Siracide 17

1Le Seigneur a formé l’homme de terre, et il le fait retourner dans la terre.

2Il lui a assigné un nombre de jours et un temps déterminé, et il lui a donné pouvoir sur tout ce qui est sur la terre.

3Selon sa nature, il l’a revêtu de force, et il l’a fait à son image.

4Il a inspiré sa crainte à toute chair, et lui a donné l’empire sur les bêtes et sur les oiseaux.

5Il lui a donné le discernement, une langue, des yeux, des oreilles, et un cœur pour penser.

6Il l’a rempli de science et d’intelligence, et il lui a fait connaître le bien et le mal.

7Il a mis son œil dans leurs cœurs, pour leur montrer la grandeur de ses œuvres.

8Et ainsi ils loueront son saint nom, en publiant les merveilles de ses œuvres.

9Il leur a encore donné la science, et les a mis en possession de la loi de vie.

10Il a contracté avec eux une alliance éternelle, et il leur a révélé ses commandements.

11Leurs yeux ont contemplé les splendeurs de sa majesté, et leurs oreilles ont entendu les magnifiques accents de sa voix.

12Et il leur a dit : « Gardez-vous de toute iniquité ! »et il leur a donné à chacun des prescriptions à l’égard du prochain.

13Leurs voies sont constamment devant lui ; rien ne peut les dérober à son regard.

14À chaque peuple il assigne un chef, mais Israël est la portion du Seigneur.

15Toutes leurs œuvres sont devant lui, comme le soleil, et ses yeux sont toujours tournés sur leurs voies.

16Leurs injustices ne lui sont pas cachées, et tous leurs péchés sont devant le Seigneur.

17L’œuvre charitable d’un homme est pour lui comme un sceau, et il conserve le bienfait de l’homme comme la prunelle de l’œil.

18Ensuite il se lèvera et leur rendra selon leurs actions, et il fera retomber sur leur tête ce qui leur est dû.

19Cependant, à ceux qui se repentent, il accorde le retour, et il console ceux qui ont perdu confiance.

20Tourne-toi vers le Seigneur et quitte tes péchés ; prie devant sa face et diminue tes offenses.

21Reviens au Très-Haut, détourne-toi de l’injustice, et déteste fortement ce qui est abominable.

22Qui louera le Très-Haut dans le schéol, à la place des vivants et de ceux qui lui rendent leurs hommages ?

23À l’homme mort, comme s’il n’était plus rien, la louange est impossible ; celui qui a la vie et la santé loue le Seigneur.

24Qu’elle est grande la miséricorde du Seigneur, et sa compassion envers ceux qui se convertissent à lui !

25Car tout ne peut pas se trouver dans les hommes, le fils de l’homme n’étant pas immortel.

26Quoi de plus brillant que le soleil ? Et pourtant il s’obscurcit : ainsi le méchant pense à la chair et au sang.

27Le soleil visite l’armée des astres dans les hauteurs des cieux, mais tous les hommes sont terre et cendre.

1[Deus creavit de terra hominem, et secundum imaginem suam fecit illum:

2et iterum convertit illum in ipsam, et secundum se vestivit illum virtute.

3Numerum dierum et tempus dedit illi, et dedit illi potestatem eorum quæ sunt super terram.

4Posuit timorem illius super omnem carnem, et dominatus est bestiarum et volatilium.

5Creavit ex ipso adjutorium simile sibi: consilium, et linguam, et oculos, et aures, et cor dedit illis excogitandi, et disciplina intellectus replevit illos.

6Creavit illis scientiam spiritus, sensu implevit cor illorum, et mala et bona ostendit illis.

7Posuit oculum suum super corda illorum, ostendere illis magnalia operum suorum:

8ut nomen sanctificationis collaudent, et gloriari in mirabilibus illius; ut magnalia enarrent operum ejus.

9Addidit illis disciplinam, et legem vitæ hæreditavit illos.

10Testamentum æternum constituit cum illis, et justitiam et judicia sua ostendit illis.

11Et magnalia honoris ejus vidit oculus illorum, et honorem vocis audierunt aures illorum. Et dixit illis: Attendite ab omni iniquo.

12Et mandavit illis unicuique de proximo suo.

13Viæ illorum coram ipso sunt semper: non sunt absconsæ ab oculis ipsius.

