Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) — Chapter 5

Be not led away to wealth that thou dost not need; and say not: I have enough for my life. Lapide expounds the vanity and moral danger of excessive attachment to wealth. The Vulgate's \"iniquas possessiones\" (sinful possessions) suggests wealth often acquired or maintained unjustly. He cites Siracides' fourfold explanation of why riches are called \"iniquitous\" (from Jerome, Augustine, and others).

Say not: Who shall see me? God is not deceived by my sins. The second warning: do not boast of power or invincibility in sin. Lapide teaches that divine omniscience and omnipotence make all human bravado before sin utterly foolish.

Say not: I have sinned, and what harm hath befallen me? for the Most High is a patient rewarder. Divine patience is not indifference. Lapide warns against interpreting God's delay as permissiveness; the Most High is a \"patient rewarder\" who accumulates debts for the day of reckoning.

Be not without fear about sin forgiven, and add not sin upon sin. Even a forgiven sin should prompt ongoing vigilance; adding new sins after pardon deepens one's debt exponentially. Lapide emphasizes the theological principle that forgiveness does not remove the need for satisfaction.

Say not: The mercy of God is great; He will have mercy on the multitude of my sins. Presumption on God's mercy is specifically condemned. Lapide notes the tragic irony: the mercy that is meant to encourage penance is instead used as license for sin. He cites Augustine and Gregory on the sin of presumption.

Mercy and wrath quickly come from Him, and His wrath looketh upon sinners. Divine mercy and wrath are both \"quick\" (proximate): mercy for the penitent, wrath for the obstinate sinner. Lapide teaches that God's attributes of mercy and justice are perfectly balanced and simultaneously present.

Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day. Urgency of conversion: death may come suddenly, and the moment of conversion must not be deferred. Lapide cites Ambrose, Isidore, and multiple Scripture texts on the danger of delay in repentance.

Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, and be careful of thy lips. Spiritual consistency between interior and exterior is required. Lapide treats \"not ventilatng in every wind\" as an image of moral inconstancy: the duplicitous man blows wherever the social wind directs him.

Be steadfast in the way of the Lord, and in the truth of thy judgment, and in knowledge; and let the word of peace and justice run after thee. Steadfastness in God's way, integrity of judgment, and knowledge—these three virtues produce the fruits of peace and justice. Lapide connects the moral life of the interior with its expression in peaceful and just speech.

Be meek to hear the word, that thou mayst understand, and return a true answer with wisdom. The virtuous cycle: meek listening produces understanding, which produces wise and true speech. Lapide cites Gregory and Chrysostom on the virtue of silence before speaking.

No evil is worthy of honour; nor a foolish man; nor a tongue evil-speaking. The tongue of a foolish or slanderous man is his own downfall. Lapide systematically expounds why the evil-speaking tongue destroys both its owner and its targets.

A tale-bearer shall defile his own soul, and shall be hated by all; and he that abideth with him shall be hateful. The detractor defiles himself spiritually and becomes universally odious. Lapide adds that those who tolerate and keep company with tale-bearers share in their guilt.