Sirach Chapter 28

Lessons against revenge and quarrels. The evils of the tongue.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 He that seeketh to revenge himself, shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance.
2 Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt thee: and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest.
3 Man to man reserveth anger, and doth he seek remedy of God?
4 He hath no mercy on a man like himself, and doth he entreat for his own sins?
5 He that is but flesh, nourisheth anger, and doth he ask forgiveness of God? who shall obtain pardon for his sins?
6 Remember thy last things, and let enmity cease:
7 For corruption and death hang over in his commandments. In his commandments... Supply the sentence out of the Greek thus: Remember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.
8 Remember the fear of God, and be not angry with thy neighbour.
9 Remember the covenant of the most High, and overlook the ignorance of thy neighbour.
10 Refrain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins.
11 For a passionate man kindleth strife, and a sinful man will trouble his friends, and bring in debate in the midst of them that are at peace.
12 For as the wood of the forest is, so the fire burneth, and as a man's strength is, so shall his anger be, and according to his riches he shall increase his anger.
13 A hasty contention kindleth a fire and a hasty quarrel sheddeth blood and a tongue that beareth witness bringeth death.
14 If thou blow the spark, it shall burn as a fire: and if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: both come out of the mouth.

15 The whisperer and the double tongue is accursed: for he hath troubled many that were at peace.
16 The tongue of a third person hath disquieted many, and scattered them from nation to nation.
17 It hath destroyed the strong cities of the rich, and hath overthrown the houses of great men.
18 It hath cut in pieces the forces of people, and undone strong nations.
19 The tongue of a third person hath cast out valiant women, and deprived them of their labours.
20 He that hearkeneth to it, shall never have rest, neither shall he have a friend in whom he may repose.
21 The stroke of a whip maketh a blue mark: but the stroke of the tongue will break the bones.
22 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have perished by their own tongue.
23 Blessed is he that is defended from a wicked tongue, that hath not passed into the wrath thereof, and that hath not drawn the yoke thereof, and hath not been bound in its bands.
24 For its yoke is a yoke of iron: and its bands are bands of brass.
25 The death thereof is a most evil death: and hell is preferable to it.
26 Its continuance shall not be for a long time, but it shall possess the ways of the unjust: and the just shall not be burnt with its flame.
27 They that forsake God shall fall into it, and it shall burn in them, and shall not be quenched, and it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and as a leopard it shall tear them.
28 Hedge in thy ears with thorns, hear not a wicked tongue, and make doors and bars to thy mouth.
29 Melt down thy gold and silver, and make a balance for thy words, and a just bridle for thy mouth:
30 And take heed lest thou slip with thy tongue, and fall in the sight of thy enemies who lie in wait for thee, and thy fall be incurable unto death.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Qui vindicari vult, a Domino inveniet vindictam,
et peccata illius servans servabit.
2 Relinque proximo tuo nocenti te,
et tunc deprecanti tibi peccata solventur.
3 Homo homini reservat iram,
et a Deo quærit medelam:
4 in hominem similem sibi non habet misericordiam,
et de peccatis suis deprecatur.
5 Ipse cum caro sit reservat iram,
et propitiationem petit a Deo:
quis exorabit pro delictis illius?
6 Memento novissimorum, et desine inimicari:
7 tabitudo enim et mors imminent in mandatis ejus.
8 Memorare timorem Dei,
et non irascaris proximo.
9 Memorare testamentum Altissimi,
et despice ignorantiam proximi.
10 Abstine te a lite,
et minues peccata.
11 Homo enim iracundus incendit litem,
et vir peccator turbabit amicos,
et in medio pacem habentium immittet inimicitiam.
12 Secundum enim ligna silvæ sic ignis exardescit:
et secundum virtutem hominis sic iracundia illius erit,
et secundum substantiam suam exaltabit iram suam.
13 Certamen festinatum incendit ignem,
et lis festinans effundit sanguinem:
et lingua testificans adducit mortem.
14 Si sufflaveris in scintillam, quasi ignis exardebit:
et si exspueris super illam, extinguetur:
utraque ex ore proficiscuntur.

15 Susurro et bilinguis maledictus,
multos enim turbabit pacem habentes.
16 Lingua tertia multos commovit,
et dispersit illos de gente in gentem.
17 Civitates muratas divitum destruxit,
et domus magnatorum effodit.
18 Virtutes populorum concidit,
et gentes fortes dissolvit.
19 Lingua tertia mulieres viratas ejecit,
et privavit illas laboribus suis.
20 Qui respicit illam non habebit requiem,
nec habebit amicum in quo requiescat.
21 Flagelli plaga livorem facit:
plaga autem linguæ comminuet ossa.
22 Multi ceciderunt in ore gladii:
sed non sic quasi qui interierunt per linguam suam.
23 Beatus qui tectus est a lingua nequam,
qui in iracundiam illius non transivit,
et qui non attraxit jugum illius,
et in vinculis ejus non est ligatus:
24 jugum enim illius jugum ferreum est,
et vinculum illius vinculum æreum est;
25 mors illius mors nequissima:
et utilis potius infernus quam illa.
26 Perseverantia illius non permanebit,
sed obtinebit vias injustorum,
et in flamma sua non comburet justos.
27 Qui relinquunt Deum incident in illam,
et exardebit in illis, et non extinguetur,
et immittetur in illos quasi leo,
et quasi pardus lædet illos.
28 Sepi aures tuas spinis:
linguam nequam noli audire:
et ori tuo facito ostia et seras.
29 Aurum tuum et argentum tuum confla,
et verbis tuis facito stateram,
et frenos ori tuo rectos:
30 et attende ne forte labaris in lingua,
et cadas in conspectu inimicorum insidiantium tibi,
et sit casus tuus insanabilis in mortem.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition