Ecclesiasticus — Ecclesiasticus Jesu, filii Sirach
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Chapter 17
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Vulgate><Douay-Rheims><Knox Bible
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Deus creavit de terra hominem, et secundum imaginem suam fecit illum:
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God created man of the earth, and made him after his own image.
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Man, too, God created out of the earth, fashioning him after his own likeness,
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et iterum convertit illum in ipsam, et secundum se vestivit illum virtute.
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And he turned him into it again, and clothed him with strength according to himself.
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and gave him, too, earth to be his burying-place, for all the divine power that clothed him;
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Numerum dierum et tempus dedit illi, et dedit illi potestatem eorum quæ sunt super terram.
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He gave him the number of his days and time, and gave him power over all things that are upon the earth.
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man, too, should have his allotted toll of years, his season of maturity, and should have power over all else on earth;
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Posuit timorem illius super omnem carnem, et dominatus est bestiarum et volatilium.
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He put the fear of him upon all flesh, and he had dominion over beasts and fowls.
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no living thing, beast or bird, that should not live in awe of him and be subject to his rule.
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Creavit ex ipso adjutorium simile sibi: consilium, et linguam, et oculos, et aures, et cor dedit illis excogitandi, et disciplina intellectus replevit illos.
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He created of him a helpmate like to himself: he gave them counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, and ears, and a heart to devise: and he filled them with the knowledge of understanding.
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To him and to that partner of his, created like himself and out of himself, God gave will and speech and sight and hearing; gave them a heart to reason with, and filled them with power of discernment;
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Creavit illis scientiam spiritus, sensu implevit cor illorum, et mala et bona ostendit illis.
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He created in them the science of the spirit, he fired their heart with wisdom, and shewed them both good and evil.
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spirit itself should be within their ken, their hearts should be all sagacity. What evil was, what good, he made plain to them;
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Posuit oculum suum super corda illorum, ostendere illis magnalia operum suorum:
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He set his eye upon their hearts to shew them the greatness of his works:
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gave them his own eyes to see with, so that they should keep his marvellous acts in view,
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ut nomen sanctificationis collaudent, et gloriari in mirabilibus illius; ut magnalia enarrent operum ejus.
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That they might praise the name which he hath sanctified: and glory in his wondrous act that they might declare the glorious things of his works.
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praise that holy name of his, boast of his wonders, tell the story of his renowned deeds.
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Addidit illis disciplinam, et legem vitæ hæreditavit illos.
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Moreover he gave them instructions, and the law of life for an inheritance.
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Warnings, too, he gave them; the law that brings life should be a cherished heirloom;
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Testamentum æternum constituit cum illis, et justitiam et judicia sua ostendit illis.
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He made an everlasting covenant with them, and he shewed them his justice and judgments.
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and so he made a covenant with them which should last for ever; claim and award of his he would make known to them.
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Et magnalia honoris ejus vidit oculus illorum, et honorem vocis audierunt aures illorum. Et dixit illis: Attendite ab omni iniquo.
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And their eye saw the majesty of his glory, and their ears heard his glorious voice, and he said to them: Beware of all iniquity.
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Their eyes should see him in visible majesty, their ears catch the echo of his majestic voice. Keep your hands clear, he told them, of all wrong-doing,
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Et mandavit illis unicuique de proximo suo.
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And he gave to every one of them commandment concerning his neighbour.
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and gave each man a duty towards his neighbour.
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Viæ illorum coram ipso sunt semper: non sunt absconsæ ab oculis ipsius.
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Their ways are always before him, they are not hidden from his eyes.
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Ever before his eyes their doings are; nothing is hidden from his scrutiny.
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In unamquamque gentem præposuit rectorem:
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Over every nation he set a ruler.
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To every Gentile people he has given a ruler of its own;
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et pars Dei Israël facta est manifesta.
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And Israel was made the manifest portion of God.
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Israel alone is exempt, marked down as God’s patrimony.
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Et omnia opera illorum velut sol in conspectu Dei: et oculi ejus sine intermissione inspicientes in viis eorum.
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And all their works are as the sun in the sight of God: and his eyes are continually upon their ways.
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Clear as the sun their acts shew under his eye; over their lives, untiring his scrutiny.
