Book List
Prev Sirach Chapter 28 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.

28:1 [Qui vindicari vult, a Domino inveniet vindictam, et peccata illius servans servabit.
*H He that seeketh to revenge himself, shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance.


Ver. 1. Sins. To seek revenge out of rancour, or contrary to justice, is a grievous sin. W. — Retaliation was tolerated, (Ex. xxi. 24.) but love was not to be laid aside. Deut. xxxiii. 35. Lev. xxi. 17. Ps. vii. 5. Mat. vii. 2.

* Footnote * Deuteronomy 32 : 35 Revenge is mine, and I will repay them in due time, that their foot may slide: the day of destruction is at hand, and the time makes haste to come.
* Footnote * Matthew 6 : 14 For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences.
* Footnote * Mark 11 : 25 And when you shall stand to pray, forgive, if you have aught against any man: that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your sins.
* Footnote * Romans 12 : 19 Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.
28:2 Relinque proximo tuo nocenti te, et tunc deprecanti tibi peccata solventur.
*H Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt thee: and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest.


Ver. 2. Forgive. This charity enforces, when the offender is penitent, if the remission of punishment be not contrary to justice and discipline. W. — Mat. vi. 12. and xviii. 32. Lu. vi. 37. We all stand in need of pardon. C.

28:3 Homo homini reservat iram, et a Deo quaerit medelam :
Man to man reserveth anger, and doth he seek remedy of God?
28:4 in hominem similem sibi non habet misericordiam, et de peccatis suis deprecatur.
He hath no mercy on a man like himself, and doth he entreat for his own sins?
28:5 Ipse cum caro sit reservat iram, et propitiationem petit a Deo : quis exorabit pro delictis illius ?
*H He that is but flesh, nourisheth anger, and doth he ask forgiveness of God? who shall obtain pardon for his sins?


Ver. 5. And doth. Gr. "who will expiate his sins?" Is God bound to receive his victims or prayers while he entertains such dispositions? C.

28:6 Memento novissimorum, et desine inimicari :
Remember thy last things, and let enmity cease:
28:7 tabitudo enim et mors imminent in mandatis ejus.
*H For corruption and death hang over in his commandments.


Ver. 7. In his commandments. Supply the sentence out of the Greek thus: Remember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments, (Ch.) which condemn revenge. Ex. xxiii. 4. C. — Comp. "and do not rage or menace thy neighbour with destruction and death; yea, stick to the commandments. Be mindful of the precepts, and be not angry with thy neighbour; and of the covenant," &c. v. 9. H.

28:8 Memorare timorem Dei, et non irascaris proximo.
Remember the fear of God, and be not angry with thy neighbour.
28:9 Memorare testamentum Altissimi, et despice ignorantiam proximi.
*H Remember the covenant of the most High, and overlook the ignorance of thy neighbour.


Ver. 9. Ignorance. He uses a softer term. In effect, most quarrels proceed from a misunderstanding. "Every sinner is ignorant."

28:10 Abstine te a lite, et minues peccata.
Refrain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins.
28:11 Homo enim iracundus incendit litem, et vir peccator turbabit amicos, et in medio pacem habentium immittet inimicitiam.
For a passionate man kindleth strife, and a sinful man will trouble his friends, and bring in debate in the midst of them that are at peace.
28:12 Secundum enim ligna silvae sic ignis exardescit : et secundum virtutem hominis sic iracundia illius erit, et secundum substantiam suam exaltabit iram suam.
*H For as the wood of the forest is, so the fire burneth, and as a man's strength is, so shall his anger be, and according to his riches he shall increase his anger.


Ver. 12. Burneth. The more fuel, the greater will be the blaze.

28:13 Certamen festinatum incendit ignem, et lis festinans effundit sanguinem : et lingua testificans adducit mortem.
*H A hasty contention kindleth a fire and a hasty quarrel sheddeth blood and a tongue that beareth witness bringeth death.


Ver. 13. And a, &c. is not in Gr. Prov. xix. 12. and xxvi. 21.

