Ecclesiasticus — Ecclesiasticus Jesu, filii Sirach
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Chapter 3
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Douay-Rheims><Vulgate><Knox Bible
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The sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their generation, obedience and love.
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Filii sapientiæ ecclesia justorum, et natio illorum obedientia et dilectio.
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Wherever choice souls are found, wisdom is the mother of them; all submissiveness and love their breed is.
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Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that you may be saved.
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Judicium patris audite, filii, et sic facite, ut salvi sitis.
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Speak we now of a father’s rights; do you, sons, give good heed, and follow these counsels, if thrive you would.
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For God hath made the father honourable to the children: and seeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it upon the children.
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Deus enim honoravit patrem in filiis: et judicium matris exquirens, firmavit in filios.
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God will have children honour their fathers; a mother’s rights are his own strict ordinance.
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He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the prayer of days.
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Qui diligit Deum exorabit pro peccatis, et continebit se ab illis, et in oratione dierum exaudietur.
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A lover of God will fall to prayer over his sins and sin no more; so, all his life long, his prayer shall find audience.
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And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure.
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Et sicut qui thesaurizat, ita et qui honorificat matrem suam.
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… riches he lays up for himself, that gives his mother her due.
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He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.
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Qui honorat patrem suum jucundabitur in filiis, et in die orationis suæ exaudietur.
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As thou wouldst have joy of thy own children, as thou wouldst be heard when thou fallest to praying, honour thy father still.
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He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and he that obeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his mother.
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Qui honorat patrem suum vita vivet longiore, et qui obedit patri refrigerabit matrem.
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A father honoured is long life won; a father well obeyed is a mother’s heart comforted.
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He that feareth the Lord, honoureth his parents, and will serve them as his masters that brought him into the world.
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Qui timet Dominum honorat parentes, et quasi dominis serviet his qui se genuerunt.
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None that fears the Lord but honours the parents who gave him life, slave to master owes no greater service.
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Honour thy father, in work and word, and all patience,
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In opere, et sermone, et omni patientia, honora patrem tuum,
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Thy father honour, in deed and in word and in all manner of forbearance;
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That a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may remain in the latter end.
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ut superveniat tibi benedictio ab eo, et benedictio illius in novissimo maneat.
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so thou shalt have his blessing, a blessing that will endure to thy life’s end.
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The father’s blessing establisheth the houses of the children: but the mother’s curse rooteth up the foundation.
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Benedictio patris firmat domos filiorum: maledictio autem matris eradicat fundamenta.
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What is the buttress of a man’s house? A father’s blessing. What tears up the foundations of it? A mother’s curse.
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Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is no glory to thee.
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Ne glorieris in contumelia patris tui: non enim est tibi gloria ejus confusio.
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Never make a boast of thy father’s ill name; what, should his discredit be thy renown?
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For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father, and a father without honour is the disgrace of the son.
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Gloria enim hominis ex honore patris sui, et dedecus filii pater sine honore.
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Nay, for a father’s good repute or ill, a son must go proudly, or hang his head.
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Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life;
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Fili, suscipe senectam patris tui, et non contristes eum in vita illius:
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My son, when thy father grows old, take him to thyself; long as he lives, never be thou the cause of his repining.
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And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength: for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten.
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et si defecerit sensu, veniam da, et ne spernas eum in virtute tua: eleemosyna enim patris non erit in oblivione.
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Grow he feeble of wit, make allowance for him, nor in thy manhood’s vigour despise him. The kindness shewn to thy father will not go forgotten;
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For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.
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Nam pro peccato matris restituetur tibi bonum:
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favour it shall bring thee in acquittal of thy mother’s guilt.
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And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather.
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et in justitia ædificabitur tibi, et in die tribulationis commemorabitur tui, et sicut in sereno glacies, solventur peccata tua.
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Faithfully it shall be made good to thee, nor shalt thou be forgotten when the time of affliction comes; like ice in summer the record of thy sins shall melt away.
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Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and he is cursed of God that angereth his mother.
