Baruch
Chapter 3
Fourth Part
Almighty Lord, God of Israel, a soul in anguish and a discouraged spirit cries out to You.
Listen, Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against You;
for You reign forever, while we perish forever.
Lord, all-powerful God of Israel, listen to the prayers of the departed of Israel. We are descendants of those who sinned against You and did not heed Your voice; that is why disgrace has fallen upon us.
Do not remember the sins of our ancestors any longer, but remember Your power and Your name at this time.
For You are the Lord, our God, and we will praise You, Lord.
That is why You have placed Your fear in our hearts, and we call upon Your name. We will praise You during our exile, for we have removed the guilt of our ancestors who sinned against You from our hearts.
We are here today, in our exile, where You have scattered us, to be insulted, cursed, and condemned for the sins of our fathers, who turned away from the Lord our God.
Exhortation on Wisdom
Listen, Israel,
heed the commands of life,
pay attention to learn prudence,
Why, Israel!
Why are you in the land
of your enemies?
Why are you old in a foreign land,
contaminated by pagans,
counted among those
headed to the pit?
You have abandoned
the source of Wisdom.
If you walk in God’s way,
peace will be your permanent home.
Learn where Wisdom,
Strength, and Understanding are,
so you may also know
where the length of days and life,
the light of the eyes,
and Peace are found.
Who will find Wisdom’s dwelling?
Who will enter her storerooms?
Where are the leaders of nations,
those who commanded
the beasts of the earth?
Who played
with the birds of the heavens,
who piled up silver and gold
—in which people trust—
and who never tire of collecting it?
Amassing money
was their only concern,
their business beyond measure.
But they have disappeared,
they have gone down to the dead
and others have risen in their place.
A younger generation
is present on the earth
and enjoys the light,
but they have not learned
the ways of knowledge;
they have not seen his tracks
nor have they met him,
and their children after them
did not stray from their paths.
No one in Canaan
has heard of Wisdom,
nor has anyone seen her in Teman.
The sons of Hagar,
who seek knowledge of the earth,
the traders of Medan and Tema,
the tellers of fables and philosophers,
have not known the way of Wisdom
or discovered her paths.
O Israel, how great
is the house of God,
how vast his dominion!
It is great and limitless.
It is lofty, vast, and immeasurable.
There were born the ancient
and famous giants
of high stature and skillful in war.
God did not choose them;
he did not teach them
the ways of Wisdom,
and they perished
because of their folly,
for they lacked knowledge.
Who has ascended to heaven
to take hold of her
and bring her down from the clouds?
Who has crossed oceans
and found her,
and bought her with the purest gold?
No one knows her path,
no one considers her way.
But he who understands
everything recognizes her.
He has uncovered her
within his own mind.
He who created the earth forever,
filling it with four-footed creatures.
He who sends forth the light,
and it goes;
who recalls it, trembling, and it obeys.
The stars shine, full of joy,
to watch over the night.
He calls them, and they respond:
“Here we are.”
They shine joyfully for their Creator.
It is he who is our God;
no one else can compare with him.
He has found
the way of understanding
and has given her to Jacob,
his servant, and to Israel, his beloved.
Then Wisdom was seen on earth
and lived among humans.
Commentaries
Penitential Liturgy.
This can be divided into four parts: 1:15-2:10, which highlights Israel’s confession of sins; 2:11-18, which emphasizes the plea for deliverance; 2:19-35 and 3:1-8, which call on God to fulfill his promises.
Fourth Part.
The penitential liturgy concludes as it began—acknowledging sin and linking tragedy to disobedience. However, Jeremiah and Ezekiel had already challenged the idea that ancestral sin caused present suffering. A common saying was: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Jr 31:29). Jeremiah refuted this, emphasizing personal responsibility, and Ezekiel echoed it (Ezk 18), teaching that each person is judged for their own actions. Although written much later, this text (4.5.7.8) shows no sign of that theological progress. It still reflects the older view, ignoring the prophets’ efforts to shift understanding toward individual accountability before God.
Exhortation on Wisdom.
The chapter emphasizes themes from Job 28, Sirach 24, and Deuteronomy 4, linking exile to the moral choice between life and death (Dt 30:15ff). In exile or diaspora, the people seek clarity through penitence. The answer is: follow the commandments, or repent and make amends. Changing one’s life saves it—repentance is wisdom (Ps 51:8), and making amends begins the path of wisdom. Israel can still return to God’s way. Although individuals may perish, the nation can remain as God’s people. Other nations failed due to a lack of wisdom; Israel failed despite knowing it and choosing not to follow. Still, the chance to return remains open, rooted in divine mercy and the pursuit of wisdom.