Ben Sira 15:9-19

9 It is not appropriate for a sinner to sing hymns of praise, because his worship is insincere.
10 A hymn should be an expression of wisdom, inspired by the Lord himself.
11 Don't blame the Lord for your sin; the Lord does not cause what he hates. 1
12 Don't claim that he has misled you; he doesn't need the help of sinners to accomplish his purposes.
13 The Lord hates evil in all its forms, and those who fear the Lord find nothing attractive in evil.
14 When, in the beginning, the Lord created human beings, he left them free to do as they wished.
15 If you want to, you can keep the Lord's commands. You can decide whether you will be loyal to him or not.
16 He has placed fire and water before you; reach out and take whichever you want.
17 You have a choice between life and death; you will get whichever you choose.
18 The Lord's wisdom and power are great and he sees everything.
19 He is aware of everything a person does, and he takes care of those who fear him.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 15.11-20Ben Sira 17.1-12.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. [Hebrew] the Lord does not cause what he hates; [Greek] do not do what the Lord hates.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.