Sirach 16

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Do not long for a brood of worthless children, and do not take pleasure in godless sons.	1 Desire not a brood of worthless children, nor rejoice in wicked offspring.
2 However many you have, take no pleasure in them, unless the fear of the Lord lives among them.	2 Many though they be, exult not in them if they have not the fear of the LORD.
3 Do not count on their having long life, do not put too much faith in their number; for better have onethan a thousand, better die childless than have children who are godless.	3 Count not on their length of life, have no hope in their future. For one can be better than a thousand; rather die childless than have godless children!
4 One person of sense can populate a city, but a race of lawless people will be destroyed.	4 Through one wise man can a city be peopled; through a clan of rebels it becomes desolate.
5 My eyes have seen many such things, my ears have heard things even more impressive.	5 Many such things has my eye seen, even more than these has my ear heard.
6 Fire is kindled in a sinful society, Retribution blazes in a rebel ious nation.	6 Against a sinful band fire is enkindled, upon a godless people wrath flames out.
7 God did not pardon the giants of old who, confident in their strength, had rebel ed.	7 He forgave not the leaders of old who rebelled long ago in their might;
8 He did not spare the people with whom Lot lived; he abhorred them, rather, for their pride.	8 He spared not the neighbors of Lot whom he detested for their pride;
9 He was pitiless to the nation of perdition -- those people who gloried in their sins-	9 Nor did he spare the doomed people who were uprooted because of their sin;
10 as also to the six hundred thousand men on the march, who had banded together in their obstinacy.	10 Nor the six hundred thousand foot soldiers who perished for the impiety of their hearts.
11 And had there been only one man stubborn, it would have been amazing had he escaped unpunished,since mercy and wrath alike belong to the Lord who is mighty to forgive and to pour out wrath.	11 And had there been but one stiffnecked man, it were a wonder had he gone unpunished. For mercy and anger alike are with him who remits and forgives, though on the wicked alights his wrath.
12 As great as his mercy, so is his severity; he judges each person as his deeds deserve:	12 Great as his mercy is his punishment; he judges men, each according to his deeds.
13 the sinner wil not escape with his il -gotten gains nor the patience of the devout go for nothing.	13 A criminal does not escape with his plunder; a just man's hope God does not leave unfulfilled.
14 He takes note of every charitable action, and everyone is treated as he deserves.	14 Whoever does good has his reward, which each receives according to his deeds.
15	15 Say not: "I am hidden from God; in heaven who remembers me? Among so many people I cannot be known; what am I in the world of spirits?
16	16 Behold, the heavens, the heaven of heavens, the earth and the abyss tremble at his visitation;
17 Do not say, 'I shal hide from the Lord; who is going to remember me up there? I shall not be noticedamong so many people; what am I in the immensity of creation?'	17 The roots of the mountains, the earth's foundations, at his mere glance, quiver and quake.
18 For see, the sky and the heavens above the sky, the abyss and the earth shake at his visitation.	18 Of me, therefore, he will take no thought; with my ways who will concern himself?
19 The mountains and earth's foundations alike quail and tremble when he looks at them.	19 If I sin, no eye will see me; if all in secret I am disloyal, who is to know?
20 But to all this no one gives thought. Who keeps his movements in mind?	20 Who tells him of just deeds and what could I expect for doing my duty?"
21 The storm wind itself is invisible, and most of what he does goes undetected.	21 Such are the thoughts of senseless men, which only the foolish knave will think.
22 'Who wil report whether justice has been done? Who wil be watching? The covenant is remote!'	22 Hearken to me, my son, take my advice, apply your mind to my words,
23 Such are the thoughts of the person of little sense, stupid, misguided, cherishing his fol y.	23 While I propose measured wisdom, and impart accurate knowledge.
24 Listen to me, my child, and learn knowledge, and give your whole mind to my words.	24 When at the first God created his works and, as he made them, assigned their tasks,
25 I shal expound discipline methodically and proclaim knowledge with precision.	25 He ordered for all time what they were to do and their domains from generation to generation. They were not to hunger, nor grow weary, nor ever cease from their tasks.
26 When God created his works in the beginning, he assigned them their places as soon as they weremade.	26 Not one should ever crowd its neighbor, nor should they ever disobey his word.
27 He determined his works for al time, from their origins to their distant generations. They know neitherhunger nor weariness, and they never desert their duties.	27 Then the LORD looked upon the earth, and filled it with his blessings.
28 Not one has ever got in the way of another, and they wil never disobey his word.	28 Its surface he covered with all manner of life which must return into it again.
29 And afterwards the Lord looked at the earth, and filled it with his good things.
30 He covered its surface with every kind of animal, and to it they wil return.