Book List
Prev Sirach Chapter 22 Next
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

Click *H for Haydock Commentary.
Click * Footnote to expand footnote
Click any word in Latin to activate the parser. Then click on the display to expand the parser.

22:1 [In lapide luteo lapidatus est piger : et omnes loquentur super aspernationem illius.
*H The sluggard is pelted with a dirty stone, and all men will speak of his disgrace.


Ver. 1. Sluggard. Who neglects his own and others' welfare. C. — Disgrace. He is still despised here, and punished eternally. Matt. xxv. 30. W.

22:2 De stercore boum lapidatus est piger : et omnis qui tetigerit eum excutiet manus.]
*H The sluggard is pelted with the dung of oxen: and every one that toucheth him will shake his hands.


Ver. 2. Pelted. Gr. "compared to a lump of dung." H.

22:3 [Confusio patris est de filio indisciplinato : filia autem in deminoratione fiet.
*H A son ill taught is the confusion of the father: and a foolish daughter shall be to his loss.


Ver. 3. Loss. "I wish," said Augustus, "I had never married, or that I had died without children." Suet.

22:4 Filia prudens haereditas viro suo : nam quae confundit, in contumeliam fit genitoris.
*H A wise daughter shall bring an inheritance to her husband: but she that confoundeth, becometh a disgrace to her father.


Ver. 4. Inheritance. Her wisdom and economy. Prov. xxxi. 29. Women had no inheritance among the Jews, when they had brothers.

22:5 Patrem et virum confundit audax, et ab impiis non minorabitur : ab utrisque autem inhonorabitur.
*H She that is bold shameth both her father and husband, and will not be inferior to the ungodly: and shall be disgraced by them both.


Ver. 5. Bold. In speaking and acting without restraint. C.

22:6 Musica in luctu importuna narratio : flagella et doctrina in omni tempore sapientia.]
*H A tale out of time is like music in mourning: but the stripes and instruction of wisdom are never out of time.


Ver. 6. Mourning. S. Jer. (ep. ad Julian) quoting this sentence, calls it "divine Scripture." Prov. xxv. 20. — Of time. Or "stripes and instruction well-timed, are wisdom." H. — Only the wise know how to correct with advantage.

22:7 [Qui docet fatuum, quasi qui conglutinat testam.
*H He that teacheth a fool, is like one that glueth a potsherd together.


Ver. 7. Fool. Who is incapable of understanding. Those who have sense may be corrected, though they may have taken evil courses.

22:8 Qui narrat verbum non audienti, quasi qui excitat dormientem de gravi somno.
He that telleth a word to him that heareth not, is like one that waketh a man out of a deep sleep.
22:9 Cum dormiente loquitur qui enarrat stulto sapientiam : et in fine narrationis dicit : Quis est hic ?
*H He speaketh with one that is asleep, who uttereth wisdom to a fool: and in the end of the discourse he saith: Who is this?


Ver. 9. This? The Athenian philosophers and Festus derided S. Paul. Acts xvii. 32.

22:10 Supra mortuum plora, defecit enim lux ejus : et supra fatuum plora, defecit enim sensus.
*H Weep for the dead, for his light hath failed: and weep for the fool, for his understanding faileth.


Ver. 10. For the fool. In the language of the Holy Ghost, he is styled a fool that turns away from God to follow vanity and sin. And what is said by the wise man against fools is meant of such fools as these. Ch. — Their wicked life is worse than death. W.

22:11 Modicum plora super mortuum, quoniam requievit :
Weep but a little for the dead, for he is at rest.
22:12 nequissimi enim nequissima vita super mortem fatui.
For the wicked life of a wicked fool is worse than death.
22:13 Luctus mortui septem dies : fatui autem et impii omnes dies vitae illorum.
*H The mourning for the dead is seven days: but for a fool and an ungodly man all the days of their life.


Ver. 13. Days. There was a longer time assigned for great men. Gen. l. 3. Num. xx. 30. and Deut. xxxiv. 8. — Life. This is understood of those who have lost all reason, or sense of religion. S. Monica wept for her son, hoping that he would repent, as a certain bishop had comforted her. S. Aug. Conf. iii. ult.

* Footnote * Genesis 50 : 10 And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is situated beyond the Jordan: where celebrating the exequies with a great and vehement lamentation, they spent full seven days.
22:14 Cum stulto ne multum loquaris, et cum insensato ne abieris.
Talk not much with a fool and go not with him that hath no sense.
22:15 Serva te ab illo, ut non molestiam habeas, et non coinquinaberis peccato illius.
Keep thyself from him, that thou mayst not have trouble, and thou shalt not be defiled with his sin.
22:16 Deflecte ab illo, et invenies requiem, et non acediaberis in stultitia illius.
Turn away from him, and thou shalt find rest, and shalt not be wearied out with his folly.
22:17 Super plumbum quid gravabitur ? et quod illi aliud nomen quam fatuus ?
*H What is heavier than lead? and what other name hath he but fool?


