Scrutatio

Giovedi, 28 marzo 2024 - San Castore di Tarso ( Letture di oggi)

Sirach 6


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1for a bad name will earn you shame and reproach, as happens to the double-talking sinner.2Do not get carried aloft on the wings of passion, for fear your strength tear itself apart like a bul ,3and you devour your own foliage and destroy your own fruit and end by making yourself like a piece of dried-up wood.4An evil temper destroys the person who has it and makes him the laughing-stock of his enemies.5A kindly turn of speech attracts new friends, a courteous tongue invites many a friendly response.6Let your acquaintances be many, but for advisers choose one out of a thousand.7If you want to make a friend, take him on trial, and do not be in a hurry to trust him;8for one kind of friend is so only when it suits him but wil not stand by you in your day of trouble.9Another kind of friend wil fal out with you and to your dismay make your quarrel public,10and a third kind of friend wil share your table, but not stand by you in your day of trouble:11when you are doing well he wil be your second self, ordering your servants about;12but, if disaster befal s you, he wil recoil from you and keep out of your way.13Keep well clear of your enemies, and be wary of your friends.14A loyal friend is a powerful defence: whoever finds one has indeed found a treasure.15A loyal friend is something beyond price, there is no measuring his worth.16A loyal friend is the elixir of life, and those who fear the Lord will find one.17Whoever fears the Lord makes true friends, for as a person is, so is his friend too.18My child, from your earliest youth choose instruction, and til your hair is white you wil keep findingwisdom.19Like ploughman and sower, cultivate her and wait for her fine harvest, for in tilling her you wil toil a littlewhile, but very soon you wil be eating her crops.20How very harsh she is to the undisciplined! The senseless does not stay with her for long:21she wil weigh as heavily on the senseless as a touchstone and such a person will lose no time inthrowing her off;22for Wisdom is true to her name, she is not accessible to many.23Listen, my child, and take my advice, do not reject my counsel:24put your feet into her fetters, and your neck into her collar;25offer your shoulder to her burden, do not be impatient of her bonds;26court her with al your soul, and with al your might keep in her ways;27search for her, track her down: she wil reveal herself; once you hold her, do not let her go.28For in the end you wil find rest in her and she wil take the form of joy for you:29her fetters you will find a mighty defence, her col ars, a precious necklace.30Her yoke wil be a golden ornament, and her bonds be purple ribbons;31you wil wear her like a robe of honour, you wil put her on like a crown of joy.32If you wish it, my child, you can be taught; apply yourself, and you will become intel igent.33If you love listening, you will learn, if you pay attention, you will become wise.34Attend the gathering of elders; if there is a wise man there, attach yourself to him.35Listen willingly to any discourse coming from God, do not let wise proverbs escape you.36If you see a man of understanding, visit him early, let your feet wear out his doorstep.37Reflect on the injunctions of the Lord, busy yourself at al times with his commandments. He wilstrengthen your mind, and the wisdom you desire will be granted you.