ReverendRighteous judgment

Sirach — Chapter 16 — Hebrew–Greek comparison

Judgment and the Order of Creation

Saints Translation · V2 · Hebrew–Greek working comparison

Sirach 16 · 28 source units
Hebrew–English · Literal-Smooth	Greek–English · Literal-Smooth	Classification & Notes
Hebrew 16:1 · translated Do not desire the beauty of worthless youths, nor rejoice in children of injustice. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso אל תתאוה תואר נערי שוא ואל תשמח בבני עולה ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:1 Do not desire a multitude of useless children, or rejoice in ungodly sons.	Different · Hebrew 16:1 — Hebrew beauty differs from Greek multitude. Inherited Greek note 16:1 Useless follows ἀχρήστων in the author’s moral evaluation, explained by the following fear-of-the-Lord condition; no disability is implied.
Hebrew 16:2 · translated Even if they multiply, do not delight in them if the fear of YHWH is not with them. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso וגם אם פרו אל תבעבם אם אין אתם יראת ייי ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:2 Even if they multiply, do not rejoice in them unless the fear of the Lord is with them.	Similar · Hebrew 16:2 — Same condition on rejoicing in numerous children.
Hebrew 16:3 · translated Do not trust in their life or rely on their traces, for no good future will be theirs. Better one who does His will than a thousand; better to die childless than to have had many unjust children and an arrogant posterity. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso אל תאמין בחייהם ואל תבטח בעקבותם ׃ כי לא ת֯ היה להם אחרית טובה ׃ כי טוב אחד עושה רצון מאלף ומות ערירי ממי שהיו לו בנים רבים ע֯ ו֯לה ומאחרית זדון ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:3 Do not trust in their life or rely on their multitude. For one is better than a thousand, and it is better to die childless than to have ungodly children.	Different · Hebrew 16:3 — A is expanded, specifies obedience, and says traces where Greek says multitude. Inherited Greek note 16:3 Both comparisons and the number thousand are retained.
Hebrew 16:4 · translated Through one childless person who fears YHWH a city is inhabited; through a clan of traitors it is ruined. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso מאחד ערירי ירא ייי תשב עיר וממשפחת בגדים תחרב ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:4 For through one understanding person a city will be settled, but a tribe of lawless people will become desolate.	Different · Hebrew 16:4 — Hebrew specifies a childless God-fearer; Greek simply an understanding person.
Hebrew 16:5 · translated My eye has seen many such things, and my ear has heard mighty things like these. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso רבות כאלה ראתה עיני ועצֻ מוֹת כאלה שמעה אזני ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:5 My eye has seen many such things, and my ear has heard things stronger than these.	Similar · Hebrew 16:5 — Same appeal to sight and hearing.
Hebrew 16:6 · translated Fire burns in the assembly of the wicked, and wrath is kindled in a godless nation. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso בעדת רשעים יוקדת אש ובגוי חנף נצתה חמה ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:6 In an assembly of sinners fire will be kindled, and in a disobedient nation wrath was kindled.	Similar · Hebrew 16:6 — Same judgment imagery. Inherited Greek note 16:6 The future and past forms are preserved.
Hebrew 16:7 · translated He did not pardon the princes of old, who rebelled of old in their strength. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso אשר לא נשא לנסיכי קדם המורים עולם בגבורתם ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:7 He did not make atonement for the ancient giants, who rebelled in their strength.	Different · Hebrew 16:7 — Hebrew princes contrasts with Greek giants; the repeated old wording is awkward. Inherited Greek note 16:7 The unusual atonement expression is retained; the Lord is the understood subject in the surrounding discourse.
Hebrew 16:8 · translated He did not spare those dwelling with Lot, who raged in their pride. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso ולא ע חמל על מגוֹרי לוט המתעברים בגאותם ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:8 He did not spare Lot’s neighbors, whom He loathed because of their pride.	Different · Hebrew 16:8 — Hebrew describes their own rage; Greek describes God's loathing of their pride. Inherited Greek note 16:8 Lot’s neighbors renders the people of his place of sojourning; the source does not name the city here.
Hebrew 16:9 · translated He did not spare the doomed nation, those driven out in their iniquity. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso ולא חמל על גוי חרם הנודשים בעונם ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:9 He did not have mercy on the nation of destruction, those carried away in their sins,	Similar · Hebrew 16:9 — The Hebrew participle is difficult; both associate the nation's destruction with sin.
Hebrew 16:10 · fragmentary Likewise the six hundred thousand foot soldiers gathered in their heart's arrogance. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso כן שש מאות אלף רגלי ]] [[ הנאספים בזדון לבם ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:10 and likewise on the six hundred thousand foot soldiers gathered together in their hardness of heart.	Similar · Hebrew 16:10 — Same number and army; Greek hardness of heart differs from Hebrew arrogance. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions. Inherited Greek note 16:10 The count and the military description are retained.
