Chapters

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

Old Testament

New Testament

Sirach 34 Common English Bible (CEB)

On dreams

1. Senseless peoplehave empty and false hopes,and dreams excite fools.

2. Those who pay attention to dreamsare just like people who graspat a shadow or pursue the wind.

3. What one sees in a dream is a reflection,a face looking at its own likeness.

4. What will be made cleanfrom something unclean?And what will be trueof something false?

5. Divinations, omens,and dreams are empty.The mind has fantasies,just like a woman in labor does.

6. Unless the Most High sends a dreamby means of a visitation,don’t pay any attention to it.

7. Dreams have misled many,and those who have placed hope in them have fallen.

8. The Law will be fulfilled without lies;wisdom in a faithful person’s mouthis fulfillment.

Experience and fear of the Lord

9. People who have traveled know a lot,and those who are experiencedwill speak sense.

10. People with no experience know little,

11. but those who have traveledhave become more clever.

12. I have seen a lot in my wandering,and I understand more than I can tell.

13. I’ve often been in danger,close to death,and I was savedbecause of these experiences.

14. The spirit of those who fear the Lordwill live,

15. because their hope is in the onewho saves them.

16. Those who fear the Lordwon’t be timid about anything;they will never turn coward,because the Lord is their hope.

17. The souls of those who fear the Lordare favored.

18. To whom do they look?And who is their support?

19. The Lord’s eyesare upon those who love him.The Lord is a powerful shield,a strong support,a shelter from the heat,a shade from the midday sun,a guard against stumbling,and a help against falling;

20. one who lifts up the spirit,one who gives light to the eyes,and one who gives healingfor life and blessing.

On sacrifice and worship

21. When someone sacrifices something unjustly gotten,the offering is flawed;

22. the gifts of those who don’t followthe Law are not acceptable.

23. The Most High is not pleasedwith the offerings of the ungodly,nor will he forgive sinsfor a multitude of sacrifices.

24. Someone who brings a sacrifice that comes from the property of the needyis like someone who slaughters a sonin the presence of his father.

25. The needy person’s breadmeans life for that poor person;whoever withholds it is a murderer.

26. Whoever takes away a neighbor’s livingcommits murder,

27. and whoever deprives a workerof wages sheds blood.

28. One person builds,and another tears down;what have they gainedother than hard work?

29. One person prays,and another person curses;to whose voice will the master listen?

30. When people bathe after touchinga corpse and touch it again,what have they gained by washing?

31. So when people fast because of their sins,and then go and do the samethings again,who will listen to their prayer,and what did they gainby humbling themselves?