Sirach 3

¹Hear me, your father, O my children, and do what you hear, that you all may be safe. ²For the Lord honors the father over the children, and has confirmed the judgment of the mother over her sons. ³He who honors his father will make atonement for sins. ⁴He who gives glory to his mother is as one who lays up treasure. ⁵Whoever honors his father will have joy in his own children. He will be heard in the day of his prayer. ⁶He who gives glory to his father will have length of days. He who listens to the Lord will bring rest to his mother, ⁷and will serve under his parents, as to masters. ⁸Honor your father in deed and word, that a blessing may come upon you from him. ⁹For the blessing of the father establishes the houses of children, but the curse of the mother roots out the foundations. ¹⁰Don’t glorify yourself in the dishonor of your father, for your father’s dishonor is no glory to you. ¹¹For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a mother in dishonor is a reproach to her children. ¹²My son, help your father in his old age, and don’t grieve him as long as he lives. ¹³If he fails in understanding, have patience with him. Don’t dishonor him in your full strength. ¹⁴For the kindness to your father will not be forgotten. Instead of sins it will be added to build you up. ¹⁵In the day of your affliction it will be remembered for you, as fair weather upon ice, so your sins will also melt away. ¹⁶He who forsakes his father is as a blasphemer. He who provokes his mother is cursed by the Lord. ¹⁷My son, go on with your business in humility; so you will be loved by an acceptable man. ¹⁸The greater you are, humble yourself the more, and you will find favor before the Lord. ²⁰For the power of the Lord is great, and he is glorified by those who are lowly. ²¹Don’t seek things that are too hard for you, and don’t search out things that are above your strength. ²²Think about the things that have been commanded you, for you have no need of the things that are secret. ²³Don’t be overly busy in tasks that are beyond you, for more things are shown to you than men can understand. ²⁴For the conceit of many has led them astray. Evil opinion has caused their judgment to slip. ²⁵There is no light without eyes. There is no wisdom without knowledge. ²⁶A stubborn heart will do badly at the end. He who loves danger will perish in it. ²⁷A stubborn heart will be burdened with troubles. The sinner will heap sin upon sins. ²⁸The calamity of the proud has no healing, for a weed of wickedness has taken root in him. ²⁹The heart of the prudent will understand a proverb. A wise man desires the ear of a listener. ³⁰Water will quench a flaming fire; almsgiving will make atonement for sins. ³¹He who repays good turns is mindful of that which comes afterward. In the time of his falling he will find a support.