Sirach 7:1
Noli facere mala et non te adprehendent.
Do no evil, and evil will not overtake you.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- A terse statement of the retribution principle: the deed shapes the consequence.
Translator's Introduction
What This Chapter Is About
A collection of miscellaneous proverbs covering a wide range of ethical topics: avoid evil and it will avoid you; do not seek public office or judicial authority presumptuously; do not neglect prayer or almsgiving; do not mock or deceive; honor the priesthood and give the prescribed offerings; care for the sick and the dead; rejoice with the joyful and mourn with the mourning; treat daughters and wives wisely; honor slaves who serve faithfully.
What Makes This Chapter Remarkable
The section on honoring the priesthood (vv. 29-33) is one of the most explicit endorsements of the Levitical system in the wisdom literature. The instruction to visit the sick, attend funerals, and remember death (vv. 33-40) became central to the Christian corporal works of mercy. The closing reflection on death ('Remember your last things') was foundational for the medieval ars moriendi tradition.
Translation Friction
The advice on daughters (vv. 24-25) reflects patriarchal anxieties about female sexuality and the economic burden of dowry. The instruction to 'give her to a sensible man' treats the daughter as property to be disposed of. These verses require honest acknowledgment of their cultural context.
Connections
Leviticus 7:28-36 (priestly portions); Deuteronomy 18:1-5 (Levitical rights); Romans 12:15 (rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep); Matthew 25:36 (I was sick and you visited me); Ecclesiastes 7:2 (better to go to a house of mourning).
Sirach 7:2
Discede ab iniquo et deficient mala abs te.
Depart from injustice, and evils will depart from you.
Sirach 7:3
Fili non semines mala in sulcis iniustitiae et non metes ea in septuplum.
My son, do not sow evils in the furrows of injustice, and you will not reap them sevenfold.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- The agricultural metaphor: sin sown yields a harvest multiplied sevenfold -- the symbolic number of completeness.
Sirach 7:4
Noli quaerere ab homine ducatum neque a rege cathedram honoris.
Do not seek from anyone a position of leadership, nor from the king a seat of honor.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
cathedram honoris
"a seat of honor"
The cathedra is a chair of authority; the phrase evokes both judicial and academic power.
Translator Notes
- Ambition for public office is not condemned outright but the seeking of it is warned against; authority should be received, not grasped.
Sirach 7:5
Non te iustifices ante Deum quoniam agnitor cordis ipse est et penes regem noli velle videri sapiens.
Do not justify yourself before God, for he is the knower of hearts; and before the king do not seek to appear wise.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
agnitor cordis
"the knower of hearts"
A title for God that emphasizes his omniscient penetration of human motives.
Translator Notes
- Self-justification before God is futile because he sees the heart; self-promotion before the king is dangerous because it invites scrutiny.
Sirach 7:6
Noli quaerere fieri iudex nisi valeas virtute inrumpere iniquitates ne forte extimescas faciem potentis et ponas scandalum in aequitate tua.
Do not seek to become a judge unless you have the strength to break through injustice, lest you fear the face of the powerful and place a stumbling block in your own integrity.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Judicial office requires the courage to resist the powerful; without it, the judge becomes complicit in injustice.
Sirach 7:7
Non pecces in multitudinem civitatis nec te inmittas in populum.
Do not sin against the multitude of the city, and do not cast yourself into the crowd.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Warning against both offending the public and losing oneself in mob behavior.
Sirach 7:8
Neque alliges bis peccatum in uno enim non eris inmunis.
Do not bind sin to sin, for even in one you will not go unpunished.
Sirach 7:9
Noli esse pusillanimis in animo tuo.
Do not be faint-hearted in your spirit.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
pusillanimis
"faint-hearted"
Literally 'small-souled'; the opposite of magnanimous. A person without the courage to act on conviction.
Sirach 7:10
Non despicias orare et facere eleemosynam.
Do not neglect to pray and to give alms.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Prayer and almsgiving are paired as the two essential spiritual practices -- a pairing that persists into Christianity and Islam.
Sirach 7:11
Ne dicas in respectu Dei miserebitur et in multitudine munerum meorum respiciet.
Do not say, 'God will look upon my many offerings and accept them.'
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Quantity of offerings does not guarantee divine favor; the quality of the heart matters more.
Sirach 7:12
Non inrideas hominem in amaritudine animae suae est enim qui humiliat et exaltat circumspector Deus.
Do not mock a person in the bitterness of his soul, for there is one who humbles and exalts -- God who sees all.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
circumspector
"who sees all"
God as the all-seeing observer who misses nothing; every act of cruelty is witnessed.
