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

Sirach 28


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1Whoever exacts vengeance wil experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin.2Pardon your neighbour any wrongs done to you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.3If anyone nurses anger against another, can one then demand compassion from the Lord?4Showing no pity for someone like oneself, can one then plead for one's own sins?5Mere creature of flesh, yet cherishing resentment!-who wil forgive one for sinning?6Remember the last things, and stop hating, corruption and death, and be faithful to the commandments.7Remember the commandments, and do not bear your fel ow il -wil , remember the covenant of the MostHigh, and ignore the offence.8Avoid quarrel ing and you wil sin less; for the hot-tempered provokes quarrels,9a sinner sows trouble between friends, introducing discord among the peaceful.10The way a fire burns depends on its fuel, a quarrel spreads in proportion to its violence; a man's ragedepends on his strength, his fury grows fiercer in proportion to his wealth.11A sudden quarrel kindles fire, a hasty dispute leads to bloodshed.12Blow on a spark and up it flares, spit on it and out it goes; both are the effects of your mouth.13A curse on the scandal-monger and double-talker, such a person has ruined many who lived inconcord.14That third tongue has shattered the peace of many and driven them from nation to nation; it has pul eddown fortified cities, and overthrown the houses of the great.15The third tongue has had upright wives divorced, depriving them of reward for their hard work.16No one who listens to it wil ever know peace of mind, wil ever live in peace again.17A stroke of the whip raises a weal, but a stroke of the tongue breaks bones.18Many have fal en by the edge of the sword, but many more have fal en by the tongue.19Blessed is anyone who has been sheltered from it, and has not experienced its fury, who has notdragged its yoke about, or been bound in its chains;20for its yoke is an iron yoke, its chains are bronze chains;21the death it inflicts is a miserable death, Sheol is preferable to it.22It cannot gain a hold over the devout, they are not burnt by its flames.23Those who desert the Lord wil fal into it, it wil flare up inextinguishably among them, it wil be letloose against them like a lion, it wil tear them like a leopard.24Be sure you put a thorn-hedge round your property, lock away your silver and gold;25then make scales and weights for your words, and put a door with bolts across your mouth.26Take care you take no false step through it, in case you fal a prey to him who lies in wait.