---
title: "Sirach 10 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/sirach/10/
description: "The virtues and vices of men in power: the great evil of pride. Sirach 10 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Sirach 10

Sirach 10 is chapter 10 of 51 in the Book of Sirach. Here are all 34 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The virtues and vices of men in power: the great evil of pride.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Sirach 10 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. A wise judge will judge his people, and the leadership of an understanding man will be steadfast.
2. As the judge of the people is, so also are his assistants. And whatever kind of man the ruler of a city is, of such a kind also are those who live in it.
3. A foolish king will be the ruin of his people. For cities will be inhabited through the understanding of those with power.
4. Power over the earth is in the hand of God, and, in due time, he will raise up a helpful leader over the earth.
5. The prosperity of a man is in the hand of God, and he will place his honor above the face of the scribe.
6. You should forget all injury done to you by your neighbor, and you should do nothing among the works of injury.
7. Arrogance is hateful in the sight of God and of men. And all iniquity among the nations is abominable.
8. A kingdom is transferred from one people to another because of injustices, and injuries, and contempt, and every kind of deceit.
9. But nothing is more wicked than a greedy man. Why should that which is earth and ashes be arrogant?
10. There is nothing more iniquitous than to love money. For such a one has sold even his own soul. For in his life, he casts aside his innermost being.
11. All power is of short life. A prolonged sickness is of grave concern to a physician.
12. A physician causes a sickness to be shortened. So also, a king is here today, and tomorrow he will die.
13. For when a man dies, he will inherit serpents, and wild beasts, and worms.
14. The beginning of the arrogance of man is apostasy from God.
15. For his heart has withdrawn from the One who made him. For arrogance is the beginning of all sin. Whoever holds to it, will be filled with evil words, and it will overthrow him in the end.
16. Because of this, the Lord has dishonored the gatherings of the evil, and he has destroyed them, even unto the end.
17. God has destroyed the seats of arrogant leaders, and he has caused the meek to be seated in their place.
18. The roots of arrogant nations, God has dried up, and the humble among these nations, he has planted.
19. The Lord has overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and he has utterly destroyed them, even to their foundation.
20. He has dried up some of them, and he has utterly destroyed them, and he has caused their memory to depart from the earth.
21. God has abolished the memory of the arrogant, and he has left behind only the memory of those who are humble in mind.
22. Arrogance was not created for men, nor was an angry temperament created for the gender of women.
23. Those who fear God among the offspring of men will be honored. But those among the offspring who ignore the commandments of the Lord will be dishonored.
24. In the midst of his brothers, a ruler has honor. And those who fear the Lord will have honor in his eyes.
25. The fear of God is the glory of the wealthy, and of the honorable, and of the poor.
26. Do not choose to despise a just man who is poor, and do not choose to magnify a sinful man who is rich.
27. The great man, and the judge, and the powerful have honor. But no one is greater than he who fears God.
28. Those who are free will serve an understanding servant. And a prudent and disciplined man will not murmur at correction. But an ignorant man will not be honored.
29. Do not choose to extol yourself in doing your work, and do not be unproductive during the time of distress.
30. He who works, and so abounds in all things, is better than he who boasts, and so lacks bread.
31. Son, preserve your soul in meekness, and give it honor according to its merit.
32. Who will justify one who sins in his soul? And who will honor one who dishonors his soul?
33. The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear. And there is a man who is honored because of his substance.
34. But if someone is glorified in poverty, how much more in substance? And whoever is glorified in substance, let him fear poverty.

## Sirach 10 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Judex sapiens judicabit populum suum, et principatus sensati stabilis erit.
2. Secundum judicem populi, sic et ministri ejus: et qualis rector est civitatis, tales et inhabitantes in ea.
3. Rex insipiens perdet populum suum: et civitates inhabitabuntur per sensum potentium.
4. In manu Dei potestas terræ: et utilem rectorem suscitabit in tempus super illam.
5. In manu Dei prosperitas hominis, et super faciem scribæ imponet honorem suum.
6. Omnis injuriæ proximi ne memineris, et nihil agas in operibus injuriæ.
7. Odibilis coram Deo est et hominibus superbia, et execrabilis omnis iniquitas gentium.
8. Regnum a gente in gentem transfertur propter injustitias, et injurias, et contumelias, et diversos dolos.
9. Avaro autem nihil est scelestius. Quid superbit terra et cinis?
10. Nihil est iniquius quam amare pecuniam: hic enim et animam suam venalem habet, quoniam in vita sua projecit intima sua.
11. Omnis potentatus brevis vita; languor prolixior gravat medicum.
12. Brevem languorem præcidit medicus: sic et rex hodie est, et cras morietur.
13. Cum enim morietur homo, hæreditabit serpentes, et bestias, et vermes.
14. Initium superbiæ hominis apostatare a Deo:
15. quoniam ab eo qui fecit illum recessit cor ejus, quoniam initium omnis peccati est superbia. Qui tenuerit illam adimplebitur maledictis, et subvertet eum in finem.
16. Propterea exhonoravit Dominus conventus malorum, et destruxit eos usque in finem.
17. Sedes ducum superborum destruxit Deus, et sedere fecit mites pro eis.
18. Radices gentium superbarum arefecit Deus, et plantavit humiles ex ipsis gentibus.
19. Terras gentium evertit Dominus, et perdidit eas usque ad fundamentum.
20. Arefecit ex ipsis, et disperdidit eos, et cessare fecit memoriam eorum a terra.
21. Memoria superborum perdidit Deus, et reliquit memoriam humilium sensu.
22. Non est creata hominibus superbia, neque iracundia nationi mulierum.
23. Semen hominum honorabitur hoc, quod timet Deum: semen autem hoc exhonorabitur, quod præterit mandata Domini.
24. In medio fratrum rector illorum in honore: et qui timent Dominum erunt in oculis illius.
25. Gloria divitum, honoratorum, et pauperum, timor Dei est.
26. Noli despicere hominem justum pauperem, et noli magnificare virum peccatorem divitem.
27. Magnus, et judex, et potens est in honore: et non est major illo qui timet Deum.
28. Servo sensato liberi servient: et vir prudens et disciplinatus non murmurabit correptus, et inscius non honorabitur.
29. Noli extollere te in faciendo opere tuo, et noli cunctari in tempore angustiæ.
30. Melior est qui operatur et abundat in omnibus, quam qui gloriatur et eget pane.
31. Fili, in mansuetudine serva animam tuam, et da illi honorem secundum meritum suum.
32. Peccantem in animam suam quis justificabit? et quis honorificabit exhonorantem animam suam?
33. Pauper gloriatur per disciplinam et timorem suum: et est homo qui honorificatur propter substantiam suam.
34. Qui autem gloriatur in paupertate, quanto magis in substantia! et qui gloriatur in substantia, paupertatem vereatur.

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 1: “Judge his people” … In the Greek it is, instruct his people.
- Verse 5: “The scribe” … That is, the man that is wise and learned in the law.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).