Read & explore together
Retain stewardship of property during life
Sirach 33:20–24, in the Catholic additional books, gives brief wisdom about property, personal control, family dependence and inheritance. It advises keeping authority during life and making inheritance decisions at the end of life.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This short wisdom passage addresses one person directly. It speaks about power over oneself, goods, children, work, honour and inheritance. The sayings move from warning against giving away control too early to naming the proper time to distribute an inheritance.
Sirach 33:20–24Main takeaway
Sirach 33:20–24 teaches that a person should keep authority over self and possessions during life, while leaving inheritance distribution for the time of death.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Do not hand over control too soonThe passage begins with a warning to a living person: do not give power over yourself to son, wife, brother or friend, and do not hand your goods to another.
Explanation
The passage begins with a warning to a living person: do not give power over yourself to son, wife, brother or friend, and do not hand your goods to another. The reason given is practical. You may regret it later and have to ask for them back. This is about retaining control while alive.
02Life and breath mean ongoing responsibilityVerse 21 repeats the point in broader language. As long as a person still lives and breath remains, that person is not to give himself over to anybody.
Explanation
Verse 21 repeats the point in broader language. As long as a person still lives and breath remains, that person is not to give himself over to anybody. The wording goes beyond possessions alone. It speaks about personal self-government during one’s lifetime, not only about property arrangements.
03Better to be the one askedThe next saying compares two situations within a family. Sirach says it is better for children to ask from you than for you to look to the hand of your children.
Explanation
The next saying compares two situations within a family. Sirach says it is better for children to ask from you than for you to look to the hand of your children. In this passage, that is the preferable order while the older person is still alive and responsible for possessions.
04Honourable work and the right time for inheritanceThe final two verses connect daily conduct with estate decisions. “Excel in all your works” and “Don’t bring a stain on your honor” place this advice within a wider call to responsible living.
Explanation
The final two verses connect daily conduct with estate decisions. “Excel in all your works” and “Don’t bring a stain on your honor” place this advice within a wider call to responsible living. Then the passage states the proper time for distribution: “in the time of death”, when life is ending.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What two dangers does Sirach 33:20 mention if someone gives goods away too early?
Look for the stated results at the end of the verse. The text mentions regret and needing to ask for the goods back.
02How does Sirach 33:21 strengthen the warning in verse 20?
Notice that verse 21 widens the advice from goods to the person’s own self while life and breath remain.
03According to this passage, when should inheritance be distributed?
Read the final verse closely. It gives a specific time rather than saying never distribute it.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 33:20–24
20To son and wife, to brother and friend, don’t give power over yourself while you live, and don’t give your goods to another, lest you regret it and must ask for them.
21While you still live and breath is in you, don’t give yourself over to anybody.
22For it is better that your children should ask from you than that you should look to the hand of your children.
23Excel in all your works. Don’t bring a stain on your honor.
24In the day that you end the days of your life, in the time of death, distribute your inheritance.