{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_8326/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_8326","id":"gutenberg_8326","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8326","summary":null,"tags":["Bible. Apocrypha. Ecclesiasticus","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality"],"text":"This eBook was produced by David Widger\nfrom etext #1581 prepared by Dennis McCarthy, Atlanta, Georgia\nand Tad Book, student, Pontifical North American College, Rome.\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE HOLY BIBLE\n\n\n\n\nTranslated from the Latin Vulgate\n\n\nDiligently Compared with the Hebrew, Greek,\nand Other Editions in Divers Languages\n\n\nTHE OLD TESTAMENT\nFirst Published by the English College at Douay\nA.D. 1609 & 1610\n\nand\n\nTHE NEW TESTAMENT\nFirst Published by the English College at Rheims\nA.D. 1582\n\n\nWith Annotations\n\n\nThe Whole Revised and Diligently Compared with\nthe Latin Vulgate by Bishop Richard Challoner\nA.D. 1749-1752\n\n\n\n\n\nECCLESIASTICUS\n\nThis Book is so called from a Greek word that signifies a preacher:\nbecause, like an excellent preacher, it gives admirable lessons of all\nvirtues. The author was Jesus the son of Sirach of Jerusalem, who\nflourished about two hundred years before Christ. As it was written\nafter the time of Esdras, it is not in the Jewish canon; but is received\nas canonical and divine by the Catholic Church, instructed by\napostolical tradition, and directed by the spirit of God. It was first\nwritten in the Hebrew, but afterwards translated into Greek, by another\nJesus, the grandson of the author, whose prologue to this book is the\nfollowing:\n\n\nTHE PROLOGUE\n\nThe knowledge of many and great things hath been shewn us by the law,\nand the prophets, and others that have followed them: for which things\nIsrael is to be commended for doctrine and wisdom, because not only they\nthat speak must needs be skilful, but strangers also, both speaking and\nwriting, may by their means become most learned. My grandfather Jesus,\nafter he had much given himself to a diligent reading of the law, and\nthe prophets, and other books, that were delivered to us from our\nfathers, had a mind also to write something himself, pertaining to\ndoctrine and wisdom; that such as are desirous to learn, and are made\nknowing in these things, may be more and more attentive in mind, and be\nstrengthened to live according to the law. I entreat you therefore to\ncome with benevolence, and to read with attention, and to pardon us for\nthose things wherein we may seem, while we follow the image of wisdom,\nto come short in the composition of words; for the Hebrew words have not\nthe same force in them when translated into another tongue. And not only\nthese, but the law also itself, and the prophets, and the rest of the\nbooks, have no small difference, when they are spoken in their own\nlanguage. For in the eight and thirtieth year coming into Egypt, when\nPtolemy Evergetes was king, and continuing there a long time, I found\nthere books left, of no small nor contemptible learning. Therefore I\nthought it good, and necessary for me to bestow some diligence and\nlabour to interpret this book; and with much watching and study in some\nspace of time, I brought the book to an end, and set it forth for the\nservice of them that are willing to apply their mind, and to learn how\nthey ought to conduct themselves, who purpose to lead their life\naccording to the law of the Lord.\n\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 1\n\nAll wisdom is from God, and is given to them that fear and love God.\n\n1:1. All wisdom is from the Lord God, and hath been always with him, and\nis before all time.\n\n1:2. Who hath numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain, and\nthe days of the world? Who hath measured the height of heaven, and the\nbreadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss?\n\n1:3. Who hath searched out the wisdom of God that goeth before all\nthings?\n\n1:4. Wisdom hath been created before all things, and the understanding\nof prudence from everlasting.\n\n1:5. The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom, and her ways are\neverlasting commandments.\n\n1:6. To whom hath the root of wisdom been revealed, and who hath known\nher wise counsels?\n\n1:7. To whom hath the discipline of wisdom been revealed and made\nmanifest? and who hath understood the multiplicity of her steps?\n\n1:8. There is one most high Creator Almighty, and a powerful king, and\ngreatly to be feared, who sitteth upon his throne, and is the God of\ndominion.\n\n1:9. He created her in the Holy Ghost, and saw her, and numbered her,\nand measured her.\n\n1:10. And he poured her out upon all his works, and upon all flesh\naccording to his gift, and hath given her to them that love him.\n\n1:11. The fear of the Lord is honour, and glory, and gladness, and a\ncrown of joy.\n\n1:12. The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give joy,\nand gladness, and length of days.\n\n1:13. With him that feareth the Lord, it shall go well in the latter\nend, and in the day of his death he shall be blessed.\n\n1:14. The love of God is honourable wisdom.\n\n1:15. And they to whom she shall shew herself love her by the sight, and\nby the knowledge of her great works.\n\n1:16. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and was created\nwith the faithful in the womb, it walketh with chosen women, and is\nknown with the just and faithful.\n\n1:17. The fear of the Lord is the religiousness of knowledge.\n\n1:18. Religiousness shall keep and justify the heart, it shall give joy\nand gladness.\n\n1:19. It shall go well with him that feareth the Lord, and in the days\nof his end he shall be blessed.\n\n1:20. To fear God is the fulness of wisdom, and fulness is from the\nfruits thereof.\n\n1:21. She shall fill all her house with her increase, and the\nstorehouses with her treasures.\n\n1:22. The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, filling up peace and\nthe fruit of salvation:\n\n1:23. And it hath seen, and numbered her: but both are the gifts of God.\n\n1:24. Wisdom shall distribute knowledge, and understanding of prudence:\nand exalteth the glory of them that hold her.\n\n1:25. The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord: and the branches thereof\nare long-lived.\n\n1:26. In the treasures of wisdom is understanding, and religiousness of\nknowledge: but to sinners wisdom is an abomination.\n\n1:27. The fear of the Lord driveth out sin:\n\n1:28. For he that is without fear, cannot be justified: for the wrath of\nhis high spirits is his ruin.\n\n1:29. A patient man shall bear for a time, and afterwards joy shall be\nrestored to him.\n\n1:30. A good understanding will hide his words for a time, and the lips\nof many shall declare his wisdom.\n\n1:31. In the treasures of wisdom is the signification of discipline:\n\n1:32. But the worship of God is an abomination to a sinner.\n\n1:33. Son, if thou desire wisdom, keep justice, and God will give her to\nthee.\n\n1:34. For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline: and that which\nis agreeable to him,\n\n1:35. Is faith, and meekness: and he will fill up his treasures.\n\n1:36. Be not incredulous to the fear of the Lord: and come not to him\nwith a double heart.\n\n1:37. Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, and let not thy lips be a\nstumblingblock to thee.\n\n1:38. Watch over them, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon thy\nsoul,\n\n1:39. And God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the midst of\nthe congregation.\n\n1:40. Because thou camest to the Lord wickedly, and thy heart is full of\nguile and deceit.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 2\n\nGod's servants must look for temptations: and must arm themselves with\npatience and confidence in God.\n\n2:1. Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and\nin fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation.\n\n2:2. Humble thy heart, and endure: incline thy ear, and receive the\nwords of understanding: and make not haste in the time of clouds.\n\n2:3. Wait on God with patience: join thyself to God, and endure, that\nthy life may be increased in the latter end.\n\n2:4. Take all that shall be brought upon thee: and in thy sorrow endure,\nand in thy humiliation keep patience.\n\n2:5. For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in\nthe furnace of humiliation.\n\n2:6. Believe God, and he will recover thee: and direct thy way, and\ntrust in him. Keep his fear, and grow old therein.\n\n2:7. Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy: and go not aside from\nhim lest ye fall.\n\n2:8. Ye that fear the Lord, believe him: and your reward shall not be\nmade void.\n\n2:9. Ye that fear the Lord hope in him, and mercy shall come to you for\nyour delight.\n\n2:10. Ye that fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts shall be\nenlightened.\n\n2:11. My children behold the generations of men: and know ye that no one\nhath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded.\n\n2:12. For who hath continued in his commandment, and hath been forsaken?\nor who hath called upon him, and he despised him?\n\n2:13. For God is compassionate and merciful, and will forgive sins in\nthe day of tribulation: and he is a protector to all that seek him in\ntruth.\n\n2:14. Woe to them that are of a double heart and to wicked lips, and to\nthe hands that do evil, and to the sinner that goeth on the earth two\nways.\n\n2:15. Woe to them that are fainthearted, who believe not God: and\ntherefore they shall not be protected by him.\n\n2:16. Woe to them that have lost patience, and that have forsaken the\nright ways, and have gone aside into crooked ways.\n\n2:17. And what will they do, when the Lord shall begin to examine?\n\n2:18. They that fear the Lord, will not be incredulous to his word: and\nthey that love him, will keep his way.\n\n2:19. They that fear the Lord, will seek after the things that are well\npleasing to him: and they that love him, shall be filled with his law.\n\n2:20. They that fear the Lord, will prepare their hearts, and in his\nsight will sanctify their souls,\n\n2:21. They that fear the Lord, keep his commandments, and will have\npatience even until his visitation,\n\n2:22. Saying: If we do not penance, we shall fall into the hands of the\nLord, and not into the hands of men.\n\n2:23. For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with him.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 3\n\nLessons concerning the honour of parents, and humility, and avoiding\ncuriosity.\n\n3:1. The sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their\ngeneration, obedience and love.\n\n3:2. Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that you may\nbe saved.\n\n3:3. For God hath made the father honourable to the children: and\nseeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it upon the\nchildren.\n\n3:4. He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and\nshall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the prayer of\ndays.\n\n3:5. And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a\ntreasure.\n\n3:6. He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children,\nand in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.\n\n3:7. He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and he that\nobeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his mother.\n\n3:8. He that feareth the Lord, honoureth his parents, and will serve\nthem as his masters that brought him into the world.\n\n3:9. Honour thy father, in work and word, and all patience,\n\n3:10. That a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may\nremain in the latter end.\n\n3:11. The father's blessing establisheth the houses of the children: but\nthe mother's curse rooteth up the foundation.\n\n3:12. Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is no\nglory to thee.\n\n3:13. For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father, and a\nfather without honour is the disgrace of the son.\n\n3:14. Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his\nlife;\n\n3:15. And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise\nhim not when thou art in thy strength: for the relieving of the father\nshall not be forgotten.\n\n3:16. For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.\n\n3:17. And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of\naffliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sins shall melt away as the\nice in the fair warm weather.\n\n3:18. Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and he is\ncursed of God that angereth his mother.\n\n3:19. My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above\nthe glory of men.\n\n3:20. The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and\nthou shalt find grace before God:\n\n3:21. For great is the power of God alone, and he is honoured by the\nhumble.\n\n3:22. Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not\ninto things above thy ability: but the things that God hath commanded\nthee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious.\n\n3:23. For it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes those things\nthat are hid.\n\n3:24. In unnecessary matters be not over curious, and in many of his\nworks thou shalt not be inquisitive.\n\n3:25. For many things are shewn to thee above the understanding of men.\n\n3:26. And the suspicion of them hath deceived many, and hath detained\ntheir minds in vanity.\n\n3:27. A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that loveth\ndanger shall perish in it.\n\n3:28. A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and the\nperverse of heart shall be scandalized therein.\n\n3:29. A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner will\nadd sin to sin.\n\n3:30. The congregation of the proud shall not be healed: for the plant\nof wickedness shall take root in them, and it shall not be perceived.\n\n3:31. The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good ear will\nhear wisdom with all desire.\n\n3:32. A wise heart, and which hath understanding, will abstain from\nsins, and in the works of justice shall have success.\n\n3:33. Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins:\n\n3:34. And God provideth for him that sheweth favour: he remembereth him\nafterwards, and in the time of his fall he shall find a sure stay.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 4\n\nAn exhortation to works of mercy, and to the love of wisdom.\n\n4:1. Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from\nthe poor.\n\n4:2. Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the poor in his want.\n\n4:3. Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to gibe to him\nthat is in distress.\n\n4:4. Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy\nface from the needy.\n\n4:5. Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave\nnot to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back.\n\n4:6. For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his\nsoul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him.\n\n4:7. Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble\nthy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a great man.\n\n4:8. Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest,\nand answer him peaceable words with mildness.\n\n4:9. Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and\nbe not fainthearted in thy soul.\n\n4:10. In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a\nhusband to their mother.\n\n4:11. And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he\nwill have mercy on thee more than a mother.\n\n4:12. Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that\nseek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice.\n\n4:13. And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her,\nshall embrace her sweetness.\n\n4:14. They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she\nentereth, God will give a blessing.\n\n4:15. They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God\nloveth them that love her.\n\n4:16. He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that\nlooketh upon her, shall remain secure.\n\n4:17. If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall\nbe in assurance.\n\n4:18. For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she\nchooseth him.\n\nIn temptation, etc... The meaning is, that before wisdom will choose any\nfor her favourite, she will try them by leading them through\ncontradictions, afflictions, and temptations, the usual noviceship of\nthe children of God.\n\n4:19. She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she will\nscourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by\nher laws, and trust his soul.\n\n4:20. Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to him, and\ngive him joy,\n\n4:21. And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon him\ntreasures of knowledge and understanding of justice.\n\n4:22. But if he go astray, she will forsake him, and deliver him into\nthe hands of his enemy.\n\n4:23. Son, observe the time, and fly from evil.\n\n4:24. For thy soul be not ashamed to say the truth.\n\n4:25. For there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame that\nbringeth glory and grace.\n\n4:26. Accept no person against thy own person, nor against thy soul a\nlie.\n\n4:27. Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall:\n\n4:28. And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy\nwisdom in her beauty.\n\n4:29. For by the tongue wisdom is discerned: and understanding, and\nknowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and steadfastness in\nthe works of justice.\n\n4:30. In nowise speak against the truth, but be ashamed of the lie of\nthy ignorance.\n\n4:31. Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but submit not thyself to\nevery man for sin.\n\n4:32. Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not strive\nagainst the stream of the river.\n\n4:33. Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for\njustice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee.\n\n4:34. Be not hasty in thy tongue: and slack and remiss in thy works.\n\n4:35. Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy household,\nand oppressing them that are under thee.\n\n4:36. Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou\nshouldst give.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 5\n\nWe must not presume of our wealth or strength: nor of the mercy of God,\nto go on in sin: we must be steadfast in virtue and truth.\n\n5:1. Set not thy heart upon unjust possessions, and say not: I have\nenough to live on: for it shall be of no service in the time of\nvengeance and darkness.\n\n5:2. Follow not in thy strength the desires of thy heart:\n\n5:3. And say not: How mighty am I? and who shall bring me under for my\ndeeds? for God will surely take revenge.\n\n5:4. Say not: I have sinned, and what harm hath befallen me? for the\nmost High is a patient rewarder.\n\n5:5. Be not without fear about sin forgiven, and add not sin upon sin:\n\n5:6. And say not: The mercy of the Lord is great, he will have mercy on\nthe multitude of my sins.\n\n5:7. For mercy and wrath quickly come from him, and his wrath looketh\nupon sinners.\n\n5:8. Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to\nday.\n\n5:9. For his wrath shall come on a sudden, and in the time of vengeance\nhe will destroy thee.\n\n5:10. Be not anxious for goods unjustly gotten: for they shall not\nprofit thee in the day of calamity and revenge.\n\n5:11. Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for so is\nevery sinner proved by a double tongue.\n\n5:12. Be steadfast in the way of the Lord, and in the truth of thy\njudgment, and in knowledge, and let the word of peace and justice keep\nwith thee.\n\n5:13. Be meek to hear the word, that thou mayst understand: and return a\ntrue answer with wisdom.\n\n5:14. If thou have understanding, answer thy neighbour: but if not, let\nthy hand be upon thy mouth, lest thou be surprised in an unskilful word,\nand be confounded.\n\n5:15. Honour and glory is in the word of the wise, but the tongue of the\nfool is his ruin.\n\n5:16. Be not called a whisperer, and be not taken in thy tongue, and\nconfounded.\n\n5:17. For confusion and repentance is upon a thief, and an evil mark of\ndisgrace upon the double tongued, but to the whisperer hatred, and\nenmity, and reproach.\n\n5:18. Justify alike the small and the great.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 6\n\nOf true and false friends: and of the of the fruits of wisdom.\n\n6:1. Instead of a friend become not an enemy to thy neighbour: for an\nevil man shall inherit reproach and shame, so shall every sinner that is\nenvious and double tongued.\n\n6:2. Extol not thyself in the thoughts of thy soul like a bull: lest thy\nstrength be quashed by folly,\n\n6:3. And it eat up thy leaves, and destroy thy fruit, and thou be left\nas a dry tree in the wilderness.\n\n6:4. For a wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and maketh him to\nbe a joy to his enemies, and shall lead him into the lot of the wicked.\n\n6:5. A sweet word multiplieth friends, and appeaseth enemies, and a\ngracious tongue in a good man aboundeth.\n\n6:6. Be in peace with many, but let one of a thousand be thy counsellor.\n\n6:7. If thou wouldst get a friend, try him before thou takest him, and\ndo not credit him easily.\n\n6:8. For there is a friend for his own occasion, and he will not abide\nin the day of thy trouble.\n\n6:9. And there is a friend that turneth to enmity; and there is a friend\nthat will disclose hatred and strife and reproaches.\n\n6:10. And there is a friend a companion at the table, and he will not\nabide in the day of distress.\n\n6:11. A friend if he continue steadfast, shall be to thee as thyself,\nand shall act with confidence among them of thy household.\n\n6:12. If he humble himself before thee, and hide himself from thy face,\nthou shalt have unanimous friendship for good.\n\n6:13. Separate thyself from thy enemies, and take heed of thy friends.\n\n6:14. A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found him,\nhath found a treasure.\n\n6:15. Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend, and no weight of\ngold and silver is able to countervail the goodness of his fidelity.\n\n6:16. A faithful friend is the medicine of life and immortality: and\nthey that fear the Lord, shall find him.\n\n6:17. He that feareth God, shall likewise have good friendship: because\naccording to him shall his friend be.\n\n6:18. My son, from thy youth up receive instruction, and even to thy\ngrey hairs thou shalt find wisdom.\n\n6:19. Come to her as one that plougheth, and soweth, and wait for her\ngood fruits:\n\n6:20. For in working about her thou shalt labour a little, and shalt\nquickly eat of her fruits.