Sirach chapter 39
[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] Being a spiritual seeker will transform your life. Praising the Most High God.
The Book of Sirach is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches
BEING A SPIRITUAL SEEKER WILL TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
VERSE 1. Not so he that has applied his soul, And meditates in the law of the Most High; He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, And will be occupied in prophecies.
NAB translation:
How different the man who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High! He explores the wisdom of the men of old and occupies himself with the prophecies.
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Book of Sirach and from the entire Bible.
The person who is devoted to reading the Bible becomes available for altogether new blessings from God.
devotes himself. This is a voluntary pursuit. There is no obligation involved here.
the study of the law. This is all about the Scriptures.
occupies himself with the prophecies. The Old Testament is a key part of immersing ourselves in the Bible.
We encourage you to look into our Bible Reading Project. The workload is light, there is nothing to sign up for, it is free, and it can transform your life!
VERSE 2. He will keep the discourse of the men of renown, And will enter in amidst the subtleties of parables.
NAB translation:
He treasures the discourses of famous men, and goes to the heart of involved sayings;
The person who is devoted to reading theology becomes available for altogether new blessings from God.
treasures the discourses of famous men. In our day, there are many ways to do that.
- Read books that are truly great.
- Attend a church where there is great Bible-based preaching.
- Listen to podcasts and recorded messages by gifted individuals.
- Invest ourselves in theology, especially Systematic Theology.
We encourage you to explore our Systematic Theology Project. The workload is light, there is nothing to sign up for, it is free, and it can transform your life!
goes to the heart of involved sayings. To plummet the depth of complex sayings is not a trivial.
It takes time and effort. It involves discussion with fellow seekers of wisdom.
It might take years or even decades to arrive at an insight that you can fully embrace.
That is part of the joy of reading theology.
VERSE 3. He will seek out the hidden meaning of proverbs, And be conversant in the dark sayings of parables.
NAB translation. He studies obscure parables, and is busied with the hidden meanings of the sages.
studies obscure parables. For most people, the content of the Bible is obscure. It is unfamiliar.
Yet for a spiritual seeker, the Bible is the centerpiece. It is what we study. What we live for.
busied with. The study of the entire Bible takes time.
It is a significant investment, both of time and energy. To immerse yourself in the Bible means saying “no” to some other possibilities.
VERSE 4. He will serve among great men, And appear before him that rules: He will travel through the land of strange nations; For he has tried good things and evil among men.
NAB translation:
He travels among the peoples of foreign lands to learn what is good and evil among them.
the peoples of foreign lands. This is the essence of Interfaith Dialogue.
We meet people of other cultures and nations and languages and religions.
to learn. The spiritual seeker visits these foreigners to learn.
We are not there to conquer or convert, but rather to learn about them and build unity with them.
VERSE 5. He will apply his heart to return early to the Lord that made him, And will make supplication before the Most High, And will open his mouth in prayer, And will make supplication for his sins.
NAB translation. His care is to seek the LORD, his Maker, to petition the Most High, to open his lips in prayer, to ask pardon for his sins.
Both Bible Reading and Theology inspire us to live a life of prayer.
to seek the LORD, his Maker. We are seekers after God’s own heart!
petition the Most High. We ask things of God in prayer.
open his lips in prayer. Even though our spiritual activities have many intellectual dimensions, we are not primarily academics or scholars.
Rather, we are seekers after God’s own heart.
ask pardon for his sins. We seek forgiveness for our sins. In our Christian era, we have forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
We encourage you to explore our Contemplative Prayer Project. The workload is light, there is nothing to sign up for, it is free, and it can transform your life!
VERSE 6. If the great Lord will, He shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: He shall pour forth the words of his wisdom, And in prayer give thanks to the Lord.
NAB translation. Then, if it pleases the LORD Almighty, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; He will pour forth his words of wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the LORD.
filled with the spirit of understanding. The God-seeker will be filled with spiritual understanding.
pour forth his words of wisdom. Wise people freely share what they know. Read more »
in prayer give thanks to the LORD. The nature of prayer has shifted.
Previously, it was all about asking. Now it is all about thanking.
VERSE 7. He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, And in his secrets shall he meditate.