Translator Notes
- Mocking another's suffering invites divine reversal: the mocker may be humbled, the mocked exalted.
Sirach 7:13
Noli arare mendacium adversus fratrem tuum neque in amicum similiter facias.
Do not plow a lie against your brother, and do not do the same to your friend.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- 'Plowing a lie' extends the agricultural imagery: falsehood is a crop deliberately cultivated.
Sirach 7:14
Noli velle mentiri omne mendacium adsiduitas enim illius non est bona.
Do not choose to tell any lie, for the habit of lying brings no good.
Sirach 7:15
Noli verbosus esse in multitudine presbyterorum et non iteres verbum in oratione tua.
Do not be wordy in the assembly of elders, and do not repeat yourself in your prayer.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Brevity in both public speech and prayer is commended; cf. Jesus' warning against vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7).
Sirach 7:16
Non oderis laboriosa opera et rusticationem creatam ab Altissimo.
Do not hate laborious work, nor farming, which was created by the Most High.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
rusticationem
"farming"
Rusticatio encompasses all rural labor; Ben Sira, writing in an urban context, defends the dignity of agrarian life.
Translator Notes
- Agricultural labor is dignified as God's own creation; contempt for manual work is a form of ingratitude.
Sirach 7:17
Non te reputes in multitudine indisciplinatorum.
Do not count yourself among the multitude of the undisciplined.
Sirach 7:18
Memento irae quoniam non tardabit.
Remember wrath, for it will not delay.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- A terse memento: divine judgment is not distant.
Sirach 7:19
Humilia valde spiritum tuum quoniam vindicta carnis impii ignis et vermis.
Humble your spirit deeply, for the punishment of the flesh of the ungodly is fire and worms.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
ignis et vermis
"fire and worms"
The dual punishment imagery: fire consumes and worms devour. Both signify complete destruction of the impenitent.
Translator Notes
- Fire and worms as images of judgment derive from Isaiah 66:24 and influenced later depictions of Gehenna.
Sirach 7:20
Noli praevaricari in amicum pecuniam differentem nec fratrem carissimum auro spreveris.
Do not betray a friend who defers payment, and do not despise your dearest brother for the sake of gold.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Friendship and kinship outweigh financial claims; to sacrifice relationship for money is a form of betrayal.
Sirach 7:21
Noli discedere a muliere sensata et bona quam sortitus es in timore Domini gratia enim verecundiae illius super aurum.
Do not abandon a sensible and good wife whom you have received in the fear of the Lord, for the grace of her modesty is worth more than gold.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
verecundiae
"modesty"
Verecundia means a sense of shame, propriety, and restraint; in a wife it represents moral composure.
Translator Notes
- The good wife is a divine gift received 'in the fear of the Lord'; her moral beauty exceeds material wealth.
Sirach 7:22
Non laedas servum in veritate operantem neque mercennarium dantem animam suam.
Do not mistreat a servant who works faithfully, nor a hired laborer who devotes his life to you.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
mercennarium
"hired laborer"
The mercennarius works for wages; his vulnerability to exploitation is a recurring concern in Torah and prophetic literature.
Translator Notes
- Protection of laborers -- both slave and free -- is a matter of justice, not mere kindness.
Sirach 7:23
Servum sensatum diligat anima tua non defraudes illum libertate neque egenum derelinquas illum.
Let your soul love a wise servant; do not defraud him of his freedom, and do not abandon him to destitution.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- The instruction to love a wise servant and not withhold freedom reflects the Israelite tradition of manumission (Deuteronomy 15:12-18).
Sirach 7:24
Pecora tibi sunt adtende illis et si sunt utilia perseverent apud te.
If you have cattle, attend to them; and if they are profitable, keep them.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Practical wisdom about livestock management, but the principle extends to all stewardship of resources.
Sirach 7:25
Filii tibi sunt erudi illos et curva illos a pueritia illorum.
If you have sons, instruct them, and bend them to discipline from their youth.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- 'Curva' (bend) suggests shaping character while it is still pliable; early formation is decisive.
Sirach 7:26
Filiae tibi sunt serva corpus illarum et non ostendas hilarem faciem tuam ad illas.
If you have daughters, guard their bodies, and do not show them an indulgent face.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- The patriarchal anxiety is unmistakable: daughters require physical protection and firm authority. The concern, however controlling by modern standards, reflects the social vulnerability of unmarried women in the ancient world.
Sirach 7:27
Trade filiam et grande opus feceris et homini sensato da illam.