Hebrew 16:11 · translated Even one stiff-necked person—it is a wonder if he goes unpunished. For mercy and anger are with Him; He bears away and forgives, but upon the wicked He kindles His wrath. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso ואף כי אחר מקשה ערף תמה זה אם ינקה ׃ כי רחמים ואף עמו ונושא וסולח · ועל רשעים יגיה רגזו ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:11 Even if there is one stiff-necked person, it is a wonder if he will be acquitted. For mercy and wrath are with Him; He is mighty in atonements and pours out wrath.	Similar · Hebrew 16:11 — A makes forgiveness and wrath against the wicked explicit; Greek says mighty in atonements and pours out wrath.
Hebrew 16:12 · translated As great as His mercies, so is His reproof; He judges a person according to his deeds. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso כרב רחמיו כן תוכחתו איש כמפעליו ישפט ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:12 As His mercy is great, so also His rebuke is great; He will judge a man according to his deeds.	Similar · Hebrew 16:12 — Same balance of mercy, correction, and judgment.
Hebrew 16:13 · translated An unjust person does not escape by robbery, and He never puts an end to a righteous person's desire. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso }}אל{{ <<לא>> ימלט בגזל עול ולא ישבית תאות צדיק לעולם ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:13 A sinner will not escape with his plunder, and a godly person’s endurance will certainly not be left behind.	Different · Hebrew 16:13 — Hebrew desire differs from Greek endurance; same contrast between wicked and righteous. Inherited Greek note 16:13 The contrast concerns the thief’s escape and the faithful person’s endurance, without supplying an unprinted fixed reward.
Hebrew 16:14 · translated Everyone who does righteousness has a reward, and each person according to his deeds goes forth before Him. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso כל העושה צדקה יש לו שכר וכל אדם כמעשיו יצא לפניו ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:14 He will make room for every act of almsgiving; each person will receive according to his deeds.	Different · Hebrew 16:14 — Greek has making room for almsgiving and receiving by deeds; Hebrew speaks of reward and appearing before God. Inherited Greek note 16:14 The final receive renders εὑρήσει, literally find. The next displayed label is 17; labels 15–16 are absent.
Hebrew 16:17 · translated Do not say, I am hidden from God; who will remember me on high? Among a vast people I will not be known; what is my soul at the farthest reaches of all humankind? Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso אל תאמר מאל נסתרתי ובמרום מי יזכרני ׃ בעם כבד לא אודע ומה נפשי בקצות רוחות כל בני אדם ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:17 Do not say, “I will be hidden from the Lord; who will remember me from on high? Among a numerous people I will certainly not be known, for what is my soul in the immeasurable creation?”	Similar · Hebrew 16:17 — Greek ends immeasurable creation; Hebrew emphasizes the reaches of human existence. Inherited Greek note 16:17 All four parts of the imagined objection are retained.
Hebrew 16:18 · translated Look: the heavens, the highest heavens, the deep, and the earth—when He descends upon them, [they stand] at His visitation and tumult. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso הן השמים ושמי השמים ותהום וארץ ׃ ברדתו עליהם עֹמְ ודִ ים בפקדו וכרגשו ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:18 Look, heaven and the heaven of heaven, the abyss and the earth will be shaken at His visitation.	Different · Hebrew 16:18 — Hebrew standing expression is difficult; Greek clearly says they will be shaken. The bracketed rendering is tentative.
Hebrew 16:19 · translated Even the mountain peaks and the foundations of the world tremble greatly when He looks upon them. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso אף קצבי הרים ויסודי תבל בהביטו אליהם רעש ירעשו ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:19 Together the mountains and the foundations of the earth are shaken with trembling when He looks upon them.	Similar · Hebrew 16:19 — Same cosmic trembling; Hebrew specifies peaks.
Hebrew 16:20 · translated Yet He will pay no attention to me; who will consider my ways? Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso גם עלי לא ישים לב ובדרכי מי יתבונן ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:20 Yet no heart will consider these things, and who will ponder His ways?	Divergent · Hebrew 16:20 — Hebrew concerns God ignoring the speaker and the speaker's ways; Greek concerns human failure to consider God's ways. Inherited Greek note 16:20 The question’s role in the surrounding imagined objections is not resolved by adding a speaker’s name.
Hebrew 16:21 · translated If I sin, no eye sees me; if I deceive in complete secrecy, who knows? Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso אם חטאתי לא תראני עין או אם אכזב בכל סתר מי יודע ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:21 There is also a tempest that a person will not see, and most of His works are hidden.	Different · Hebrew 16:21 — Hebrew voices the sinner's hidden conduct; Greek speaks of an unseen tempest and hidden divine works. Inherited Greek note 16:21 The abrupt unseen-tempest clause is retained; its precise connection remains an interpretive question.
Hebrew 16:22 · translated Who announces a righteous deed? What hope is there when I enact a statute? Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso מה ^ מעשה ^ צדק מי יגידנו ותקות מה כי אצוק חוק ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:22 Who will announce works of righteousness? Who will wait? For the covenant is far away.	Different · Hebrew 16:22 — A's final clause is obscure and not repaired to Greek the covenant is far away. Inherited Greek note 16:22 Covenant follows actual διαθήκη. The questions and the asserted distance are retained as part of the reasoning criticized in the next verse.
