Sirach 41 - Contemporary English Version Interconfessional Edition

Thoughts about Dying

¹ Death is a bitter thought for those who are prosperous and without a worry. They have everything and are healthy enough to enjoy good food.

² But others would rather die because they are poor and sick, old and worn out. They are grumpy and impatient, always finding something to worry about.

³ When it's your time to die, don't be afraid— you are merely following those who have gone on before. And everyone else will soon follow you,

⁴ because the Lord has commanded that life ends with death, and we all must obey. No one in the world of the dead will ask how long you lived, whether it was ten, a hundred, or a thousand years.

⁵ The children of sinners are disgusting, because they are raised in godless homes.

⁶ They will lose everything they inherited, and their own children will live in disgrace.

⁷ If parents reject God, their children are disgraced and blame them.

⁸ The godless are in for trouble, because they refuse to obey the Law of God Most High.

⁹ They will groan as disaster strikes their children, and at the death of the godless, God's people will celebrate and will curse them.

¹⁰ All living creatures will return to the soil from which they were made, but sinners are under a curse and will be destroyed.

¹¹ When someone dies, we usually mourn, but everyone tries to forget those who were evil.

¹² So be careful! Your reputation won't die with you— it will outlast the gold in a thousand treasure chests.

¹³ Every one of us must die, but our reputations won't.

When To Be Ashamed

¹⁴ Students, you have learned well. So don't worry; just do what you have been taught. Your wisdom is a treasure— bring it out and use it, don't bury it!

¹⁵ Fools who hide their stupidity will be better off than you, if you hide your wisdom.

¹⁶ Certain deeds are shameful, although not everyone agrees what these are. So listen carefully, and I will tell you.

¹⁷ You should be ashamed if you are immoral and your parents find out; if a leader discovers that you have lied;

¹⁸ if you commit a crime and everyone in town comes to watch your trial; if you cheat your friends

¹⁹ or steal from neighbors; if you break promises that you made in God's name; if you have bad manners when eating dinner, or when giving a gift or receiving one;

²⁰ if you don't reply when someone greets you; if you men look at a prostitute *

²¹ or if you desire the wife of another man or if you try to have sex with one of his slave girls; if you refuse to help a relative or if you take what was given to someone else;

²² if you insult your friends, even though you have given a gift to them;