Sirach 17

¹ God created man from the earth, and he made him according to his own image.

² And he returned him again to it, and he clothed him with virtue according to himself.

³ He gave him the number and time of his days, and he gave him authority over all the things that are upon the earth.

⁴ He placed the fear of him over all flesh, and he had dominion over wild beasts and flying things.

⁵ He created from him a helper, similar to himself. He gave them counsel, and language, and sight, and hearing, and a heart, in order to think. And he filled them with the discipline of understanding.

⁶ He created within them the knowledge of the spirit. He filled their heart with understanding, and he showed them both good and evil.

⁷ He set his eye upon their hearts, to reveal to them the greatness of his works,

⁸ so that they might highly praise the name of sanctification, and give glory to his wonders, so that they might declare the greatness of his works.

⁹ In addition, he gave them discipline and the law of life, as their inheritance.

¹⁰ He established an eternal covenant with them, and he revealed to them his justice and judgments.

¹¹ And their eye saw the greatness of his honor, and their ears heard the honor of his voice, and he said to them: “Beware of all iniquity.”

¹² And he commanded each one concerning his neighbor.

¹³ Their ways are always in his sight; they are not hidden from his eyes.

¹⁴ Over each and every people, he has appointed a ruler.

¹⁵ And Israel was made to be the manifest portion of God.

¹⁶ And in the sight of God, all their works are like the sun. And his eyes, without ceasing, inspect their ways.

¹⁷ The covenants are not hidden by their iniquity, and all their iniquities are in the sight of God.

¹⁸ The almsgiving of a man is like a seal upon him, which will guard the grace of a man like the pupil of an eye.

¹⁹ And afterward, it will rise up and repay them their reward, each one upon his head, and it will return to the hidden places of the earth.

²⁰ Now, to the repentant, he has given the way of justice, and he has strengthened those lacking in patience, and he has fastened them to a destiny of truth.

²¹ Convert to the Lord, and relinquish your sins.

²² Make supplication before the face of the Lord, and diminish your offenses.

²³ Return to the Lord, and turn away from your injustice, and have immense hatred for abomination.

²⁴ And acknowledge the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the circumstances set before you and in prayer to the most high God.

²⁵ Go to the side of the holy generation, to those who live in order to give praise to God.

²⁶ You should not linger in the error of the impious; confess before death. Confession perishes from the dead as if it were nothing.

²⁷ Confess while living; you should give thanks while you are still alive and healthy. And you should praise God and glory in his compassion.

²⁸ How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness, for those who convert to him!

²⁹ For not all things can be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, and because they are pleased by the emptiness of malice.

³⁰ What is brighter than the sun? Yet this will fail. Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood has invented? And this will be reproved.

³¹ He beholds the power of the heights of heaven. And all men are earth and ashes.