1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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Sirach 5:1 | Set not thy heart upon unjust possessions, and say not: I have enough to live on: for it shall be of no service in the time of vengeance and darkness. | Unjust. The translator styles riches unjust, because they often proceed from, or tend to injustice. They can afford no protection in death, Psalm 48:17., and Luke 12:19., and 16:9. (Calmet) |
Sirach 5:2 | Follow not in thy strength the desires of thy heart: | Heart. If no man can oppose thee, remember God's judgments. (Worthington) |
Sirach 5:3 | And say not: How mighty am I? and who shall bring me under for my deeds? for God will surely take revenge. | How mighty am I? is not in Greek, though read by St. Cyprian and St. Augustine, Spec. --- Sennacherib's vain boasting was soon punished, Isaias 37:36. (Calmet) |
Sirach 5:4 | Say not: I have sinned, and what harm hath befallen me? for the most High is a patient rewarder. | Rewarder. Greek, "is long-suffering, he will not let thee escape." |
Sirach 5:5 | Be not without fear about sin forgiven, and add not sin upon sin: | And add. Greek, "to add." Take not occasion from God's goodness to offend him. (Haydock) --- He will punish at last. (Jansenius) --- Though you may have taken pains to repent, are you assured of being forgiven? (Ecclesiastes 9:1.) A relapse calls for greater severity, though the graces of God are without repentance, Romans 11:29. He does not recall his favours, but he hates the ungrateful, ver. 6. (Bellarmine, Just. 3:4.) (Calmet) --- Satisfaction must be made even after the sin has been remitted. (Worthington) --- This may be feared. (Menochius) |
Sirach 5:6 | And say not: The mercy of the Lord is great, he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins. | |
Sirach 5:7 | *For mercy and wrath quickly come from him, and his wrath looketh upon sinners. Proverbs 10:6. | Looketh. Greek, "shall rest" in hell, to punish the abuse of mercy. (Haydock) |
Sirach 5:8 | Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day. | Day. A rabbin being asked when one must repent? answered, the day before death. But we know not when that will take place! Then, replied he, we must repent to-day. (Drusius) --- "God has promised thee pardon, if thou repent, but he has not promised thee to-morrow." (St. Augustine, Psalm cxiv.) |
Sirach 5:9 | For his wrath shall come on a sudden, and in the time of vengeance he will destroy thee. | |
Sirach 5:10 | *Be not anxious for goods unjustly gotten: for they shall not profit thee in the day of calamity and revenge. Proverbs 11:4.; Proverbs 11:28. | |
Sirach 5:11 | Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for so is every sinner proved by a double tongue. | |
Sirach 5:12 | Be steadfast in the way of the Lord, and in the truth of thy judgment, and in knowledge, and let the word of peace and justice keep with thee. | The way. Greek, "thy knowledge or sentiment, and let thy speech be one," (Haydock) that men may depend upon thee. |
Sirach 5:13 | Be meek to hear the word, that thou mayst understand: and return a true answer with wisdom. | Word. Complutensian adds, "of God." But the Roman edition has, "be quick to hear, and answer slowly," James 1:19. "It is safer to hear than to preach." (St. Augustine, lix. in John) --- Constancy in virtue will obtain the promised peace. (Worthington) |
Sirach 5:14 | If thou have understanding, answer thy neighbour: but if not, let thy hand be upon thy mouth, lest thou be surprised in an unskilful word, and be confounded. | Lest. Greek, "honour and infamy is in speech; and the tongue of man proves his ruin." (Haydock) --- Nothing can be productive of better or of worse consequences, Proverbs 18:21. (Calmet) |
Sirach 5:15 | Honour and glory is in the word of the wise, but the tongue of the fool is his ruin. | |
Sirach 5:16 | Be not called a whisperer, and be not taken in thy tongue, and confounded. | Be. Greek, "ensnare not by thy tongue, (17.) for evil confusion is upon the thief, and great condemnation on the double-tongued. (18.) Be not ignorant in any thing, great or small." (Haydock) --- The detractor is more dangerous than the thief. He pierces without being seen, Ecclesiastes 10:11., Proverbs 26:20., and Romans 1:29. |
Sirach 5:17 | For confusion and repentance is upon a thief, and an evil mark of disgrace upon the double-tongued, but to the whisperer hatred, and enmity, and reproach. | |
Sirach 5:18 | Justify alike the small, and the great. | Great. Only examine the justice of the cause; or, according to the Greek, commit no fault of ignorance, nor say, "I did not think." (Calmet) --- Acknowledge thy friend in his poverty, as well as in his greatness. (Haydock) |