The Book of Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus)
Chapter 3
1 – The sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their generation, obedience and love.
2 – Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that you may be saved.
3 – For God hath made the father honourable to the children: and seeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it upon the children.
4 – He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sine by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the prayer of days.
5 – And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure.
6 – He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.
7 – He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and he that obeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his mother.
8 – He that feareth the Lord, honoureth his parents, and will serve them as his masters that brought him into the world.
9 – Honour thy father, in work and word, and all patience,
10 – That a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may remain in the latter end.
11 – The father’s blessing establisheth the houses of the children: but the mother’s curse rooteth up the foundation.
12 – Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is no glory to thee.
13 – For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father, and a father without honour is the disgrace of the son.
14 – Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life;
15 – 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 for- gotten.
16 – For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.
17 – And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sine shall melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather.
18 – Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and he is cursed of God that angereth his mother.
19 – My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men.
20 – The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God:
21 – For great is the power of God alone, and he is honoured by the humble.
22 – 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.
23 – For it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes those things that are hid.
24 – In unnecessary matters be not over curious, and in many of his works thou shalt not be inquisitive.
25 – For many things are shewn to thee above the understanding of men.
26 – And the suspicion of them hath deceived many, and hath detained their minds in vanity.
27 – A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that loveth danger shall perish in it.
28 – A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and the perverse of heart shall be scandalized therein.
29 – A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner will add sin to sin.
30 – 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.
31 – The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good ear will hear wisdom with all desire.
32 – A wise heart, and which hath under- standing, will abstain from sine, and in the works of justice shall have success.
33 – Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins:
34 – 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.
The Catholic Bible Online. Scriptures are from The Douay Rheims Catholic Bible 1582-1610 a.d. Version In the Public Domain. The Douay Rheims Bible is a translation of the Bible from the Latin Vulgate into English undertaken by members of the English College, Douai in the service of the Catholic Church.