\n\n6:21. How very unpleasant is wisdom to the unlearned, and the unwise\nwill not continue with her.\n\n6:22. She shall be to them as a mighty stone of trial, and they will\ncast her from them before it be long.\n\n6:23. For the wisdom of doctrine is according to her name, and she is\nnot manifest unto many, but with them to whom she is known, she\ncontinueth even to the sight of God.\n\n6:24. Give ear, my son, and take wise counsel, and cast not away my\nadvice.\n\n6:25. Put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chains:\n\n6:26. Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her\nbands.\n\n6:27. Come to her with all thy mind, and keep her ways with all thy\npower.\n\n6:28. Search for her, and she shall be made known to thee, and when thou\nhast gotten her, let her not go:\n\n6:29. For in the latter end thou shalt find rest in her, and she shall\nbe turned to thy joy.\n\n6:30. Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and a firm\nfoundation, and her chain a robe of glory:\n\n6:31. For in her is the beauty of life, and her bands are a healthful\nbinding.\n\n6:32. Thou shalt put her on as a robe of glory, and thou shalt set her\nupon thee as a crown of joy.\n\n6:33. My son, if thou wilt attend to me, thou shalt learn: and if thou\nwilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be wise.\n\n6:34. If thou wilt incline thy ear, thou shalt receive instruction: and\nif thou love to hear, thou shalt be wise.\n\n6:35. Stand in the multitude of ancients that are wise, and join thyself\nfrom thy heart to their wisdom, that thou mayst hear every discourse of\nGod, and the sayings of praise may not escape thee.\n\n6:36. And if thou see a man of understanding, go to him early in the\nmorning, and let thy foot wear the steps of his doors.\n\n6:37. Let thy thoughts be upon the precepts of God, and meditate\ncontinually on his commandments: and he will give thee a heart, and the\ndesire of wisdom shall be given to thee.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 7\n\nReligious and moral duties.\n\n7:1. Do no evils, and no evils shall lay hold of thee.\n\n7:2. Depart from the unjust, and evils shall depart from thee.\n\n7:3. My son, sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt\nnot reap them sevenfold.\n\n7:4. Seek not of the Lord a preeminence, nor of the king the seat of\nhonour.\n\n7:5. Justify not thyself before God, for he knoweth the heart: and\ndesire not to appear wise before the king.\n\n7:6. Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to\nextirpate iniquities: lest thou fear the person of the powerful, and lay\na stumblingblock for thy integrity.\n\n7:7. Offend not against the multitude of a city, neither cast thyself in\nupon the people,\n\n7:8. Nor bind sin to sin: for even in one thou shalt not be unpunished.\n\n7:9. Be not fainthearted in thy mind:\n\n7:10. Neglect not to pray, and to give alms.\n\n7:11. Say not: God will have respect to the multitude of my gifts, and\nwhen I offer to the most high God, he will accept my offerings.\n\n7:12. Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is\none that humbleth and exalteth, God who seeth all.\n\n7:13. Devise not a lie against thy brother: neither do the like against\nthy friend.\n\n7:14. Be not willing to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof\nis not good.\n\n7:15. Be not full of words in a multitude of ancients, and repeat not\nthe word in thy prayer.\n\nRepeat not, etc... Make not much babbling by repetition of words: but\naim more at fervour of heart.\n\n7:16. Hate not laborious works, nor husbandry ordained by the most High.\n\n7:17. Number not thyself among the multitude of the disorderly.\n\n7:18. Remember wrath, for it will not tarry long.\n\n7:19. Humble thy spirit very much: for the vengeance on the flesh of the\nungodly is fire and worms.\n\n7:20. Do not transgress against thy friend deferring money, nor despise\nthy dear brother for the sake of gold.\n\n7:21. Depart not from a wise and good wife, whom thou hast gotten in the\nfear of the Lord: for the grace of her modesty is above gold.\n\n7:22. Hurt not the servant that worketh faithfully, nor the hired man\nthat giveth thee his life.\n\n7:23. Let a wise servant be dear to thee as thy own soul, defraud him\nnot of liberty, nor leave him needy.\n\n7:24. Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for thy\nprofit, keep them with thee.\n\n7:25. Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from\ntheir childhood.\n\n7:26. Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew not thy\ncountenance gay towards them.\n\n7:27. Marry thy daughter well, and thou shalt do a great work, and give\nher to a wise man.\n\n7:28. If thou hast a wife according to thy soul, cast her not off: and\nto her that is hateful, trust not thyself. With thy whole heart,\n\n7:29. Honour thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother:\n\n7:30. Remember that thou hadst not been born but through them: and make\na return to them as they have done for thee.\n\n7:31. With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests.\n\n7:32. With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his\nministers.\n\n7:33. Honour God with all thy soul and give honour to the priests, and\npurify thyself with thy arms.\n\nThy arms... That is, with all thy power: or else by arms (brachiis) are\nhere signified the right shoulders of the victims, which by the law fell\nto the priests. See ver. 35.\n\n7:34. Give them their portion, as it is commanded thee, of the\nfirstfruits and of purifications: and for thy negligences purify thyself\nwith a few.\n\n7:35. Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the sacrifice of\nsanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things:\n\n7:36. And stretch out thy hand to the poor, that thy expiation and thy\nblessing may be perfected.\n\n7:37. A gift hath grace in the sight of all the living, and restrain not\ngrace from the dead.\n\nAnd restrain not grace from the dead... That is, withhold not from them\nthe benefit of alms, prayers, and sacrifices. Such was the doctrine and\npractice of the church of God even in the time of the Old Testament. And\nthe same has always been continued from the days of the apostles in the\nchurch of the New Testament.\n\n7:38. Be not wanting in comforting them that weep, and walk with them\nthat mourn.\n\n7:39. Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be\nconfirmed in love.\n\n7:40. In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 8\n\nOther lessons of wisdom and virtue.\n\n8:1. Strive not with a powerful man, lest thou fall into his hands.\n\n8:2. Contend not with a rich man, lest he bring an action against thee.\n\n8:3. For gold and silver hath destroyed many, and hath reached even to\nthe heart of kings, and perverted them.\n\n8:4. Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood\nupon his fire.\n\n8:5. Communicate not with an ignorant man, lest he speak ill of thy\nfamily.\n\n8:6. Despise not a man that turneth away from sin, nor reproach him\ntherewith: remember that we are all worthy of reproof.\n\n8:7. Despise not a man in his old age; for we also shall become old.\n\n8:8. Rejoice not at the death of thy enemy; knowing that we all die, and\nare not willing that others should rejoice at our death.\n\n8:9. Despise not the discourse of them that are ancient and wise, but\nacquaint thyself with their proverbs.\n\n8:10. For of them thou shalt learn wisdom, and instruction of\nunderstanding, and to serve great men without blame.\n\n8:11. Let not the discourse of the ancients escape thee, for they have\nlearned of their fathers:\n\n8:12. For of them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give an answer\nin time of need.\n\n8:13. Kindle not the coals of sinners by rebuking them, lest thou be\nburnt with the flame of the fire of their sins.\n\n8:14. Stand not against the face of an injurious person, lest he sit as\na spy to entrap thee in thy words.\n\n8:15. Lend not to a man that is mightier than thyself: and if thou\nlendest, count it as lost.\n\n8:16. Be not surety above thy power: and if thou be surety, think as if\nthou wert to pay it.\n\n8:17. Judge not against a judge: for he judgeth according to that which\nis just.\n\n8:18. Go not on the way with a bold man, lest he burden thee with his\nevils: for he goeth according to his own will, and thou shalt perish\ntogether with his folly.\n\n8:19. Quarrel not with a passionate man, and go not into the desert with\na bold man: for blood is as nothing in his sight, and where there is no\nhelp he will overthrow thee.\n\n8:20. Advise not with fools, for they cannot love but such things as\nplease them.\n\n8:21. Before a stranger do no matter of counsel: for thou knowest not\nwhat he will bring forth.\n\n8:22. Open not thy heart to every man: lest he repay thee with an evil\nturn, and speak reproachfully to thee.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 9\n\nCautions with regard to women, and dangerous conversations.\n\n9:1. Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, lest she shew in thy\nregard the malice of a wicked lesson.\n\n9:2. Give not the power of thy soul to a woman, lest she enter upon thy\nstrength, and thou be confounded.\n\n9:3. Look not upon a woman that hath a mind for many: lest thou fall\ninto her snares.\n\n9:4. Use not much the company of her that is a dancer, and hearken not\nto her, lest thou perish by the force of her charms.\n\n9:5. Gaze not upon a maiden, lest her beauty be a stumblingblock to\nthee.\n\n9:6. Give not thy soul to harlots in any point: lest thou destroy\nthyself and thy inheritance.\n\n9:7. Look not round about thee in the ways of the city, nor wander up\nand down in the streets thereof.\n\n9:8. Turn away thy face from a woman dressed up, and gaze not about upon\nanother's beauty.\n\n9:9. For many have perished by the beauty of a woman, and hereby lust is\nenkindled as a fire.\n\n9:10. Every woman that is a harlot, shall be trodden upon as dung in the\nway.\n\n9:11. Many by admiring the beauty of another man's wife, have become\nreprobate, for her conversation burneth as fire.\n\n9:12. Sit not at all with another man's wife, nor repose upon the bed\nwith her:\n\n9:13. And strive not with her over wine, lest thy heart decline towards\nher and by thy blood thou fall into destruction.\n\n9:14. Forsake not an old friend, for the new will not be like to him.\n\n9:15. A new friend is as new wine: it shall grow old, and thou shalt\ndrink it with pleasure.\n\n9:16. Envy not the glory and riches of a sinner: for thou knowest not\nwhat his ruin shall be.\n\n9:17. Be not pleased with the wrong done by the unjust, knowing that\neven to hell the wicked shall not please.\n\n9:18. Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill, so thou shalt\nnot suspect the fear of death.\n\n9:19. And if thou come to him, commit no fault, lest he take away thy\nlife.\n\n9:20. Know it to be a communication with death: for thou art going in\nthe midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of them that are grieved.\n\n9:21. According to thy power beware of thy neighbour, and treat with the\nwise and prudent.\n\n9:22. Let just men be thy guests, and let thy glory be in the fear of\nGod.\n\n9:23. And let the thought of God be in thy mind, and all thy discourse\non the commandments of the Highest.\n\n9:24. Works shall be praised for the hand of the artificers, and the\nprince of the people for the wisdom of his speech, but the word of the\nancients for the sense.\n\n9:25. A man full of tongue is terrible in his city, and he that is rash\nin his word shall be hateful.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 10\n\nThe virtues and vices of men in power: the great evil of pride.\n\n10:1. A wise judge shall judge his people, and the government of a\nprudent man shall be steady.\n\nJudge his people... In the Greek it is, instruct his people.\n\n10:2. As the judge of the people is himself, so also are his ministers:\nand what manner of man the ruler of a city is, such also are they that\ndwell therein.\n\n10:3. An unwise king shall be the ruin of his people: and cities shall\nbe inhabited through the prudence of the rulers.\n\n10:4. The power of the earth is in the hand of God, and in his time he\nwill raise up a profitable ruler over it.\n\n10:5. The prosperity of man is in the hand of God, and upon the person\nof the scribe he shall lay his honour.\n\nThe scribe... That is, the man that is wise and learned in the law.\n\n10:6. Remember not any injury done thee by thy neighbour, and do thou\nnothing by deeds of injury.\n\n10:7. Pride is hateful before God and men: and all iniquity of nations\nis execrable.\n\n10:8. A kingdom is translated from one people to another, because of\ninjustices, and wrongs, and injuries, and divers deceits.\n\n10:9. But nothing is more wicked than the covetous man. Why is earth,\nand ashes proud?\n\n10:10. There is not a more wicked thing than to love money: for such a\none setteth even his own soul to sale: because while he liveth he hath\ncast away his bowels.\n\n10:11. All power is of short life. A long sickness is troublesome to the\nphysician.\n\n10:12. The physician cutteth off a short sickness: so also a king is to\nday, and to morrow he shall die.\n\n10:13. For when a man shall die, he shall inherit serpents, and beasts,\nand worms.\n\n10:14. The beginning of the pride of man, is to fall off from God:\n\n10:15. Because his heart is departed from him that made him: for pride\nis the beginning of all sin: he that holdeth it, shall be filled with\nmaledictions, and it shall ruin him in the end.\n\n10:16. Therefore hath the Lord disgraced the assemblies of the wicked,\nand hath utterly destroyed them.\n\n10:17. God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes, and hath set up\nthe meek in their stead.\n\n10:18. God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath\nplanted the humble of these nations.\n\n10:19. The Lord hath overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and hath\ndestroyed them even to the foundation.\n\n10:20. He hath made some of them to wither away, and hath destroyed\nthem, and hath made the memory of them to cease from the earth.\n\n10:21. God hath abolished the memory of the proud, and hath preserved\nthe memory of them that are humble in mind.\n\n10:22. Pride was not made for men: nor wrath for the race of women.\n\n10:23. That seed of men shall be honoured, which feareth God: but that\nseed shall be dishonoured, which transgresseth the commandments of the\nLord.\n\n10:24. In the midst of brethren their chief is honourable: so shall they\nthat fear the Lord, be in his eyes.\n\n10:25. The fear of God is the glory of the rich, and of the honourable,\nand of the poor.\n\n10:26. Despise not a just man that is poor, and do not magnify a sinful\nman that is rich.\n\n10:27. The great man, and the judge, and the mighty is in honour: and\nthere is none greater than he that feareth God.\n\n10:28. They that are free shall serve a servant that is wise: and a man\nthat is prudent and well instructed will not murmur when he is reproved;\nand he that is ignorant, shall not be honoured.\n\n10:29. Extol not thyself in doing thy work, and linger not in the time\nof distress;\n\n10:30. Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he\nthat boasteth himself and wanteth bread.\n\n10:31. My son, keep thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according\nto its desert.\n\n10:32. Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who\nwill honour him that dishonoureth his own soul?\n\n10:33. The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear, and there\nis a man that is honoured for his wealth.\n\n10:34. But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in wealth? and\nhe that is glorified in wealth, let him fear poverty.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 11\n\nLessons of humility and moderation in all things.\n\n11:1. The wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, and shall make him\nsit in the midst of great men.\n\n11:2. Praise not a man for his beauty, neither despise a man for his\nlook.\n\n11:3. The bee is small among flying things but her fruit hath the\nchiefest sweetness.\n\n11:4. Glory not in apparel at any time, and be not exalted in the day of\nthy honour: for the works of the Highest only are wonderful, and his\nworks are glorious, and secret, and hidden.\n\n11:5. Many tyrants have sat on the throne, and he whom no man would\nthink on, hath worn the crown.\n\n11:6. Many mighty men have been greatly brought down, and the glorious\nhave been delivered into the hand of others.\n\n11:7. Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast inquired,\nreprove justly.\n\n11:8. Before thou hear, answer not a word: and interrupt not others in\nthe midst of their discourse.\n\n11:9. Strive not in a matter which doth not concern thee, and sit not in\njudgment with sinners.\n\n11:10. My son, meddle not with many matters: and if thou be rich, thou\nshalt not be free from sin: for if thou pursue after thou shalt not\novertake; and if thou run before thou shalt not escape.\n\n11:11. There is an ungodly man that laboureth, and maketh haste, and is\nin sorrow, and is so much the more in want.\n\n11:12. Again, there is an inactive man that wanteth help, is very weak\nin ability, and full of poverty:\n\n11:13. Yet the eye of God hath looked upon him for good, and hath lifted\nhim up from his low estate, and hath exalted his head: and many have\nwondered at him, and have glorified God.\n\n11:14. Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are\nfrom God.\n\n11:15. Wisdom and discipline, and the knowledge of the law are with God.\nLove and the ways of good things are with him.\n\n11:16. Error and darkness are created with sinners: and they that glory\nin evil things, grow old in evil.\n\n11:17. The gift of God abideth with the just, and his advancement shall\nhave success for ever.\n\n11:18. There is one that is enriched by living sparingly, and this is\nthe portion of his reward.\n\n11:19. In that he saith: I have found me rest, and now I will eat of my\ngoods alone:\n\n11:20. And he knoweth not what time shall pass, and that death\napproacheth, and that he must leave all to others, and shall die.\n\n11:21. Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and grow\nold in the work of thy commandments.\n\n11:22. Abide not in the works of sinners. But trust in God, and stay in\nthy place,\n\n11:23. For it is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the poor\nman rich.\n\n11:24. The blessing of God maketh haste to reward the just, and in a\nswift hour his blessing beareth fruit.\n\n11:25. Say not: What need I, and what good shall I have by this?\n\n11:26. Say not: I am sufficient for myself: and what shall I be made\nworse by this?\n\n11:27. In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils: and in the\nday of evils be not unmindful of good things:\n\n11:28. For it is easy before God in the day of death to reward every one\naccording to his ways.\n\n11:29. The affliction of an hour maketh one forget great delights, and\nin the end of a man is the disclosing of his works.\n\n11:30. Praise not any man before death, for a man is known by his\nchildren.\n\n11:31. Bring not every man into thy house: for many are the snares of\nthe deceitful.\n\n11:32. For as corrupted bowels send forth stinking breath, and as the\npartridge is brought into the cage, and as the roe into the snare: so\nalso is the heart of the proud, and as a spy that looketh on the fall of\nhis neighbour.\n\n11:33. For he lieth in wait and turneth good into evil, and on the elect\nhe will lay a blot.\n\n11:34. Of one spark cometh a great fire, and of one deceitful man much\nblood: and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.\n\n11:35. Take heed to thyself of a mischievous man, for he worketh evils:\nlest he bring upon thee reproach for ever.\n\n11:36. Receive a stranger in, and he shall overthrow thee with a\nwhirlwind, and shall turn thee out of thy own.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 12\n\nWe are to be liberal to the just: and not to trust the wicked.\n\n12:1. If thou do good, know to whom thou dost it, and there shall be\nmuch thanks for thy good deeds.\n\n12:2. Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense: and if\nnot of him, assuredly of the Lord.\n\n12:3. For there is no good for him that is always occupied in evil, and\nthat giveth no alms: for the Highest hateth sinners, and hath mercy on\nthe penitent.\n\n12:4. Give to the merciful and uphold not the sinner: God will repay\nvengeance to the ungodly and to sinners, and keep them against the day\nof vengeance.\n\n12:5. Give to the good, and receive not a sinner.\n\n12:6. Do good to the humble, and give not to the ungodly: hold back thy\nbread, and give it not to him, lest thereby he overmaster thee.\n\n12:7. For thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou\nshalt have done to him: for the Highest also hateth sinners, and will\nrepay vengeance to the ungodly.\n\n12:8. A friend shall not be known in prosperity, and an enemy shall not\nbe hidden in adversity.\n\n12:9. In the prosperity of a man, his enemies are grieved: and a friend\nis known in his adversity.\n\n12:10. Never trust thy enemy for as a brass pot his wickedness rusteth:\n\n12:11. Though he humble himself and go crouching, yet take good heed and\nbeware of him.\n\n12:12. Set him not by thee, neither let him sit on thy right hand, lest\nhe turn into thy place, and seek to take thy seat and at the last thou\nacknowledge my words, and be pricked with my sayings.\n\n12:13. Who will pity an enchanter struck by a serpent, or any that come\nnear wild beasts? so is it with him that keepeth company with a wicked\nman, and is involved in his sins.\n\n12:14. For an hour he will abide with thee: but if thou begin to\ndecline, he will not endure it.\n\n12:15. An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he\nlieth in wait, to throw thee into a pit.\n\n12:16. An enemy weepeth with his eyes: but if he find an opportunity he\nwill not be satisfied with blood:\n\n12:17. And if evils come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first.\n\n12:18. An enemy hath tears in his eyes, and while he pretendeth to help\nthee, will undermine thy feet.\n\n12:19. He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and\nchange his countenance.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 13\n\nCautions in the choice of company.\n\n13:1. He that toucheth pitch, shall be defiled with it: and he that hath\nfellowship with the proud, shall put on pride.\n\n13:2. He shall take a burden upon him that hath fellowship with one more\nhonourable than himself. And have no fellowship with one that is richer\nthan thyself.