1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Sirach 27:1 Through poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be enriched, turneth away his eye.

Poverty. Greek, "the indifferent thing," as the Stoics represented money, Ecclesiasticus 7:20. --- Sinned. Hence proceeds the danger to which little merchants are exposed. Involuntary povery is very miserable, Proverbs 30:9
Sirach 27:2 As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of stones, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall stick fast.

Fast. Anacharsis styled "the market-place the receptacle of mutual cheating." (Laertius 1.) --- The seller praises his goods to get them off: (Horace) the buyer says it is bad, Proverbs 20:14. The next verse is a gloss omitted in Greek. (Calmet)
Sirach 27:3 Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.

Sirach 27:4 Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown.

Fear. By this the soul is preserved in a good state. (Worthington)
Sirach 27:5 As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts.

Thoughts. The more he thinks on some things, the more is he perplexed. (Calmet) --- After sin is purged away, there remains some defects like dust, Psalm 50:4. (Worthington)
Sirach 27:6 The furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the trial of affliction just men.

Affliction. Greek, "thought," (Haydock) or speech. (Calmet) --- A young man being brought to Socrates, that he might pass judgment on his dispositions, the philosopher ordered him to "speak." (Cicero)
Sirach 27:7 As the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man.

As. Greek, "the fruit shews the dressing," etc.
Sirach 27:8 Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men.

Sirach 27:9 If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and shalt put her on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt dwell with her: and she shall protect thee for ever, and in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt find a strong foundation.

Honour. The desire of justice is the sure method to obtain it. The rest is not in Greek. (Haydock)
Sirach 27:10 Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them that practise her.

Sirach 27:11 The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sins for them that work iniquities.

Iniquities. They fall deeper, or sin entails punishment. (Calmet)
Sirach 27:12 A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon.

A. Greek, "the speech of the wise man is wisdom throughout: but," etc. (Haydock) --- The fool always mixes something improper with what good he speaks. (Calmet) --- Sun. The wise man preserves his virtue, whether it appear or not. (Worthington)
Sirach 27:13 In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time: but be continually among men that think.

Keep. Greek, "wait an opportunity." (Haydock) --- Go but seldom. Their discourse tends to promote iniquity, (ver. 14.) and blasphemous oaths, (ver. 15.) and bloodshed, ver. 16. (Calmet)
Sirach 27:14 The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is at the pleasures of sin.

Sirach 27:15 The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head stand upright: and its irreverence shall make one stop his ears.

Ears. The Jews did so, when they heard blasphemy, Acts 7:56. (Menochius)
Sirach 27:16 In the quarrels of the proud is the shedding of blood: and their cursing is a grievous hearing.

Sirach 27:17 He that discloseth the secret of a friend, loseth his credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind.

Mind. In Egypt, those who disclosed a secret to the enemy, were condemned to have their tongues cut out. (Diodorus 2:2.)
Sirach 27:18 Love thy neighbour, and be joined to him with fidelity.

Sirach 27:19 But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after him.

Him. He will never trust thee more, ver. 22.
Sirach 27:20 For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so also is he that destroyeth the friendship of his neighbour.

Friend. Roman and Alexandrian Septuagint, "enemy." (Haydock) --- This crime is like murder. The Romans sometimes solemnly renounced the friendship of those who had offended them, as Germanicus and Caius did that of Piso. (Tacitus, An. 2.; Suetonius 3.)
Sirach 27:21 And as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy neighbour go, and thou shalt not get him again.

Sirach 27:22 Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is fled, as a roe escaped out of the snare: because his soul is wounded.

Because. Greek, "for one may bind up a wound, and an insult may be pardoned. But he who hath revealed secrets, hath lost all hope," (Haydock) or "confidence," ver. 24, Ecclesiasticus 22:27.
Sirach 27:23 Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is reconciliation:

Sirach 27:24 But to disclose the secrets of a friend leaveth no hope to an unhappy soul.

Sirach 27:25 He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no man will cast him off:

Off. Some Greek copies have, "he who knows him will depart from him." It is difficult to guard against a false friend, who winks as if he desired to please us, (Calmet) while he really seeks our ruin, ver. 26.
Sirach 27:26 In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and on thy words he will lay a stumbling-block.

Sirach 27:27 I have hated many things, but not like him, and the Lord will hate him.

Sirach 27:28 If one cast a stone on high, it will fall upon his own head: and the deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful.

Wound. Greek, "deal wounds. He," etc. (Haydock) --- Traitors, in the dark, often wound their fellows, (Calmet) or themselves. (Menochius)
Sirach 27:29 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that setteth a stone for his neighbour, shall stumble upon it: and he that layeth a snare for another, shall perish in it.

Setteth. Greek, "layeth a snare, shall perish in it."
Sirach 27:30 A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to him.

Him. God will punish, when the sinner has perhaps forgotten his offence. (Calmet) --- Such are often chastised here, and always hereafter. (Worthington)
Sirach 27:31 Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a lion shall lie in wait for him.

Sirach 27:32 They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die.

Sirach 27:33 Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful man shall be subject to them.

Them. He shall feel the indignation of God, (Calmet) and shall repine. (Haydock)