Sirach 23

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NOVA VULGATA
1 Lord, Father and Ruler of my life: may you not abandon me to their counsel, nor permit me to fall by them.	1 Domine, pater et dominator vitae meae, ne derelinquas me in consilio eorum nec sinas me cadere in illis.
2 They would impose scourges over my thoughts and over the discipline of wisdom in my heart. And they would not spare me from their ignorances, nor would they allow their own offenses to become apparent.	2 Quis superponet in cogitatu meo flagella et in corde meo doctrinam sapientiae, ut ignorationibus meis non parcant mihi, et non appareant delicta mea,
3 And they intend that my ignorances would increase, and my offenses be multiplied, and my sins abound. And so I would fall in the sight of my adversaries, and be rejoiced over by my enemy.	3 et ne adincrescant ignorantiae meae, et multiplicentur delicta mea, et peccata mea abundent, et incidam in conspectu adversariorum meorum, et gaudeat super me inimicus meus?
4 Lord, Father and God of my life: may you not abandon me to their plans.	4 Domine, pater et Deus vitae meae, ne derelinquas me in cogitatu illorum.
5 Do not leave me with the haughtiness of my eyes. And avert all desire from me.	5 Extollentiam oculorum meorum ne dederis mihi et omne desiderium averte a me.
6 Take the desire of the body from me, and do not allow sexual desire to take hold of me, and do not permit an irreverent and senseless mind within me.	6 Aufer a me ventris concupiscentias, et concubitus concupiscentiae ne apprehendant me, et animae irreverenti et infrunitae ne tradas me.
7 O sons: listen to the doctrine of my mouth. For those who observe it will not perish by the lips, nor be scandalized into wicked works.	7 De doctrina oris. Doctrinam oris audite, filii; et, qui custodierit illam, non capietur labiis nec scandalizabitur in operibus nequissimis.
8 A sinner is held by his own emptiness. And the arrogant and those who speak evil will be scandalized by these things.	8 In labiis suis apprehendetur peccator, et maledicus et superbus scandalizabitur in illis.
9 Do not allow your mouth to become accustomed to swearing oaths. For in this, there are many pitfalls.	9 Iurationi non assuescas os tuum: multi enim casus in illa.
10 Truly, do not allow the naming of God to be continually in your mouth, and do not treat as if common the names of the holy ones. For you will not escape punishment by them.	10 Nominatio vero Dei non sit assidua in ore tuo, et nominibus sanctorum non admiscearis, quoniam non eris immunis ab eis.
11 Just as a servant, continually interrogated, will not be without a bruise, so everyone who swears oaths and takes God’s name will not be entirely free from sin.	11 Sicut enim servus exquisitus assidue livore carere non poterit, sic omnis iurans et nominans in toto a peccato non purgabitur.
12 A man who swears many oaths will be filled with iniquity, and scourges will not depart from his house.	12 Vir multum iurans implebitur iniquitate, et non discedet a domo illius plaga.
13 And if he fails to fulfill it, his offense will be over him, and if he pretends he fulfilled it, he offends doubly.	13 Et, si frustraverit, delictum illius super ipsum erit; et, si dissimulaverit, delinquet dupliciter.
14 And if he swears an oath insincerely, he will not be justified. For his house will be filled with retribution for him.	14 Et, si in vacuum iuraverit, non iustificabitur: replebitur enim malis domus illius.
15 There is yet another kind of talk which faces death; let it not be found in the inheritance of Jacob.	15 Est et alia loquela morti comparanda: non inveniatur in hereditate Iacob.
16 For all these things will be taken away from the merciful, and they shall not wallow in offenses.	16 Etenim a timoratis omnia haec sunt remota, et in delictis non volutabuntur.
17 Do not allow your mouth to become accustomed to undisciplined speech. For in this, there is the sin of words.	17 Indisciplinatae turpitudini non assuescat os tuum: est enim in illa verbum peccati.
18 When you sit in the midst of great men, remember your father and mother.	18 Memento patris et matris tuae, in medio enim magnatorum consistis;
19 Otherwise, God may forget you, when you are in their sight, and then you would be repeatedly ridiculed and would suffer disgrace, and you might wish that you had never been born, and you might curse the day of your nativity.	19 ne forte obliviscaris tui in conspectu illorum et assiduitate tua infatuatus improperium patiaris et maluisses non nasci et diem nativitatis tuae maledicas.