\n\n13:3. What agreement shall the earthen pot have with the kettle?  for if\nthey knock one against the other, it shall be broken.\n\n13:4. The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he will fume: but the poor\nis wronged and must hold his peace.\n\n13:5. If thou give, he will make use of thee: and if thou have nothing,\nhe will forsake thee.\n\n13:6. If thou have any thing, he will live with thee, and will make thee\nbare, and he will not be sorry for thee.\n\n13:7. If he have need of thee he will deceive thee, and smiling upon\nthee will put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair, and will say: What\nwantest thou?\n\n13:8. And he will shame thee by his meats, till he have drawn thee dry\ntwice or thrice, and at last he will laugh at thee: and afterward when\nhe seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.\n\n13:9. Humble thyself to God, and wait for his hands.\n\n13:10. Beware that thou be not deceived into folly, and be humbled.\n\n13:11. Be not lowly in thy wisdom, lest being humbled thou be deceived\ninto folly.\n\n13:12. If thou be invited by one that is mightier, withdraw thyself: for\nso he will invite thee the more.\n\n13:13. Be not troublesome to him, lest thou be put back: and keep not\nfar from him, lest thou be forgotten.\n\n13:14. Affect not to speak with him as an equal, and believe not his\nmany words: for by much talk he will sift thee, and smiling will examine\nthee concerning thy secrets.\n\n13:15. His cruel mind will lay up thy words: and he will not spare to do\nthee hurt, and to cast thee into prison.\n\n13:16. Take heed to thyself, and attend diligently to what thou hearest:\nfor thou walkest in danger of thy ruin.\n\n13:17. When thou hearest those things, see as it were in sleep, and thou\nshalt awake.\n\n13:18. Love God all thy life, and call upon him for thy salvation.\n\n13:19. Every beast loveth its like: so also every man him that is\nnearest to himself.\n\n13:20. All flesh shall consort with the like to itself, and every man\nshall associate himself to his like.\n\n13:21. If the wolf shall at any time have fellowship with the lamb, so\nthe sinner with the just.\n\n13:22. What fellowship hath a holy man with a dog, or what part hath the\nrich with the poor?\n\n13:23. The wild ass is the lion's prey in the desert: so also the poor\nare devoured by the rich.\n\n13:24. And as humility is an abomination to the proud: so also the rich\nman abhorreth the poor.\n\n13:25. When a rich man is shaken, he is kept up by his friends: but when\na poor man is fallen down, he is thrust away even by his acquaintance.\n\n13:26. When a rich man hath been deceived, he hath many helpers: he hath\nspoken proud things, and they have justified him.\n\n13:27. The poor man was deceived, and he is rebuked also: he hath spoken\nwisely, and could have no place.\n\n13:28. The rich man spoke, and all held their peace, and what he said\nthey extol even to the clouds.\n\n13:29. The poor man spoke, and they say: Who is this? and if he stumble,\nthey will overthrow him.\n\n13:30. Riches are good to him that hath no sin in his conscience: and\npoverty is very wicked in the mouth of the ungodly.\n\n13:31. The heart of a man changeth his countenance, either for good, or\nfor evil.\n\n13:32. The token of a good heart, and a good countenance thou shalt\nhardly find, and with labour.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 14\n\nThe evil of avarice: works of mercy are recommended, and the love of\nwisdom.\n\n14:1. Blessed is the man that hath not slipped by a word out of his\nmouth, and is not pricked with the remorse of sin.\n\n14:2. Happy is he that hath had no sadness of his mind, and who is not\nfallen from his hope.\n\n14:3. Riches are not comely for a covetous man and a niggard, and what\nshould an envious man do with gold?\n\n14:4. He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul, gathereth for\nothers, and another will squander away his goods in rioting.\n\n14:5. He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and he shall\nnot take pleasure in his goods.\n\n14:6. There is none worse than he that envieth himself, and this is the\nreward of his wickedness:\n\n14:7. And if he do good, he doth it ignorantly, and unwillingly: and at\nthe last he discovereth his wickedness.\n\n14:8. The eye of the envious is wicked: and he turneth away his face,\nand despiseth his own soul.\n\n14:9. The eye of the covetous man is insatiable in his portion of\niniquity: he will not be satisfied till he consume his own soul, drying\nit up.\n\n14:10. An evil eye is towards evil things: and he shall not have his\nfill of bread, but shall be needy and pensive at his own table.\n\n14:11. My son, if thou have any thing, do good to thyself, and offer to\nGod worthy offerings.\n\n14:12. Remember that death is not slow, and that the covenant of hell\nhath been shewn to thee: for the covenant of this world shall surely\ndie.\n\nCovenant of hell... The decree by which all are to go down to the\nregions of death.\n\n14:13. Do good to thy friend before thou die, and according to thy\nability, stretching out thy hand give to the poor.\n\n14:14. Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a\ngood gift overpass thee.\n\n14:15. Shalt thou not leave to others to divide by lot thy sorrows and\nlabours?\n\n14:16. Give and take, and justify thy soul.\n\n14:17. Before thy death work justice: for in hell there is no finding\nfood.\n\n14:18. All flesh shall fade as grass, and as the leaf that springeth out\non a green tree.\n\n14:19. Some grow, and some fall off: so is the generation of flesh and\nblood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.\n\n14:20. Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end: and the\nworker thereof shall go with it.\n\n14:21. And every excellent work shall be justified: and the worker\nthereof shall be honoured therein.\n\n14:22. Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom, and that shall\nmeditate in his justice, and in his mind shall think of the all seeing\neye of God.\n\n14:23. He that considereth her ways in his heart, and hath understanding\nin her secrets, who goeth after her as one that traceth, and stayeth in\nher ways.\n\n14:24. He who looketh in at her windows, and hearkeneth at her door.\n\n14:25. He that lodgeth near her house, and fastening a pin in her walls\nshall set up his tent high unto her, where good things shall rest in his\nlodging for ever.\n\n14:26. He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge\nunder her branches:\n\n14:27. He shall be protected under her covering from the heat, and shall\nrest in her glory.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 15\n\nWisdom embraceth them that fear God. God is not the author of sin.\n\n15:1. He that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice,\nshall lay hold on her,\n\n15:2. And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive\nhim as a wife married of a virgin.\n\n15:3. With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him, and\ngive him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made\nstrong in him, and he shall not be moved.\n\n15:4. And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and\nshe shall exalt him among his neighbours.\n\n15:5. And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall\nfill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe\nhim with a robe of glory.\n\n15:6. She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall\ncause him to inherit an everlasting name.\n\n15:7. But foolish men shall not obtain her, and wise men shall meet her,\nfoolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit.\n\n15:8. Lying men shall be mindful of her: but men that speak truth shall\nbe found with her, and shall advance, even till they come to the sight\nof God.\n\n15:9. Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner:\n\n15:10. For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with the\nwisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth, and the sovereign\nLord will give praise unto it.\n\n15:11. Say not: It is through God, that she is not with me: for do not\nthou the things that he hateth.\n\n15:12. Say not: He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of wicked\nmen.\n\n15:13. The Lord hateth all abomination of error, and they that fear him\nshall not love it.\n\n15:14. God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his\nown counsel.\n\n15:15. He added his commandments and precepts.\n\n15:16. If thou wilt keep the commandments and perform acceptable\nfidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee.\n\n15:17. He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy hand to\nwhich thou wilt.\n\n15:18. Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he shall\nchoose shall be given him:\n\n15:19. For the wisdom of God is great, and he is strong in power, seeing\nall men without ceasing.\n\n15:20. The eyes of the Lord are towards them that fear him, and he\nknoweth al the work of man.\n\n15:21. He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given no man\nlicense to sin;\n\n15:22. For he desireth not a multitude of faithless and unprofitable\nchildren.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 16\n\nIt is better to have none than many wicked children. Of the justice and\nmercy of God. His ways are unsearchable.\n\n16:1. Rejoice not in ungodly children, if they be multiplied: neither be\ndelighted in them, if the fear of God be not with them.\n\n16:2. Trust not to their life, and respect not their labours.\n\n16:3. For better is one that feareth God, than a thousand ungodly\nchildren.\n\n16:4. And it is better to die without children, than to leave ungodly\nchildren.\n\n16:5. By one that is wise a country shall be inhabited, the tribe of the\nungodly shall become desolate.\n\n16:6. Many such things hath my eyes seen, and greater things than these\nmy ear hath heard.\n\n16:7. In the congregation of sinners a fire shall be kindled, and in an\nunbelieving nation wrath shall flame out.\n\n16:8. The ancient giants did not obtain pardon for their sins, who were\ndestroyed trusting to their own strength:\n\n16:9. And he spared not the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them\nfor the pride of their word.\n\n16:10. He had not pity on them, destroying the whole nation that\nextolled themselves in their sins.\n\n16:11. So did he with the six hundred thousand footmen, who were\ngathered together in the hardness of their heart: and if one had been\nstiffnecked, it is a wonder if he had escaped unpunished:\n\nSix hundred thousand footmen, etc... Viz., the children of Israel, whom\nhe sentenced to die in the wilderness. Num. 14.\n\n16:12. For mercy and wrath are with him. He is mighty to forgive, and to\npour out indignation:\n\n16:13. According as his mercy is, so his correction judgeth a man\naccording to his works.\n\n16:14. The sinner shall not escape in his rapines, and the patience of\nhim that sheweth mercy shall not be put off.\n\n16:15. All mercy shall make a place for every man according to the merit\nof his works, and according to the wisdom of his sojournment.\n\n16:16. Say not: I shall be hidden from God, and who shall remember me\nfrom on high?\n\n16:17. In such a multitude I shall not be known: for what is my soul in\nsuch an immense creation?\n\n16:18. Behold the heaven, and the heavens of heavens, the deep, and all\nthe earth, and the things that are in them, shall be moved in his sight,\n\n16:19. The mountains also, and the hills, and the foundations of the\nearth: when God shall look upon them, they shall be shaken with\ntrembling.\n\n16:20. And in all these things the heart is senseless: and every heart\nis understood by him.\n\n16:21. And his ways who shall understand, and the storm, which no eye of\nman shall see?\n\n16:22. For many of his works are hidden, but the works of his justice\nwho shall declare? or who shall endure? for the testament is far from\nsome, and the examination of all is in the end.\n\n16:23. He that wanteth understanding thinketh vain things, and the\nfoolish, and erring man, thinketh foolish things.\n\n16:24. Hearken to me, my son, and learn the discipline of understanding,\nand attend to my words in thy heart.\n\n16:25. And I will shew forth good doctrine in equity, and will seek to\ndeclare wisdom: and attend to my words in thy heart, whilst with equity\nof spirit I tell thee the virtues that God hath put upon his works from\nthe beginning, and I shew forth in truth his knowledge.\n\n16:26. The works of God are done in judgment from the beginning, and\nfrom the making of them he distinguished their parts, and their\nbeginnings in their generations.\n\n16:27. He beautified their works for ever, they have neither hungered,\nnor laboured, and they have not ceased from their works.\n\n16:28. Nor shall any of them straiten his neighbour at any time.\n\n16:29. Be not thou incredulous to his word.\n\n16:30. After this God looked upon the earth, and filled it with his\ngoods.\n\n16:31. The soul of every living thing hath shewn forth before the face\nthereof, and into it they return again.\n\nShewn forth... Viz., the glory and power of God upon the earth.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 17\n\nThe creation and favour of God to man. An exhortation to turn to God.\n\n17:1. God created man of the earth, and made him after his own image.\n\n17:2. And he turned him into it again, and clothed him with strength\naccording to himself.\n\n17:3. He gave him the number of his days and time, and gave him power\nover all things that are upon the earth.\n\n17:4. He put the fear of him upon all flesh, and he had dominion over\nbeasts and fowls.\n\n17:5. He created of him a helpmate like to himself, he gave them\ncounsel, and a tongue, and eyes, and ears, and a heart to devise: and he\nfilled them with the knowledge of understanding.\n\n17:6. He created in them the science of the spirit, he fired their heart\nwith wisdom, and shewed them both good and evil.\n\n17:7. He set his eye upon their hearts to shew them the greatness of his\nworks:\n\n17:8. That they might praise the name which he hath sanctified: and\nglory in his wondrous act that they might declare the glorious things of\nhis works.\n\n17:9. Moreover he gave them instructions, and the law of life for an\ninheritance.\n\n17:10. He made an everlasting covenant with them, and he shewed them his\njustice and judgments.\n\n17:11. And their eye saw the majesty of his glory, and their ears heard\nhis glorious voice, and he said to them: Beware of all iniquity.\n\nTheir eye saw, etc... Viz., when he gave the law on mount Sinai.\n\n17:12. And he gave to every one of them commandment concerning his\nneighbour.\n\n17:13. Their ways are always before him, they are not hidden from his\neyes.\n\n17:14. Over every nation he set a ruler.\n\n17:15. And Israel was made the manifest portion of God.\n\n17:16. And all their works are as the sun in the sight of God: and his\neyes are continually upon their ways.\n\n17:17. Their covenants were not hid by their iniquity, and all their\niniquities are in the sight of God.\n\n17:18. The alms of a man is as a signet with him, and shall preserve the\ngrace of a man as the apple of the eye:\n\n17:19. And afterward he shall rise up, and shall render them their\nreward, to every one upon their own head, and shall turn them down into\nthe bowels of the earth.\n\n17:20. But to the penitent he hath given the way of justice, and he hath\nstrengthened them that were fainting in patience, and hath appointed to\nthem the lot of truth.\n\n17:21. Turn to the Lord, and forsake thy sins:\n\n17:22. Make thy prayer before the face of the Lord, and offend less.\n\nOffend less... Minue offendicula. That is, remove sins and the occasions\nof sins.\n\n17:23. Return to the Lord, and turn away from thy injustice, and greatly\nhate abomination.\n\n17:24. And know the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the\nlot set before thee, and in prayer to the most high God.\n\n17:25. Go to the side of the holy age, with them that live and give\npraise to God.\n\nGo to the side, etc... Fly from the side of Satan and sin, and join with\nthe holy ones, that follow God and godliness.\n\n17:26. Tarry not in the error of the ungodly, give glory before death.\nPraise perisheth from the dead as nothing.\n\n17:27. Give thanks whilst thou art living, whilst thou art alive and in\nhealth thou shalt give thanks, and shalt praise God, and shalt glory in\nhis mercies.\n\n17:28. How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to them\nthat turn to him!\n\n17:29. For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is not\nimmortal, and they are delighted with the vanity of evil.\n\n17:30. What is brighter than the sun; yet it shall be eclipsed. Or what\nis more wicked than that which flesh and blood hath invented? and this\nshall be reproved.\n\n17:31. He beholdeth the power of the height of heaven: and all men are\nearth and ashes.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 18\n\nGod's works are wonderful: we must serve him, and not our lusts.\n\n18:1. He that liveth for ever created all things together. God only\nshall be justified, and he remaineth an invincible king for ever.\n\n18:2. Who is able to declare his works?\n\n18:3. For who shall search out his glorious acts?\n\n18:4. And who shall show forth the power of his majesty? or who shall be\nable to declare his mercy?\n\n18:5. Nothing may be taken away, nor added, neither is it possible to\nfind out the glorious works of God.\n\n18:6. When a man hath done, then shall he begin: and when he leaveth\noff, he shall be at a loss.\n\nThen shall he begin... God is so great and incomprehensible, that when\nman has done all that he can to find out his greatness and boundless\nperfections, he is still to begin: for what he has found out, is but a\nmere nothing in comparison with his infinity.\n\n18:7. What is man, and what is his grace? and what is his good, or what\nis his evil?\n\n18:8. The number of the days of men at the most are a hundred years, as\na drop of water of the sea are they esteemed: and as a pebble of the\nsand, so are a few years compared to eternity.\n\n18:9. Therefore God is patient in them, and poureth forth his mercy upon\nthem.\n\n18:10. He hath seen the presumption of their heart that it is wicked,\nand hath known their end that it is evil.\n\n18:11. Therefore hath he filled up his mercy in their favour, and hath\nshewn them the way of justice.\n\n18:12. The compassion of man is toward his neighbour: but the mercy of\nGod is upon all flesh.\n\n18:13. He hath mercy, and teacheth, and correcteth, as a shepherd doth\nhis flock.\n\n18:14. He hath mercy on him that receiveth the discipline of mercy, and\nthat maketh haste in his judgments.\n\n18:15. My son, in thy good deeds, make no complaint, and when thou\ngivest any thing, add not grief by an evil word.\n\n18:16. Shall not the dew assuage the heat? so also the good word is\nbetter than the gift.\n\n18:17. Lo, is not a word better than a gift? but both are with a\njustified man.\n\n18:18. A fool will upbraid bitterly: and a gift of one ill taught\nconsumeth the eyes.\n\n18:19. Before judgment prepare thee justice, and learn before thou\nspeak.\n\n18:20. Before sickness take a medicine, and before judgment examine\nthyself, and thou shalt find mercy in the sight of God.\n\n18:21. Humble thyself before thou art sick, and in the time of sickness\nshew thy conversation.\n\n18:22. Let nothing hinder thee from praying always, and be not afraid to\nbe justified even to death: for the reward of God continueth for ever.\n\n18:23. Before prayer prepare thy soul: and be not as a man that tempteth\nGod.\n\n18:24. Remember the wrath that shall be at the last day, and the time of\nrepaying when he shall turn away his face.\n\n18:25. Remember poverty in the time of abundance, and the necessities of\npoverty in the day of riches.\n\n18:26. From the morning until the evening the time shall be changed, and\nall these are swift in the eyes of God.\n\n18:27. A wise man will fear in every thing, and in the days of sins will\nbeware of sloth.\n\n18:28. Every man of understanding knoweth wisdom, and will give praise\nto him that findeth her.\n\n18:29. They that were of good understanding in words, have also done\nwisely themselves: and have understood truth and justice, and have\npoured forth proverbs and judgments.\n\n18:30. Go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will.\n\n18:31. If thou give to thy soul her desires, she will make thee a joy to\nthy enemies.\n\n18:32. Take no pleasure in riotous assemblies, be they ever so small:\nfor their concertation is continual.\n\n18:33. Make not thyself poor by borrowing to contribute to feasts when\nthou hast nothing in thy purse: for thou shalt be an enemy to thy own\nlife.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 19\n\nAdmonition against sundry vices.\n\n19:1. A workman that is a drunkard shall not be rich: and he that\ncontemneth small things, shall fall by little and little.\n\n19:2. Wine and women make wise men fall off, and shall rebuke the\nprudent:\n\n19:3. And he that joineth himself to harlots, will be wicked.\nRottenness and worms shall inherit him, and he shall be lifted up for a\ngreater example, and his soul shall be taken away out of the number.\n\n19:4. He that is hasty to give credit, is light of heart, and shall be\nlessened: and he that sinneth against his own soul, shall be despised.\n\n19:5. He that rejoiceth in iniquity, shall be censured, and he that\nhateth chastisement, shall have less life: and he that hateth babbling,\nextinguisheth evil.\n\n19:6. He that sinneth against his own soul, shall repent: and he that is\ndelighted with wickedness, shall be condemned.\n\n19:7. Rehearse not again a wicked and harsh word, and thou shalt not\nfare the worse.\n\n19:8. Tell not thy mind to friend or foe: and if there be a sin with\nthee, disclose it not.\n\n19:9. For he will hearken to thee, and will watch thee, and as it were\ndefending thy sin he will hate thee, and so will he be with thee always.\n\n19:10. Hast thou heard a word against thy neighbour? let it die within\nthee, trusting that it will not burst thee.\n\n19:11. At the hearing of a word the fool is in travail, as a woman\ngroaning in the bringing forth a child.\n\n19:12. As an arrow that sticketh in a man's thigh: so is a word in the\nheart of a fool.\n\n19:13. Reprove a friend, lest he may not have understood, and say: I did\nit not: or if he did it, that he may do it no more.\n\n19:14. Reprove thy neighbour, for it may be he hath not said it: and if\nhe hath said it, that he may not say it again.\n\n19:15. Admonish thy friend: for there is often a fault committed.\n\n19:16. And believe not every word. There is one, that slippeth with the\ntongue, but not from his heart.