1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Sirach 20:1 | How much better is it to reprove, than to be angry, and not to hinder him that confesseth in prayer? | Prayer. A friend's excuses must be heard. (Calmet) --- Greek, "and he who apologises shall be preserved from ruin." Grabe adds, "how good is it for one who has been rebuked," etc., ver. 4. (Haydock) --- Thus the guilty merit pardon, and the innocent obtain a greater reward, and satisfy for former offences. (Worthington) |
| Sirach 20:2 | *The lust of an eunuch shall deflower a young maiden: Ecclesiasticus 30:21. | Maiden. Or "woman," (Haydock) who has been entrusted to his care. (Menochius) --- Such people are not free from concupiscence, which must be restrained by the virtue of chastity. (St. Augustine, contra Jul. 6:14.) |
| Sirach 20:3 | So is he that by violence executeth unjust judgment. | |
| Sirach 20:4 | How good is it, when thou art reproved, to shew repentance! for so thou shalt escape wilful sin. | |
| Sirach 20:5 | There is one that holdeth his peace, that is found wise: and there is another that is hateful, that is bold in speech. | |
| Sirach 20:6 | There is one that holdeth his peace, because he knoweth not what to say: and there is another that holdeth his peace, knowing the proper time. | |
| Sirach 20:7 | A wise man will hold his peace till he see opportunity: but a babbler, and a fool, will regard no time. | |
| Sirach 20:8 | He that useth many words shall hurt his own soul: and he that taketh authority to himself unjustly, shall be hated. | Hated. As the pests of society. See Cicero, off. 1. |
| Sirach 20:9 | There is success in evil things to a man without discipline, and there is a finding that turneth to loss. | Loss. The prosperity of the wicked must not be envied, Psalm 38:1, 8. (Calmet) |
| Sirach 20:10 | There is a gift that is not profitable: and there is a gift, the recompense of which is double. | |
| Sirach 20:11 | There is an abasement because of glory: and there is one that shall lift up his head from a low estate. | Glory. Galba "would have been universally deemed worthy of the empire, if he had not reigned." (Tacitus, Hist. 1.) --- Adrian VI thought the pontificate the greatest misfortune to which he had been exposed; and this observation was engraven on his tomb. --- Estate. By merit. |
| Sirach 20:12 | There is that buyeth much for a small price, and restoreth the same sevenfold. | Sevenfold. As the merchandise was good for nothing, which the miser had obtained for a little money, thinking to save thereby. |
| Sirach 20:13 | A man wise in words shall make himself beloved: but the graces of fools shall be poured out. | Graces. Or favours bestowed with ill-nature. |
| Sirach 20:14 | The gift of the fool shall do thee no good: for his eyes are sevenfold. | Sevenfold. He expects more. (Calmet) --- His intention is full of guile, who flattereth and detracteth for the sake of gain. (Worthington) |
| Sirach 20:15 | He will give a few things, and upbraid much: and the opening of his mouth is the kindling of a fire. | Much. As Dido did. "This is to make a display of favours to excite hatred." (Sen.[Seneca?] Ben.) |
| Sirach 20:16 | To day a man lendeth, and to-morrow he asketh it again: such a man as this is hateful. | Hateful. He seems to distrust you, and will not permit his goods to be of any service. (Calmet) |
| Sirach 20:17 | A fool shall have no friend, and there shall be no thanks for his good deeds. | Have. Greek, "say I have," etc. --- His. Greek, "my," as also [in] ver. 18. (Haydock) --- Such is the language of the fool. |
| Sirach 20:18 | For they that eat his bread, are of a false tongue. How often, and how many will laugh him to scorn? | |
| Sirach 20:19 | For he doth not distribute with right understanding that which was to be had: in like manner also that which was not to be had. | That, etc. Riches and poverty are both wrong to misers and fools. Greek, "he had as well be without any thing." (Calmet) |
| Sirach 20:20 | The slipping of a false tongue is as one that falleth on the pavement: so the fall of the wicked shall come speedily. | Pavement. It is equally destructive. |
| Sirach 20:21 | A man without grace is as a vain fable, it shall be continually in the mouth of the unwise. | Grace, (acharis) impolite and importunate. (Calmet) |
| Sirach 20:22 | A parable coming out of a fool's mouth shall be rejected: for he doth not speak it in due season. | |
| Sirach 20:23 | There is that is hindered from sinning through want, and in his rest he shall be pricked. | Shall. Greek adds, "not." Yet if a person has had the will to offend, he must repent, though he could not put it in execution. (Haydock) |
| Sirach 20:24 | There is that will destroy his own soul through shamefacedness, and by occasion of an unwise person he will destroy it: and by respect of person he will destroy himself. | Himself. Being afraid to beg for necessaries, or given too much. |
| Sirach 20:25 | There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend, and maketh him his enemy for nothing. | Nothing. People are always displeased, when a promise is broken. (Calmet) |
| Sirach 20:26 | A lie is a foul blot in a man, and yet it will be continually in the mouth of men without discipline. | Man. "It is the vice of slaves." (Aristotle, Ethic.) |
| Sirach 20:27 | A thief is better than a man that is always lying: but both of them shall inherit destruction. | Lying. He exposes honour and virtue, without making restitution. (Calmet) --- He throws all into confusion, and we can trust him with nothing. (Menochius) |
| Sirach 20:28 | The manners of lying men are without honour: and their confusion is with them without ceasing. | |
| Sirach 20:29 | A wise man shall advance himself with his words, and a prudent man shall please the great ones. | A. Greek adds a title, "discourses of proverbs." |
| Sirach 20:30 | He that tilleth his land shall make a high heap of corn: and he that worketh justice shall be exalted: and he that pleaseth great men shall escape iniquity. | And....exalted, is not in Greek but explains the meaning of the former sentence. --- Escape. Greek, "obtain pardon for iniquity." (Haydock) --- The great will protect him. |
| Sirach 20:31 | *Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and make them dumb in the mouth, so that they cannot correct. Exodus 23:8.; Deuteronomy 16:19. | Make. Greek, "like a bit in the mouth, remove corrections," Exodus 23:8. (Calmet) |
| Sirach 20:32 | *Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is not seen: what profit is there in them both? Ecclesiasticus 41:17. | Both? He who, through a false humility refuses to take charge of others, resembles a man who locks up his corn in time of scarcity. (St. Gregory, Part. 3:26.) (Matthew xxv.) (Calmet) --- Wisdom must be shewn for the benefit of others. (Worthington) |
| Sirach 20:33 | Better is he that hideth his folly, than the man that hideth his wisdom. | Folly. He may still appear to have some sense, and injures none. --- It is convenient to conceal faults, provided they be amended. (Worthington) |