Sirach 38

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Honor the physician with the honor due him, according to your need of him, for the Lord created him;	1 Honour the physician for the need thou hast of him: for the most High hath created him.
2 for healing comes from the Most High, and he will receive a gift from the king.	2 For all healing is from God, and he shall receive gifts of the king.
3 The skill of the physician lifts up his head, and in the presence of great men he is admired.	3 The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be praised.
4 The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a sensible man will not despise them.	4 The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.
5 Was not water made sweet with a tree in order that his power might be known?	5 Was not bitter water made sweet with wood?
6 And he gave skill to men that he might be glorified in his marvelous works.	6 The virtue of these things is come to the knowledge of men, and the meet High hath given knowledge to men, that he may be honoured in his wonders.
7 By them he heals and takes away pain;	7 By these he shall cure and shall allay their pains, and of these the apothecary shall make sweet confections, and shall make up ointments of health, and of his works there shall be no end.
8 the pharmacist makes of them a compound. His works will never be finished; and from him health is upon the face of the earth.	8 For the peace of God is over all the face of the earth.
9 My son, when you are sick do not be negligent, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.	9 My son, in thy sickness neglect not thyself, but pray to the Lord, and he shall heal thee.
10 Give up your faults and direct your hands aright, and cleanse your heart from all sin.	10 Turn away from sin and order thy hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all offence.
11 Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of fine flour, and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.	11 Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour, and make a fat offering, and then give place to the physician.
12 And give the physician his place, for the Lord created him; let him not leave you, for there is need of him.	12 For the Lord created him: and let him not depart from thee, for his works are necessary.
13 There is a time when success lies in the hands of physicians,	13 For there is a time when thou must fall into their hands:
14 for they too will pray to the Lord that he should grant them success in diagnosis and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.	14 And they shall beseech the Lord, that he would prosper what they give for ease and remedy, for their conversation.
15 He who sins before his Maker, may he fall into the care of a physician.	15 He that sinneth in the sight of his Maker, shall fall into the hands of the physician.
16 My son, let your tears fall for the dead, and as one who is suffering grievously begin the lament. Lay out his body with the honor due him, and do not neglect his burial.	16 My son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to lament as if thou hadst suffered some great harm, and according to judgment cover his body, and neglect not his burial.
17 Let your weeping be bitter and your wailing fervent; observe the mourning according to his merit, for one day, or two, to avoid criticism; then be comforted for your sorrow.	17 And for fear of being ill spoken of weep bitterly for a, day, and then comfort thyself in thy sadness.
18 For sorrow results in death, and sorrow of heart saps one's strength.	18 And make mourning for him according to his merit for a day, or two, for fear of detraction.
19 In calamity sorrow continues, and the life of the poor man weighs down his heart.	19 For of sadness cometh death, and it overwhelmeth the strength, and the sorrow of the heart boweth down the neck.
20 Do not give your heart to sorrow; drive it away, remembering the end of life.	20 In withdrawing aside sorrow remaineth: and the substance of the poor is according to his heart.
21 Do not forget, there is no coming back; you do the dead no good, and you injure yourself.	21 Give not up thy heart to sadness, but drive it from thee: and remember the latter end.
22 "Remember my doom, for yours is like it: yesterday it was mine, and today it is yours."	22 Forget it not: for there is no returning, and thou shalt do him no good, and shalt hurt thyself.
23 When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance cease, and be comforted for him when his spirit is departed.	23 Remember my judgment: for also shall be so: yesterday for me, and to day for thee.
24 The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure; and he who has little business may become wise.	24 When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest, and comfort him in the departing of his spirit.
25 How can he become wise who handles the plow, and who glories in the shaft of a goad, who drives oxen and is occupied with their work, and whose talk is about bulls?	25 The wisdom of a scribe cometh by his time of leisure: and he that is less in action, shall receive wisdom.
26 He sets his heart on plowing furrows, and he is careful about fodder for the heifers.	26 With what wisdom shall he be furnished that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth the oxen therewith, and is occupied in their labours, and his whole talk is about the offspring of bulls?
27 So too is every craftsman and master workman who labors by night as well as by day; those who cut the signets of seals, each is diligent in making a great variety; he sets his heart on painting a lifelike image, and he is careful to finish his work.	27 He shall give his mind to turn up furrows, and his care is to give the kine fodder.
28 So too is the smith sitting by the anvil, intent upon his handiwork in iron; the breath of the fire melts his flesh, and he wastes away in the heat of the furnace; he inclines his ear to the sound of the hammer, and his eyes are on the pattern of the object. He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork, and he is careful to complete its decoration.	28 So every craftsman and workmaster that laboureth night and day, he who maketh graven seals, and by his continual diligence varieth the figure: he shall give his mind to the resemblance of the picture, and by his watching shall finish the work.
29 So too is the potter sitting at his work and turning the wheel with his feet; he is always deeply concerned over his work, and all his output is by number.	29 So doth the smith sitting by the anvil and considering the iron work. The vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace.
30 He moulds the clay with his arm and makes it pliable with his feet; he sets his heart to finish the glazing, and he is careful to clean the furnace.	30 The noise of the hammer is always in his ears, and his eye is upon the pat tern of the vessel he maketh.
31 All these rely upon their hands, and each is skilful in his own work.	31 He setteth his mind to finish his work, and his watching to polish them, to perfection.
32 Without them a city cannot be established, and men can neither sojourn nor live there.	32 So doth the potter sitting at his work, turning the wheel about with his feet, who is always carefully set to his work, and maketh all his work by number:
33 Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people, nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly. They do not sit in the judge's seat, nor do they understand the sentence of judgment; they cannot expound discipline or judgment, and they are not found using proverbs.	33 He fashioneth the clay with his arm, and boweth down his strength before his feet:
34 But they keep stable the fabric of the world, and their prayer is in the practice of their trade.	34 He shall give his mind to finish the glazing, and his watching to make clean the furnace.
	35 All these trust to their hands, and every one is wise in his own art.
	36 Without these a city is not built.
	37 And they shall not dwell, nor walk about therein, and they shall not go up into the assembly.
	38 Upon the judges' seat they shall not sit, and the ordinance of judgment they shall not understand, neither shall they declare discipline and judgment, and they shall not be found where parables are spoken:
	39 But they shall strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer shall be in the work of their craft, applying their soul, and searching in the law of the most High.