\n\n19:17. For who is there that hath not offended with his tongue?\nAdmonish thy neighbour before thou threaten him.\n\n19:18. And give place to the fear of the most High: for the fear of God\nis all wisdom, and therein is to fear God, and the disposition of the\nlaw is in all wisdom.\n\n19:19. But the learning of wickedness is not wisdom: and the device of\nsinners is not prudence.\n\n19:20. There is a subtle wickedness, and the same is detestable: and\nthere is a man that is foolish, wanting in wisdom.\n\n19:21. Better is a man that hath less wisdom, and wanteth understanding,\nwith the fear of God, than he that aboundeth in understanding, and\ntransgresseth the law of the most High.\n\n19:22. There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust.\n\n19:23. And there is one that uttereth an exact word telling the truth.\nThere is one that humbleth himself wickedly, and his interior is full of\ndeceit:\n\n19:24. And there is one that submitteth himself exceedingly with a great\nlowliness: and there is one that casteth down his countenance, and\nmaketh as if he did not see that which is unknown:\n\n19:25. And if he be hindered from sinning for want of power, if he shall\nfind opportunity to do evil, he will do it.\n\n19:26. A man is known by his look, and a wise man, when thou meetest\nhim, is known by his countenance.\n\n19:27. The attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the\ngait of the man, shew what he is.\n\n19:28. There is a lying rebuke in the anger of an injurious man: and\nthere is a judgment that is not allowed to be good: and there is one\nthat holdeth his peace, he is wise.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 20\n\nRules with regard to correction, discretion, and avoiding lies.\n\n20:1. How much better is it to reprove, than to be angry, and not to\nhinder him that confesseth in prayer.\n\n20:2. The lust of an eunuch shall deflour a young maiden:\n\n20:3. So is he that by violence executeth of the unwise.\n\n20:4. How good is it, when thou art reproved, to shew repentance!  for\nso thou shalt escape wilful sin.\n\n20:5. There is one that holdeth his peace, that is found wise: and there\nis another that is hateful, that is bold in speech.\n\n20:6. There is one that holdeth his peace, because he knoweth not what\nto say: and there is another that holdeth his peace, knowing the proper\ntime.\n\n20:7. A wise man will hold his peace till he see opportunity: but a\nbabbler, and a fool, will regard no time.\n\n20:8. He that useth many words shall hurt his own soul: and he that\ntaketh authority to himself unjustly shall be hated.\n\n20:9. There is success in evil things to a man without discipline, and\nthere is a finding that turneth to loss.\n\n20:10. There is a gift that is not profitable: and there is a gift, the\nrecompense of which is double.\n\n20:11. There is an abasement because of glory: and there is one that\nshall lift up his head from a low estate.\n\n20:12. There is that buyeth much for a small price, and restoreth the\nsame sevenfold.\n\n20:13. A man wise in words shall make himself beloved: but the graces of\nfools shall be poured out.\n\n20:14. The gift of the fool shall do thee no good: for his eyes are\nsevenfold.\n\n20:15. He will give a few things, and upbraid much: and the opening of\nhis mouth is the kindling of a fire.\n\n20:16. To day a man lendeth, and to morrow he asketh it again: such a\nman as this is hateful.\n\n20:17. A fool shall have no friend, and there shall be no thanks for his\ngood deeds.\n\n20:18. For they that eat his bread, are of a false tongue. How often,\nand how many will laugh him to scorn!\n\n20:19. For he doth not distribute with right understanding that which\nwas to be had: in like manner also that which was not to be had.\n\n20:20. The slipping of a false tongue is as one that falleth on the\npavement: so the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.\n\n20:21. A man without grace is as a vain fable, it shall be continually\nin the mouth of the unwise.\n\n20:22. A parable coming out of a fool's mouth shall be rejected: for he\ndoth not speak it in due season.\n\n20:23. There is that is hindered from sinning through want, and in his\nrest he shall be pricked.\n\n20:24. There is that will destroy his own soul through shamefacedness,\nand by occasion of an unwise person he will destroy it: and by respect\nof person he will destroy himself.\n\n20:25. There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend, and maketh\nhim his enemy for nothing.\n\n20:26. A lie is a foul blot in a man, and yet it will be continually in\nthe mouth of men without discipline.\n\n20:27. A thief is better than a man that is always lying: but both of\nthem shall inherit destruction.\n\n20:28. The manners of lying men are without honour: and their confusion\nis with them without ceasing.\n\n20:29. A wise man shall advance himself with his words, and a prudent\nman shall please the great ones.\n\n20:30. He that tilleth his land shall make a high heap of corn: and he\nthat worketh justice shall be exalted: and he that pleaseth great men\nshall escape iniquity.\n\n20:31. Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and make them dumb\nin the mouth, so that they cannot correct.\n\n20:32. O Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is not seen: what profit\nis there in them both?\n\n20:33. Better is he that hideth his folly, than the man that hideth his\nwisdom.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 21\n\nCautions against sin in general, and some sins in particular.\n\n21:1. My son, hast thou sinned? do so no more: but for thy former sins\nalso pray that they may be forgiven thee.\n\n21:2. Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent: for if thou comest\nnear them, they will take hold of thee.\n\n21:3. The teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion, killing the souls of\nmen.\n\n21:4. All iniquity is like a two-edged sword, there is no remedy for the\nwound thereof.\n\n21:5. Injuries and wrongs will waste riches: and the house that is very\nrich shall be brought to nothing by pride: so the substance of the proud\nshall be rooted out.\n\n21:6. The prayer out of the mouth of the poor shall reach the ears of\nGod, and judgment shall come for him speedily.\n\n21:7. He that hateth to be reproved walketh in the trace of a sinner:\nand he that feareth God will turn to his own heart.\n\n21:8. He that is mighty by a bold tongue is known afar off, but a wise\nman knoweth to slip by him.\n\n21:9. He that buildeth his house at other men's charges, is as he that\ngathereth himself stones to build in the winter.\n\n21:10. The congregation of sinners is like tow heaped together, and the\nend of them is a flame of fire.\n\n21:11. The way of sinners is made plain with stones, and in their end is\nhell, and darkness, and pains.\n\n21:12. He that keepeth justice shall get the understanding thereof.\n\n21:13. The perfection of the fear of God is wisdom and understanding.\n\n21:14. He that is not wise in good, will not be taught.\n\n21:15. But there is a wisdom that aboundeth in evil: and there is no\nunderstanding where there is bitterness.\n\n21:16. The knowledge of a wise man shall abound like a flood, and his\ncounsel continueth like a fountain of life.\n\n21:17. The heart of a fool is like a broken vessel, and no wisdom at all\nshall it hold.\n\n21:18. A man of sense will praise every wise word he shall hear, and\nwill apply it to himself: the luxurious man hath heard it, and it shall\ndisplease him, and he will cast it behind his back.\n\n21:19. The talking of a fool is like a burden in the way: but in the\nlips of the wise, grace shall be found.\n\n21:20. The mouth of the prudent is sought after in the church, and they\nwill think upon his words in their hearts.\n\n21:21. As a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool: and the\nknowledge of the unwise is as words without sense.\n\n21:22. Doctrine to a fool is as fetters on the feet, and like manacles\non the right hand.\n\n21:23. A fool lifteth up his voice in laughter: but a wise man will\nscarce laugh low to himself.\n\n21:24. Learning to the prudent is as an ornament of gold, and like a\nbracelet upon his right arm.\n\n21:25. The foot of a fool is soon in his neighbour's house: but a man of\nexperience will be abashed at the person of the mighty.\n\n21:26. A fool will peep through the window into the house: but he that\nis well taught will stand without.\n\n21:27. It is the folly of a man to hearken at the door: and a wise man\nwill be grieved with the disgrace.\n\n21:28. The lips of the unwise will be telling foolish things: but the\nwords of the wise shall be weighed in a balance.\n\n21:29. The heart of fools is in their mouth: and the mouth of wise men\nis in their heart.\n\n21:30. While the ungodly curseth the devil, he curseth his own soul.\n\nWhile the ungodly, etc... He condemneth and curseth himself: inasmuch as\nby sin he takes part with the devil, and is, as it were, his member and\nsubject.\n\n21:31. The talebearer shall defile his own soul, and shall be hated by\nall: and he that shall abide with him shall be hateful: the silent and\nwise man shall be honoured.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 22\n\nWise sayings on divers subjects.\n\n22:1. The sluggard is pelted with a dirty stone, and all men will speak\nof his disgrace.\n\n22:2. The sluggard is pelted with the dung of oxen: and every one that\ntoucheth him will shake his hands.\n\n22:3. A son ill taught is the confusion of the father: and a foolish\ndaughter shall be to his loss.\n\n22:4. A wise daughter shall bring an inheritance to her husband: but she\nthat confoundeth, becometh a disgrace to her father.\n\n22:5. She that is bold shameth both her father and husband, and will not\nbe inferior to the ungodly: and shall be disgraced by them both.\n\n22:6. A tale out of time is like music in mourning: but the stripes and\ninstruction of wisdom are never out of time.\n\n22:7. He that teacheth a fool, is like one that glueth a potsherd\ntogether.\n\n22:8. He that telleth a word to him that heareth not, is like one that\nwaketh a man out of a deep sleep.\n\n22:9. He speaketh with one that is asleep, who uttereth wisdom to a\nfool: and in the end of the discourse he saith: Who is this?\n\n22:10. Weep for the dead, for his light hath failed: and weep for the\nfool, for his understanding faileth.\n\nFor the fool... In the language of the Holy Ghost, he is styled a fool,\nthat turns away from God to follow vanity and sin. And what is said by\nthe wise man against fools is meant of such fools as these.\n\n22:11. Weep but a little for the dead, for he is at rest.\n\n22:12. For the wicked life of a wicked fool is worse than death.\n\n22:13. The mourning for the dead is seven days: but for a fool and an\nungodly man all the days of their life.\n\n22:14. Talk not much with a fool and go not with him that hath no sense.\n\n22:15. Keep thyself from him, that thou mayst not have trouble, and thou\nshalt not be defiled with his sin.\n\n22:16. Turn away from him, and thou shalt find rest, and shalt not be\nwearied out with his folly.\n\n22:17. What is heavier than lead? and what other name hath he but fool?\n\n22:18. Sand and salt, and a mass of iron is easier to bear, than a man\nwithout sense, that is both foolish and wicked.\n\n22:19. A frame of wood bound together in the foundation of a building,\nshall not be loosed: so neither shall the heart that is established by\nadvised counsel.\n\n22:20. The thought of him that is wise at all times, shall not be\ndepraved by fear.\n\n22:21. As pales set in high places, and plasterings made without cost,\nwill not stand against the face of the wind:\n\n22:22. So also a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool shall not\nresist against the violence of fear.\n\n22:23. As a fearful heart in the thought of a fool at all times will not\nfear, so neither shall he that continueth always in the commandments of\nGod.\n\n22:24. He that pricketh the eye, bringeth out tears: and he that\npricketh the heart, bringeth forth resentment.\n\n22:25. He that flingeth a stone at birds, shall drive them away: so he\nthat upbraideth his friend, breaketh friendship.\n\n22:26. Although thou hast drawn a sword at a friend, despair not: for\nthere may be a returning. To a friend,\n\n22:27. If thou hast opened a sad mouth, fear not, for there may be a\nreconciliation: except upbraiding, and reproach, and pride, and\ndisclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound: for in all these cases a\nfriend will flee away.\n\n22:28. Keep fidelity with a friend in his poverty, that in his\nprosperity also thou mayst rejoice.\n\n22:29. In the time of his trouble continue faithful to him, that thou\nmayst also be heir with him in his inheritance.\n\n22:30. As the vapour of a chimney, and the smoke of the fire goeth up\nbefore the fire: so also injurious words, and reproaches, and threats,\nbefore blood.\n\n22:31. I will not be ashamed to salute a friend, neither will I hide\nmyself from his face: and if any evil happen to me by him, I will bear\nit.\n\n22:32. But every one that shall hear it, will beware of him.\n\n22:33. Who will set a guard before my mouth, and a sure seal upon my\nlips, that I fall not by them, and that my tongue destroy me not?\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 23\n\nA prayer for grace to flee sin: cautions against profane swearing and\nother vices.\n\n23:1. O Lord, father, and sovereign ruler of my life, leave me not to\ntheir counsel: nor suffer me to fall by them.\n\nBy them... Viz., the tongue and the lips, mentioned in the last verse of\nthe foregoing chapter.\n\n23:2. Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of\nwisdom over my heart, that they spare me not in their ignorances, and\nthat their sins may not appear:\n\nThat they spare me not in their ignorances, etc... That is, that the\nscourges and discipline of wisdom may restrain the ignorances, that is,\nthe slips and offences which are usually committed by the tongue and the\nlips.\n\n23:3. Lest my ignorances increase, and my offences be multiplied, and my\nsins abound, and I fall before my adversaries, and my enemy rejoice over\nme?\n\n23:4. O Lord, father, and God of my life, leave me not to their devices.\n\n23:5. Give me not haughtiness of my eyes, and turn away from me all\ncoveting.\n\n23:6. Take from me the greediness of the belly, and let not the lusts of\nthe flesh take hold of me, and give me not over to a shameless and\nfoolish mind.\n\n23:7. Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth, and he that will\nkeep it shall not perish by his lips, nor be brought to fall into most\nwicked works.\n\n23:8. A sinner is caught in his own vanity, and the proud and the evil\nspeakers shall fall thereby.\n\n23:9. Let not thy mouth be accustomed to swearing: for in it there are\nmany falls.\n\n23:10. And let not the naming of God be usual in thy mouth, and meddle\nnot with the names of saints, for thou shalt not escape free from them.\n\n23:11. For as a slave daily put to the question, is never without a blue\nmark: so every one that sweareth, and nameth, shall not be wholly pure\nfrom sin.\n\n23:12. A man that sweareth much, shall be filled with iniquity, and a\nscourge shall not depart from his house.\n\n23:13. And if he make it void, his sin shall be upon him, and if he\ndissemble it, he offendeth double:\n\n23:14. And if he swear in vain, he shall not be justified: for his house\nshall be filled with his punishment.\n\n23:15. There is also another speech opposite to death, let it not be\nfound in the inheritance of Jacob.\n\n23:16. For from the merciful all these things shall be taken away, and\nthey shall not wallow in sins.\n\n23:17. Let not thy mouth be accustomed to indiscreet speech: for therein\nis the word of sin.\n\n23:18. Remember thy father and thy mother, for thou sittest in the midst\nof great men:\n\n23:19. Lest God forget thee in their sight, and thou, by thy daily\ncustom be infatuated and suffer reproach: and wish that thou hadst not\nbeen born, and curse the day of thy nativity.\n\n23:20. The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words, will never be\ncorrected all the days of his life.\n\n23:21. Two sorts of men multiply sins, and the third bringeth wrath and\ndestruction.\n\n23:22. A hot soul is a burning fire, it will never be quenched, till it\ndevour some thing.\n\n23:23. And a man that is wicked in the mouth of his flesh, will not\nleave off till he hath kindled a fire.\n\n23:24. To a man that is a fornicator all bread is sweet, he will not be\nweary of sinning unto the end.\n\n23:25. Every man that passeth beyond his own bed, despising his own\nsoul, and saying: Who seeth me?\n\n23:26. Darkness compasseth me about, and the walls cover me, and no man\nseeth me: whom do I fear? the most High will not remember my sins.\n\n23:27. And he understandeth not that his eye seeth all things, for such\na man's fear driveth him from the fear of God, and the eyes of men\nfearing him:\n\n23:28. And he knoweth not that the eyes of the Lord are far brighter\nthan the sun, beholding round about all the ways of men, and the bottom\nof the deep, and looking into the hearts of men, into the most hidden\nparts.\n\n23:29. For all things were known to the Lord God, before they were\ncreated: so also after they were perfected he beholdeth all things.\n\n23:30. This man shall be punished in the streets of the city, and he\nshall be chased as a colt: and where he suspected not, he shall be\ntaken.\n\n23:31. And he shall be in disgrace with all men, because he understood\nnot the fear of the Lord.\n\n23:32. So every woman also that leaveth her husband, and bringeth in an\nheir by another:\n\n23:33. For first she hath been unfaithful to the law of the most High:\nand secondly, she hath offended against her husband: thirdly, she hath\nfornicated in adultery, and hath gotten her children of another man.\n\n23:34. This woman shall be brought into the assembly, and inquisition\nshall be made of her children.\n\n23:35. Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall bring\nforth no fruit.\n\n23:36. She shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her infamy shall not\nbe blotted out.\n\n23:37. And they that remain shall know, that there is nothing better\nthan the fear of God: and that there is nothing sweeter than to have\nregard to the commandments of the Lord.\n\n23:38. It is great glory to follow the Lord: for length of days shall be\nreceived from him.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 24\n\nWisdom praiseth herself: her origin, her dwelling, her dignity, and her\nfruits.\n\n24:1. Wisdom shall praise her own self, and shall be honoured in God,\nand shall glory in the midst of her people,\n\n24:2. And shall open her mouth in the churches of the most High, and\nshall glorify herself in the sight of his power,\n\n24:3. And in the midst of her own people she shall be exalted, and shall\nbe admired in the holy assembly.\n\n24:4. And in the multitude of the elect she shall have praise, and among\nthe blessed she shall be blessed, saying:\n\n24:5. I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn before all\ncreatures:\n\n24:6. I made that in the heavens there should rise light that never\nfaileth, and as a cloud I covered all the earth:\n\n24:7. I dwelt in the highest places, and my throne is in a pillar of a\ncloud.\n\n24:8. I alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated\ninto the bottom of the deep, and have walked in the waves of the sea,\n\n24:9. And have stood in all the earth: and in every people,\n\n24:10. And in every nation I have had the chief rule:\n\n24:11. And by my power I have trodden under my feet the hearts of all\nthe high and low: and in all these I sought rest, and I shall abide in\nthe inheritance of the Lord.\n\n24:12. Then the creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and he\nthat made me, rested in my tabernacle,\n\n24:13. And he said to me: Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy\ninheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect.\n\n24:14. From the beginning, and before the world, was I created, and unto\nthe world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling\nplace I have ministered before him.\n\n24:15. And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I\nrested, and my power was in Jerusalem.\n\n24:16. And I took root in an honourable people, and in the portion of my\nGod his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints.\n\n24:17. I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree on\nmount Sion.\n\n24:18. I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose plant in\nJericho:\n\n24:19. As a fair olive tree in the plains, and as a plane tree by the\nwater in the streets, was I exalted.\n\n24:20. I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon, and aromatical balm: I\nyielded a sweet odour like the best myrrh:\n\n24:21. And I perfumed my dwelling as storax, and galbanum, and onyx, and\naloes, and as the frankincense not cut, and my odour is as the purest\nbalm.\n\n24:22. I have stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree, and my\nbranches are of honour and grace.\n\n24:23. As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers\nare the fruit of honour and riches.\n\n24:24. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and\nof holy hope.\n\n24:25. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope\nof life and of virtue.\n\n24:26. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my\nfruits.\n\n24:27. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above\nhoney and the honeycomb.\n\n24:28.  My memory is unto everlasting generations.\n\n24:29. They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall\nyet thirst.\n\n24:30. He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that\nwork by me, shall not sin.\n\n24:31. They that explain me shall have life everlasting.\n\n24:32. All these things are the book of life, and the covenant of the\nmost High, and the knowledge of truth.\n\n24:33. Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices, and an\ninheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel.\n\n24:34. He appointed to David his servant to raise up of him a most\nmighty king, and sitting on the throne of glory for ever.\n\nA most mighty king... Viz., Christ, who by his gospel, like an\noverflowing river, has enriched the earth with heavenly wisdom.\n\n24:35. Who filleth up wisdom as the Phison, and as the Tigris in the\ndays of the new fruits.\n\n24:36. Who maketh understanding to abound as the Euphrates, who\nmultiplieth it as the Jordan in the time of harvest.\n\n24:37. Who sendeth knowledge as the light, and riseth up as Gehon in the\ntime of the vintage.