NAB translation. Who will direct his knowledge and his counsel, as he meditates upon his mysteries.
he meditates. Our path involves not only intellectual study and prayer, but also the mystical discipline of meditative prayer.
upon his mysteries. This is not a reference to the mysteries of the Catholic Rosary.
Rather, in context, it indicates that we mediate upon the things of God, using the Bible.
This is the essence of biblical mysticism.
We encourage you to explore Meditative Prayer.
VERSE 8. He shall show forth the instruction which he has been taught, And shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
NAB translation. He will show the wisdom of what he has learned and glory in the law of the LORD’s covenant.
show the wisdom of what he has learned. The things God shows us are not for ourselves only. They are treasures that are meant to be shouted from the rooftop!
We Christians represent the Lord Jesus. Anything we say can, and will, be repeated to other people. Our words need to be above reproach. Read more »
glory in the law of the LORD’s covenant. The more we grow like this, the more in love with the Bible we will become.
It doesn’t get old. It’s not same-old, same-old.
Rather, its ever-new. It gets more and more exciting.
VERSE 9. Many shall commend his understanding; And so long as the world endures, it shall not be blotted out: His memorial shall not depart, And his name shall live from generation to generation.
VERSE 10. Nations shall declare his wisdom, And the congregation shall tell out his praise.
VERSE 11. If he continue, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: And if he die, he adds thereto.
PRAISING THE MOST HIGH GOD
VERSE 12. Yet more I will utter, which I have thought upon; And I am filled as the moon at the full.
VERSE 13. Listen to me, you holy children, And bud forth as a rose growing by a brook of water:
VERSE 14. And give you a sweet savor as frankincense, And put forth flowers as a lily, Spread abroad a sweet smell, and sing a song of praise; Bless you the Lord for all his works.
VERSE 15. Magnify his name, And give utterance to his praise With the songs of your lips, and with harps; And thus shall you say when you utter his praise:
VERSE 16. All the works of the Lord are exceedingly good, And every command shall be accomplished in his season.
All the works of the Lord. Not just “some” works of the LORD God.
Rather, “all” of them.
are exceedingly good. The works of the LORD God are not just “good.”
Rather they are “exceedingly” good.
VERSE 17. None can say, What is this? wherefore is that? For in his season they shall all be sought out. At his word the waters stood as a heap, And the receptacles of waters at the word of his mouth.
VERSE 18. At his command is all his good pleasure done; And there is none that shall hinder his salvation.
VERSE 19. The works of all flesh are before him; And it is not possible to be hid from his eyes.
VERSE 20. He sees from everlasting to everlasting; And there is nothing wonderful before him.
VERSE 21. None can say, What is this? wherefore is that? For all things are created for their uses.
wherefore is that? We have no cause for questioning the workings of God.
VERSE 22. His blessing covered the dry land as a river, And saturated it as a flood.
VERSE 23. As he has made the waters salty; So shall the heathen inherit his wrath.
VERSE 24. His ways are plain to the holy; So are they stumbling blocks to the wicked.
VERSE 25. Good things are created from the beginning for the good; So are evil things for sinners.
VERSE 26. The chief of all things necessary for the life of man Are water, and fire, and iron, and salt, And flour of wheat, and honey, and milk, The blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing.
VERSE 27. All these things are for good to the godly; So to the sinners they shall be turned into evil.
VERSE 28. There be winds that are created for vengeance, And in their fury lay on their scourges heavily; In the time of consummation they pour out their strength, And shall appease the wrath of him that made them.
VERSE 29. Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, All these are created for vengeance;
VERSE 30. Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions and adders, And a sword punishing the ungodly to destruction.
VERSE 31. They shall rejoice in his commandment, And shall be made ready upon earth, when need is; And in their seasons they shall not transgress his word.
VERSE 32. Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, And I thought this, and left it in writing;
VERSE 33. All the works of the Lord are good: And he will supply every need in its season.
VERSE 34. And none can say, This is worse than that: For they shall all be well approved in their season.
VERSE 35. And now with all your heart and mouth sing you praises, And bless the name of the Lord.
SIRACH
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Chronology
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bibleand the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.