Catholic Commentary on Sirach 27

"When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears; so do a person's faults when they speak." (Sirach 27:4)

Testing Character

Many have committed sin for gain, and those who seek to get rich will avert their eyes. As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones, so sin is wedged in between selling and buying. Unless you hold yourself diligently to the fear of the Lord, your house will quickly be overthrown. When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears; so do a person's faults when they speak. The kiln tests the potter's vessels; so the test of a person is in their reasoning. The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree; so a person's speech discloses the cultivation of their mind. Do not praise anyone before they have spoken, for this is the way people are tested.

The Catechism identifies speech as the primary revealer of character: the fruit of the lips discloses the cultivation of the heart, just as the fruit of the tree discloses the cultivation of the soil (CCC 2464).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, a person's speech discloses the cultivation of their mind. You do not need a lengthy biography to understand someone - listen to them speak at length and you will know who they are. And remember that others are reading you the same way. Let your speech disclose a mind cultivated by the fear of the Lord.

Prayer

Lord God, let our speech disclose minds cultivated by you. May the fruit of our lips be worth hearing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

27
1 Through poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be enriched, turneth away his eye. 2 As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of stones, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall stick fast. 3 Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner. 4 Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown. 5 As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts. 6 The furnace trieth the potter’s vessels, and the trial of affliction just men. 7 Be the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man. 8 Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men. 9 If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and shalt put her on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt dwell with her: and she shall protect thee for ever, and in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt find a strong foundation. 10 Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them that practise her. 11 The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sins for them that work iniquities. 12 A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon. 13 In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time: but be continually among men that think. 14 The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is at the pleasures of sin. 15 The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head stand upright: and its irreverence shall make one stop his ears. 16 Is the quarrels of the proud is the shedding of blood: and their cursing is a grievous hearing. 17 He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth his credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind. 18 Love thy neighbour, and be joined to him with fidelity. 19 But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after him. 20 For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so also is he that destroyeth the friendship of his neighbour. 21 And as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy neighbour go, and thou shalt not get him again. 22 Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is fled, as a roe escaped out of the snare: because his soul is wounded. 23 Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is reconciliation: 24 But to disclose the secrets of a friend, leaveth no hope to an unhappy soul. 25 He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no man will cast him off: 26 In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and on thy words he will lay a stumblingblock. 27 I have hated many things, but not like him, and the Lord will hate him. 28 If one cast a stone on high, it will fall upon his own head: and the deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful. 29 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that setteth a stone for his neighbour, shall stumble upon it: and he that layeth a snare for another, shall perish in it. 30 A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to him. 31 Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a lion shall lie in wait for him. 32 They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die. 33 Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful man shall be subject to them.

Public Domain