\n\n24:38. Who first hath perfect knowledge of her, and a weaker shall not\nsearch her out.\n\nWho first hath perfect knowledge of her... Christ was the first that had\nperfect knowledge of heavenly wisdom.\n\n24:39. For her thoughts are more vast than the sea, and her counsels\nmore deep than the great ocean.\n\n24:40. I, wisdom, have poured out rivers.\n\n24:41. I, like a brook out of a river of a mighty water; I, like a\nchannel of a river, and like an aqueduct, came out of paradise.\n\n24:42. I said: I will water my garden of plants, and I will water\nabundantly the fruits of my meadow.\n\n24:43. And behold my brook became a great river, and my river came near\nto a sea:\n\n24:44. For I make doctrine to shine forth to all as the morning light,\nand I will declare it afar off.\n\n24:45. I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and will\nbehold all that sleep, and will enlighten all that hope in the Lord.\n\n24:46. I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and will leave it to\nthem that seek wisdom, and will not cease to instruct their offspring\neven to the holy age.\n\n24:47. See ye that I have not laboured myself only, but for all that\nseek out the truth.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 25\n\nDocuments of wisdom on several subjects.\n\n25:1. With three things my spirit is pleased, which are approved before\nGod and men:\n\n25:2. The concord of brethren, and the love of neighbours, and man and\nwife that agree well together.\n\n25:3. Three sorts my soul hateth, and I am greatly grieved at their\nlife:\n\n25:4. A poor man that is proud: a rich man that is a liar: an old man\nthat is a fool, and doting.\n\n25:5. The things that thou hast not gathered in thy youth, how shalt\nthou find them in thy old age?\n\n25:6. O how comely is judgment for a grey head, and for ancients to know\ncounsel!\n\n25:7. O how comely is wisdom for the aged, and understanding and counsel\nto men of honour!\n\n25:8. Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is\ntheir glory.\n\n25:9. Nine things that are not to be imagined by the heart have I\nmagnified, and the tenth I will utter to men with my tongue.\n\n25:10. A man that hath joy of his children: and he that liveth and seeth\nthe fall of his enemies.\n\n25:11. Blessed is he that dwelleth with a wise woman, and that hath not\nslipped with his tongue, and that hath not served such as are unworthy\nof him.\n\n25:12. Blessed is he that findeth a true friend, and that declareth\njustice to an ear that heareth.\n\n25:13. How great is he that findeth wisdom and knowledge! but there is\nnone above him that feareth the Lord.\n\n25:14. The fear of God hath set itself above all things:\n\n25:15. Blessed is the man, to whom it is given to have the fear of God:\nhe that holdeth it, to whom shall he be likened?\n\n25:16. The fear of God is the beginning of his love: and the beginning\nof faith is to be fast joined unto it.\n\n25:17. The sadness of the heart is every plague: and the wickedness of a\nwoman is all evil.\n\n25:18. And a man will choose any plague, but the plague of the heart:\n\n25:19. And any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:\n\n25:20. And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate him:\n\n25:21. And any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.\n\n25:22. There is no head worse than the head of a serpent:\n\n25:23. And there is no anger above the anger of a woman. It will be more\nagreeable to abide with a lion and a dragon, than to dwell with a wicked\nwoman.\n\n25:24. The wickedness of a woman changeth her face: and she darkeneth\nher countenance as a bear: and sheweth it like sackcloth. In the midst\nof her neighbours,\n\n25:25. Her husband groaned, and hearing he sighed a little.\n\n25:26. All malice is short to the malice of a woman, let the lot of\nsinners fall upon her.\n\n25:27. As the climbing of a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is\na wife full of tongue to a quiet man.\n\n25:28. Look not upon a woman's beauty, and desire not a woman for\nbeauty.\n\n25:29. A woman's anger, and impudence, and confusion is great.\n\n25:30. A woman, if she have superiority, is contrary to her husband.\n\n25:31. A wicked woman abateth the courage, and maketh a heavy\ncountenance, and a wounded heart.\n\n25:32. Feeble hands, and disjointed knees, a woman that doth not make\nher husband happy.\n\n25:33. From the woman came the beginning of sin, and by her we all die.\n\n25:34. Give no issue to thy water, no, not a little: nor to a wicked\nwoman liberty to gad abroad.\n\n25:35. If she walk not at thy hand, she will confound thee in the sight\nof thy enemies.\n\n25:36. Cut her off from thy flesh, lest she always abuse thee.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 26\n\nOf good and bad women.\n\n26:1. Happy is the husband of a good wife: for the number of his years\nis double.\n\n26:2. A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and shall fulfil the years\nof his life in peace.\n\n26:3. A good wife is a good portion, she shall be given in the portion\nof them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds.\n\n26:4. Rich or poor, if his heart is good, his countenance shall be\ncheerful at all times.\n\n26:5. Of three things my heart hath been afraid, and at the fourth my\nface hath trembled:\n\n26:6. The accusation of a city, and the gathering together of the\npeople:\n\n26:7. And a false calumny, all are more grievous than death.\n\n26:8. A jealous woman is the grief and mourning of the heart.\n\n26:9. With a jealous woman is a scourge of the tongue which\ncommunicateth with all.\n\n26:10. As a yoke of oxen that is moved to and fro, so also is a wicked\nwoman: he that hath hold of her, is as he that taketh hold of a\nscorpion.\n\n26:11. A drunken woman is a great wrath: and her reproach and shame\nshall not be hid.\n\n26:12. The fornication of a woman shall be known by the haughtiness of\nher eyes and by her eyelids.\n\n26:13. On a daughter that turneth not away herself, set a strict watch:\nlest finding an opportunity she abuse herself.\n\n26:14. Take heed of the impudence of her eyes, and wonder not if she\nslight thee.\n\n26:15. She will open her mouth as a thirsty traveller to the fountain,\nand will drink of every water near her, and will sit down by every\nhedge, and open her quiver against every arrow, until she fail.\n\n26:16. The grace of a diligent woman shall delight her husband, and\nshall fat his bones.\n\n26:17. Her discipline is the gift of God.\n\n26:18. Such is a wise and silent woman, and there is nothing so much\nworth as a well instructed soul.\n\n26:19. A holy and shamefaced woman is grace upon grace.\n\n26:20. And no price is worthy of a continent soul.\n\n26:21. As the sun when it riseth to the world in the high places of God,\nso is the beauty of a good wife for the ornament of her house.\n\n26:22. As the lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty\nof the face in a ripe age,\n\n26:23. As golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet upon\nthe soles of a steady woman.\n\n26:24. As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments\nof God in the heart of a holy woman.\n\n26:25. At two things my heart is grieved, and the third bringeth anger\nupon me.\n\n26:26. A man of war fainting through poverty, and a man of sense\ndespised:\n\n26:27. And he that passeth over from justice to sin, God hath prepared\nsuch an one for the sword.\n\n26:28. Two sorts of callings have appeared to me hard and dangerous: a\nmerchant is hardly free from negligence: and a huckster shall not be\njustified from the sins of the lips.\n\nFrom negligence... That is, from the neglect of the service of God:\nbecause the eager pursuit of the mammon of this world, is apt to make\nmen of that calling forget the great duties of loving God above all\nthings, and their neighbours as themselves.-Ibid. A huckster... Or, a\nretailer of wine. Men of that profession are both greatly exposed to\ndanger of sin themselves, and are too often accessary to the sins of\nothers.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 27\n\nDangers of sin from several heads: the fear of God is the best\npreservative. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it.\n\n27:1. Through poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be\nenriched, turneth away his eye.\n\n27:2. As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of stones, so\nalso in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall stick fast.\n\n27:3. Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.\n\n27:4. Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy\nhouse shall quickly be overthrown.\n\n27:5. As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will\nthe perplexity of a man in his thoughts.\n\n27:6. The furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the trial of\naffliction just men.\n\n27:7. As the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out\nof the thought of the heart of man.\n\n27:8. Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men.\n\n27:9. If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and shalt put\nher on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt dwell with her: and she\nshall protect thee for ever, and in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt\nfind a strong foundation.\n\n27:10. Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them that\npractise her.\n\n27:11. The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sins for them that\nwork iniquities.\n\n27:12. A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed\nas the moon.\n\n27:13. In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time: but be\ncontinually among men that think.\n\n27:14. The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is at the\npleasures of sin.\n\n27:15. The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head\nstand upright: and its irreverence shall make one stop his ears.\n\n27:16. In the quarrels of the road is the shedding of blood: and their\ncursing is a grievous hearing.\n\n27:17. He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth his credit, and\nshall never find a friend to his mind.\n\n27:18. Love thy neighbour, and be joined to him with fidelity.\n\n27:19. But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after him.\n\n27:20. For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so is he that destroyeth\nthe friendship of his neighbour.\n\n27:21. And as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou\nlet thy neighbour go, and thou shalt not get him again.\n\n27:22. Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is fled, as\na roe escaped out of the snare because his soul is wounded.\n\n27:23. Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is\nreconciliation:\n\nAnd of a curse there is reconciliation... That is, it is easier to\nobtain a reconciliation after a curse, than after disclosing a secret.\n\n27:24. But to disclose the secrets of a friend, leaveth no hope to an\nunhappy soul.\n\n27:25. He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no man\nwill cast him off:\n\n27:26. In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will\nadmire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and on thy\nwords he will lay a stumblingblock.\n\n27:27. I have hated many things but not like him, and the Lord will hate\nhim.\n\n27:28. If one cast a stone on high, it will fall upon his own head: and\nthe deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful.\n\n27:29. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that setteth a\nstone for his neighbour, shall stumble upon it: and he that layeth a\nsnare for another, shall perish in it.\n\n27:30. A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and\nhe shall not know from whence it cometh to him.\n\n27:31. Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a lion\nshall lie in wait for him.\n\n27:32. They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of\nthe just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die.\n\n27:33. Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful man\nshall be subject to them.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 28\n\nLessons against revenge and quarrels. The evils of the tongue.\n\n28:1. He that seeketh to revenge himself, shall find vengeance from the\nLord, and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance.\n\n28:2. Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt thee: and then shall thy\nsins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest.\n\n28:3. Man to man reserveth anger, and doth he seek remedy of God?\n\n28:4. He hath no mercy on a man like himself, and doth he entreat for\nhis own sins?\n\n28:5. He that is but flesh, nourisheth anger, and doth he ask\nforgiveness of God? who shall obtain pardon for his sins?\n\n28:6. Remember thy last things, and let enmity cease:\n\n28:7. For corruption and death hang over in his commandments.\n\nIn his commandments... Supply the sentence out of the Greek thus:\nRemember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.\n\n28:8. Remember the fear of God, and be not angry with thy neighbour.\n\n28:9. Remember the covenant of the most High, and overlook the ignorance\nof thy neighbour.\n\n28:10. Refrain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins.\n\n28:11. For a passionate man kindleth strife, and a sinful man will\ntrouble his friends, and bring in debate in the midst of them that are\nat peace.\n\n28:12. For as the wood of the forest is, so the fire burneth, and as a\nman's strength is, so shall his anger be, and according to his riches he\nshall increase his anger.\n\n28:13. A hasty contention kindleth a fire and a hasty quarrel sheddeth\nblood and a tongue that beareth witness bringeth death.\n\n28:14. If thou blow the spark, it shall burn as a fire: and if thou spit\nupon it, it shall be quenched: both come out of the mouth.\n\n28:15. The whisperer and the double tongue is accursed: for he hath\ntroubled many that were at peace.\n\n28:16. The tongue of a third person hath disquieted many, and scattered\nthem from nation to nation.\n\n28:17. It hath destroyed the strong cities of the rich, and hath\noverthrown the houses of great men.\n\n28:18. It hath cut in pieces the forces of people, and undone strong\nnations.\n\n28:19. The tongue of a third person hath cast out valiant women, and\ndeprived them of their labours.\n\n28:20. He that hearkeneth to it, shall never have rest, neither shall he\nhave a friend in whom he may repose.\n\n28:21. The stroke of a whip maketh a blue mark: but the stroke of the\ntongue will break the bones.\n\n28:22. Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as\nhave perished by their own tongue.\n\n28:23. Blessed is he that is defended from a wicked tongue, that hath\nnot passed into the wrath thereof, and that hath not drawn the yoke\nthereof, and hath not been bound in its bands.\n\n28:24. For its yoke is a yoke of iron: and its bands are bands of brass.\n\n28:25. The death thereof is a most evil death: and hell is preferable to\nit.\n\n28:26. Its continuance shall not be for a long time, but it shall\npossess the ways of the unjust: and the just shall not be burnt with its\nflame.\n\n28:27. They that forsake God shall fall into it, and it shall burn in\nthem, and shall not be quenched, and it shall be sent upon them as a\nlion, and as a leopard it shall tear them.\n\n28:28. Hedge in thy ears with thorns, hear not a wicked tongue, and make\ndoors and bars to thy mouth.\n\n28:29. Melt down thy gold and silver, and make a balance for thy words,\nand a just bridle for thy mouth:\n\n28:30. And take heed lest thou slip with thy tongue, and fall in the\nsight of thy enemies who lie in wait for thee, and thy fall be incurable\nunto death.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 29\n\nOf charity in lending money, and justice in repaying. Of alms, and of\nbeing surety.\n\n29:1. He that sheweth mercy, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that is\nstronger in hand, keepeth the commandments.\n\nAnd he that is stronger in hand... That is, he that is hearty and\nbountiful in lending to his neighbour in his necessity.\n\n29:2. Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his need, and pay thou thy\nneighbour again in due time.\n\n29:3. Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him: and thou shalt always\nfind that which is necessary for thee.\n\n29:4. Many have looked upon a thing lent as a thing found, and have\ngiven trouble to them that helped them.\n\n29:5. Till they receive, they kiss the hands of the lender, and in\npromises they humble their voice:\n\n29:6. But when they should repay, they will ask time, and will return\ntedious and murmuring words, and will complain of the time:\n\n29:7. And if he be able to pay, he will stand off, he will scarce pay\none half, and will count it as if he had found it:\n\n29:8. But if not, he will defraud him of his money, and he shall get him\nfor an enemy without cause.\n\n29:9. And he will pay him with reproaches and curses, and instead of\nhonour and good turn will repay him injuries.\n\n29:10. Many have refused to lend, not out of wickedness, but they were\nafraid to be defrauded without cause.\n\n29:11. But yet towards the poor be thou more hearty, and delay not to\nshew him mercy.\n\n29:12. Help the poor because of the commandment: and send him not away\nempty handed because of his poverty.\n\n29:13. Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend: and hide it not\nunder a stone to be lost.\n\n29:14. Place thy treasure in the commandments of the most High, and it\nshall bring thee more profit than gold.\n\n29:15. Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help\nfor thee against all evil.\n\n29:16. Better than the shield of the mighty, and better than the spear:\n\n29:17. It shall fight for thee against thy enemy.\n\n29:18. A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath lost\nshame, will leave him to himself.\n\n29:19. Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given his life\nfor thee.\n\n29:20. The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety.\n\n29:21. A sinner attributeth to himself the goods of his surety: and he\nthat is of an unthankful mind will leave him that delivered him.\n\n29:22. A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost all\nshame, he shall forsake him.\n\n29:23. Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed\nthem as a wave of the sea.\n\n29:24. It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about,\nand they have wandered in strange countries.\n\n29:25. A sinner that transgresseth the commandment of the Lord, shall\nfall into an evil suretyship: and he that undertaketh many things, shall\nfall into judgment.\n\n29:26. Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to\nthyself that thou fall not.\n\n29:27. The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and clothing,\nand a house to cover shame.\n\n29:28. Better is the poor man's fare under a roof of boards, than\nsumptuous cheer abroad in another man's house.\n\n29:29. Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt not hear\nthe reproach of going abroad.\n\n29:30. It is a miserable life to go as a guest from house to house: for\nwhere a man is a stranger, he shall not deal confidently, nor open his\nmouth.\n\n29:31. He shall entertain and feed, and give drink to the unthankful,\nand moreover he shall hear bitter words.\n\n29:32. Go, stranger, and furnish the table, and give others to eat what\nthou hast in thy hand.\n\n29:33. Give place to the honourable presence of my friends: for I want\nmy house, my brother being to be lodged with me.\n\n29:34. These things are grievous to a man of understanding: the\nupbraiding of houseroom, and the reproaching of the lender.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 30\n\nOf correction of children. Health is better than wealth. Excessive grief\nis hurtful.\n\n30:1. He that loveth his son, frequently chastiseth him, that he may\nrejoice in his latter end, and not grope after the doors of his\nneighbours.\n\n30:2. He that instructeth his son shall be praised in him, and shall\nglory in him in the midst of them of his household.\n\n30:3. He that teacheth his son, maketh his enemy jealous, and in the\nmidst of his friends he shall glory in him.\n\n30:4. His father is dead, and he is as if he were not dead: for he hath\nleft one behind him that is like himself.\n\n30:5. While he lived he saw and rejoiced in him: and when he died he was\nnot sorrowful, neither was he confounded before his enemies.\n\n30:6. For he left behind him a defender of his house against his\nenemies, and one that will requite kindness to his friends.\n\n30:7. For the souls of his sons he shall bind up his wounds, and at\nevery cry his bowels shall be troubled.\n\n30:8. A horse not broken becometh stubborn, and a child left to himself\nwill become headstrong.\n\n30:9. Give thy son his way, and he shall make thee afraid: play with\nhim, and he shall make thee sorrowful.\n\n30:10. Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow, and at the last thy\nteeth be set on edge.\n\n30:11. Give him not liberty in his youth, and wink not at his devices.\n\n30:12. Bow down his neck while he is young, and beat his sides while he\nis a child, lest he grow stubborn, and regard thee not, and so be a\nsorrow of heart to thee.\n\n30:13. Instruct thy son, and labour about him, lest his lewd behaviour\nbe an offence to thee.\n\n30:14. Better is a poor man who is sound, and strong of constitution,\nthan a rich man who is weak and afflicted with evils.\n\n30:15. Health of the soul in holiness of justice, is better than all\ngold and silver: and a sound body, than immense revenues.\n\n30:16. There is no riches above the riches of the health of the body:\nand there is no pleasure above the joy of the heart.\n\n30:17. Better is death than a bitter life, and everlasting rest, than\ncontinual sickness.\n\n30:18. Good things that are hidden in a mouth that is shut, are as\nmesses of meat set about a grave.\n\n30:19. What good shall an offering do to an idol? for it can neither\neat, nor smell:\n\n30:20. So is he that is persecuted by the Lord, bearing the reward of\nhis iniquity:\n\n30:21. He seeth with his eyes, and groaneth, as an eunuch embracing a\nvirgin, and sighing.\n\n30:22. Give not up thy soul to sadness, and afflict not thyself in thy\nown counsel.\n\n30:23. The joyfulness of the heart, is the life of a man, and a never\nfailing treasure of holiness: and the joy of a man is length of life.\n\n30:24.  Have pity on thy own soul, pleasing God, and contain thyself:\ngather up thy heart in his holiness: and drive away sadness far from\nthee.\n\n30:25. For sadness hath killed many, and there is no profit in it.\n\n30:26. Envy and anger shorten a man's days, and pensiveness will bring\nold age before the time.