14In unamquamque gentem præposuit rectorem:

15et pars Dei Israël facta est manifesta.

16Et omnia opera illorum velut sol in conspectu Dei: et oculi ejus sine intermissione inspicientes in viis eorum.

17Non sunt absconsa testamenta per iniquitatem illorum, et omnes iniquitates eorum in conspectu Dei.

18Eleemosyna viri quasi signaculum cum ipso, et gratiam hominis quasi pupillam conservabit.

19Et postea resurget, et retribuet illis retributionem, unicuique in caput ipsorum, et convertet in interiores partes terræ.

20Pœnitentibus autem dedit viam justitiæ, et confirmavit deficientes sustinere, et destinavit illis sortem veritatis.]

21[Convertere ad Dominum, et relinque peccata tua:

22precare ante faciem Domini, et minue offendicula.

23Revertere ad Dominum, et avertere ab injustitia tua, et nimis odito execrationem:

24et cognosce justitias et judicia Dei, et sta in sorte propositionis, et orationis altissimi Dei.

25In partes vade sæculi sancti, cum vivis et dantibus confessionem Deo.

26Non demoreris in errore impiorum: ante mortem confitere: a mortuo, quasi nihil, perit confessio.

27Confiteberis vivens, vivus et sanus confiteberis: et laudabis Deum, et gloriaberis in miserationibus illius.

28Quam magna misericordia Domini, et propitiatio illius convertentibus ad se !

29Nec enim omnia possunt esse in hominibus, quoniam non est immortalis filius hominis, et in vanitate malitiæ placuerunt.

30Quid lucidius sole? et hic deficiet; aut quid nequius quam quod excogitavit caro et sanguis? et hoc arguetur.

31Virtutem altitudinis cæli ipse conspicit: et omnes homines terra et cinis.]

1God created man of the earth, and made him after his own image.

2And he turned him into it again, and clothed him with strength according to himself.

3He gave him the number of his days and time, and gave him power over all things that are upon the earth.

4He put the fear of him upon all flesh, and he had dominion over beasts and fowls.

5He created of him a helpmate like to himself: he gave them counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, and ears, and a heart to devise: and he filled them with the knowledge of understanding.

6He created in them the science of the spirit, he filled their heart with wisdom, and shewed them both good and evil.

7He set his eye upon their hearts to shew them the greatness of his works:

8That they might praise the name which he hath sanctified: and glory in his wondrous acts, that they might declare the glorious things of his works.

9Moreover he gave them instructions, and the law of life for an inheritance.

10He made an everlasting covenant with them, and he shewed them his justice and judgments.

11And their eye saw the majesty of his glory. and their ears heard his glorious voice, and he said to them: Beware of all iniquity.

12And he gave to every one of them commandment concerning his neighbour.

13Their ways are always before him, they are not hidden from his eyes.

14Over every nation he set a ruler.

15And Israel was made the manifest portion of God.

16And all their works are as the sun in the sight of God: and his eyes are continually upon their ways.

17Their covenants were not hid by their iniquity, and all their iniquities are in the sight of God.

18The alms of a man is as a signet with him, and shall preserve the grace of a man as the apple of the eye:

19And afterward he shall rise up, and shall render them their reward, to every one upon their own head, and shall turn them down into the bowels of the earth.

20But to the penitent he hath given the way of justice, and he hath strengthened them that were fainting in patience, and hath appointed to them the lot of truth.

21Turn to the Lord, and forsake thy sins:

22Make thy prayer before the face of the Lord, and offend less.

23Return to the Lord, and turn away from thy injustice, and greatly hate abomination.

24And know the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the lot set before thee, and in prayer to the most high God.

25Go to the side of the holy age, with them that live and give praise to God.

26Tarry not in the error of the ungodly, give glory before death. Praise perisheth from the dead as nothing.

27Give thanks whilst thou art living, whilst thou art alive and in health thou shalt give thanks, and shalt praise God, and shalt glory in his mercies.

28How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to them that turn to him!

29For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, and they are delighted with the vanity of evil.

30What is brighter than the sun; yet it shall be eclipsed. Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood hath invented? and this shall be reproved.

31He beholdeth the power of the height of heaven: and all men are earth and ashes.