Open English Translation SIR Chapter 38

38 Honour a physician according to your need with the honours due to him,

for truly the master has created him.

2 Because healing comes from the Most High,

and he’ll receive a gift from the king.

3 The skill of the physician will lift up his head.

He’ll be admired in the sight of great men.

4 The master created medicines out of the earth.

A prudent man won’t despise them.

5 Wasn’t water made sweet with wood,

that its power might be known?

6 He gave men skill

that he might be glorified in his marvellous works.

7 With them he heals

and takes away pain.

8 With these, the pharmacist makes a mixture.

God’s works won’t be brought to an end.

From him, peace is on the face of the earth.

9 My son, in your sickness don’t be negligent,

but pray to the master, and he’ll heal you.

10 Put away wrong doing, and direct your hands in righteousness.

Cleanse your heart from all sin.

11 Give a sweet savour and a memorial of fine flour,

and pour oil on your offering, according to your means.

12 Then give place to the physician, for truly the master has created him.

Don’t let him leave you, for you need him.

13 There’s a time when in recovery is in their hands.

14 Because they also will ask the master

to prosper them in diagnosis and in healing for the maintenance of life.

15 He who sins before his Maker,

let him fall into the hands of the physician.

16 My son, let your tears fall over the dead,

and as one who suffers grievously, begin lamentation.

Wind up his body with due honour.

Don’t neglect his burial.

17 Make bitter weeping and make passionate wailing.

Let your mourning be according to his merit,

for one day or two, so that people won’t speak badly of you;

and so be comforted for your sorrow.

18 Because from sorrow comes death.

Sorrow of heart saps one’s strength.

19 In calamity, sorrow also remains.

A poor man’s life is grievous to the heart.

20 Don’t give your heart to sorrow.

Put it away, remembering the end.

21 Don’t forget it, for there’s no returning again.

You do him no good, and you’d harm yourself.

22 Remember his end, for so also will yours be:

yesterday for me, and today for you.

23 When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest.

Be comforted for him when his spirit departs from him.

24 The wisdom of the scribe comes by the opportunity of leisure.

He who has little business can become wise.

25 How could he become wise who holds the plough,

who glories in the shaft of the goad,

who drives oxen and is occupied in their labours,

and who mostly talks about bulls?

26 He’ll set his heart on turning his furrows.

His lack of sleep is to give his heifers their fodder.

27 So is every craftsman and master artisan

who passes his time by night as by day,

those who cut engravings of signets.

His diligence is to make great variety.

He sets his heart to preserve likeness in his portraiture,

and is careful to finish his work.

28 So too is the smith sitting by the anvil

and considering the unwrought iron.

The smoke of the fire will waste his flesh.

He toils in the heat of the furnace.

The noise of the hammer deafens his ear.

His eyes are on the pattern of the object.

He’ll set his heart on perfecting his works.

He’ll be careful to adorn them perfectly.

29 So is the potter sitting at his work

and turning the wheel around with his feet,

who’s always anxiously set at his work.

He produces his handiwork in quantity.

30 He’ll fashion the clay with his arm

and will bend its strength in front of his feet.

He’ll apply his heart to finish the glazing.

He’ll be careful to clean the kiln.

31 All these put their trust in their hands.

Each becomes skilful in his own work.

32 Without these no city would be inhabited.

Men wouldn’t reside as foreigners or walk up and down there.

33 They won’t be sought for in the council of the people.

They won’t mount on high in the assembly.

They won’t sit on the seat of the judge.

They won’t understand the covenant of judgement.

Neither will they declare instruction and judgement.

They won’t be found where parables are.

34 But they’ll maintain the fabric of the age.

Their prayer is in the handiwork of their craft.