Hebrew 16:23 · translated Those lacking heart understand these things, and a mighty fool thinks this. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso חסדׄ י לב יבינו אלה וגב ^ו^ ר פׄ ו֯תה יחשב זאת ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:23 Someone deficient in heart thinks these things; a foolish and wandering man thinks foolish things.	Similar · Hebrew 16:23 — Both condemn the preceding reasoning as foolish; Hebrew wording is awkward.
Hebrew 16:24 · translated Listen to me and receive my understanding; set your heart upon my words. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso שמעו אלי וקחו שׄ כׄ לי ועל דברי שימו לב ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:24 Listen to me, child, and learn knowledge; attend to my words with your heart.	Similar · Hebrew 16:24 — Greek includes child; same summons to instruction.
Hebrew 16:25 · translated I pour out my spirit by measure and declare my knowledge with reserve. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso אביעה במשקל רוחי ובהצנע אחוה דעי · Manuscript transcription	16:25 I will disclose instruction by measure and declare knowledge with precision.	Different · Hebrew 16:25 — Hebrew spirit and reserve differ from Greek instruction and precision. Inherited Greek note 16:25 By measure retains the weighing image in ἐν σταθμῷ.
Hebrew 16:26 · fragmentary When God created His works from the beginning, concerning their life [ … ]. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso כברא אל מעשיו מראש על חייהם ׃ Manuscript transcription	16:26 By the Lord’s judgment His works have existed from the beginning; from their making He distinguished their portions.	Similar · Hebrew 16:26 — A ends mid-sentence at the end of the surviving leaf. The rest of this verse and 16:27–30 are not supplied from Greek. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions.
No Hebrew text is available in the selected manuscript coverage for this unit. This is a source gap, not a classified omission.	16:27 He ordered His works forever and their dominions through their generations. They neither hungered nor grew weary, and they did not cease from their tasks.	Not classified. No paired Hebrew reading is supplied. Inherited Greek note 16:27 The plural works continue as subject; no specific list of celestial bodies is inserted.
No Hebrew text is available in the selected manuscript coverage for this unit. This is a source gap, not a classified omission.	16:28 None crowded out its neighbor, and forever they will not disobey His word.	Not classified. No paired Hebrew reading is supplied.
No Hebrew text is available in the selected manuscript coverage for this unit. This is a source gap, not a classified omission.	16:29 After these things the Lord looked upon the earth and filled it with His good things.	Not classified. No paired Hebrew reading is supplied.
No Hebrew text is available in the selected manuscript coverage for this unit. This is a source gap, not a classified omission.	16:30 He covered its face with the life of every living creature, and to it they return.	Not classified. No paired Hebrew reading is supplied. Inherited Greek note 16:30 Its face and to it refer to the earth; the return is retained without an added account of its manner.
Hebrew 16:15 · fragmentary YHWH hardened the heart of Pharaoh, who did not know Him, so that His works might be revealed beneath the heavens. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso ייי הקשה את לב פרעה אשר }}לא{{ לא ידעו ׃ שמעשיו ]] ~ [[ מגולין תחת השמים ׃ Manuscript transcription	No aligned Greek unit is supplied here; see the alignment note.	Divergent · Hebrew 16:15 — Absent from the inherited short Greek text; the purpose connection is supplied from Hebrew syntax, not a claim about all Greek witnesses. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions.
Hebrew 16:16 · translated His mercies are seen by all His creatures, and He apportioned His light and praise to human beings. Hebrew witness A · A VI Verso רחמיו יראו לכל בריותיו ואורו ושבחו חלק לבני אדם ׃ Manuscript transcription	No aligned Greek unit is supplied here; see the alignment note.	Divergent · Hebrew 16:16 — Absent from the inherited short Greek text; surviving Hebrew is translated without manufacturing a Greek parallel.

Source and numbering

Hebrew English is newly translated from the manuscript-specific transcriptions in The Book of Ben Sira portal. Each translated unit identifies its selected witness and folio. This is a selected-witness working edition, not an exhaustive collation of every manuscript or a reconstruction of lost Hebrew. Brackets and fragmentary status identify uncertainty; no Greek text has been back-translated to fill Hebrew gaps.

The Greek-source English and its notes are inherited from the existing Sirach edition. The comparison categories are provisional editorial assessments against that English; this update is not a fresh verification of every Greek reading or its apparatus.

Working translation preserved from the recovered manuscript of 8 September 2026. Declared source: Septuaginta, Rahlfs–Hanhart, 2006, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, publisher’s Greek main text. Independent linguistic and critical-apparatus review remains outstanding. Source-access and reception claims in the inherited notes have not been freshly revalidated. Chapter and section headings are editorial.

The translator’s prologue is separate from the 51 chapters. Its eight source units map to publisher labels 1, 1a–1g; main-text 1:1 maps to 1h. Source 5:15 includes material often numbered 6:1, so chapter 6 begins at 6:2. Source label gaps are preserved; no text is invented.