Sirach 7:18-36

Common English Bible

²² Do you have cattle? Look after them.
    If they are useful to you, keep them.
²³ Do you have children? Instruct them.
    Train them to be obedient^[b]
    from their youth.
²⁴ Do you have daughters?
Be attentive to their chastity,^[c]
    and don’t be too cheerful with them.^[d]
25 Give a daughter in marriage,
and you will have completed a great deed,
    but present her
    to an understanding husband.
²⁶ Do you have a wife who is a soul mate?^[e]
    Don’t divorce her,
    and don’t trust yourself to a woman
    whom you hate.

²⁷ Honor your father with all your heart,
    and don’t forget
    your mother’s labor pains.
²⁸ Remember that you were born
because of your parents.
    How will you pay them back
    for what they have done for you?

²⁹ Revere the Lord with your whole being,
    and honor his priests.
³⁰ With all your might
love the one who made you,
    and don’t neglect his ministers.
³¹ Fear the Lord and honor the priest.
    Give the priest his portion,
    just as you were commanded:
        early produce, a sin offering,
        the gift of the shoulders,
        the dedicatory offering,
        and the early produce
        from the holy things.

³² Extend your hand to the poor
    so that your blessing may be complete.
³³ The kindness of a gift
stands before all who are alive;
    moreover, don’t withhold kindness
    from the dead.
³⁴ Walk beside those who weep,
    and mourn with those who mourn.
³⁵ Don’t hesitate to visit the sick,
    because you will be loved
    on account of these acts.
³⁶ In all of your words,^[f]
remember your end,
    and you will never sin.