dishonoured in wealth, how much the more inpoverty!