Ver. 17. Lead? Gold alone is heavier. But the fool is compared with lead, and is most insupportable.

22:18 Arenam, et salem, et massam ferri facilius est ferre quam hominem imprudentem, et fatuum, et impium.]
Sand and salt, and a mass of iron is easier to bear, than a man without sense, that is both foolish and wicked.
* Footnote * Proverbs 27 : 3 A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.
22:19 [Loramentum ligneum colligatum in fundamento aedificii non dissolvetur, sic et cor confirmatum in cogitatione consilii.
*H A frame of wood bound together in the foundation of a building, shall not be loosed: so neither shall the heart that is established by advised counsel.


Ver. 19. Wood. Such were used in the walls of Jerusalem, (4 Mac. ii.) and of the temple and palace. 3 K. vi. 36. and vii. 12.

22:20 Cogitatus sensati in omni tempore metu non depravabitur.
The thought of him that is wise at all times, shall not be depraved by fear.
22:21 Sicut pali in excelsis, et caementa sine impensa posita, contra faciem venti non permanebunt :
*H As pales set in high places, and plasterings made without cost, will not stand against the face of the wind:


Ver. 21. Cost. Of lime. C. — Gr. omits this comparison, as well as the 23d verse. H.

22:22 sic et cor timidum in cogitatione stulti contra impetum timoris non resistet.
So also a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool shall not resist against the violence of fear.
22:23 Sicut cor trepidum in cogitatione fatui omni tempore non metuet, sic et qui in praeceptis Dei permanet semper.]
*H As a fearful heart in the thought of a fool at all times will not fear, so neither shall he that continueth always in the commandments of God.


Ver. 23. Not fear. This seems contrary to what goes before. But fools are sometimes intrepid even to harshness. C.

22:24 [Pungens oculum deducit lacrimas, et qui pungit cor profert sensum.
*H He that pricketh the eye, bringeth out tears: and he that pricketh the heart, bringeth forth resentment.


Ver. 24. Resentment. Or "sense," (H.) by means of pungent reprimands. C.

22:25 Mittens lapidem in volatilia, dejiciet illa : sic et qui conviciatur amico, dissolvit amicitiam.
*H He that flingeth a stone at birds, shall drive them away: so he that upbraideth his friend, breaketh friendship.


Ver. 25. Away, (Gr.) Lit. "will knock them down," dejiciet. H. — Deliberate provocations (v. 27.) are pardoned with more difficulty than a sudden impulse of wrath. v. 26. On such occasions we may withdraw our confidence, but not our charity and patience. Matt. v. 11. C. — A true friend will not be lost for a temporal damage; but he must not be slighted. W.

22:26 Ad amicum etsi produxeris gladium, non desperes : est enim regressus. Ad amicum
Although thou hast drawn a sword at a friend, despair not: for there may be a returning. To a friend,
22:27 si aperueris os triste, non timeas : est enim concordatio : excepto convitio, et improperio, et superbia, et mysterii revelatione, et plaga dolosa : in his omnibus effugiet amicus.
If thou hast opened a sad mouth, fear not, for there may be a reconciliation: except upbraiding, and reproach, and pride, and disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound: for in all these cases a friend will flee away.
22:28 Fidem posside cum amico in paupertate illius, ut et in bonis illius laeteris.
Keep fidelity with a friend in his poverty, that in his prosperity also thou mayst rejoice.
22:29 In tempore tribulationis illius permane illi fidelis, ut et in haereditate illius cohaeres sis.
*H In the time of his trouble continue faithful to him, that thou mayst also be heir with him in his inheritance.


Ver. 29. Inheritance. Gr. adds, "for poverty is not always contemptible, nor is the senseless rich worthy of admiration." H.

22:30 Ante ignem camini vapor et fumus ignis inaltatur : sic et ante sanguinem maledicta, et contumeliae, et minae.
As the vapour of a chimney, and the smoke of the fire goeth up before the fire: so also injurious words, and reproaches, and threats, before blood.
22:31 Amicum salutare non confundar, a facie illius non me abscondam : et si mala mihi evenerint per illum, sustinebo.
I will not be ashamed to salute a friend, neither will I hide myself from his face: and if any evil happen to me by him, I will bear it.
22:32 Omnis qui audiet cavebit se ab eo.]
*H But every one that shall hear it, will beware of him.


Ver. 32. Of him. Yet I will not follow their example. C. — If my friend has behaved ill to me, he will be the greatest sufferer. H.

22:33 [Quis dabit ori meo custodiam, et super labia mea signaculum certum, ut non cadam ab ipsis, et lingua mea perdat me ?]
*H Who will set a guard before my mouth, and a sure seal upon my lips, that I fall not by them, and that my tongue destroy me not?


Ver. 33. Not. Ps. cxl. 3. Who can sufficiently guard his tongue? C.

* Footnote * Psalms 140 : 3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and a door round about my lips.
Prev Next