Sirach 34
34
Dreams
1 #
Dt 13.1-5. Empty hopes deceive
ignorant people,
and dreams lead fools
to be even more foolish.
2Believing in dreams
is like holding on to shadows
or chasing the wind.
3Just as a mirror
reflects your face,
your dreams reflect
your concerns.
4Something clean cannot come
from something dirty,
and truth cannot come
from a lie.
5Dreams are meaningless,
like something said
by a fortuneteller,#34.5 fortuneteller: Fortunetellers thought they could learn secrets or learn about the future by watching the flight of birds or by looking at the livers of animals or in many other ways.
because they can mean anything
you want them to.#34.5 because … want them to: One possible meaning for the difficult Greek text.
6So unless a dream has been sent
by God Most High,
ignore it.
7Dreams have fooled many—
first giving them hope,
then disappointing them.
8You can obey God's Law
and learn from wise people,
without paying attention
to deceitful dreams.
Learning by Traveling
9A person who has traveled
has learned many things,
and knows about them
from experience.
10If you have few experiences,
you won't learn much,
11but the more you travel,
the smarter you will become.
12I saw many things
when I traveled,
and I learned more
than I can tell you.
13My life was often in danger,
but what I had learned
always helped me escape.
Fear the Lord
* 14If you fear the Lord
and put your trust in him,
15he will keep you safe,
16and so you can be brave
and face any danger.
17The Lord will bless you
if you fear him
18and ask for his help.
19And if you love the Lord,
he will give you strength
and keep you from falling.
He will be your shield,
protecting you and giving shade
from the burning heat
of the summer sun at noon.
20Your eyes will sparkle
with the happiness he gives,
and he will bless you
with health and a long life.
Sacrifices
21A stolen animal isn't fit
as a sacrifice for the Lord,
22and he won't accept gifts
from those who reject his Law.
23Sinners cannot please
God Most High,
and he will not forgive them,
even if they offer
sacrifice after sacrifice.
24Stealing food from the poor
to offer as a sacrifice
is like murdering children
while their parents watch.
25The poor have so little food,
that taking it is the same
as committing murder.
26Stealing what someone needs
to earn a living
is the same as murder,
27and refusing to pay the wages
of someone who works for you
is just as evil.
28So, if you steal possessions
that others worked for,#34.28 if you steal possessions that others worked for: Greek “if you tear down what someone else has built.”
you will cause trouble
for yourself and for them.
29When they are asking God
to put a curse on you,
will he listen to your prayer?
30 #
Nu 19.11,12. If you are unclean
from touching a dead body,
what's the point of washing
if you touch the body again?
31Suppose you go without eating
to show sorrow for your sins
and then commit
the same sins again.
Will God forgive you?
No, it was all for nothing.
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Sirach 34: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
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