Ecclesiasticus / Sirach - The Old Testament

¹ The Lord fashioned human beings from the earth, to consign them back to it.

² He gave them so many days and so much time, he gave them authority over everything on earth.

³ He clothed them in strength, like himself, and made them in his own image.

⁴ He filled all living things with dread of human beings, making them masters over beasts and birds.

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6</sup> He made them a tongue, eyes and ears, and gave them a heart to think with.

⁷ He filled them with knowledge and intelligence, and showed them what was good and what evil.

⁸ He put his own light in their hearts to show them the magnificence of his works,

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10</sup> so that they would praise his holy name as they told of his magnificent works.

¹¹ He set knowledge before them, he endowed them with the law of life.

¹² He established an eternal covenant with them, and revealed his judgements to them.

¹³ Their eyes saw the majesty of his glory, and their ears heard the glory of his voice.

¹⁴ He said to them, 'Beware of all wrong-doing'; he gave each a commandment concerning his neighbour.

¹⁵ Their ways are always under his eye, they cannot be hidden from his sight.

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17</sup> Over each nation he has set a governor, but Israel is the Lord's own portion.

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19</sup> Their actions are all as plain as the sun to him, and his eyes rest constantly on their conduct.

²⁰ Their iniquities are not hidden from him, all their sins are before the Lord.

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22</sup> Almsgiving is like a signet ring to him, he cherishes generosity like the pupil of an eye.

²³ One day he will rise and reward them, he will repay their deserts on their own heads.

²⁴ But to those who repent he permits return, and he encourages those who have lost hope.

²⁵ Return to the Lord and renounce your sins, plead before his face, stop offending him.

²⁶ Come back to the Most High, turn away from iniquity and hold all that is foul in abhorrence.

²⁷ Who is going to praise the Most High in Sheol if we do not glorify him while we are alive?

²⁸ The dead can praise no more than those who do not exist, only those with life and health can praise the Lord.

²⁹ How great is the mercy of the Lord, his pardon for those who turn to him!

³⁰ For we cannot have everything, human beings are not immortal.

³¹ What is brighter than the sun? And yet it fades. Flesh and blood think of nothing but evil.

³² He surveys the armies of the lofty sky, and all of us are only dust and ashes.