God’s Gifts to Humanity
1 The Lord created mankind out of earth, and turned them back to it again. 2 He gave them a numbered span of days, and a set time, and gave them authority over the things that are on it. 3 He endowed them with strength suited to them, and made them according to his own image. 4 He put the fear of man on all flesh, and gave him authority over beasts and birds. 6 He gave them judgment, tongue, eyes, ears, and heart to have understanding. 7 He filled them with the knowledge of wisdom, and showed them good and evil. 8 He set his eye on their hearts, to show them the majesty of his works. 10 And they will praise his holy name, so that they may declare the majesty of his works.
11 He added to them knowledge, and gave them a law of life as an inheritance. 12 He made an everlasting covenant with them, and showed them his decrees. 13 Their eyes saw the majesty of his glory. Their ears heard the glory of his voice. 14 He said to them, “Beware of all wrongdoing.” So he gave each man commands concerning his neighbor.
God Sees Human Conduct
15 Their ways are always before him. They will not be hidden from his eyes. 17 For every nation he appointed a ruler, but Israel is the Lord’s portion. 19 All their works are as clear as the sun before him. His eyes are continually on their ways. 20 Their wrongdoing are not hidden from him. All their sins are before the Lord.
22 To him, a man’s gifts to the poor are like a signet. He will keep a man’s kindness like the pupil of the eye. 23 Afterward he will rise up and repay them, and give their repayment on their heads. 24 However to those who repent he grants a return. He comforts those who are losing hope.
Repentance and Divine Mercy
25 Return to the Lord, and abandon sins. Pray in his presence and offend less. 26 Turn again to the Most High, and turn away from wrongdoing. Hate what is detestable deeply. 27 Who will give praise to the Most High in Hades, in place of the living who return thanks? 28 Thanksgiving dies away among the dead, as from one who doesn’t exist. Anyone who is alive and healthy will praise the Lord. 29 How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him!
30 For humans are not capable of everything, because the son of man is not immortal. 31 What is brighter than the sun? Yet even this can be eclipsed. So flesh and blood devise evil. 32 He looks on the power of the height of heaven, while all men are earth and ashes.
Texts in conversation
Compare Deuteronomy 32:9 and Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 17:17
Hebrew Bible · Deuterocanon
Summary
Passages
Deuteronomy 32:9
Hebrew Biblebear in mind the years of past generations.
Ask your father and he will inform you,
your elders, and they will tell you. 8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided up humankind,
he set the boundaries of the peoples,
according to the number of the heavenly assembly. 9 For the Lord’s allotment is his people,
Jacob is his special possession. 10 The Lord found him in a desolate land,
in an empty wasteland where animals howl.
He continually guarded him and taught him;
he continually protected him like the pupil of his eye. 11 Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,
that hovers over its young,
so the Lord spread out his wings and took him,
he lifted him up on his pinions.
Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 17:17
Deuterocanon · Ben Sira, EcclesiasticusSo he gave each man commands concerning his neighbor. 15 Their ways are always before him.
They will not be hidden from his eyes. 17 For every nation he appointed a ruler,
but Israel is the Lord’s portion. 19 All their works are as clear as the sun before him.
His eyes are continually on their ways. 20 Their wrongdoing are not hidden from him.
All their sins are before the Lord. 22 To him, a man’s gifts to the poor are like a signet.
He will keep a man’s kindness like the pupil of the eye.
References
References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.
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