Font Size
Sirach 4
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Sirach 4
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Duties towards the Poor and the Oppressed
4 My child, do not cheat the poor of their living,
and do not keep needy eyes waiting.
2 Do not grieve the hungry,
or anger one in need.
3 Do not add to the troubles of the desperate,
or delay giving to the needy.
4 Do not reject a suppliant in distress,
or turn your face away from the poor.
5 Do not avert your eye from the needy,
and give no one reason to curse you;
6 for if in bitterness of soul some should curse you,
their Creator will hear their prayer.
7 Endear yourself to the congregation;
bow your head low to the great.
8 Give a hearing to the poor,
and return their greeting politely.
9 Rescue the oppressed from the oppressor;
and do not be hesitant in giving a verdict.
10 Be a father to orphans,
and be like a husband to their mother;
you will then be like a son of the Most High,
and he will love you more than does your mother.
The Rewards of Wisdom
11 Wisdom teaches[a] her children
and gives help to those who seek her.
12 Whoever loves her loves life,
and those who seek her from early morning are filled with joy.
13 Whoever holds her fast inherits glory,
and the Lord blesses the place she[b] enters.
14 Those who serve her minister to the Holy One;
the Lord loves those who love her.
15 Those who obey her will judge the nations,
and all who listen to her will live secure.
16 If they remain faithful, they will inherit her;
their descendants will also obtain her.
17 For at first she will walk with them on tortuous paths;
she will bring fear and dread upon them,
and will torment them by her discipline
until she trusts them,[c]
and she will test them with her ordinances.
18 Then she will come straight back to them again and gladden them,
and will reveal her secrets to them.
19 If they go astray she will forsake them,
and hand them over to their ruin.
20 Watch for the opportune time, and beware of evil,
and do not be ashamed to be yourself.
21 For there is a shame that leads to sin,
and there is a shame that is glory and favour.
22 Do not show partiality, to your own harm,
or deference, to your downfall.
23 Do not refrain from speaking at the proper moment,[d]
and do not hide your wisdom.[e]
24 For wisdom becomes known through speech,
and education through the words of the tongue.
25 Never speak against the truth,
but be ashamed of your ignorance.
26 Do not be ashamed to confess your sins,
and do not try to stop the current of a river.
27 Do not subject yourself to a fool,
or show partiality to a ruler.
28 Fight to the death for truth,
and the Lord God will fight for you.
29 Do not be reckless in your speech,
or sluggish and remiss in your deeds.
30 Do not be like a lion in your home,
or suspicious of your servants.
31 Do not let your hand be stretched out to receive
and closed when it is time to give.
Footnotes
- Sirach 4:11 Heb Syr: Gk exalts
- Sirach 4:13 Or he
- Sirach 4:17 Or until they remain faithful in their heart
- Sirach 4:23 Heb: Gk at a time of salvation
- Sirach 4:23 So some Gk Mss and Heb Syr Lat: Other Gk Mss lack and do not hide your wisdom
Sirach 4
Common English Bible
Sirach 4
Common English Bible
4 Don’t deprive a poor person’s life,
and don’t avoid looking
the needy in the eyes.
2 Don’t grieve a hungry person,
and don’t make a person
in dire straits angry.
3 Don’t trouble an angry person,
and don’t put off giving to the needy.
4 Don’t keep rejecting the plea
of someone in distress,
and don’t turn your face
away from the poor.
5 Don’t turn your
eyes away from someone begging,
and don’t give anyone an opportunity
to curse you.
6 If some curse you
in their bitter circumstances,
the one who made them
will hear their prayer.
7 Behave yourself pleasantly in the assembly,
and bow your head
to an influential person.
8 Listen to the poor,
and reply with peaceful
and gentle speech.
9 Set the wronged free
from the hand of the wrongdoer,
and don’t be timid
when you give judgment.
10 Be like a parent to orphans,
and take care of their mothers
as you would your own wife or husband.
Do this, and you will be like a child
of the Most High,
and God will love you
more than your own mother does.
Submission to Wisdom
11 Wisdom will exalt[a]
her children
and take hold of those who seek her.
12 Whoever loves her loves life.
Those who wake early for her
will be filled with gladness.
13 Those who possess her will inherit glory.
The Lord blesses the place
where they enter.[b]
14 Those who serve her will serve
the holy one;
the Lord loves those who love her.
15 Whoever obeys her will judge nations.
Whoever is devoted to her
will live with confidence.
16 If they persevere in faith,
they will inherit her,
and their descendants will possess her.
17 At first she will walk
in twists and turns with them.
She will bring fear and dread upon them,
and she will torture them
with her discipline
until she trusts them completely.
She will test them
with her commandments,
18 and again she will come straight back to them, make them glad,
and reveal to them her secrets.
19 If they go astray,
she will leave them behind
and hand them over to their downfall.
Shame and speech
20 Watch closely for the right opportunity,
be on guard against evil,
and don’t be ashamed of yourself.
21 There’s a kind of shame
that brings about sin,
and there’s a kind of shame
that brings good reputation and favor.
22 Don’t show partiality to your own hurt,
and don’t show respect
to your own downfall.
23 Don’t keep from speaking
in a time of need,[c]
24 for wisdom will show itself
in one’s speech,
and education through one’s words.
25 Don’t contradict the truth,
but don’t be ashamed
when you don’t know the answer.
26 Don’t be ashamed to confess your sins,
and don’t force the flow of a river.
27 Don’t lower yourself before a fool,
and don’t show partiality
toward the powerful.
28 Fight to the death on behalf of truth,
and the Lord God will fight for you.
29 Don’t be bold to speak,
but sluggish and slack
when it comes to action.
30 Don’t be like a lion in your house,
putting on airs
among your household slaves.
31 Don’t stretch your hand out
to receive and withdraw it
when it is time to pay back.
Footnotes
- Sirach 4:11 Heb teaches
- Sirach 4:13 Or perhaps she enters
- Sirach 4:23 Heb at the right moment; LXXb adds and don’t hide your wisdom in beauty.
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.