Read & explore together
Act faithfully toward friends, servants, and family
Sirach 7:18–28 gives brief wisdom instructions for everyday relationships. In a few lines, it speaks about friends, marriage, workers, children, and parents, urging conduct that values people properly and acts with care.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This passage in Sirach, one of the Catholic additional books, is written as wisdom instruction rather than story. It moves through short commands and questions, comparing people with gold, addressing faithful servants, speaking about household responsibilities, and ending with honour for father and mother.
Sirach 7:18–28Main takeaway
This passage teaches that wisdom shows itself in loyal, fair, and honouring treatment of the people under our care and closest to our lives.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01People are worth more than goldThe opening sayings warn against trading away a friend or true brother for wealth. They also say not to deprive yourself of a wise and good wife, because her grace is better than gold.
Explanation
The opening sayings warn against trading away a friend or true brother for wealth. They also say not to deprive yourself of a wise and good wife, because her grace is better than gold. The comparison shows the higher value of faithful relationships.
02Be just with those who serveSirach forbids abusing a faithful servant or a hireling who gives his life. It then adds positive commands: love a wise servant and do not defraud him of liberty.
Explanation
Sirach forbids abusing a faithful servant or a hireling who gives his life. It then adds positive commands: love a wise servant and do not defraud him of liberty. These verses join affection, fairness, and refusal to exploit another person’s labour.
03Take responsibility in your householdThe next lines speak of cattle and children. Cattle are to be looked after, and children are to be corrected and made obedient from youth.
Explanation
The next lines speak of cattle and children. Cattle are to be looked after, and children are to be corrected and made obedient from youth. The common point is active care for what has been entrusted to you, not neglect or self-interest.
04Careful conduct with daughters and wivesThe passage tells the reader to care for daughters, not be overly indulgent, and to give a daughter to a man of understanding in marriage.
Explanation
The passage tells the reader to care for daughters, not be overly indulgent, and to give a daughter to a man of understanding in marriage. It also says not to cast out a pleasing wife, while warning against entrusting yourself to one who is hateful.
05Remember what parents have doneThe closing verses call for wholehearted honour toward a father and remembrance of a mother’s birth pangs.
Explanation
The closing verses call for wholehearted honour toward a father and remembrance of a mother’s birth pangs. The reader is reminded that life came through them, then asked what repayment could match what parents have done. The questions press gratitude and honour.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How do verses 18 and 19 show what should be valued more than wealth?
Notice which relationships are compared with gold and what Sirach says not to exchange or deprive yourself of.
02What actions toward servants are forbidden, and what actions are commanded?
Look for the words against abuse and defrauding, and the instruction to love a wise servant.
03How does the passage strengthen its call to honour parents at the end?
Use the references to birth, a mother’s pains, and the question about repayment.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 7:18–28
18Don’t exchange a friend for something, neither a true brother for the gold of Ophir.
19Don’t deprive yourself of a wise and good wife, for her grace is worth more than gold.
20Don’t abuse a servant who works faithfully, or a hireling who gives you his life.
21Let your soul love a wise servant. Don’t defraud him of liberty.
22Do you have cattle? Look after them. If they are profitable to you, let them stay by you.
23Do you have children? Correct them, and make them obedient from their youth.
24Do you have daughters? Take care of their bodies, and don’t be overly indulgent toward them.
25Give your daughter in marriage, and you will have accomplished a great matter. Give her to a man of understanding.
26Do you have a wife who pleases you? Don’t cast her out. But don’t trust yourself to one who is hateful.
27Honor your father with your whole heart, and don’t forget the birth pangs of your mother.
28Remember that you were born of them. What will you repay them for the things that they have done for you?