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Sirach Chapter 17

Other Translations

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Deus creavit de terra hominem, et secundum imaginem suam fecit illum.
2 Et iterum convertit illum in ipsam, et secundum se vestivit illum virtute.
3 Numerum dierum, et tempus dedit illi, et dedit illi potestatem eorum, quæ sunt super terram.
4 Posuit timorem illius super omnem carnem, et dominatus est bestiarum et volatilium.
5 Creavit ex ipso adiutorium simile sibi: consilium, et linguam, et oculos, et aures, et cor dedit illis excogitandi: et disciplina intellectus replevit illos.
6 Creavit illis scientiam spiritus, sensu implevit cor illorum, et mala et bona ostendit illis.
7 Posuit oculum suum super corda illorum ostendere illis magnalia operum suorum,
8 ut nomen sanctificationis collaudent: et gloriari in mirabilibus illius, ut magnalia enarrent operum eius.
9 Addidit illis disciplinam, et legem vitæ hereditavit illos.
10 Testamentum æternum constituit cum illis, et iustitiam et iudicia sua ostendit illis.
11 Et magnalia honoris eius vidit oculus illorum, et honorem vocis audierunt aures illorum, et dixit illis: Attendite ab omni iniquo.
12 Et mandavit illis unicuique de proximo suo.
13 Viæ illorum coram ipso sunt semper, non sunt absconsæ ab oculis ipsius.
14 In unamquamque gentem præposuit rectorem:
15 et pars Dei, Israel facta est manifesta.
16 Et omnia opera illorum velut sol in conspectu Dei: et oculi eius sine intermissione inspicientes in viis eorum.
17 Non sunt absconsa testamenta per iniquitatem illorum, et omnes iniquitates eorum in conspectu Dei.
18 Eleemosyna viri quasi signaculum cum ipso, et gratiam hominis quasi pupillam conservabit:
19 et postea resurget, et retribuet illis retributionem, unicuique in caput ipsorum, et convertet in interiores partes terræ.
20 Pœnitentibus autem dedit viam iustitiæ, et confirmavit deficientes sustinere, et destinavit illis sortem veritatis.
21 Convertere ad Dominum, et relinque peccata tua:
22 precare ante faciem Domini, et minue offendicula.
23 Revertere ad Dominum, et avertere ab iniustitia tua, et nimis odito execrationem:
24 et cognosce iustitias et iudicia Dei, et sta in sorte propositionis, et orationis altissimi Dei.
25 In partes vade sæculi sancti, cum vivis et dantibus confessionem Deo.
26 Non demoreris in errore impiorum, ante mortem confitere. A mortuo quasi nihil, perit confessio.
27 Confiteberis vivens, vivus et sanus confiteberis: et laudabis Deum, et gloriaberis in miserationibus illius.
28 Quam magna misericordia Domini, et propitiatio illius convertentibus ad se!
29 Nec enim omnia possunt esse in hominibus, quoniam non est immortalis filius hominis, et in vanitate malitiæ placuerunt.
30 Quid lucidius sole? et hic deficiet. Aut quid nequius quam quod excogitavit caro et sanguis? et hoc arguetur.
31 Virtutem altitudinis cæli ipse conspicit: et omnes homines terra et cinis.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).