Siracide 3

1Mes enfants, écoutez-moi, moi qui suis votre père, et faites en sorte que vous obteniez le salut.

2Car le Seigneur veut que le père soit honoré par ses enfants, et il a affermi sur les fils l’autorité de la mère.

3Celui qui honore son père expie ses péchés,

4et c’est amasser un trésor que d’honorer sa mère.

5Celui qui honore son père sera réjoui par ses enfants, et il sera exaucé au jour de sa prière.

6Celui qui honore son père aura de longs jours ; celui qui obéit au Seigneur donnera consolation à sa mère.

7[Celui qui craint le Seigneur honore ses parents ;] et sert comme des maîtres ceux qui lui ont donné le jour.

8En action et en parole honore ton père, afin que sa bénédiction vienne sur toi ;

9car la bénédiction du père affermit les maisons des enfants ; mais la malédiction de la mère déracine les fondations.

10Ne te glorifie pas de l’opprobre de ton père, car sa confusion ne saurait te faire honneur ;

11car la gloire d’un homme lui vient de l’honneur de son père, et une mère méprisée est la honte de ses enfants.

12Mon fils, soutiens ton père dans sa vieillesse, et ne le contriste pas durant sa vie.

13Son esprit viendrait-il à s’affaiblir, sois indulgent, et ne le méprise pas dans la plénitude de tes forces.

14Car le bien fait à un père ne sera pas mis en oubli, et, à la place de tes péchés, ta maison deviendra prospère.

15Au jour de la tribulation, le Seigneur se souviendra de toi ; comme la glace se fond par un temps serein, ainsi se dissiperont tes péchés.

16Il ressemble au blasphémateur celui qui délaisse son père ; il est maudit du Seigneur celui qui irrite sa mère.

17Mon fils, accomplis tes œuvres avec mansuétude, et tu seras aimé de l’homme agréable à Dieu.

18Humilie-toi d’autant plus que tu es plus grand, et tu trouveras grâce devant le Seigneur ;

19car la puissance du Seigneur est grande, et il est glorifié par les humbles.

20Ne cherche pas ce qui est trop difficile pour toi, et ne scrute pas ce qui dépasse tes forces.

21Ce qui t’est commandé, voilà à quoi tu dois penser, car tu n’as que faire des choses cachées.

22Ne t’applique point aux occupations superflues, car on t’en a déjà montré plus que l’esprit humain ne peut saisir.

23Leur propre illusion en a égaré un grand nombre, et une présomption coupable a fait dévier leurs pensées.

24Celui qui aime le danger y trouvera sa perte : et le cœur dur tombe à la fin dans le malheur.

25Le cœur dur sera accablé d’afflictions, et le pécheur entasse péchés sur péchés.

26Le malheur de l’orgueilleux est sans remède, car la plante du mal a jeté en lui ses racines.

27Le cœur de l’ homme intelligent médite la parabole ; trouver une oreille attentive est le désir du sage.

28L’eau éteint le feu le plus ardent, et l’aumône expie les péchés.

29Celui qui paie de retour les bienfaits songe à l’avenir, et, au jour du malheur, il trouvera un appui.

1[Filii sapientiæ ecclesia justorum, et natio illorum obedientia et dilectio.

2Judicium patris audite, filii, et sic facite, ut salvi sitis.

3Deus enim honoravit patrem in filiis: et judicium matris exquirens, firmavit in filios.

4Qui diligit Deum exorabit pro peccatis, et continebit se ab illis, et in oratione dierum exaudietur.

5Et sicut qui thesaurizat, ita et qui honorificat matrem suam.

6Qui honorat patrem suum jucundabitur in filiis, et in die orationis suæ exaudietur.

7Qui honorat patrem suum vita vivet longiore, et qui obedit patri refrigerabit matrem.

8Qui timet Dominum honorat parentes, et quasi dominis serviet his qui se genuerunt.

9In opere, et sermone, et omni patientia, honora patrem tuum,

10ut superveniat tibi benedictio ab eo, et benedictio illius in novissimo maneat.

