Sirach 34
34
On dreams
1Senseless people
have empty and false hopes,
and dreams excite fools.
2Those who pay attention to dreams
are just like people who grasp
at a shadow or pursue the wind.
3What one sees in a dream is a reflection,
a face looking at its own likeness.
4What will be made clean
from something unclean?
And what will be true
of something false?
5Divinations, omens,
and dreams are empty.
The mind has fantasies,
just like a woman in labor does.
6Unless the Most High sends a dream
by means of a visitation,
don’t pay any attention to it.
7Dreams have misled many,
and those who have placed hope in them have fallen.
8The Law will be fulfilled without lies;
wisdom in a faithful person’s mouth
is fulfillment.
Experience and fear of the Lord
9People who have traveled know a lot,
and those who are experienced
will speak sense.
10People with no experience know little,
11but those who have traveled
have become more clever.
12I have seen a lot in my wandering,
and I understand more than I can tell.
13I’ve often been in danger,
close to death,
and I was saved
because of these experiences.
14The spirit of those who fear the Lord
will live,
15because their hope is in the one
who saves them.
16Those who fear the Lord
won’t be timid about anything;
they will never turn coward,
because the Lord is their hope.
17The souls of those who fear the Lord
are favored.
18To whom do they look?
And who is their support?
19The Lord’s eyes
are upon those who love him.
The Lord is a powerful shield,
a strong support,
a shelter from the heat,
a shade from the midday sun,
a guard against stumbling,
and a help against falling;
20one who lifts up the spirit,
one who gives light to the eyes,
and one who gives healing
for life and blessing.
On sacrifice and worship
21When someone sacrifices something unjustly gotten,
the offering is flawed;
22the gifts of those who don’t follow
the Law are not acceptable.
23The Most High is not pleased
with the offerings of the ungodly,
nor will he forgive sins
for a multitude of sacrifices.
24Someone who brings a sacrifice that comes from the property of the needy
is like someone who slaughters a son
in the presence of his father.
25The needy person’s bread
means life for that poor person;
whoever withholds it is a murderer.
26Whoever takes away a neighbor’s living
commits murder,
27and whoever deprives a worker
of wages sheds blood.
28One person builds,
and another tears down;
what have they gained
other than hard work?
29One person prays,
and another person curses;
to whose voice will the master listen?
30When people bathe after touching
a corpse and touch it again,
what have they gained by washing?
31So when people fast because of their sins,
and then go and do the same
things again,
who will listen to their prayer,
and what did they gain
by humbling themselves?
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Sirach 34: CEB
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