Sirach 16

1Do not desire the appearance of worthless youths, and do not rejoice in sons of unrighteousness.

2Even if they become many, do not delight in them, if the fear of Yahweh is not with them.

3Do not trust in their life, and do not rely on their future; for one who does what is pleasing is better than a thousand, and to die childless than to have many children in unrighteousness and a lawless end.

4From one God-fearing childless man a city will be inhabited, but from a family of traitors it will be laid waste.

5My eye has seen many such things, and my ear has heard things as mighty as these.

6In the assembly of the wicked, fire burns; and among a godless nation, wrath is kindled.

7He did not spare the princes of old, who revolted in their might.

8And he did not spare Lot’s neighbors, who became arrogant in their pride.

9And he did not spare a people devoted to destruction, those trampled down in their iniquity.

10So also six hundred thousand foot soldiers, gathered together in the arrogance of their heart.

11Even if one person is stiff-necked, it is astonishing if he will be cleared; for mercy and anger are with him, and he bears and forgives, but upon the wicked he lets his wrath rest.

12As great as his mercies are, so also is his reproof; he will judge a man according to his deeds.

13An unjust one will not escape with plunder, and the desire of the righteous will never fail.

14For every act of righteousness there is a reward; each person will find it according to his works.

15Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, though he did not know him, for his deeds are revealed under heaven.

16His mercies are seen by all his creatures, and he has apportioned his light and his praise to the sons of man.

17Do not say, “I am hidden from God, and from on high who will remember me? In a great people I will not be known; and what is my life among the ends of the winds, all the sons of man?”

18Look—the heavens and the highest heavens, the deep and the earth: when he descends upon them, they stand still; at his visitation they quake.

19Even the peaks of the mountains and the foundations of the world—when he looks at them, they quake.

20Even to me he will not pay attention, and who will consider my ways?

21If I have sinned, no eye sees me; or if I lie, who knows it in every hiding place?

22Who will declare a work of righteousness, and who will wait for it? For the covenant is far off.

23Those lacking sense will understand these things, and a foolish man will consider this.

24Listen to me and receive understanding, and pay attention in your heart to my words.

25I will declare my spirit with measure, and with care I will make my knowledge known.

26When God created his works from the beginning, he assigned their dominion over their living things.

27He ordered his works forever, and their beginnings for their generations; they neither hungered nor grew weary, and they did not cease from their works.

28Each one did not oppress his neighbor, and they will never disobey his word.

29And after this the Lord looked upon the earth and filled it with his good things.

30The surface of it covered the life of every living thing, and to it is their return.