11Benedictio patris firmat domos filiorum: maledictio autem matris eradicat fundamenta.

12Ne glorieris in contumelia patris tui: non enim est tibi gloria ejus confusio.

13Gloria enim hominis ex honore patris sui, et dedecus filii pater sine honore.

14Fili, suscipe senectam patris tui, et non contristes eum in vita illius:

15et si defecerit sensu, veniam da, et ne spernas eum in virtute tua: eleemosyna enim patris non erit in oblivione.

16Nam pro peccato matris restituetur tibi bonum:

17et in justitia ædificabitur tibi, et in die tribulationis commemorabitur tui, et sicut in sereno glacies, solventur peccata tua.

18Quam malæ famæ est qui derelinquit patrem, et est maledictus a Deo qui exasperat matrem !]

19[Fili, in mansuetudine opera tua perfice, et super hominum gloriam diligeris.

20Quanto magnus es, humilia te in omnibus, et coram Deo invenies gratiam:

21quoniam magna potentia Dei solius, et ab humilibus honoratur.

22Altiora te ne quæsieris, et fortiora te ne scrutatus fueris: sed quæ præcepit tibi Deus, illa cogita semper, et in pluribus operibus ejus ne fueris curiosus.

23Non est enim tibi necessarium ea, quæ abscondita sunt, videre oculis tuis.

24In supervacuis rebus noli scrutari multipliciter, et in pluribus operibus ejus non eris curiosus.

25Plurima enim super sensum hominum ostensa sunt tibi:

26multos quoque supplantavit suspicio illorum, et in vanitate detinuit sensus illorum.

27Cor durum habebit male in novissimo, et qui amat periculum in illo peribit.

28Cor ingrediens duas vias non habebit successus, et pravus corde in illis scandalizabitur.

29Cor nequam gravabitur in doloribus, et peccator adjiciet ad peccandum.

30Synagogæ superborum non erit sanitas, frutex enim peccati radicabitur in illis, et non intelligetur.

31Cor sapientis intelligitur in sapientia, et auris bona audiet cum omni concupiscentia sapientiam.

32Sapiens cor et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis, et in operibus justitiæ successus habebit.]

33[Ignem ardentem exstinguit aqua, et eleemosyna resistit peccatis:

34et Deus prospector est ejus qui reddit gratiam: meminit ejus in posterum, et in tempore casus sui inveniet firmamentum.]

1The sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their generation, obedience and love.

2Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that you may be saved.

3For God hath made the father honourable to the children: and seeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it upon the children.

4He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the prayer of days.

5And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure.

6He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.

7He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and he that obeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his mother.

8He that feareth the Lord, honoureth his parents, and will serve them as his masters that brought him into the world.

9Honour thy father, in work and word, and all patience,

10That a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may remain in the latter end.

11The father’s blessing establisheth the houses of the children: but the mother’s curse rooteth up the foundation.

12Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is no glory to thee.

13For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father, and a father without honour is the disgrace of the son.

14Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life;

15And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength: for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten.

16For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.

17And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather.

18Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and he is cursed of God that angereth his mother.

19My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men.

20The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God:

21For great is the power of God alone, and he is honoured by the humble.

22Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability: but the things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious.

23For it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes those things that are hid.

24In unnecessary matters be not over curious, and in many of his works thou shalt not be inquisitive.

25For many things are shewn to thee above the understanding of men.

26And the suspicion of them hath deceived many, and hath detained their minds in vanity.

27A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that loveth danger shall perish in it.

28A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and the perverse of heart shall be scandalized therein.

29A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner will add sin to sin.

30The congregation of the proud shall not be healed: for the plant of wickedness shall take root in them, and it shall not be perceived.

31The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good ear will hear wisdom with all desire.

32A wise heart, and which hath understanding, will abstain from sins, and in the works of justice shall have success.

33Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins:

34And God provideth for him that sheweth favour: he remembereth him afterwards, and in the time of his fall he shall find a sure stay.