Give your daughter in marriage, and you will have accomplished a great task; give her to a sensible man.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- The language of 'giving' a daughter reflects the marriage customs of the period; the emphasis on a 'sensible' (sensatus) husband shifts the priority from wealth to character.
Sirach 7:28
Mulier si est tibi secundum animam tuam non proicias illam et odibili non credas te.
If you have a wife after your own heart, do not cast her out; but do not entrust yourself to one who is hateful.
Sirach 7:29
In toto corde tuo honora patrem tuum et gemitus matris tuae ne obliviscaris.
With all your heart honor your father, and do not forget the groans of your mother.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- The 'groans' of the mother refer to the pain of childbirth and the labors of raising children; filial gratitude should be proportional to parental sacrifice.
Sirach 7:30
Memento quoniam nisi per illos natus non fuisses et retribue illis quomodo et illi tibi.
Remember that without them you would not have been born; and repay them as they have given to you.
Sirach 7:31
In tota anima tua time Deum et sacerdotes illius sanctifica.
With all your soul fear God, and honor his priests as holy.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
sanctifica
"honor as holy"
Sanctificare here means to treat as sacred, to accord the holiness proper to their office.
Translator Notes
- The transition to the priestly section; fear of God naturally extends to reverence for those who serve in his sanctuary.
Sirach 7:32
In tota virtute tua dilige eum qui te fecit et ministros eius ne derelinquas.
With all your strength love the one who made you, and do not forsake his ministers.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- The Shema's three-part formula (heart, soul, strength) is distributed across vv. 29-32, applied to parents, God, and priests.
Sirach 7:33
Honora Deum ex tota anima tua et honorifica sacerdotes et propurga te cum brachiis.
Honor God with all your soul, and show honor to the priests, and purify yourself with the offering of your arms.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
brachiis
"the offering of your arms"
Refers to the shoulder/arm portions of sacrificial animals assigned to the priests (cf. Deuteronomy 18:3).
Translator Notes
- 'Arms' (brachia) here refers to the shoulder portions prescribed as priestly offerings in Levitical law.
Sirach 7:34
Da illis partem sicut mandatum est tibi primitiarum et purgationis et de neglegentia tua purga te cum paucis.
Give them their portion as commanded to you: the firstfruits and the purification offering; and for your negligence purify yourself with a small offering.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
primitiarum
"firstfruits"
The first and best portion of the harvest, owed to God and distributed to the priests.
Translator Notes
- The specific liturgical obligations -- firstfruits and purification -- locate Ben Sira firmly within a functioning temple economy.
Sirach 7:35
Datum brachiorum tuorum et sacrificium sanctificationis offeres Domino et initia sanctorum.
The gift of your arms and the sacrifice of sanctification you will offer to the Lord, together with the holy firstfruits.
Sirach 7:36
Et pauperi porrige manum tuam ut perficiatur propitiatio et benedictio tua.
And stretch out your hand to the poor, so that your atonement and your blessing may be complete.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Charity to the poor completes the liturgical cycle: offerings to God through the priests must be accompanied by care for the destitute.
Sirach 7:37
Gratia dati in conspectu omnis viventis et mortuo non prohibeas gratiam.
The grace of a gift is in the sight of every living person, and from the dead do not withhold kindness.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Care for the dead (proper burial, mourning rites) is a sacred duty; cf. Tobit's insistence on burying the dead at great personal risk.
Sirach 7:38
Non desis plorantibus in consolatione et cum lugentibus ambula.
Do not fail to comfort those who weep, and walk with those who mourn.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Ministry of presence: walking with mourners rather than merely speaking to them.
Sirach 7:39
Non te pigeat visitare infirmum ex his enim in dilectione firmaberis.
Do not be reluctant to visit the sick, for by such deeds you will be strengthened in love.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Visiting the sick strengthens the visitor's capacity for love -- a reciprocal benefit. This became one of the seven corporal works of mercy in Catholic tradition.
Sirach 7:40
In omnibus operibus tuis memorare novissima tua et in aeternum non peccabis.
In all your works, remember your last end, and you will never sin.
Notes & Key Terms 1 term
Key Terms
novissima
"your last end"
The novissima (last things) encompass death, judgment, and whatever lies beyond; the term later gave its name to eschatology (de novissimis).
Translator Notes
- One of the most quoted verses in Christian ascetical literature. 'Memorare novissima' (remember the last things) became the foundation of the medieval meditation on death. The claim is bold: constant awareness of mortality is the ultimate safeguard against sin.