\n\n30:27. A cheerful and good heart is always feasting: for his banquets\nare prepared with diligence.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 31\n\nOf the desire of riches, and of moderation in eating and drinking.\n\n31:1. Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the thought thereof\ndriveth away sleep.\n\n31:2. The thinking beforehand turneth away the understanding, and a\ngrievous sickness maketh the soul sober.\n\n31:3. The rich man hath laboured in gathering riches together, and when\nhe resteth he shall be filled with his goods.\n\n31:4. The poor man hath laboured in his low way of life, and in the end\nhe is still poor.\n\n31:5. He that loveth gold, shall not be justified: and he that followeth\nafter corruption, shall be filled with it.\n\n31:6. Many have been brought to fall for gold, and the beauty thereof\nhath been their ruin.\n\n31:7. Gold is a stumblingblock to them that sacrifice to it: woe to them\nthat eagerly follow after it, and every fool shall perish by it.\n\n31:8. Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish: and that\nhath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures.\n\n31:9. Who is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful\nthings in his life.\n\n31:10. Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have\nglory everlasting. He that could have transgressed, and hath not\ntransgressed: and could do evil things, and hath not done them:\n\n31:11. Therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the\nchurch of the saints shall declare his alms.\n\n31:12. Art thou set at a great table? be not the first to open thy mouth\nupon it.\n\n31:13. Say not: There are many things which are upon it.\n\n31:14. Remember that a wicked eye is evil.\n\n31:15. What is created more wicked than an eye? therefore shall it weep\nover all the face when it shall see.\n\n31:16. Stretch not out thy hand first, lest being disgraced with envy\nthou be put to confusion.\n\n31:17. Be not hasty in a feast.\n\n31:18. Judge of the disposition of thy neighbour by thyself.\n\n31:19. Use as a frugal man the things that are set before thee: lest if\nthou eatest much, thou be hated.\n\n31:20. Leave off first, for manners' sake: and exceed not, lest thou\noffend.\n\n31:21. And if thou sittest among many, reach not thy hand out first of\nall, and be not the first to ask for drink.\n\n31:22. How sufficient is a little wine for a man well taught, and in\nsleeping thou shalt not be uneasy with it, and thou shalt feel no pain.\n\n31:23. Watching, and choler, and gripes, are with an intemperate man:\n\n31:24. Sound and wholesome sleep with a moderate man: he shall sleep\ntill morning, and his soul shall be delighted with him.\n\n31:25. And if thou hast been forced to eat much, arise, go out, and\nvomit: and it shall refresh thee, and thou shalt not bring sickness upon\nthy body.\n\n31:26. Hear me, my son, and despise me not: and in the end thou shalt\nfind my words.\n\n31:27. In all thy works be quick, and no infirmity shall come to thee.\n\n31:28. The lips of many shall bless him that is liberal of his bread,\nand the testimony of his truth is faithful.\n\n31:29. Against him that is niggardly of his bread, the city will murmur,\nand the testimony of his niggardliness is true.\n\n31:30. Challenge not them that love wine: for wine hath destroyed very\nmany.\n\n31:31. Fire trieth hard iron: so wine drunk to excess shall rebuke the\nhearts of the proud.\n\n31:32. Wine taken with sobriety is equal life to men: if thou drink it\nmoderately, thou shalt be sober.\n\n31:33. What is his life, who is diminished with wine?\n\n31:34. What taketh away life? death.\n\n31:35. Wine was created from the beginning to make men joyful, and not\nto make them drunk.\n\n31:36. Wine drunken with moderation is the joy of the soul and the\nheart.\n\n31:37. Sober drinking is health to soul and body.\n\n31:38. Wine drunken with excess raiseth quarrels, and wrath, and many\nruins.\n\n31:39. Wine drunken with excess is bitterness of the soul.\n\n31:40. The heat of drunkenness is the stumblingblock of the fool,\nlessening strength and causing wounds.\n\n31:41. Rebuke not thy neighbour in a banquet of wine: and despise him\nnot in his mirth.\n\n31:42. Speak not to him words of reproach: and press him not in\ndemanding again.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 32\n\nLessons for superiors and inferiors. Advantages of fearing God, and\ndoing nothing without counsel.\n\n32:1. Have they made thee ruler? be not lifted up: be among them as one\nof them.\n\n32:2. Have care of them, and so sit down, and when thou hast acquitted\nthyself of all thy charge, take thy place:\n\n32:3. That thou mayst rejoice for them, and receive a crown as an\nornament of grace, and get the honour of the contribution.\n\n32:4. Speak, thou that art elder: for it becometh thee,\n\n32:5. To speak the first word with careful knowledge, and hinder not\nmusic.\n\n32:6. Where there is no hearing, pour not out words, and be not lifted\nup out of season with thy wisdom.\n\n32:7. A concert of music in a banquet of wine is as a carbuncle set in\ngold.\n\n32:8. As a signet of an emerald in a work of gold: so is the melody of\nmusic with pleasant and moderate wine.\n\n32:9. Hear in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to\nthee.\n\n32:10. Young man, scarcely speak in thy own cause.\n\n32:11. If thou be asked twice, let thy answer be short.\n\n32:12. In many things be as if thou wert ignorant, and hear in silence\nand withal seeking.\n\n32:13. In the company of great men take not upon thee: and when the\nancients are present, speak not much.\n\n32:14. Before a storm goeth lightning: and before shamefacedness goeth\nfavour: and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.\n\n32:15. And at the time of rising be not slack: but be first to run home\nto thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and there take thy pastime.\n\n32:16. And do what thou hast a mind, but not in sin or proud speech.\n\n32:17. And for all these things bless the Lord, that made thee, and that\nreplenisheth thee with all his good things.\n\n32:18. He that feareth the Lord, will receive his discipline: and they\nthat will seek him early, shall find a blessing.\n\n32:19. He that seeketh the law, shall be filled with it: and he that\ndealeth deceitfully, shall meet with a stumblingblock therein.\n\n32:20. They that fear the Lord, shall find just judgment, and shall\nkindle justice as a light.\n\n32:21. A sinful man will flee reproof, and will find an excuse according\nto his will.\n\n32:22. A man of counsel will not neglect understanding, a strange and\nproud man will not dread fear:\n\n32:23. Even after he hath done with fear without counsel, he shall be\ncontrolled by the things of his own seeking.\n\n32:24. My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not\nrepent when thou hast done.\n\n32:25. Go not in the way of ruin, and thou shalt not stumble against the\nstones: trust not thyself to a rugged way, lest thou set a\nstumblingblock to thy soul.\n\n32:26. And beware of thy own children, and take heed of them of thy\nhousehold.\n\n32:27. In every work of thine regard thy soul in faith: for this is the\nkeeping of the commandments.\n\nIn faith... That is, follow sincerely thy soul in her faith and\nconscience.\n\n32:28. He that believeth God, taketh heed to the commandments: and he\nthat trusteth in him, shall fare never the worse.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 33\n\nThe fear of God is the best security. Times and men are in the hands of\nGod. Take care of thyself as long as thou livest, and look to thy\nservants.\n\n33:1. No evils shall happen to him that feareth the Lord, but in\ntemptation God will keep him and deliver him from evils.\n\n33:2. A wise man hateth not the commandments and justices, and he shall\nnot be dashed in pieces as a ship in a storm.\n\n33:3. A man of understanding is faithful to the law of God, and the law\nis faithful to him.\n\n33:4. He that cleareth up a question, shall prepare what to say, and so\nhaving prayed he shall be heard, and shall keep discipline, and then he\nshall answer.\n\n33:5. The heart of a fool is as a wheel of a cart: and his thoughts are\nlike a rolling axletree.\n\n33:6. A friend that is a mocker, is like a stallion horse: he neigheth\nunder every one that sitteth upon him.\n\n33:7. Why doth one day excel another, and one light another, and one\nyear another year, when all come of the sun?\n\n33:8. By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished, the sun\nbeing made, and keeping his commandment.\n\n33:9. And he ordered the seasons, and holidays of them, and in them they\ncelebrated festivals at an hour.\n\n33:10. Some of them God made high and great days, and some of them he\nput in the number of ordinary days. And all men are from the ground, and\nout of the earth, from whence Adam was created.\n\n33:11. With much knowledge the Lord hath divided them and diversified\ntheir ways.\n\n33:12. Some of them hath he blessed, and exalted: and some of them hath\nhe sanctified, and set near himself: and some of them hath he cursed and\nbrought low, and turned them from their station.\n\n33:13. As the potter's clay is in his hand, to fashion and order it:\n\n33:14. All his ways are according to his ordering: so man is in the hand\nof him that made him, and he will render to him according to his\njudgment.\n\n33:15. Good is set against evil, and life against death: so also is the\nsinner against a just man. And so look upon all the works of the most\nHigh. Two and two, and one against another.\n\n33:16. And I awaked last of all, and as one that gathereth after the\ngrapegatherers.\n\n33:17. In the blessing of God I also have hoped: and as one that\ngathereth grapes, have I filled the winepress.\n\n33:18. See that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that\nseek discipline.\n\n33:19. Hear me, ye great men, and all ye people, and hearken with your\nears, ye rulers of the church.\n\n33:20. Give not to son or wife, brother or friend, power over thee while\nthou livest; and give not thy estate to another, lest thou repent, and\nthou entreat for the same.\n\n33:21. As long as thou livest, and hast breath in thee, let no man\nchange thee.\n\nChange thee... That is, so as to have this power over thee.\n\n33:22. For it is better that thy children should ask of thee, than that\nthou look toward the hands of thy children.\n\n33:23. In all thy works keep the pre-eminence.\n\nThe pre-eminence... That is, be master in thy own house, and part not\nwith thy authority.\n\n33:24. Let no stain sully thy glory. In the time when thou shalt end the\ndays of thy life, and in the time of thy decease, distribute thy\ninheritance.\n\n33:25. Fodder, and a wand, and a burden are for an ass: bread, and\ncorrection, and work for a slave.\n\n33:26. He worketh under correction, and seeketh to rest: let his hands\nbe idle, and he seeketh liberty.\n\n33:27. The yoke and the thong bend a stiff neck, and continual labours\nbow a slave.\n\n33:28. Torture and fetters are for a malicious slave: send him to work,\nthat he be not idle:\n\n33:29. For idleness hath taught much evil.\n\n33:30. Set him to work: for so it is fit for him. And if he be not\nobedient, bring him down with fetters, but be not excessive towards any\none, and do no grievous thing without judgment.\n\n33:31. If thou have a faithful servant, let him be to thee as thy own\nsoul: treat him as a brother: because in the blood of thy soul thou hast\ngotten him.\n\n33:32. If thou hurt him unjustly, he will run away:\n\n33:33. And if he rise up and depart, thou knowest not whom to ask, and\nin what way to seek him.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 34\n\nThe vanity of dreams. The advantage of experience, and of the fear of\nGod.\n\n34:1. The hopes of a man that is void of understanding are vain and\ndeceitful: and dreams lift up fools.\n\n34:2. The man that giveth heed to lying visions, is like to him that\ncatcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind.\n\n34:3. The vision of dreams is the resemblance of one thing to another:\nas when a man's likeness is before the face of a man.\n\n34:4. What can be made clean by the unclean? and what truth can come\nfrom that which is false?\n\n34:5. Deceitful divinations and lying omens and the dreams of evildoers,\nare vanity:\n\n34:6. And the heart fancieth as that of a woman in travail: except it be\na vision sent forth from the most High, set not thy heart upon them.\n\n34:7. For dreams have deceived many, and they have failed that put their\ntrust in them.\n\n34:8. The word of the law shall be fulfilled without a lie, and wisdom\nshall be made plain in the mouth of the faithful.\n\n34:9. What doth he know, that hath not been tried? A man that hath much\nexperience, shall think of many things: and he that hath learned many\nthings, shall shew forth understanding.\n\n34:10. He that hath no experience, knoweth little: and he that hath been\nexperienced in many things, multiplieth prudence.\n\n34:11. He that hath not been tried, what manner of things doth he know?\nhe that hath been surprised, shall abound with subtlety.\n\n34:12. I have seen many things by travelling, and many customs of\nthings.\n\n34:13. Sometimes I have been in danger of death for these things, and I\nhave been delivered by the grace of God.\n\n34:14. The spirit of those that fear God, is sought after, and by his\nregard shall be blessed.\n\n34:15. For their hope is on him that saveth them, and the eyes of God\nare upon them that love him.\n\n34:16. He that feareth the Lord shall tremble at nothing, and shall not\nbe afraid: for he is his hope.\n\n34:17. The soul of him that feareth the Lord is blessed.\n\n34:18. To whom doth he look, and who is his strength?\n\n34:19. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, he is their\npowerful protector, and strong stay, a defence from the heat, and a\ncover from the sun at noon,\n\n34:20. A preservation from stumbling, and a help from falling: he\nraiseth up the soul, and enlighteneth the eyes, and giveth health, and\nlife, and blessing.\n\n34:21. The offering of him that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully\ngotten, is stained, and the mockeries of the unjust are not acceptable.\n\n34:22. The Lord is only for them that wait upon him in the way of truth\nand justice.\n\n34:23. The most High approveth not the gifts of the wicked: neither hath\nhe respect to the oblations of the unjust, nor will he be pacified for\nsins by the multitude of their sacrifices.\n\n34:24. He that offereth sacrifice of the goods of the poor, is as one\nthat sacrificeth the son in the presence of his father.\n\n34:25. The bread of the needy, is the life of the poor: he that\ndefraudeth them thereof, is a man of blood.\n\n34:26. He that taketh away the bread gotten by sweat, is like him that\nkilleth his neighbour.\n\n34:27. He that sheddeth blood, and he that defraudeth the laborer of his\nhire, are brothers.\n\n34:28. When one buildeth up, and another pulleth down: what profit have\nthey but the labour?\n\n34:29. When one prayeth, and another curseth: whose voice will God hear?\n\n34:30. He that washeth himself after touching the dead, if he toucheth\nhim again, what doth his washing avail?\n\n34:31. So a man that fasteth for his sins, and doth the same again, what\ndoth his humbling himself profit him? who will hear his prayer?\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 35\n\nWhat sacrifices are pleasing to God.\n\n35:1. He that keepeth the law, multiplieth offerings.\n\n35:2. It is a wholesome sacrifice to take heed to the commandments, and\nto depart from all iniquity.\n\n35:3. And to depart from injustice, is to offer a propitiatory sacrifice\nfor injustices, and a begging of pardon for sins.\n\n35:4. He shall return thanks, that offereth fine flour: and he that doth\nmercy, offereth sacrifice.\n\n35:5. To depart from iniquity is that which pleaseth the Lord, and to\ndepart from injustice, is an entreaty for sins.\n\n35:6. Thou shalt not appear empty in the sight of the Lord.\n\n35:7. For all these things are to be done because of the commandment of\nGod.\n\n35:8. The oblation of the just maketh the altar fat, and is an odour of\nsweetness in the sight of the most High.\n\n35:9. The sacrifice of the just is acceptable, and the Lord will not\nforget the memorial thereof.\n\n35:10. Give glory to God with a good heart: and diminish not the\nfirstfruits of thy hands.\n\n35:11. In every gift shew a cheerful countenance, and sanctify thy\ntithes with joy.\n\n35:12. Give to the most High according to what he hath given to thee,\nand with a good eye do according to the ability of thy hands:\n\n35:13. For the Lord maketh recompense, and will give thee seven times as\nmuch.\n\n35:14. Do not offer wicked gifts, for such he will not receive.\n\n35:15. And look not upon an unjust sacrifice, for the Lord is judge, and\nthere is not with him respect of person.\n\n35:16. The Lord will not accept any person against a poor man, and he\nwill hear the prayer of him that is wronged.\n\n35:17. He will not despise the prayers of the fatherless: nor the widow,\nwhen she poureth out her complaint.\n\n35:18. Do not the widow's tears run down the cheek, and her cry against\nhim that causeth them to fall?\n\n35:19. For from the cheek they go up even to heaven, and the Lord that\nheareth will not be delighted with them.\n\n35:20. He that adoreth God with joy, shall be accepted, and his prayer\nshall approach even to the clouds.\n\n35:21. The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds:\nand till it come nigh he will not be comforted: and he will not depart\ntill the most High behold.\n\n35:22. And the Lord will not be slack, but will judge for the just, and\nwill do judgment: and the Almighty will not have patience with them,\nthat he may crush their back:\n\n35:23. And he will repay vengeance to the Gentiles, till he have taken\naway the multitude of the proud, and broken the sceptres of the unjust,\n\n35:24. Till he have rendered to men according to their deeds: and\naccording to the works of Adam, and according to his presumption,\n\n35:25. Till he have judged the cause of his people, and he shall delight\nthe just with his mercy.\n\n35:26. The mercy of God is beautiful in the time of affliction, as a\ncloud of rain in the time of drought.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 36\n\nA prayer for the church of God. Of a good heart, and a good wife.\n\n36:1. Have mercy upon us, O God of all, and behold us, and shew us the\nlight of thy mercies:\n\n36:2. And send thy fear upon the nations, that have not sought after\nthee: that they may know that there is no God beside thee, and that they\nmay shew forth thy wonders.\n\n36:3. Lift up thy hand over the strange nations, that they may see thy\npower.\n\n36:4. For as thou hast been sanctified in us in their sight, so thou\nshalt be magnified among them in our presence,\n\n36:5. That they may know thee, as we also have known thee, that there is\nno God beside thee, O Lord.\n\n36:6. Renew thy signs, and work new miracles.\n\n36:7. Glorify thy hand, and thy right arm.\n\n36:8. Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath.\n\n36:9. Take away the adversary, and crush the enemy.\n\n36:10. Hasten the time, and remember the end, that they may declare thy\nwonderful works.\n\n36:11. Let him that escapeth be consumed by the rage of the fire: and\nlet them perish that oppress thy people.\n\n36:12. Crush the head of the princes of the enemies that say: There is\nno other beside us.\n\n36:13. Gather together all the tribes of Jacob: that they may know that\nthere no God besides thee, and may declare thy great works: and thou\nshalt inherit them as from the beginning.\n\n36:14. Have mercy on thy people, upon whom thy name is invoked: and upon\nIsrael, whom thou hast raised up to be thy firstborn.\n\n36:15. Have mercy on Jerusalem, the city which thou hast sanctified, the\ncity of thy rest.\n\n36:16. Fill Sion with thy unspeakable words, and thy people with thy\nglory.\n\n36:17. Give testimony to them that are thy creatures from the beginning,\nand raise up the prophecies which the former prophets spoke in thy name.\n\n36:18. Reward them that patiently wait for thee, that thy prophets may\nbe found faithful: and hear the prayers of thy servants,\n\n36:19. According to the blessing of Aaron over thy people, and direct us\ninto the way of justice, and let all know that dwell upon the earth,\nthat thou art God the beholder of all ages.\n\n36:20. The belly will devour all meat, yet one is better than another.\n\n36:21. The palate tasteth venison and the wise heart false speeches.\n\n36:22. A perverse heart will cause grief, and a man of experience will\nresist it.\n\n36:23. A woman will receive every man: yet one daughter is better than\nanother.\n\nA woman will receive every man... That is, any man that her parents\npropose to her to marry, though she does not like him, but marries in\nobedience to her parents, who make the choice for her.\n\n36:24. The beauty of a woman cheereth the countenance of her husband,\nand a man desireth nothing more.\n\n36:25. If she have a tongue that can cure, and likewise mitigate and\nshew mercy: her husband is not like other men.\n\n36:26. He that possesseth a good wife, beginneth a possession: she is a\nhelp like to himself, and a pillar of rest.\n\n36:27. Where there is no hedge, the possession shall be spoiled: and\nwhere there is no wife, he mourneth that is in want.\n\n36:28. Who will trust him that hath no rest, and that lodgeth\nwheresoever the night taketh him, as a robber well appointed, that\nskippeth from city to city.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 37\n\nOf the choice of friends and counsellors.\n\n37:1. Every friend will say: I also am his friend: but there is a\nfriend, that is only a friend in name. Is not this a grief even to\ndeath?\n\n37:2. But a companion and a friend shall be turned to an enemy.\n\n37:3. O wicked presumption, whence camest thou to cover the earth with\nthy malice, and deceitfulness?\n\n37:4. There is a companion who rejoiceth with his friend in his joys,\nbut in the time of trouble, he will be against him.\n\n37:5. There is a companion who condoleth with his friend for his belly's\nsake, and he will take up a shield against the enemy.\n\n37:6. Forget not thy friend in thy mind, and be not unmindful of him in\nthy riches.\n\n37:7. Consult not with him that layeth a snare for thee, and hide thy\ncounsel from them that envy thee.\n\n37:8. Every counsellor giveth out counsel, but there is one that is a\ncounsellor for himself.\n\n37:9. Beware of a counsellor. And know before what need he hath: for he\nwill devise to his own mind:\n\n37:10. Lest he thrust a stake into the ground, and say to thee:\n\n37:11. Thy way is good; and then stand on the other side to see what\nshall befall thee.