Sirach 17

¹God created man from the earth, and he made him according to his own image

²And he returned him again to it, and he clothed him with virtue according to himself

³He gave him the number and time of his days, and he gave him authority over all the things that are upon the earth

⁴He placed the fear of him over all flesh, and he had dominion over wild beasts and flying things

⁵He created from him a helper, similar to himself. He gave them counsel, and language, and sight, and hearing, and a heart, in order to think. And he filled them with the discipline of understanding

⁶He created within them the knowledge of the spirit. He filled their heart with understanding, and he showed them both good and evil

⁷He set his eye upon their hearts, to reveal to them the greatness of his works

⁸so that they might highly praise the name of sanctification, and give glory to his wonders, so that they might declare the greatness of his works

⁹In addition, he gave them discipline and the law of life, as their inheritance

¹⁰He established an eternal covenant with them, and he revealed to them his justice and judgments

¹¹And their eye saw the greatness of his honor, and their ears heard the honor of his voice, and he said to them: “Beware of all iniquity.

¹²And he commanded each one concerning his neighbor

¹³Their ways are always in his sight; they are not hidden from his eyes

¹⁴Over each and every people, he has appointed a ruler

¹⁵And Israel was made to be the manifest portion of God

¹⁶And in the sight of God, all their works are like the sun. And his eyes, without ceasing, inspect their ways

¹⁷The covenants are not hidden by their iniquity, and all their iniquities are in the sight of God

¹⁸The almsgiving of a man is like a seal upon him, which will guard the grace of a man like the pupil of an eye

¹⁹And afterward, it will rise up and repay them their reward, each one upon his head, and it will return to the hidden places of the earth

²⁰Now, to the repentant, he has given the way of justice, and he has strengthened those lacking in patience, and he has fastened them to a destiny of truth

²¹Convert to the Lord, and relinquish your sins

²²Make supplication before the face of the Lord, and diminish your offenses

²³Return to the Lord, and turn away from your injustice, and have immense hatred for abomination

²⁴And acknowledge the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the circumstances set before you and in prayer to the most high God

²⁵Go to the side of the holy generation, to those who live in order to give praise to God

²⁶You should not linger in the error of the impious; confess before death. Confession perishes from the dead as if it were nothing

²⁷Confess while living; you should give thanks while you are still alive and healthy. And you should praise God and glory in his compassion

²⁸How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness, for those who convert to him

²⁹For not all things can be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, and because they are pleased by the emptiness of malice

³⁰What is brighter than the sun? Yet this will fail. Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood has invented? And this will be reproved

³¹He beholds the power of the heights of heaven. And all men are earth and ashes