Sirach 23

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	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 vitæ meæ, 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 sapientiæ, ut ignorationibus eorum non parcant mihi, et non appareant delicta eorum,
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 ignorantiæ meæ, 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 vitæ meæ, 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 concupiscentiæ ne apprehendant me, et animæ irreverenti et infrunitæ 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 Doctrinam oris audite, filii : et qui custodierit illam non periet 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 vanitate sua apprehenditur peccator : et superbus et maledicus scandalizabitur in illis.
9 Do not allow your mouth to become accustomed to swearing oaths. For in this, there are many pitfalls.	9 Jurationi non assuescat 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 erit 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 interrogatus assidue a livore non minuitur, sic omnis jurans 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 jurans 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, delinquit 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 juraverit, non justificabitur : replebitur enim retributione 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 contraria morti : non inveniatur in hæreditate Jacob.
16 For all these things will be taken away from the merciful, and they shall not wallow in offenses.	16 Etenim a misericordibus omnia hæc auferentur, 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 Indisciplinatæ loquelæ 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 tuæ : 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 obliviscatur te Deus in conspectu illorum, et assiduitate tua infatuatus, improperium patiaris, et maluisses non nasci, et diem nativitatis tuæ 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 extinguetur donec aliquid glutiat :
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 nequam in ore carnis suæ 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 fatigabitur transgrediens usque ad finem.
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 lectum suum, contemnens in animam suam, 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 Tenebræ 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 intelligit quoniam omnia videt oculus illius, quoniam expellit a se timorem Dei hujusmodi hominis timor, et oculi hominum timentes illum :
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 post perfectum 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 hæreditatem 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 Hæc in ecclesiam adducetur, et in filios ejus respicietur :
35 Her children will not take root, and her branches will not produce fruit.	35 non tradent filii ejus radices, et rami ejus 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 ejus, 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 respicere in 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.