\n\n37:12. Treat not with a man without religion concerning holiness, nor\nwith an unjust man concerning justice, nor with a woman touching her of\nwhom she is jealous, nor with a coward concerning war, nor with a\nmerchant about traffic, nor with a buyer of selling, nor with an envious\nman of giving thanks,\n\n37:13. Nor with the ungodly of piety, nor with the dishonest of honesty,\nnor with the field laborer of every work,\n\n37:14. Nor with him that worketh by the year of the finishing of the\nyear, nor with an idle servant of much business: give no heed to these\nin any matter of counsel.\n\n37:15. But be continually with a holy man, whomsoever thou shalt know to\nobserve the fear of God,\n\n37:16. Whose soul is according to thy own soul: and who, when thou shalt\nstumble in the dark, will be sorry for thee.\n\n37:17. And establish within thyself a heart of good counsel: for there\nis no other thing of more worth to thee than it.\n\n37:18. The soul of a holy man discovereth sometimes true things, more\nthan seven watchmen that sit in a high place to watch.\n\n37:19. But above all these things pray to the most High, that he may\ndirect thy way in truth.\n\n37:20. In all thy works let the true word go before thee, and steady\ncounsel before every action.\n\n37:21. A wicked word shall change the heart: out of which four manner of\nthings arise, good and evil, life and death: and the tongue is\ncontinually the ruler of them. There is a man that is subtle and a\nteacher of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul.\n\n37:22. A skilful man hath taught many, and is sweet to his own soul.\n\n37:23. He that speaketh sophistically, is hateful: he shall be destitute\nof every thing.\n\n37:24. Grace is not given him from the Lord: for he is deprived of all\nwisdom.\n\n37:25. There is a wise man that is wise to his own soul: and the fruit\nof his understanding is commendable.\n\n37:26. A wise man instructeth his own people, and the fruits of his\nunderstanding are faithful.\n\n37:27. A wise man shall be filled with blessings, and they that see\nshall praise him.\n\n37:28. The life of a man is in the number of his days: but the days of\nIsrael are innumerable.\n\n37:29. A wise man shall inherit honour among his people, and his name\nshall live for ever.\n\n37:30. My son, prove thy soul in thy life: and if it be wicked, give it\nno power:\n\n37:31. For all things are not expedient for all, and every kind pleaseth\nnot every soul.\n\n37:32. Be not greedy in any feasting, and pour not out thyself upon any\nmeat:\n\n37:33. For in many meats there will be sickness, and greediness will\nturn to choler.\n\n37:34. By surfeiting many have perished, but he that is temperate, shall\nprolong life.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 38\n\nOf physicians and medicines: what is to be done in sickness, and how we\nare to mourn for the dead. Of the employments of labourers and\nartificers.\n\n38:1. Honour the physician for the need thou hast of him: for the most\nHigh hath created him.\n\n38:2. For all healing is from God, and he shall receive gifts of the\nking.\n\n38:3. The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the\nsight of great men he shall be praised.\n\n38:4. The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise\nman will not abhor them.\n\n38:5. Was not bitter water made sweet with wood?\n\n38:6. The virtue of these things is come to the knowledge of men, and\nthe most High hath given knowledge to men, that he may be honoured in\nhis wonders.\n\n38:7. By these he shall cure and shall allay their pains, and of these\nthe apothecary shall make sweet confections, and shall make up ointments\nof health, and of his works there shall be no end.\n\n38:8. For the peace of God is over all the face of the earth.\n\n38:9. My son, in thy sickness neglect not thyself, but pray to the Lord,\nand he shall heal thee.\n\n38:10. Turn away from sin and order thy hands aright, and cleanse thy\nheart from all offence.\n\n38:11. Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour, and make a fat\noffering, and then give place to the physician.\n\n38:12. For the Lord created him: and let him not depart from thee, for\nhis works are necessary.\n\n38:13. For there is a time when thou must fall into their hands:\n\n38:14. And they shall beseech the Lord, that he would prosper what they\ngive for ease and remedy, for their conversation.\n\n38:15. He that sinneth in the sight of his Maker, shall fall into the\nhands of the physician.\n\n38:16. My son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to lament as if thou\nhadst suffered some great harm, and according to judgment cover his\nbody, and neglect not his burial.\n\n38:17. And for fear of being ill spoken of weep bitterly for a day, and\nthen comfort thyself in thy sadness.\n\n38:18. And make mourning for him according to his merit for a day, or\ntwo, for fear of detraction.\n\n38:19. For of sadness cometh death, and it overwhelmeth the strength,\nand the sorrow of the heart boweth down the neck.\n\n38:20. In withdrawing aside sorrow remaineth: and the substance of the\npoor is according to his heart.\n\n38:21. Give not up thy heart to sadness, but drive it from thee: and\nremember the latter end.\n\n38:22. Forget it not: for there is no returning, and thou shalt do him\nno good, and shalt hurt thyself.\n\n38:23. Remember my judgment: for thine also shall be so: yesterday for\nme, and to day for thee.\n\n38:24. When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest, and comfort\nhim in the departing of his spirit.\n\n38:25. The wisdom of a scribe cometh by his time of leisure: and he that\nis less in action, shall receive wisdom.\n\nA scribe... That is, a doctor of the law, or, a learned man.\n\n38:26.  With what wisdom shall he be furnished that holdeth the plough,\nand that glorieth in the goad, that driveth the oxen therewith, and is\noccupied in their labours, and his whole talk is about the offspring of\nbulls?\n\n38:27. He shall give his mind to turn up furrows, and his care is to\ngive the kine fodder.\n\n38:28. So every craftsman and workmaster that laboureth night and day,\nhe who maketh graven seals, and by his continual diligence varieth the\nfigure: he shall give his mind to the resemblance of the picture, and by\nhis watching shall finish the work.\n\n38:29. So doth the smith sitting by the anvil and considering the iron\nwork. The vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the\nheat of the furnace.\n\n38:30. The noise of the hammer is always in his ears, and his eye is\nupon the pattern of the vessel he maketh.\n\n38:31. He setteth his mind to finish his work, and his watching to\npolish them to perfection.\n\n38:32. So doth the potter sitting at his work, turning the wheel about\nwith his feet, who is always carefully set to his work, and maketh all\nhis work by number:\n\n38:33. He fashioneth the clay with his arm, and boweth down his strength\nbefore his feet:\n\n38:34. He shall give his mind to finish the glazing, and his watching to\nmake clean the furnace.\n\n38:35. All these trust to their hands, and every one is wise in his own\nart.\n\n38:36. Without these a city is not built.\n\n38:37. And they shall not dwell, nor walk about therein, and they shall\nnot go up into the assembly.\n\n38:38. Upon the judges' seat they shall not sit, and the ordinance of\njudgment they shall not understand, neither shall they declare\ndiscipline and judgment, and they shall not be found where parables are\nspoken:\n\n38:39. But they shall strengthen the state of the world, and their\nprayer shall be in the work of their craft, applying their soul, and\nsearching in the law of the most High.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 39\n\nThe exercises of the wise man. The Lord is to be glorified for his\nworks.\n\n39:1. The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and\nwill be occupied in the prophets.\n\n39:2. He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal\ninto the subtilties of parables.\n\n39:3. He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be\nconversant in the secrets of parables.\n\n39:4. He shall serve among great men, and appear before the governor.\n\n39:5. He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and\nevil among men.\n\n39:6. He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him,\nand he will pray in the sight of the most High.\n\n39:7. He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for\nhis sins.\n\n39:8. For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the\nspirit of understanding:\n\n39:9. And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in\nhis prayer he will confess to the Lord.\n\n39:10. And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his\nsecrets shall he meditate.\n\n39:11. He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall\nglory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.\n\n39:12. Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.\n\n39:13. The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in\nrequest from generation to generation.\n\n39:14. Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth\nhis praise.\n\n39:15. If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he\nrest, it shall be to his advantage.\n\n39:16. I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a\nholy transport.\n\n39:17. By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth\nas the rose planted by the brooks of waters.\n\nYe divine offspring... He speaks to the children of Israel, the people\nof God: whom he exhorts to bud forth and flourish with virtue.\n\n39:18. Give ye a sweet odour as frankincense.\n\n39:19. Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring\nforth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in\nhis works.\n\n39:20. Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your\nlips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in\npraising him, you shall say in this manner:\n\n39:21. All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.\n\n39:22. At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his\nmouth the receptacles of waters:\n\n39:23. For at his commandment favour is shewn, and there is no\ndiminishing of his salvation.\n\n39:24. The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid\nfrom his eyes.\n\n39:25. He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing\nwonderful before him.\n\n39:26. There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things\nshall be sought in their time.\n\n39:27. His blessing hath overflowed like a river.\n\n39:28. And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit\nthe nations, that have not sought after him.\n\n39:29.  Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was\nmade dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners\nthey are stumblingblocks in his wrath.\n\n39:30. Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for\nthe wicked, good and evil things.\n\n39:31. The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water,\nfire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the\ncluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.\n\n39:32. All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners\nand the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.\n\n39:33. There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their\nfury they lay on grievous torments.\n\n39:34. In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and\nthey shall appease the wrath of him that made them.\n\n39:35. Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for\nvengeance.\n\n39:36. The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword\ntaking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.\n\n39:37. In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready\nupon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not\ntransgress his word.\n\n39:38. Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have\nmeditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing,\n\n39:39. All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every\nwork in due time.\n\n39:40. It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be\nwell approved in their time.\n\n39:41. Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and\nbless the name of the Lord.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 40\n\nThe miseries of the life of man are relieved by the grace of God and his\nfear.\n\n40:1. Great labour is created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the\nchildren of Adam from the day of their coming out of their mother's\nwomb, until the day of their burial into the mother of all.\n\n40:2. Their thoughts, and fears of the heart, their imagination of\nthings to come, and the day of their end:\n\n40:3. From him that sitteth on a glorious throne, unto him that is\nhumbled in earth and ashes:\n\n40:4. From him that weareth purple, and beareth the crown, even to him\nthat is covered with rough linen: wrath, envy, trouble, unquietness, and\nthe fear of death, continual anger, and strife,\n\n40:5. And in the time of rest upon his bed, the sleep of the night\nchangeth his knowledge.\n\n40:6. A little and as nothing is his rest, and afterward in sleep, as in\nthe day of keeping watch.\n\n40:7. He is troubled in the vision of his heart, as if he had escaped in\nthe day of battle. In the time of his safety he rose up, and wondereth\nthat there is no fear.\n\n40:8. Such things happen to all flesh, from man even to beast, and upon\nsinners are sevenfold more.\n\n40:9. Moreover, death, and bloodshed, strife, and sword, oppressions,\nfamine, and affliction, and scourges:\n\n40:10. All these things are created for the wicked, and for their sakes\ncame the flood.\n\n40:11. All things that are of the earth, shall return to the earth\nagain, and all waters shall return to the sea.\n\n40:12. All bribery, and injustice shall be blotted out, and fidelity\nshall stand for ever.\n\n40:13. The riches of the unjust shall be dried up like a river, and\nshall pass away with a noise like a great thunder in rain.\n\n40:14. While he openeth his hands he shall rejoice: but transgressors\nshall pine away in the end.\n\n40:15. The offspring of the ungodly shall not bring forth many branches,\nand make a noise as unclean roots upon the top of a rock.\n\n40:16. The weed growing over every water, and at the bank of the river,\nshall be pulled up before all grass.\n\n40:17. Grace is like a paradise in blessings, and mercy remaineth for\never.\n\n40:18. The life of a laborer that is content with what he hath, shall be\nsweet, and in it thou shalt find a treasure.\n\n40:19. Children, and the building of a city shall establish a name, but\na blameless wife shall be counted above them both.\n\n40:20. Wine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above\nthem both.\n\n40:21. The flute and the psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant\ntongue is above them both.\n\n40:22. Thy eye desireth favour and beauty, but more than these green\nsown fields.\n\n40:23. A friend and companion meeting together in season, but above them\nboth is a wife with her husband.\n\n40:24. Brethren are a help in the time of trouble, but mercy shall\ndeliver more than they.\n\n40:25. Gold and silver make the feet stand sure: but wise counsel is\nabove them both.\n\n40:26. Riches and strength lift up the heart: but above these is the\nfear of the Lord.\n\n40:27. There is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth not to\nseek for help.\n\n40:28. The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessing, and they\nhave covered it above all glory.\n\n40:29. My son, in thy lifetime be not indigent: for it is better to die\nthan to want.\n\n40:30. The life of him that looketh toward another man's table is not to\nbe counted a life: for he feedeth his soul with another man's meat.\n\n40:31. But a man, well instructed and taught, will look to himself.\n\n40:32. Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the unwise, but in his\nbelly there shall burn a fire.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 41\n\nOf the remembrance of death: of an evil and of a good name: of what\nthings we ought to be ashamed.\n\n41:1. O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that hath\npeace in his possessions!\n\n41:2. To a man that is at rest, and whose ways are prosperous in all\nthings, and that is yet able to take meat!\n\n41:3. O death thy sentence is welcome to the man that is in need, and to\nhim whose strength faileth:\n\n41:4. Who is in a decrepit age, and that is in care about all things,\nand to the distrustful that loseth patience!\n\n41:5. Fear not the sentence of death. Remember what things have been\nbefore thee, and what shall come after thee: this sentence is from the\nLord upon all flesh.\n\n41:6. And what shall come upon thee by the good pleasure of the most\nHigh? whether ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years.\n\n41:7. For among the dead there is no accusing of life.\n\n41:8. The children of sinners become children of abominations, and they\nthat converse near the houses of the ungodly.\n\n41:9. The inheritance of the children of sinners shall perish, and with\ntheir posterity shall be a perpetual reproach.\n\n41:10. The children will complain of an ungodly father, because for his\nsake they are in reproach.\n\n41:11. Woe to you, ungodly men, who have forsaken the law of the most\nhigh Lord.\n\n41:12. And if you be born, you shall be born in malediction: and if you\ndie, in malediction shall be your portion.\n\n41:13. All things that are of the earth, shall return into the earth: so\nthe ungodly shall from malediction to destruction.\n\n41:14. The mourning of men is about their body, but the name of the\nungodly shall be blotted out.\n\n41:15. Take care of a good name: for this shall continue with thee, more\nthan a thousand treasures precious and great.\n\n41:16. A good life hath its number of days: but a good name shall\ncontinue for ever.\n\n41:17. My children, keep discipline in peace: for wisdom that is hid,\nand a treasure that is not seen, what profit is there in them both?\n\n41:18. Better is the man that hideth his folly, than the man that hideth\nhis wisdom.\n\n41:19. Wherefore have a shame of these things I am now going to speak\nof.\n\nHave a shame, etc... That is to say, be ashamed of doing any of these\nthings, which I am now going to mention; for though sometimes\nshamefacedness is not to be indulged: yet it is often good and\nnecessary: as in the following cases.\n\n41:20. For it is not good to keep all shamefacedness: and all things do\nnot please all men in opinion.\n\n41:21. Be ashamed of fornication before father and mother: and of a lie\nbefore a governor and a man in power:\n\n41:22. Of an offence before a prince, and a judge: of iniquity before a\ncongregation and a people:\n\n41:23. Of injustice before a companion and friend: and in regard to the\nplace where thou dwellest,\n\n41:24. Of theft, and of the truth of God, and the covenant: of leaning\nwith thy elbow over meat, and of deceit in giving and taking:\n\n41:25. Of silence before them that salute thee: of looking upon a\nharlot: and of turning away thy face from thy kinsman.\n\n41:26. Turn not away thy face from thy neighbour, and of taking away a\nportion and not restoring.\n\n41:27. Gaze not upon another man's wife, and be not inquisitive after\nhis handmaid, and approach not her bed.\n\n41:28. Be ashamed of upbraiding speeches before friends: and after thou\nhast given, upbraid not.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 42\n\nOf what things we ought not to be ashamed. Cautions with regard to\nwomen. The works and greatness of God.\n\n42:1. Repeat not the word which thou hast heard, and disclose not the\nthing that is secret; so shalt thou be truly without confusion, and\nshalt find favour before all men: be not ashamed of any of these things,\nand accept no person to sin thereby:\n\n42:2. Of the law of the most High, and of his covenant, and of judgment\nto justify the ungodly:\n\n42:3. Of the affair of companions and travellers, and of the gift of the\ninheritance of friends:\n\n42:4. Of exactness of balance and weights, of getting much or little:\n\n42:5. Of the corruption of buying, and of merchants, and of much\ncorrection of children, and to make the side of a wicked slave to bleed.\n\n42:6. Sure keeping is good over a wicked wife.\n\n42:7. Where there are many hands, shut up, and deliver all things in\nnumber, and weight: and put all in writing that thou givest out or\nreceivest in.\n\n42:8. Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the aged,\nthat are judged by young men: and thou shalt be well instructed in all\nthings, and well approved in the sight of all men living.\n\n42:9. The father waketh for the daughter when no man knoweth, and the\ncare for her taketh away his sleep, when she is young, lest she pass\naway the flower of her age, and when she is married, lest she should be\nhateful:\n\n42:10. In her virginity, lest she should be corrupted, and be found with\nchild in her father's house: and having a husband, lest she should\nmisbehave herself, or at the least become barren.\n\n42:11. Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter: lest at anytime she\nmake thee become a laughingstock to thy enemies, and a byword in the\ncity, and a reproach among the people, and she make thee ashamed before\nall the multitude.\n\n42:12. Behold not everybody's beauty: and tarry not among women.\n\n42:13. For from garments cometh a moth, and from a woman the iniquity of\na man.\n\n42:14. For better is the iniquity of a man, than a woman doing a good\nturn, and a woman bringing shame and reproach.\n\nBetter is the iniquity, etc... That is, there is, commonly speaking,\nless danger to be apprehended to the soul from the churlishness, or\ninjuries we receive from men, than from the flattering favours and\nfamiliarity of women.\n\n42:15. I will now remember the works of the Lord, and I will declare the\nthings I have seen. By the words of the Lord are his works.\n\n42:16. The sun giving light hath looked upon all things, and full of the\nglory of the Lord is his work.\n\n42:17. Hath not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful\nworks, which the Lord Almighty hath firmly settled to be established for\nhis glory?\n\n42:18. He hath searched out the deep, and the heart of men: and\nconsidered their crafty devices.\n\n42:19. For the Lord knoweth all knowledge, and hath beheld the signs of\nthe world, he declareth the things that are past, and the things that\nare to come, and revealeth the traces of hidden things.\n\n42:20. No thought escapeth him, and no word can hide itself from him.