28:14 Si sufflaveris in scintillam, quasi ignis exardebit : et si exspueris super illam, extinguetur : utraque ex ore proficiscuntur.]
If thou blow the spark, it shall burn as a fire: and if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: both come out of the mouth.
28:15 [Susurro et bilinguis maledictus, multos enim turbabit pacem habentes.
The whisperer and the double tongue is accursed: for he hath troubled many that were at peace.
28:16 Lingua tertia multos commovit, et dispersit illos de gente in gentem.
*H The tongue of a third person hath disquieted many, and scattered them from nation to nation.


Ver. 16. Third. Who carries stories between friends, to set them at variance. C.

28:17 Civitates muratas divitum destruxit, et domus magnatorum effodit.
It hath destroyed the strong cities of the rich, and hath overthrown the houses of great men.
28:18 Virtutes populorum concidit, et gentes fortes dissolvit.
*H It hath cut in pieces the forces of people, and undone strong nations.


Ver. 18. It, &c. is omitted in Gr. H. — Indiscreet reports often cause dissensions. W.

28:19 Lingua tertia mulieres viratas ejecit, et privavit illas laboribus suis.
*H The tongue of a third person hath cast out valiant women, and deprived them of their labours.


Ver. 19. Labours. Causing their husbands to suspect them.

28:20 Qui respicit illam non habebit requiem, nec habebit amicum in quo requiescat.
He that hearkeneth to it, shall never have rest, neither shall he have a friend in whom he may repose.
28:21 Flagelli plaga livorem facit : plaga autem linguae comminuet ossa.
The stroke of a whip maketh a blue mark: but the stroke of the tongue will break the bones.
28:22 Multi ceciderunt in ore gladii : sed non sic quasi qui interierunt per linguam suam.
*H Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have perished by their own tongue.


Ver. 22. Their own. Gr. "the." Detraction separates many friends. C.

28:23 Beatus qui tectus est a lingua nequam, qui in iracundiam illius non transivit, et qui non attraxit jugum illius, et in vinculis ejus non est ligatus :
Blessed is he that is defended from a wicked tongue, that hath not passed into the wrath thereof, and that hath not drawn the yoke thereof, and hath not been bound in its bands.
28:24 jugum enim illius jugum ferreum est, et vinculum illius vinculum aereum est ;
For its yoke is a yoke of iron: and its bands are bands of brass.
28:25 mors illius mors nequissima : et utilis potius infernus quam illa.
*H The death thereof is a most evil death: and hell is preferable to it.


Ver. 25. Hell. Or rather "the grave."

28:26 Perseverantia illius non permanebit, sed obtinebit vias injustorum, et in flamma sua non comburet justos.
*H Its continuance shall not be for a long time, but it shall possess the ways of the unjust: and the just shall not be burnt with its flame.


Ver. 26. Its. Gr. "it shall not take hold of the pious, and they shall not," &c. H. — Their virtue shall quickly shine forth. C.

28:27 Qui relinquunt Deum incident in illam, et exardebit in illis, et non extinguetur, et immittetur in illos quasi leo, et quasi pardus laedet illos.
They that forsake God shall fall into it, and it shall burn in them, and shall not be quenched, and it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and as a leopard it shall tear them.
28:28 Sepi aures tuas spinis : linguam nequam noli audire : et ori tuo facito ostia et seras.
*H Hedge in thy ears with thorns, hear not a wicked tongue, and make doors and bars to thy mouth.


Ver. 28. Hear. Gr. "lo, hedge in thy possessions with thorns: bind up thy silver and gold." H. — To pay attention to detraction is as bad as to utter it. W.

28:29 Aurum tuum et argentum tuum confla, et verbis tuis facito stateram, et frenos ori tuo rectos :
*H Melt down thy gold and silver, and make a balance for thy words, and a just bridle for thy mouth:


Ver. 29. Just. Gr. "a door and bolt," &c. as v. 28. If people guard their property with so much care, why do they make light of words? H. — These ought to be weighed with more attention than money, and we ought to spare no pains or expense on this head. C.

28:30 et attende ne forte labaris in lingua, et cadas in conspectu inimicorum insidiantium tibi, et sit casus tuus insanabilis in mortem.]
*H And take heed lest thou slip with thy tongue, and fall in the sight of thy enemies who lie in wait for thee, and thy fall be incurable unto death.


Ver. 30. Tongue. Gr. "by them, lest thou fall before him who lays snares." C. xxix. H.

Prev Next