Sirach 16

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Desire not a multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight in ungodly sons.	1 Do not long for a brood of worthless children, and do not take pleasure in godless sons.
2 Though they multiply, rejoice not in them, except the fear of the Lord be with them.	2 However many you have, take no pleasure in them, unless the fear of the Lord lives among them.
3 Trust not thou in their life, neither respect their multitude: for one that is just is better than a thousand; and better it is to die without children, than to have them that are ungodly.	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.
4 For by one that hath understanding shall the city be replenished: but the kindred of the wicked shall speedily become desolate.	4 One person of sense can populate a city, but a race of lawless people will be destroyed.
5 Many such things have I seen with mine eyes, and mine ear hath heard greater things than these.	5 My eyes have seen many such things, my ears have heard things even more impressive.
6 In the congregation of the ungodly shall a fire be kindled; and in a rebellious nation wrath is set on fire.	6 Fire is kindled in a sinful society, Retribution blazes in a rebel ious nation.
7 He was not pacified toward the old giants, who fell away in the strength of their foolishness.	7 God did not pardon the giants of old who, confident in their strength, had rebel ed.
8 Neither spared he the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for their pride.	8 He did not spare the people with whom Lot lived; he abhorred them, rather, for their pride.
9 He pitied not the people of perdition, who were taken away in their sins:	9 He was pitiless to the nation of perdition -- those people who gloried in their sins-
10 Nor the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts.	10 as also to the six hundred thousand men on the march, who had banded together in their obstinacy.
11 And if there be one stiffnecked among the people, it is marvel if he escape unpunished: for mercy and wrath are with him; he is mighty to forgive, and to pour out displeasure.	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.
12 As his mercy is great, so is his correction also: he judgeth a man according to his works	12 As great as his mercy, so is his severity; he judges each person as his deeds deserve:
13 The sinner shall not escape with his spoils: and the patience of the godly shall not be frustrate.	13 the sinner wil not escape with his il -gotten gains nor the patience of the devout go for nothing.
14 Make way for every work of mercy: for every man shall find according to his works.	14 He takes note of every charitable action, and everyone is treated as he deserves.
15 The Lord hardened Pharaoh, that he should not know him, that his powerful works might be known to the world.	15
16 His mercy is manifest to every creature; and he hath separated his light from the darkness with an adamant.	16
17 Say not thou, I will hide myself from the Lord: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my soul among such an infinite number of creatures?	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?'
18 Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the deep, and the earth, and all that therein is, shall be moved when he shall visit.	18 For see, the sky and the heavens above the sky, the abyss and the earth shake at his visitation.
19 The mountains also and foundations of the earth be shaken with trembling, when the Lord looketh upon them.	19 The mountains and earth's foundations alike quail and tremble when he looks at them.
20 No heart can think upon these things worthily: and who is able to conceive his ways?	20 But to all this no one gives thought. Who keeps his movements in mind?
21 It is a tempest which no man can see: for the most part of his works are hid.	21 The storm wind itself is invisible, and most of what he does goes undetected.
22 Who can declare the works of his justice? or who can endure them? for his covenant is afar off, and the trial of all things is in the end.	22 'Who wil report whether justice has been done? Who wil be watching? The covenant is remote!'
23 He that wanteth understanding will think upon vain things: and a foolish man erring imagineth follies.	23 Such are the thoughts of the person of little sense, stupid, misguided, cherishing his fol y.
24 by son, hearken unto me, and learn knowledge, and mark my words with thy heart.	24 Listen to me, my child, and learn knowledge, and give your whole mind to my words.
25 I will shew forth doctrine in weight, and declare his knowledge exactly.	25 I shal expound discipline methodically and proclaim knowledge with precision.
26 The works of the Lord are done in judgment from the beginning: and from the time he made them he disposed the parts thereof.	26 When God created his works in the beginning, he assigned them their places as soon as they weremade.
27 He garnished his works for ever, and in his hand are the chief of them unto all generations: they neither labour, nor are weary, nor cease from their works.	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.
28 None of them hindereth another, and they shall never disobey his word.	28 Not one has ever got in the way of another, and they wil never disobey his word.
29 After this the Lord looked upon the earth, and filled it with his blessings.	29 And afterwards the Lord looked at the earth, and filled it with his good things.
30 With all manner of living things hath he covered the face thereof; and they shall return into it again.	30 He covered its surface with every kind of animal, and to it they wil return.