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Non sunt absconsa testamenta per iniquitatem illorum, et omnes iniquitates eorum in conspectu Dei.
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Their covenants were not hid by their iniquity, and all their iniquities are in the sight of God.
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Sin they as they will, his covenant is still on record; no misdeed of theirs but he is the witness of it.
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Eleemosyna viri quasi signaculum cum ipso, et gratiam hominis quasi pupillam conservabit.
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The alms of a man is as a signet with him, and shall preserve the grace of a man as the apple of the eye:
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Alms if thou givest, thou hast the sign-manual of his favour; treasured as the apple of his eye is the record of man’s deserving.
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Et postea resurget, et retribuet illis retributionem, unicuique in caput ipsorum, et convertet in interiores partes terræ.
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And afterward he shall rise up, and shall render them their reward, to every one upon their own head, and shall turn them down into the bowels of the earth.
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… A day will come when he rouses himself and requites them, one by one, for their misdoing, overwhelms them in the depths of earth.
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Pœnitentibus autem dedit viam justitiæ, et confirmavit deficientes sustinere, et destinavit illis sortem veritatis.
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But to the penitent he hath given the way of justice, and he hath strengthened them that were fainting in patience, and hath appointed to them the lot of truth.
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Yet, to such as repent, he grants the means of acquittal, and makes their fainting hearts strong to endure; for them, too, he has a share in his promised reward.
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Convertere ad Dominum, et relinque peccata tua:
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Turn to the Lord, and forsake thy sins:
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Turn back to the Lord, and let thy sins be;
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precare ante faciem Domini, et minue offendicula.
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Make thy prayer before the face of the Lord, and offend less.
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make thy prayer before him, and rid thyself of the peril in thy path.
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Revertere ad Dominum, et avertere ab injustitia tua, et nimis odito execrationem:
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Return to the Lord, and turn away from thy injustice, and greatly hate abomination.
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Come back to the Lord, from wrong-doing turn away, and thy foul deeds hate;
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et cognosce justitias et judicia Dei, et sta in sorte propositionis, et orationis altissimi Dei.
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And know the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the lot set before thee, and in prayer to the most high God.
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in all his decrees and awards own God just, stand in thy appointed place to make intercession to him, the most High,
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In partes vade sæculi sancti, cum vivis et dantibus confessionem Deo.
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Go to the side of the holy age, with them that live and give praise to God.
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and take thy part with a race of men sanctified, living men that still give thanks to God.
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Non demoreris in errore impiorum: ante mortem confitere: a mortuo, quasi nihil, perit confessio.
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Tarry not in the error of the ungodly, give glory before death. Praise perisheth from the dead as nothing.
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Linger not in the false path of wickedness; give thanks while breath is in thee; the dead breathe no more, give thanks no more.
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Confiteberis vivens, vivus et sanus confiteberis: et laudabis Deum, et gloriaberis in miserationibus illius.
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Give thanks whilst thou art living, whilst thou art alive and in health thou shalt give thanks, and shalt praise God, and shalt glory in his mercies.
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Thanks while yet thou livest, thanks while health and strength are still with thee, to praise God and to take pride in all his mercies!
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Quam magna misericordia Domini, et propitiatio illius convertentibus ad se!
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How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to them that turn to him !
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The Lord’s mercy, that is so abundant, the pardon that is ever theirs who come back to him!
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Nec enim omnia possunt esse in hominibus, quoniam non est immortalis filius hominis, et in vanitate malitiæ placuerunt.
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For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, and they are delighted with the vanity of evil.
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Think not man is the centre of all things; no son of Adam is immortal, for all the delight men take in their sinful follies.
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Quid lucidius sole? et hic deficiet; aut quid nequius quam quod excogitavit caro et sanguis? et hoc arguetur.
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What is brighter than the sun; yet it shall be eclipsed. Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood hath invented? and this shall be reproved.
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Nought brighter than the sun, and yet its brightness shall fail; nought darker than the secret designs of flesh and blood, yet all shall be brought to light.
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Virtutem altitudinis cæli ipse conspicit: et omnes homines terra et cinis.
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He beholdeth the power of the height of heaven: and all men are earth and ashes.
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God, that marshals the armies of high heaven, and man, all dust and ashes!