---
title: "Sirach 4 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/sirach/4/
description: "An exhortation to works of mercy, and to the love of wisdom. Sirach 4 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Sirach 4

Sirach 4 is chapter 4 of 51 in the Book of Sirach. Here are all 36 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> An exhortation to works of mercy, and to the love of wisdom.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Sirach 4 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. Son, you should not cheat the poor out of alms, nor should you avert your eyes from a poor man.
2. You should not despise the hungry soul, and you should not aggravate a poor man in his need.
3. You should not afflict the heart of the needy, and you should not delay an offer to someone in anguish.
4. You should not make requests of one who is greatly troubled, and you should not avert your face from the indigent.
5. You should not avert your eyes from the needy out of anger. And you should not abandon those who seek help from you, so that they speak curses behind your back.
6. For the pleadings of him who speaks curses of you, in the bitterness of his soul, will be heeded. For the One who made him will heed him.
7. Make yourself a friend to the congregation of the poor, and humble your soul before an elder, and humble your head before the great.
8. Turn your ear without sadness toward the poor, and repay your debt, and respond to him peacefully in meekness.
9. Free him who suffers injury at the hand of the arrogant, and do not carry animosity in your soul.
10. In judging, be merciful to the orphan, like a father, and be merciful to their mother, like a husband.
11. And then you shall be like an obedient son of the Most High, and he will take pity on you more than a mother would.
12. Wisdom breathes life into her sons, and she lifts up those who are seeking her, and she will precede them in the way of justice.
13. And he who loves her loves life. And those who watch for her shall embrace her delights.
14. Those who hold to her will inherit life. And whatever place she enters, God will bless.
15. Those who serve her will yield to what is holy. And God loves those who love wisdom.
16. He who listens to her shall judge the nations. And he who gazes upon her will remain secure.
17. If he believes in her, he will inherit her, and whatever arises from him will be confirmed.
18. For she walks with him through temptation, and she chooses him from the beginning.
19. She will lead fear and dread and trials over him, and she will crucify him with the tribulation of her doctrine, until she has tested him in his thoughts and she can trust in his soul.
20. And then she will strengthen him, and lead him along a straight path, and rejoice in him.
21. And she will disclose her secrets to him, and she will store up treasure, of the knowledge and understanding of justice, in him.
22. But if he has wandered astray, she will leave him behind, and she will deliver him into the hands of his enemy.
23. Son, be continually observant, and keep away from evil.
24. For the sake of your soul, you should not be ashamed to speak the truth.
25. For there is a shame that brings sin, and there is a shame that brings glory and grace.
26. You should not accept a face contrary to your own face, nor should you accept a lie contrary to your own soul.
27. You should not enjoy the fall of your neighbor.
28. Neither should you withhold words at an opportunity for salvation. You should not conceal your wisdom in her beauty.
29. For wisdom is discerned within speech. And understanding and knowledge and doctrine are discerned in the words of those who understand and by their steadfastness in the works of justice.
30. You should not contradict a word of truth in any way. Otherwise, by a falsehood born of ignorance, you will be confounded.
31. You should not be ashamed to confess your sins, but do not subject yourself to any man because of sin.
32. Do not choose to stand against the face of the powerful, for you should not strive against the current of the river.
33. Suffer for justice, on behalf of your soul, and struggle, even unto death, on behalf of justice, and God will fight against your enemies on your behalf.
34. Do not choose to be quick with your words, nor unproductive or neglectful in your works.
35. Do not choose to be like a lion in your house, distressing those of your household, and oppressing those who are subject to you.
36. Do not let your hand be open when receiving, but closed when giving.

## Sirach 4 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Fili, eleemosynam pauperis ne defraudes, et oculos tuos ne transvertas a paupere.
2. Animam esurientem ne despexeris, et non exasperes pauperem in inopia sua.
3. Cor inopis ne afflixeris, et non protrahas datum angustianti.
4. Rogationem contribulati ne abjicias, et non avertas faciem tuam ab egeno.
5. Ab inope ne avertas oculos tuos propter iram: et non relinquas quærentibus tibi retro maledicere.
6. Maledicentis enim tibi in amaritudine animæ, exaudietur deprecatio illius: exaudiet autem eum qui fecit illum.
7. Congregationi pauperum affabilem te facito: et presbytero humilia animam tuam, et magnato humilia caput tuum.
8. Declina pauperi sine tristitia aurem tuam, et redde debitum tuum, et responde illi pacifica in mansuetudine.
9. Libera eum qui injuriam patitur de manu superbi, et non acide feras in anima tua.
10. In judicando esto pupillis misericors ut pater, et pro viro matri illorum:
11. et eris tu velut filius Altissimi obediens, et miserebitur tui magis quam mater.
12. Sapientia filiis suis vitam inspirat: et suscipit inquirentes se, et præibit in via justitiæ.
13. Et qui illam diligit, diligit vitam, et qui vigilaverint ad illam complectentur placorem ejus.
14. Qui tenuerint illam, vitam hæreditabunt: et quo introibit benedicet Deus.
15. Qui serviunt ei obsequentes erunt sancto: et eos qui diligunt illam, diligit Deus.
16. Qui audit illam judicabit gentes: et qui intuetur illam permanebit confidens.
17. Si crediderit ei, hæreditabit illam, et erunt in confirmatione creaturæ illius:
18. quoniam in tentatione ambulat cum eo, et in primis eligit eum.
19. Timorem, et metum, et probationem inducet super illum: et cruciabit illum in tribulatione doctrinæ suæ, donec tentet eum in cogitationibus suis, et credat animæ illius.
20. Et firmabit illum, et iter adducet directum ad illum, et lætificabit illum:
21. et denudabit absconsa sua illi, et thesaurizabit super illum scientiam et intellectum justitiæ.
22. Si autem oberraverit, derelinquet eum, et tradet eum in manus inimici sui.
23. Fili, conserva tempus, et devita a malo.
24. Pro anima tua ne confundaris dicere verum:
25. est enim confusio adducens peccatum, et est confusio adducens gloriam et gratiam.
26. Ne accipias faciem adversus faciem tuam, nec adversus animam tuam mendacium.
27. Ne reverearis proximum tuum in casu suo,
28. nec retineas verbum in tempore salutis. Non abscondas sapientiam tuam in decore suo:
29. in lingua enim sapientia dignoscitur: et sensus, et scientia, et doctrina in verbo sensati, et firmamentum in operibus justitiæ.
30. Non contradicas verbo veritatis ullo modo, et de mendacio ineruditionis tuæ confundere.
31. Non confundaris confiteri peccata tua, et ne subjicias te omni homini pro peccato.
32. Noli resistere contra faciem potentis, nec coneris contra ictum fluvii.
33. Pro justitia agonizare pro anima tua, et usque ad mortem certa pro justitia: et Deus expugnabit pro te inimicos tuos.
34. Noli citatus esse in lingua tua, et inutilis, et remissus in operibus tuis.
35. Noli esse sicut leo in domo tua, evertens domesticos tuos, et opprimens subjectos tibi.
36. Non sit porrecta manus tua ad accipiendum, et ad dandum collecta.

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 18: The meaning is, that before wisdom will choose any for her favourite, she will try them by leading them through contradictions, afflictions, and temptations, the usual noviceship of the children of God.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Wed, May 19, 2027: Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time — First Reading, Sirach 4:11-19

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option).

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