Sirach 16
16
Children
1Ungodly children are worthless
and are nothing to desire
or to celebrate.
2You can have lots of children,
but they will bring joy
only if they fear the Lord.
3Having lots of ungodly children
won't help you in old age—
you will outlive them all.
One good child,
or even no children at all,
is better than a thousand
who are ungodly.
4A family that disobeys the law
can make a city a ghost town,
but one smart person can fill
an empty city with people.
Mercy and Punishment
5Here are but a few
of the important things
I have seen and heard:
6If a small group of sinners
sets the Lord's anger ablaze,
then it will be worse by far
if a whole nation is sinful.
7 #
Gn 6.4; Ws 14.6,7; 3 Macc 2.4. Long ago, the Lord refused
to forgive the mighty giants
who rebelled against him.
8And he so hated the arrogance
of the people of Sodom,#16.8 the people of Sodom: Greek “the neighbors of Lot,” Abraham's nephew, who lived in the city of Sodom (see Genesis 19.1-29).
that he destroyed them.
9They were doomed
because of their sins,
and the Lord showed no mercy
as he swept them away.
10Nor did he have pity
on six hundred thousand
stubborn Assyrian soldiers
who attacked his people.
11Even if only one person
refused to obey the Lord,
I would be surprised if he
did not punish that one.
The Lord loves to show mercy
and to use his mighty power
to forgive his people,
but when his anger overflows
against sinners,
12he uses that same power
to punish them.
Everyone will receive
either mercy or punishment
as each deserves.
13The Lord refuses to let sinners
profit from their crimes,
and he will reward his people
if they patiently wait.
14He remembers every good deed
and gives everyone
what they deserve.
15The Lord wanted everyone
to know his mighty power,
so he put a stubborn heart
in the king of Egypt.
16But the Lord also wants everyone
to know about his mercy,
so he separated those
who have his light
from those who remain
in darkness.#16.15,16 darkness: Verses 15,16 are not in some manuscripts.
Foolish Thoughts
17Never say to yourself,
“The Lord cannot see me.
He doesn't even know my name.
There are just too many people
for him to keep me in mind.
18One glance from him
causes quaking and shaking
in the earth and the sky,
in the highest heaven
and the deepest sea,
19in the mountains
and the foundations
of the earth.
20But no human can understand
how his mighty power works.
21Most of what God does
cannot be seen,
just like the wind
in a violent storm.
22So who will tell him
when I do what is right?
And who has the patience
to wait for him
to keep his promises?”
23That is how fools speak—
they cannot think straight
and have no understanding.
The Lord Created the World
24Listen, students;
pay attention,
and you will learn.
25I will train you and tell you
exactly what I know.
26In the beginning, when the Lord
created the world,
he gave each thing
its proper place.
27He designed the forces of nature
to last for all time—
they never tire or get hungry
or stop working.
28They don't get in the way
of each other,
and they will never
disobey him.
29After God created the earth,
he looked it over
and filled it with creatures
that were good;
30animals of all kinds
covered the ground,
and when they die,
they return to it.
Currently Selected:
Sirach 16: CEVDCI
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.