Sirach 16

DOUAI-RHEIMS	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Rejoice not in ungodly children, if they be multiplied: neither be delighted in them, if the fear of God be not with them.	1 Do not desire a multitude of useless children, nor rejoice in ungodly sons.
2 Trust not to their life, and respect not their labours.	2 If they multiply , do not rejoice in them, unless the fear of the Lord is in them.
3 For better is one that feareth God, than a thousand ungodly children.	3 Do not trust in their survival, and do not rely on their multitude; for one is better than a thousand, and to die childless is better than to have ungodly children.
4 And it is better to die without children, than to leave ungodly children.	4 For through one man of understanding a city will be filled with people, but through a tribe of lawless men it will be made desolate.
5 By one that is wise a country shall be inhabited, the tribe of the ungodly shall become desolate.	5 Many such things my eye has seen, and my ear has heard things more striking than these.
6 Many such things hath my eyes seen, and greater things than these my ear hath heard.	6 In an assembly of sinners a fire will be kindled, and in a disobedient nation wrath was kindled.
7 In the congregation of sinners a fire shall be kindled, and in an unbelieving nation wrath shall dame out.	7 He was not propitiated for the ancient giants who revolted in their might.
8 The ancient giants did not obtain pardon for their sine, who were destroyed trusting to their own strength:	8 He did not spare the neighbors of Lot, whom he loathed on account of their insolence.
9 And he spared not the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for the pride of their word.	9 He showed no pity for a nation devoted to destruction, for those destroyed in their sins;
10 He had not pity on them, destroying the whole nation that extolled themselves in their sine.	10 nor for the six hundred thousand men on foot, who rebelliously assembled in their stubbornness.
11 So did he with the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their heart: and if one had been stiffnecked, it is a wonder if he had escaped unpunished:	11 Even if there is only one stiff-necked person, it will be a wonder if he remains unpunished. For mercy and wrath are with the Lord; he is mighty to forgive, and he pours out wrath.
12 For mercy and wrath are with him. He is mighty to forgive, and to pour out indignation:	12 As great as his mercy, so great is also his reproof; he judges a man according to his deeds.
13 According as his mercy is, so his correction judgeth a man according to his works.	13 The sinner will not escape with his plunder, and the patience of the godly will not be frustrated.
14 The sinner shall not escape in his rapines, and the patience of him that sheweth mercy shall not be put off.	14 He will make room for every act of mercy; every one will receive in accordance with his deeds.
15 All mercy shall make a place for every man according to the merit of his works, and according to the wisdom of his sojournment.	15 .
16 Say not: I shall be hidden from God. and who shall remember me from on high?	16 .
17 In such a multitude I shall not be known: for what is my soul in such an immense creation?	17 Do not say, "I shall be hidden from the Lord, and who from on high will remember me? Among so many people I shall not be known, for what is my soul in the boundless creation?
18 Behold the heaven, and the heavens of heavens, the deep, and all the earth, and the things that are in them, shall be moved in his sight,	18 Behold, heaven and the highest heaven, the abyss and the earth, will tremble at his visitation.
19 The mountains also, and the hills, end the foundations of the earth: when God shall look upon them, they shall be shaken with trembling.	19 The mountains also and the foundations of the earth shake with trembling when he looks upon them.
20 And in all these things the heart is senseless: and every heart is understood by him:	20 And no mind will reflect on this. Who will ponder his ways?
21 And his ways who shall understand, and the storm, which no eye of man see?	21 Like a tempest which no man can see, so most of his works are concealed.
22 For many of his works are hidden: hut the works of his justice who shall declare? or who shall endure? for the testament is far from some, and the examination of all is in the end.	22 Who will announce his acts of justice? Or who will await them? For the covenant is far off."
23 He that wanteth understanding thinketh vain things: and the foolish, and erring man, thinketh foolish things.	23 This is what one devoid of understanding thinks; a senseless and misguided man thinks foolishly.
24 Hearken to me, my son, and learn the discipline of understanding, and attend to my words in thy heart.	24 Listen to me, my son, and acquire knowledge, and pay close attention to my words.
25 And I will shew forth good doctrine in equity, and will seek to declare wisdom: and attend to my words in thy heart, whilst with equity of spirit I tell thee the virtues that God hath put upon his works from the beginning, and I shew forth in truth his knowledge.	25 I will impart instruction by weight, and declare knowledge accurately.
26 The works of God are done in judgment from the beginning, and from the making of them he distinguished their parts, and their beginnings in their generations.	26 The works of the Lord have existed from the beginning by his creation, and when he made them, he determined their divisions.
27 He beautified their works for ever, they have neither hungered, nor laboured, and they have not ceased from their works.	27 He arranged his works in an eternal order, and their dominion for all generations; they neither hunger nor grow weary, and they do not cease from their labors.
28 Nor shall any of them straiten his neighbour at any time.	28 They do not crowd one another aside, and they will never disobey his word.
29 Be not thou incredulous to his word.	29 After this the Lord looked upon the earth, and filled it with his good things;
30 After this God looked upon the earth, and filled it with his goods.	30 with all kinds of living beings he covered its surface, and to it they return.
31 The soul of every living thing hath shewn forth before the face thereof, and into it they return again.