Read & explore together
A clear conscience and glad heart show themselves
These sayings in Sirach connect the inner life with what can be seen and heard. They move from the face, to wise sayings, to blessing for a person whose speech, conscience and hope are not burdened.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This passage is from Sirach, one of the Catholic additional books. It is wisdom writing, not a story. The verses present short sayings about the heart and countenance, then two blessings that describe a person’s mouth, soul and hope.
Sirach 13:25–14:2Main takeaway
Sirach teaches that a person’s inner condition appears outwardly, and it calls blessed the one whose speech, conscience and hope are sound.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The heart changes the faceSirach first says that a person’s heart changes his countenance, whether for good or for evil.
Explanation
Sirach first says that a person’s heart changes his countenance, whether for good or for evil. “Countenance” means the look of the face. The saying links the inner heart with outward appearance, showing that what is within can affect what is seen.
02A cheerful face and hard-won wisdomNext, Sirach says a cheerful countenance is a sign of a prosperous heart. The verse then adds that devising proverbs takes strenuous thinking.
Explanation
Next, Sirach says a cheerful countenance is a sign of a prosperous heart. The verse then adds that devising proverbs takes strenuous thinking. So the passage speaks both of visible cheerfulness and of the effort involved in forming wise sayings.
03Blessed in speech and sorrowSirach 14:1 begins a blessing: blessed is the man who has not slipped with his mouth. “Slipped” points to failing in speech.
Explanation
Sirach 14:1 begins a blessing: blessed is the man who has not slipped with his mouth. “Slipped” points to failing in speech. The same verse also says he does not suffer from sorrow for sins. The verse presents both features of the blessed person together.
04Blessed in conscience and hopeThe next blessing describes the inner life more directly. Blessed is the one whose soul does not condemn him and who has not given up hope.
Explanation
The next blessing describes the inner life more directly. Blessed is the one whose soul does not condemn him and who has not given up hope. The verse places a non-condemning soul alongside hope, showing a person not crushed within.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01According to Sirach, what does the heart do to a person’s countenance?
Answer with the wording of the verse, including the contrast between good and evil.
02What two observations are placed together in Sirach 13:26?
Notice that one line is about a cheerful countenance and prosperous heart, while the other is about the effort of devising proverbs.
03What four descriptions mark the blessed person in Sirach 14:1 and Sirach 14:2?
List what the text says about the mouth, sorrow for sins, the soul’s judgment, and hope.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 13:25–26
25The heart of a man changes his countenance, whether it is for good or for evil.
26A cheerful countenance is a sign of a prosperous heart. Devising proverbs takes strenuous thinking.
Sirach 14:1–2
1Blessed is the man who has not slipped with his mouth, and doesn’t suffer from sorrow for sins.
2Blessed is he whose soul does not condemn him, and who has not given up hope.