Read & explore together
Choose advisers without ignoring conscience and prayer
Sirach 37:7–15 offers prayer-shaped instruction about receiving advice. It warns that some counsellors serve themselves, urges care in choosing trusted people, values the heart’s counsel, and ends by telling the reader to ask the Most High for true direction.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
In this passage from Sirach, a book in the Catholic additional books, the writer gives a sequence of counsel about advisers, unsuitable people to consult, a godly companion, the counsel of one’s own heart, and, above all, prayer to the Most High for guidance in truth.
Sirach 37:7–15Main takeaway
This passage teaches that careful counsel includes testing advisers, listening honestly within, and asking the Most High to direct the way in truth.
Explore the prayer
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Beware self-interested adviceThe passage begins by warning that not every counsellor is trustworthy. Someone may praise counsel itself while still giving advice for personal advantage.
Explanation
The passage begins by warning that not every counsellor is trustworthy. Someone may praise counsel itself while still giving advice for personal advantage. The reader is told to beware of such a person and to know his interest beforehand, because his real concern may be for himself, not for you.
02Do not share plans with hostile or biased peopleSirach describes an adviser who says, “Your way is good,” but then waits to see what will happen.
Explanation
Sirach describes an adviser who says, “Your way is good,” but then waits to see what will happen. It also warns against taking counsel from someone who looks askance at you or from those who are jealous. Verse 11 lists many people whose situation or character may twist their advice.
03Stay near a godly personInstead of unreliable counsel, the passage points to a godly man. He is known as a keeper of the commandments, his soul is like your own, and he will grieve with you if you fail.
Explanation
Instead of unreliable counsel, the passage points to a godly man. He is known as a keeper of the commandments, his soul is like your own, and he will grieve with you if you fail. The picture is of loyal companionship, not flattery or hidden advantage.
04Let the heart’s counsel stand, then ask the Most HighThe closing verses value the counsel of the heart, calling it especially faithful. A person’s soul may sometimes warn better than seven watchmen on a tower.
Explanation
The closing verses value the counsel of the heart, calling it especially faithful. A person’s soul may sometimes warn better than seven watchmen on a tower. Yet the final and highest instruction is prayer: above all, ask the Most High to direct your way in truth.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What details in these verses show that some advisers may not seek your good?
Notice the references to self-interest, hostile attitudes, jealousy, and words that sound supportive while the person waits to see the result.
02How is the godly adviser in verse 12 different from the people listed earlier?
Compare the keeper of the commandments who shares your concern with the unsuitable counsellors whose interests or character distort their advice.
03How do verses 13–15 connect inner discernment with prayer?
Read the order carefully: the heart’s counsel is valued, but above all the passage says to ask the Most High for direction in truth.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 37:7–15
7Every counselor extols counsel, but some give counsel in their own interest.
8Let your soul beware of a counselor, and know in advance what is his interest (for he will take counsel for himself), lest he cast the lot against you,
9and say to you, “Your way is good.” Then he will stand near you, to see what will happen to you.
10Don’t take counsel with one who looks askance at you. Hide your counsel from those who are jealous of you.
11Don’t consult with a woman about her rival, with a coward about war, with a merchant about business, with a buyer about selling, with an envious man about thankfulness, with an unmerciful man about kindliness, with a sluggard about any kind of work, with a hireling in your house about finishing his work, or with an idle servant about much business. Pay no attention to these in any matter of counsel.
12But rather be continually with a godly man, whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments, who in his soul is as your own soul, and who will grieve with you, if you fail.
13Make the counsel of your heart stand, for there is no one more faithful to you than it.
14For a man’s soul is sometimes inclined to inform him better than seven watchmen who sit on high on a watch-tower.
15Above all this ask the Most High that he may direct your way in truth.