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Quam malæ famæ est qui derelinquit patrem, et est maledictus a Deo qui exasperat matrem!
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Tarnished his name, that leaves his father forsaken; God’s curse rest on him, that earns a mother’s ill-will.
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My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men.
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Fili, in mansuetudine opera tua perfice, et super hominum gloriam diligeris.
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My son, do all thou dost in lowly fashion; love thou shalt win, that is worth more than men’s praise.
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The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God:
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Quanto magnus es, humilia te in omnibus, et coram Deo invenies gratiam:
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The greater thou art, the more in all things abase thyself; so thou shalt win favour with God …
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For great is the power of God alone, and he is honoured by the humble.
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quoniam magna potentia Dei solius, et ab humilibus honoratur.
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Sovereignty belongs to God and no other; they honour him most that most keep humility.
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Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability: but the things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious.
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Altiora te ne quæsieris, et fortiora te ne scrutatus fueris: sed quæ præcepit tibi Deus, illa cogita semper, et in pluribus operibus ejus ne fueris curiosus.
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Seek not to know what is far above thee; search not beyond thy range; let thy mind ever dwell on the duty God has given thee to do, content to be ignorant of all his dealings besides.
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For it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes those things that are hid.
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Non est enim tibi necessarium ea, quæ abscondita sunt, videre oculis tuis.
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Need is none thy eyes should see what things lie hidden.
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In unnecessary matters be not over curious, and in many of his works thou shalt not be inquisitive.
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In supervacuis rebus noli scrutari multipliciter, et in pluribus operibus ejus non eris curiosus.
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Leave off, then, thy much questioning about such things as little concern thee, and be content with thy ignorance;
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For many things are shewn to thee above the understanding of men.
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Plurima enim super sensum hominum ostensa sunt tibi:
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more is granted to thy view than lies within human ken.
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And the suspicion of them hath deceived many, and hath detained their minds in vanity.
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multos quoque supplantavit suspicio illorum, et in vanitate detinuit sensus illorum.
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By such fancies, many have been led astray, and their thoughts chained to folly.
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A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that loveth danger shall perish in it.
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Cor durum habebit male in novissimo, et qui amat periculum in illo peribit.
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… Heart that is obstinate shall thrive ill at the last; danger loved is death won.
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A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and the perverse of heart shall be scandalized therein.
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Cor ingrediens duas vias non habebit successus, et pravus corde in illis scandalizabitur.
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Heart that will try two ways at once shall prosper little; he falls into the snare that goes a-straying.
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A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner will add sin to sin.
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Cor nequam gravabitur in doloribus, et peccator adjiciet ad peccandum.
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Heart that will not mend shall be weighed down by its own troubles; the sinner is ever ready for one sin more.
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The congregation of the proud shall not be healed: for the plant of wickedness shall take root in them, and it shall not be perceived.
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Synagogæ superborum non erit sanitas, frutex enim peccati radicabitur in illis, et non intelligetur.
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For one sort of men there is no remedy, the proud; too deep a root the evil has taken, before they knew it.
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The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good ear will hear wisdom with all desire.
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Cor sapientis intelligitur in sapientia, et auris bona audiet cum omni concupiscentia sapientiam.
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Heart that is wise will prove itself in wise company; ever greedy of wise talk is the ear that knows how to listen.
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A wise heart, and which hath understanding, will abstain from sins, and in the works of justice shall have success.
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Sapiens cor et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis, et in operibus justitiæ successus habebit.
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Heart that is wise and discerning will keep clear of wrong, and by honest dealings prosper yet.
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Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins:
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Ignem ardentem exstinguit aqua, et eleemosyna resistit peccatis:
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No fire burns so high but water may quench it; almsgiving was ever sin’s atoning.
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And God provideth for him that sheweth favour: he remembereth him afterwards, and in the time of his fall he shall find a sure stay.
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et Deus prospector est ejus qui reddit gratiam: meminit ejus in posterum, et in tempore casus sui inveniet firmamentum.
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God marks the grateful eye, and remembers it; here is sure support won against peril of falling.