“At two things,
My heart is grieved.
Because of a third,
Anger comes over me.
The first is
A warrior in want
Through poverty.
The second is
Intelligent men
Who are treated contemptuously.
The third is
A man who turns back
From righteousness to sin.
The Lord will prepare him
For the sword.”
Once again, we have this numerical proverb from Sirach, like in Proverbs. There are 2 things that grieve him, and a 3rd that angers him. He is grieved to see a warrior in poverty and intelligent men treated with contempt. The 3rd thing that really angers him is a righteous man who sins. The Lord will prepare a sword for him.