20 The man who is accustomed to disgraceful words will not accept instruction, all the days of his life.	20 Homo assuetus in verbis improperii in omnibus diebus suis non erudietur.
21 Two kinds of persons abound in sins, and a third adds wrath and perdition.	21 Duo genera abundant in peccatis, et tertium adducit iram et perditionem:
22 A desirous soul is like a burning fire, it will not be quenched, until it devours something.	22 anima calida quasi ignis ardens non exstinguetur, donec consumatur;
23 And a man who is wicked in the desires of his flesh will not desist until he has kindled a fire.	23 et homo fornicarius in corpore carnis suae non desinet, donec incendat ignem.
24 To a man of fornication, all bread is sweet; he will not tire of transgression, to the very end.	24 Homini fornicario omnis panis dulcis: non cessabit nisi in morte.
25 Every man who transgresses his own bed has contempt for his own soul. And so he says: “Who can see me?	25 Omnis homo, qui transgreditur super lectum suum contemnens in anima sua et dicens: “ Quis me videt?
26 Darkness surrounds me, and the walls enclose me, and no one catches sight of me. Whom should I fear? The Most High will not remember my offenses.”	26 Tenebrae circumdant me, et parietes cooperiunt me, et nemo circumspicit me; quem vereor? Delictorum meorum non memorabitur Altissimus ”
27 And he does not understand that God’s eye sees all things. For fear within a man such as this drives away from him both the fear of God and the eyes of those men who fear God.	27 et non intellegit quoniam omnia videt oculus illius, quoniam expellit a se timorem Dei huiusmodi hominis timor. Et oculi hominum sunt timor illius,
28 And he does not acknowledge that the eyes of the Lord are much brighter than the sun, keeping watch over all the ways of men, even to the depths of the abyss, and gazing into the hearts of men, even to the most hidden parts.	28 et non cognovit quoniam oculi Domini multo plus lucidiores sunt super solem circumspicientes omnes vias hominum et profundum abyssi et hominum corda intuentes in absconditas partes.
29 For all things, before they were created, were known to the Lord God. And even after their completion, he beholds all things.	29 Domino enim Deo, antequam crearentur, omnia sunt agnita; sic et, postquam perfecta sunt, respicit omnia.
30 This man will be punished in the streets of the city, and he will be chased like a young horse. And in a place that he does not suspect, he will be captured.	30 Hic in plateis civitatis vindicabitur et quasi pullus equinus fugabitur et, ubi non speravit, apprehendetur;
31 And because he did not understand the fear of the Lord, he will be in disgrace before all men,	31 et erit dedecus omnibus, eo quod non intellexerit timorem Domini.
32 as will be every woman, too, who abandons her husband and establishes an inheritance by marriage to another man.	32 Sic et mulier omnis relinquens virum suum et statuens hereditatem ex alieno matrimonio.
33 For first, she was unbelieving of the law of the Most High. Second, she offended against her husband. Third, she fornicated by adultery, and so established her children by another man.	33 Primo enim in lege Altissimi incredibilis fuit, secundo in virum suum deliquit, tertio in adulterio fornicata est et ex alio viro filios statuit sibi.
34 This woman will be led into the assembly, and she will be stared at by her children.	34 Haec in ecclesiam adducetur et in filios eius respicietur;
35 Her children will not take root, and her branches will not produce fruit.	35 non tradent filii eius radices, et rami eius non dabunt fructum:
36 She will leave behind her memory as a curse, and her infamy will not be wiped away.	36 derelinquet in maledictum memoriam suam, et dedecus illius non delebitur.
37 And those who are left behind will acknowledge that there is nothing better than the fear of God, and that there is nothing sweeter than to have respect for the commandments of the Lord.	37 Et agnoscent, qui derelicti sunt, quoniam nihil melius est quam timor Dei, et nihil dulcius quam attendere mandatis Domini.
38 It is a great glory to follow the Lord. For length of days will be received from him.	38 Gloria magna est sequi Dominum; longitudo enim dierum assumetur ab eo.