Read & explore together
Hear and investigate before judging
These sayings in Sirach teach careful listening, patient understanding, and wise restraint. They warn against fast judgments, quick answers, and joining in matters where we should not take part.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This passage from the Catholic additional book of Sirach gives short wisdom commands about speech and judgment. It moves in order from investigating and understanding before rebuking, to hearing before answering and not interrupting, and then to avoiding arguments outside your concern and not sitting with sinners when they judge.
Sirach 11:7–9Main takeaway
This passage teaches that wise judgment begins with listening, understanding, and knowing when not to speak.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Investigate before blamingSirach first warns against blaming someone too quickly. The order matters: investigate, understand, and only then rebuke.
Explanation
Sirach first warns against blaming someone too quickly. The order matters: investigate, understand, and only then rebuke. A rebuke is a correction, but this verse says correction should come after understanding, not before it. The saying values truth over haste.
02Hear fully before answeringThe next saying moves from judgment to conversation. It says not to answer before hearing, and not to interrupt while another person speaks.
Explanation
The next saying moves from judgment to conversation. It says not to answer before hearing, and not to interrupt while another person speaks. The point is simple and strong: listening is not partial or rushed. Wise speech waits until the other person has been heard.
03Know when a matter is not yoursSirach then warns against arguing about matters that do not concern you. This is a call to restraint, not indifference.
Explanation
Sirach then warns against arguing about matters that do not concern you. This is a call to restraint, not indifference. The verse also says not to sit with sinners when they judge, warning against joining in corrupt or wrongful judgment with others.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What steps come before rebuking in this passage?
Look closely at the order in the verse: investigation and understanding come before any rebuke.
02How does this passage describe good listening in conversation?
The verse gives two parts: hear before answering, and do not interrupt while another person is speaking.
03What two situations in verse 9 are we told to avoid?
Identify both warnings: arguing about matters that do not concern you, and sitting with sinners when they judge.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 11:7–9
7Don’t blame before you investigate. Understand first, and then rebuke.
8Don’t answer before you have heard. Don’t interrupt while someone else is speaking.
9Don’t argue about a matter that doesn’t concern you. Don’t sit with sinners when they judge.