Chapter 21

Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent. Do not be violent and unmerciful. Value wise rebuke and wise counsel. Wisdom is not in a loud voice nor in the skill of the tongue. Not everyone loves and not everyone can access the secrets of wisdom.

Sirach 21:1. My son! if you have sinned, do not add more sins, and pray about the former ones. 2. Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent; for if you approach it, it will bite you. 3. His teeth are the teeth of a lion, which kill the souls of men. 4. Every transgression is like a two-edged sword: there is no healing from its wound. 5. Threats and violence will deplete wealth: thus the house of the proud will be emptied. 1–5. These are supplemented by verses 10–11. Stubborn sinners await both temporal and eternal punishments.

Sirach 21:6. A plea from the mouth of the poor goes only to his own ears; but judgment over him approaches quickly. 6. A plea from the mouth of the poor goes only to his own ears, that is, it does not go beyond the ears of the one praying himself. But judgment over him, that is, the action of divine justice toward the poor man forgotten by people, approaches quickly: a poor man who has not erred in his hopes will be pitied, and the cruelty of people will be punished (Matt 25:31-46).

Sirach 21:7. One who hates rebuke follows the path of the sinner; but one who fears the Lord will turn in his heart. 8. From afar a man strong in speech is known; but a wise man sees where he stumbles. 9. One who builds his house on borrowed money is like one gathering stones for his grave. 9. One who incautiously incurs debt can perish under the weight of unpayable debt.

Sirach 21:10. A gathering of the wicked is a heap of tow, and their end is a fiery flame. 11. The way of sinners is paved with stones, but at its end is the abyss of Hades. 12. One who keeps the law possesses his thoughts, 12. Possesses his thoughts, that is, is prudent, “in his right mind.”

Sirach 21:13. and the fulfillment of the fear of the Lord is wisdom. 13. Wisdom—the fulfillment of the fear of the Lord—that is, true wisdom of a man consists in his understanding of the good and perfect will of God and in his reverent following of it in his life.

Sirach 21:14. One who is incapable will not learn; 14. One who is incapable, that is, is slow in receiving lessons of wisdom.

Sirach 21:15. but there is capacity that increases bitterness. 15. There is capacity that increases bitterness—that is, heightened susceptibility to all that is bad.

Sirach 21:16. Knowledge of the wise increases like a flood, and his counsel is like a source of life. 17. The heart of the fool is like a broken vessel and will not retain any knowledge. 18. If a wise man hears a wise word, he will praise it and add it to himself. A frivolous man heard it, and it did not please him, and he threw it behind him. 19. The speech of a fool is like a burden on the road, but the words of the wise are found pleasant. 20. The words of the wise will be sought in an assembly, and they will think about his words in their heart. 21. Like a ruined house, so is wisdom to the fool, and knowledge of the unwise is senseless words. 21. A multitude of high truths and wise rules, penetrating the consciousness of the unwise, present such a chaotic disorder of unconnected material as can be observed at the site of a ruined house. Knowledge of the unwise consists of words whose true meaning is inaccessible to him.

Sirach 21:22. Instruction for the foolish is fetters on the feet and like chains on the right hand. 23. A fool in laughter raises his voice, but a prudent man barely smiles quietly. 24. Like a golden garment is instruction for the wise, and like a precious ornament on the right hand. 25. The foot of the fool hastens into another’s house, but a man of much experience will be ashamed before people; 26. the unwise man glances through the door into the house, but a well-bred man will stand outside; 27. it is ignorance of a man to listen at the doors, and the prudent man will be grieved by such shamelessness. 28. The lips of the talkative ones relate what is another’s, but the words of the prudent are weighed on a balance. 28. The talkative but not wise orator repeats the thoughts of others, and therefore has no great value. But the words of the prudent—the fruit of his wisdom—and therefore are valued very highly.

Sirach 21:29. In the mouths of fools is their heart, but the mouths of the wise are in their heart. 29. In the mouths of the foolish their heart hastens to be revealed; but the mouths of the wise are not quick to speak, hidden in their wise heart.

Sirach 21:30. When the wicked curses Satan, he curses his own soul. 30. The immediate cause of evil and suffering for a man is often the evil inclinations of his own soul.

Sirach 21:31. A whisperer defiles his own soul and will be hated everywhere he lives.