Sirach 10 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

10 A wise magistrate educates his people,
and the rule of an intelligent person is well ordered.
² As the people’s judge is, so are his officials;
as the ruler of the city is, so are all its inhabitants.^(A)
3 An undisciplined king ruins his people,
but a city becomes fit to live in through the understanding of its rulers.^(B)
4 The government of the earth is in the hand of the Lord,
and over it he will raise up the right leader for the time.^(C)
5 Human success is in the hand of the Lord,
and it is he who confers honor upon the lawgiver.^[a](D)

The Sin of Pride

⁶ Do not get angry with your neighbor for every injury,
and do not resort to acts of insolence.^(E)
7 Arrogance is hateful to the Lord and to mortals,
and injustice is outrageous to both.^(F)
8 Sovereignty passes from nation to nation
on account of injustice and insolence and wealth.^[b](G)
9 How can dust and ashes be proud?
Even in life the human body is infested with worms.^[c](H)
10 A long illness mocks the physician;
the king of today will die tomorrow.^(I)
11 For when humans die
they inherit maggots and vermin^[d] and worms.^(J)
12 The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;
the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.^(K)
13 For the beginning of pride is sin,
and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brought upon them unheard-of calamities
and destroyed them completely.^[e]
14 The Lord overthrew the thrones of rulers
and enthroned the lowly in their place.^(L)
15 The Lord plucked up the roots of the nations^[f]
and planted the humble in their place.
¹⁶ The Lord laid waste the lands of the nations
and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.^(M)
17 He removed some of them and destroyed them
and erased the memory of them from the earth.^(N)
18 Pride was not created for human beings
or violent anger for those born of women.

Persons Deserving Honor

¹⁹ Whose offspring are worthy of honor?
Human offspring.
Whose offspring are worthy of honor?
Those who fear the Lord.
Whose offspring are unworthy of honor?
Human offspring.
Whose offspring are unworthy of honor?
Those who break the commandments.^(O)
20 Among family members their leader is worthy of honor,
but those who fear the Lord are worthy of honor in his eyes.^[g]
22 The guest and the stranger^[h] and the poor—
their boast is the fear of the Lord.^(P)
23 It is not right to despise one who is intelligent but poor,
and it is not proper to honor one who is sinful.^(Q)
24 The prince and the judge and the ruler are honored,
but none of them is greater than the one who fears the Lord.^(R)
25 Free people will serve a wise slave,
and an intelligent person will not complain.^(S)

Concerning Humility

²⁶ Do not make a display of your wisdom when you do your work,
and do not extol yourself when you are in difficulty.
²⁷ Better those who work and have plenty
than those who boast and lack bread.^(T)

²⁸ My child, honor yourself with humility,
and give yourself the esteem you deserve.^(U)
29 Who will acquit those who condemn^[i] themselves,
and who will honor those who dishonor themselves?^[j]
30 The poor are honored for their knowledge,
while the rich are honored for their wealth.
³¹ One who is honored in poverty, how much more in wealth!
And one dishonored in wealth, how much more in poverty!

Footnotes

1. 10.5Heb: Gk scribe
2. 10.8Other ancient authorities add here or after 10.9a: Nothing is more wicked than one who loves money, for such a person puts his own soul up for sale.
3. 10.9Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain
4. 10.11Heb: Gk wild animals
5. 10.13Gk: Heb brings upon them . . . destroys them
6. 10.15Other ancient authorities read proud nations
7. 10.20Other ancient authorities add as 10.21: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance; obduracy and pride are the beginning of rejection.
8. 10.22Heb: Gk The rich and the eminent
9. 10.29Heb: Gk sin against
10. 10.29Heb Lat: Gk their own life

Cross references

1. 10.2 : Prov 29.12
2. 10.3 : Sir 47.23
3. 10.4 : Ps 47.7; 75.7
4. 10.5 : 1 Chr 29.12; Ezra 7.6
5. 10.6 : Mt 5.22; 18.21, 22
6. 10.7 : Add Esth 16.2–4
7. 10.8 : Job 12.23; Jer 18.7–10; 27.5–8
8. 10.9 : Sir 17.32
9. 10.10 : 1 Macc 2.62
10. 10.11 : Isa 14.11; 1 Macc 2.63
11. 10.12 : Deut 8.14; Ps 106.21
12. 10.14 : 1 Sam 2.8; Lk 1.52
13. 10.16 : Deut 31.3, 4
14. 10.17 : Ps 9.6
15. 10.19 : 1 Sam 2.30; Job 15.14; Ps 8.5, 6
16. 10.22 : Jer 9.23, 24; Sir 9.16
17. 10.23 : Sir 13.22
18. 10.24 : Jdt 16.16; Sir 25.10
19. 10.25 : Prov 17.2
20. 10.27 : Prov 12.9
21. 10.28 : Rom 12.3