OET-RV SIR Chapter 42

42 Don’t be ashamed of these things,

and don’t sin to save face:

2 of the law of the Most High and his covenant,

of judgement to do justice to the ungodly,

3 of reckoning with a partner and with travellers,

of a gift from the inheritance of friends,

4 of exactness of scales and weights,

of getting much or little,

5 of bargaining dealing with merchants,

of frequent correction of children,

and of making the back of an evil slave to bleed.

6 A seal is good where an evil wife is.

Where there are many hands, lock things up.

7 Whatever you hand over, let it be by number and weight.

In giving and receiving, let all be in writing.

8 Don’t be ashamed to instruct the unwise and foolish,

and one of extreme old age who contends with those who are young.

So you’ll be well instructed indeed

and approved in the sight of every living man.

9 A daughter is a secret cause of wakefulness to a father.

He loses sleep worrying about her—

in her youth, that she might pass the prime of her life;

when she’s married, that she might be hated;

10 in her virginity, that she might be defiled and become pregnant in her father’s house;

when she has a husband, that she might do wrong;

and when she’s married, that she might be unable to have children.

11 Keep a strict watch over a headstrong daughter,

or she might make you a laughingstock to your enemies,

a byword in the city and notorious among the people,

and shame you in public.

12 Don’t gaze at every beautiful body.

Don’t sit among women.

13 Because from clothes comes a moth,

and from a woman comes a woman’s wickedness.

14 Better is the wickedness of a man than a pleasant woman,

a woman who puts you to shame and disgrace.

15 I’ll make mention now of the master’s works,

and will declare the things that I’ve seen.

The master’s works are in his words.

16 The sun that gives light looks at all things.

The master’s work is full of his glory.

17 The master hasn’t given power to the saints to declare all his marvellous works,

which the Almighty master firmly settled,

that the universe might be established in his glory.

18 He searches out the deep and the heart.

He has understanding of their secrets.

Because the Most High knows all knowledge.

He sees the signs of the world.

19 He declares the things that are past and the things that’ll be,

and reveals the traces of hidden things.

20 No thought escapes him.

There isn’t a word hidden from him.

21 He’s ordered the mighty works of his wisdom.

He’s from eternal to eternal.

Nothing has been added to them, nor diminished from them.

He had no need of any counsellor.

22 How desirable are all his works!

One may see this even in a spark.

23 All these things live and remain forever in all manner of uses.

They’re all obedient.

24 All things are in pairs, one opposite the other.

He’s made nothing imperfect.

25 One thing establishes the good things of another.

Who could ever see enough of his glory?