\n\n42:21. He hath beautified the glorious works of his wisdom: and he is\nfrom eternity to eternity, and to him nothing may be added,\n\n42:22. Nor can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor.\n\n42:23. O how desirable are all his works, and what we can know is but as\na spark!\n\n42:24. All these things live, and remain for ever, and for every use all\nthings obey him.\n\n42:25. All things are double, one against another, and he hath made\nnothing defective.\n\n42:26. He hath established the good things of every one. And who shall\nbe filled with beholding his glory?\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 43\n\nThe works of God are exceedingly glorious and wonderful: no man is able\nsufficiently to praise him.\n\n43:1. The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its\nglorious shew.\n\n43:2. The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an\nadmirable instrument, the work of the most High.\n\n43:3. At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat?\nAs one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:\n\n43:4. The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out\nfiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.\n\n43:5. Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened\nhis course.\n\n43:6. And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times\nand a sign of the world.\n\n43:7. From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that\ndecreaseth in her perfection.\n\n43:8. The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her\nperfection.\n\n43:9. Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in\nthe firmament of heaven.\n\n43:10. The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord\nenlighteneth the world on high.\n\n43:11. By the words of the holy one they stand in judgment, and shall\nnever fall in their watches.\n\n43:12. Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very\nbeautiful in its brightness.\n\n43:13. It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory,\nthe hands of the most High have displayed it.\n\n43:14. By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth\nforth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.\n\n43:15. Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out\nlike birds.\n\n43:16. By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are\nbroken.\n\n43:17. At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the\nsouth wind shall blow.\n\n43:18. The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the\nnorthern storm, and the whirlwind:\n\n43:19. And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and\nthe falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.\n\n43:20. The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the\nheart is astonished at the shower thereof.\n\n43:21. He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth,\nit shall become like the tops of thistles.\n\n43:22. The cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into\ncrystal; upon every gathering together of waters it shall rest, and\nshall clothe the waters as a breastplate.\n\n43:23. And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and\nconsume all that is green as with fire.\n\n43:24. A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a\ndew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.\n\n43:25. At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth\nthe deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.\n\n43:26. Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when\nwe hear with our ears, we shall admire.\n\n43:27. There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of\nall living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.\n\n43:28. Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his\nword all things are regulated.\n\n43:29. We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our\nwords is, He is all.\n\n43:30. What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty\nhimself is above all his works.\n\n43:31. The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is\nadmirable.\n\n43:32. Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far\nexceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.\n\n43:33. Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for he is above\nall praise.\n\n43:34. When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary:\nfor you can never go far enough.\n\n43:35. Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as\nhe is from the beginning?\n\n43:36. There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these:\nfor we have seen but a few of his works.\n\n43:37. But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given\nwisdom.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 44\n\nThe praises of the holy fathers, in particular of Enoch, Noe, Abraham,\nIsaac, and Jacob.\n\n44:1. Let us now praise men of renown and our fathers in their\ngeneration.\n\n44:2. The Lord hath wrought great glory through his magnificence from\nthe beginning.\n\n44:3. Such as have borne rule in their dominions, men of great power,\nand endued with their wisdom, shewing forth in the prophets the dignity\nof prophets,\n\n44:4. And ruling over the present people, and by the strength of wisdom\ninstructing the people in most holy words.\n\n44:5. Such as by their skill sought out musical tunes, and published\ncanticles of the scriptures.\n\n44:6. Rich men in virtue, studying beautifulness: living at peace in\ntheir houses.\n\n44:7. All these have gained glory in their generations, and were praised\nin their days.\n\n44:8. They that were born of them have left a name behind them, that\ntheir praises might be related:\n\n44:9. And there are some, of whom there is no memorial: who are\nperished, as if they had never been: and are become as if they had never\nbeen born, and their children with them.\n\n44:10. But these were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed:\n\n44:11. Good things continue with their seed,\n\n44:12. Their posterity are a holy inheritance, and their seed hath stood\nin the covenants.\n\n44:13. And their children for their sakes remain for ever: their seed\nand their glory shall not be forsaken.\n\n44:14. Their bodies are buried in peace, and their name liveth unto\ngeneration and generation.\n\n44:15. Let the people shew forth their wisdom, and the church declare\ntheir praise.\n\n44:16. Henoch pleased God, and was translated into paradise, that he may\ngive repentance to the nations.\n\n44:17. Noe was found perfect, just, and in the time of wrath he was made\na reconciliation.\n\n44:18. Therefore was there a remnant left to the earth, when the flood\ncame.\n\n44:19. The covenants of the world were made with him, that all flesh\nshould no more be destroyed with the flood.\n\n44:20. Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and there\nwas not found the like to him in glory, who kept the law of the most\nHigh, and was in covenant with him.\n\n44:21. In his flesh he established the covenant, and in temptation he\nwas found faithful.\n\n44:22. Therefore by an oath he gave him glory in his posterity, that he\nshould increase as the dust of the earth,\n\n44:23. And that he would exalt his seed as the stars, and they should\ninherit from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.\n\n44:24. And he did in like manner with Isaac for the sake of Abraham his\nfather.\n\n44:25. The Lord gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed his\ncovenant upon the head of Jacob.\n\n44:26. He acknowledged him in his blessings, and gave him an\ninheritance, and divided him his portion in twelve tribes.\n\n44:27. And he preserved for him men of mercy, that found grace in the\neyes of all flesh.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 45\n\nThe praises of Moses, of Aaron, and of Phinees.\n\n45:1. Moses was beloved of God, and men: whose memory is in benediction.\n\n45:2. He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the\nfear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease.\n\n45:3. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments\nin the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory.\n\n45:4. He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness, and chose him out of\nall flesh.\n\n45:5. For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloud.\n\n45:6. And he gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life\nand instruction, that he might teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his\njudgments.\n\n45:7. He exalted Aaron his brother, and like to himself of the tribe of\nLevi:\n\n45:8. He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the\npriesthood of the nation, and made him blessed in glory,\n\n45:9. And he girded him about with a glorious girdle, and clothed him\nwith a robe of glory, and crowned him with majestic attire.\n\n45:10. He put upon him a garment to the feet, and breeches, and an\nephod, and he compassed him with many little bells of gold all round\nabout,\n\n45:11. That as he went there might be a sound, and a noise made that\nmight be heard in the temple, for a memorial to the children of his\npeople.\n\n45:12. He gave him a holy robe of gold, and blue, and purple, a woven\nwork of a wise man, endued with judgment and truth:\n\n45:13. Of twisted scarlet the work of an artist, with precious stones\ncut and set in gold, and graven by the work of a lapidary for a\nmemorial, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.\n\n45:14. And a crown of gold upon his mitre wherein was engraved Holiness,\nan ornament of honour: a work of power, and delightful to the eyes for\nits beauty.\n\n45:15. Before him there were none so beautiful, even from the beginning.\n\n45:16. No stranger was ever clothed with them, but only his children\nalone, and his grandchildren for ever.\n\n45:17. His sacrifices were consumed with fire every day.\n\n45:18. Moses filled his hands and anointed him with holy oil.\n\n45:19. This was made to him for an everlasting testament, and to his\nseed as the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and\nto have praise, and to glorify his people in his name.\n\n45:20. He chose him out of all men living, to offer sacrifice to God,\nincense, and a good savour, for a memorial to make reconciliation for\nhis people:\n\n45:21. And he gave him power in his commandments, in the covenants of\nhis judgments, that he should teach Jacob his testimonies, and give\nlight to Israel in his law.\n\n45:22. And strangers stood up against him, and through envy the men that\nwere with Dathan and Abiron, compassed him about in the wilderness, and\nthe congregation of Core in their wrath.\n\n45:23. The Lord God saw and it pleased him not, and they were consumed\nin his wrathful indignation.\n\n45:24. He wrought wonders upon them, and consumed them with a flame of\nfire.\n\n45:25. And he added glory to Aaron, and gave him an inheritance, and\ndivided unto him the firstfruits of the increase of the earth.\n\n45:26. He prepared them bread in the first place unto fulness: for the\nsacrifices also of the Lord they shall eat, which he gave to him, and to\nhis seed.\n\n45:27. But he shall not inherit among the people in the land, and he\nhath no portion among the people: for he himself is his portion and\ninheritance.\n\n45:28. Phinees the son of Eleazar is the third in glory, by imitating\nhim in the fear of the Lord:\n\n45:29. And he stood up in the shameful fall of the people: in the\ngoodness and readiness of his soul he appeased God for Israel.\n\n45:30. Therefore he made to him a covenant of peace, to be the prince of\nthe sanctuary, and of his people, that the dignity of priesthood should\nbe to him and to his seed for ever.\n\n45:31. And a covenant to David the king, the son of Jesse of the tribe\nof Juda, an inheritance to him and to his seed, that he might give\nwisdom into our heart to judge his people in justice, that their good\nthings might not be abolished, and he made their glory in their nation\neverlasting.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 46\n\nThe praise of Josue, of Caleb, and of Samuel.\n\n46:1. Valiant in war was Jesus the son of Nave, who was successor of\nMoses among the prophets, who was great according to his name,\n\nJesus the son of Nave... So Josue is named in the Greek Bibles. For\nJosue and Jesus signify the same thing, viz., a saviour.\n\n46:2. Very great for the saving the elect of God, to overthrow the\nenemies that rose up against them, that he might get the inheritance for\nIsrael.\n\n46:3. How great glory did he gain when he lifted up his hands, and\nstretched out swords against the cities?\n\n46:4. Who before him hath so resisted? for the Lord himself brought the\nenemies.\n\n46:5. Was not the sun stopped in his anger, and one day made as two?\n\n46:6. He called upon the most high Sovereign when the enemies assaulted\nhim on every side, and the great and holy God heard him by hailstones of\nexceeding great force.\n\n46:7. He made a violent assault against the nation of his enemies, and\nin the descent he destroyed the adversaries.\n\nAnd in the descent... Of Beth-horon (Jos. 10.).\n\n46:8. That the nations might know his power, that it is not easy to\nfight against God. And he followed the mighty one:\n\n46:9. And in the days of Moses he did a work of mercy, he and Caleb the\nson of Jephone, in standing against the enemy, and withholding the\npeople from sins, and appeasing the wicked murmuring.\n\n46:10. And they two being appointed, were delivered out of the danger\nfrom among the number of six hundred thousand men on foot, to bring them\ninto their inheritance, into the land that floweth with milk and honey.\n\n46:11. And the Lord gave strength also to Caleb, and his strength\ncontinued even to his old age, so that he went up to the high places of\nthe land, and his seed obtained it for an inheritance:\n\n46:12. That all the children of Israel might see, that it is good to\nobey the holy God.\n\n46:13. Then all the judges, every one by name, whose heart was not\ncorrupted: who turned not away from the Lord,\n\n46:14. That their memory might be blessed, and their bones spring up out\nof their place,\n\n46:15. And their name continue for ever, the glory of the holy men\nremaining unto their children.\n\n46:16. Samuel the prophet of the Lord, the beloved of the Lord his God,\nestablished a new government, and anointed princes over his people.\n\n46:17. By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the God of\nJacob beheld, and by his fidelity he was proved a prophet.\n\n46:18. And he was known to be faithful in his words, because he saw the\nGod of light:\n\n46:19. And called upon the name of the Lord Almighty, in fighting\nagainst the enemies who beset him on every side, when he offered a lamb\nwithout blemish.\n\n46:20. And the Lord thundered from heaven, and with a great noise made\nhis voice to be heard.\n\n46:21. And he crushed the princes of the Tyrians, and all the lords of\nthe Philistines:\n\n46:22. And before the time of the end of his life in the world, he\nprotested before the Lord, and his anointed: money, or any thing else,\neven to a shoe, he had not taken of any man, and no man did accuse him.\n\n46:23. And after this he slept, and he made known to the king, and\nshewed him the end of his life, and he lifted up his voice from the\nearth in prophecy to blot out the wickedness of the nation.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 47\n\nThe praise of Nathan, of David, and of Solomon: Of his fall and\npunishment.\n\n47:1. Then Nathan the prophet arose in the days of David.\n\n47:2. And as the fat taken away from the flesh, so was David chosen from\namong the children of Israel.\n\n47:3. He played with lions as with lambs: and with bears he did in like\nmanner as with the lambs of the flock, in his youth.\n\n47:4. Did not he kill the giant, and take away reproach from his people?\n\n47:5. In lifting up his hand, with the stone in the sling he beat down\nthe boasting of Goliath:\n\n47:6. For he called upon the Lord the Almighty, and he gave strength in\nhis right hand, to take away the mighty warrior, and to set up the horn\nof his nation.\n\n47:7. So in ten thousand did he glorify him, and praised him in the\nblessings of the Lord, in offering to him a crown of glory:\n\n47:8. For he destroyed the enemies on every side, and extirpated the\nPhilistines the adversaries unto this day: he broke their horn for ever.\n\n47:9. In all his works he gave thanks to the holy one, and to the most\nHigh, with words of glory.\n\n47:10. With his whole heart he praised the Lord, and loved God that made\nhim: and he gave him power against his enemies:\n\n47:11. And he set singers before the altar, and by their voices he made\nsweet melody.\n\n47:12. And to the festivals he added beauty, and set in order the solemn\ntimes even to the end of his life, that they should praise the holy name\nof the Lord, and magnify the holiness of God in the morning.\n\n47:13. The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn for ever: and\nhe gave him a covenant of the kingdom, and a throne of glory in Israel.\n\n47:14. After him arose up a wise son, and for his sake he cast down all\nthe power of the enemies.\n\n47:15. Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God brought all his enemies\nunder him, that he might build a house in his name, and prepare a\nsanctuary for ever: O how wise wast thou in thy youth!\n\n47:16. And thou wast filled as a river with wisdom, and thy soul covered\nthe earth.\n\n47:17. And thou didst multiply riddles in parables: thy name went abroad\nto the islands far off, and thou wast beloved in thy peace.\n\n47:18. The countries wondered at thee for thy canticles, and proverbs,\nand parables, and interpretations,\n\n47:19. And at the name of the Lord God, whose surname is, God of Israel.\n\n47:20. Thou didst gather gold as copper, and didst multiply silver as\nlead,\n\n47:21. And thou didst bow thyself to women: and by thy body thou wast\nbrought under subjection.\n\n47:22. Thou hast stained thy glory, and defiled thy seed so as to bring\nwrath upon thy children, and to have thy folly kindled,\n\n47:23. That thou shouldst make the kingdom to be divided, and out of\nEphraim a rebellious kingdom to rule.\n\n47:24. But God will not leave off his mercy, and he will not destroy,\nnor abolish his own works, neither will he cut up by the roots the\noffspring of his elect: and he will not utterly take away the seed of\nhim that loveth the Lord.\n\n47:25. Wherefore he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David of the same\nstock.\n\n47:26. And Solomon had an end with his fathers.\n\n47:27. And he left behind him of his seed, the folly of the nation,\n\n47:28. Even Roboam that had little wisdom, who turned away the people\nthrough his counsel:\n\n47:29. And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who caused Israel to sin, and\nshewed Ephraim the way of sin, and their sins were multiplied\nexceedingly.\n\n47:30. They removed them far away from their land.\n\n47:31. And they sought out all iniquities, till vengeance came upon\nthem, and put an end to all their sins.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapte 48\n\nThe praise of Elias, of Eliseus, of Ezechias, and of Isaias.\n\n48:1. And Elias the prophet stood up, as a fire, and his word burnt like\na torch.\n\n48:2. He brought a famine upon them, and they that provoked him in their\nenvy, were reduced to a small number, for they could not endure the\ncommandments of the Lord.\n\n48:3. By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and he brought down\nfire from heaven thrice.\n\n48:4. Thus was Elias magnified in his wondrous works. And who can glory\nlike to thee?\n\n48:5. Who raisedst up a dead man from below, from the lot of death, by\nthe word of the Lord God.\n\n48:6. Who broughtest down kings to destruction, and brokest easily their\npower in pieces, and the glorious from their bed.\n\n48:7. Who heardest judgment in Sina, and in Horeb the judgments of\nvengeance.\n\n48:8. Who anointedst kings to penance, and madest prophets successors\nafter thee.\n\n48:9. Who wast taken up in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot of fiery\nhorses.\n\n48:10. Who art registered in the judgments of times to appease the wrath\nof the Lord, to reconcile the heart of the father to the son, and to\nrestore the tribes of Jacob.\n\n48:11. Blessed are they that saw thee, and were honoured with thy\nfriendship.\n\n48:12. For we live only in our life, but after death our name shall not\nbe such.\n\n48:13. Elias was indeed covered with the whirlwind, and his spirit was\nfilled up in Eliseus: in his days he feared not the prince, and no man\nwas more powerful than he.\n\n48:14. No word could overcome him, and after death his body prophesied.\n\n48:15. In his life he did great wonders, and in death he wrought\nmiracles.\n\n48:16. For all this the people repented not, neither did they depart\nfrom their sins till they were cast out of their land, and were\nscattered through all the earth.\n\n48:17. And there was left but a small people, and a prince in the house\nof David.\n\n48:18. Some of these did that which pleased God: but others committed\nmany sins.\n\n48:19. Ezechias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst\nthereof, and he digged a rock with iron, and made a well for water.\n\n48:20. In his days Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up\nhis hand against them, and he stretched out his hand against Sion, and\nbecame proud through his power.\n\n48:21. Then their hearts and hands trembled, and they were in pain as\nwomen in travail.\n\n48:22. And they called upon the Lord who is merciful, and spreading\ntheir hands, they lifted them up to heaven: and the holy Lord God\nquickly heard their voice.\n\n48:23. He was not mindful of their sins, neither did he deliver them up\nto their enemies, but he purified them by the hand of Isaias, the holy\nprophet.\n\n48:24. He overthrew the army of the Assyrians, and the angel of the Lord\ndestroyed them.\n\n48:25. For Ezechias did that which pleased God, and walked valiantly in\nthe way of David his father, which Isaias, the great prophet, and\nfaithful in the sight of God, had commanded him.\n\n48:26. In his days the sun wen backward, and he lengthened the king's\nlife.\n\n48:27. With a great spirit he saw the things that are to come to pass at\nlast, and comforted the mourners in Sion.\n\n48:28. He showed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things\nbefore they came.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 49\n\nThe praise of Josias, of Jeremias, Ezechiel, and the twelve prophets.\nAlso of Zorobabel, Jesus the son of Josedech, Nehemias, Enoch, Joseph,\nSeth, Sem, and Adam.\n\n49:1. The memory of Josias is like the composition of a sweet smell made\nby the art of a perfumer:\n\n49:2. His remembrance shall be sweet as honey in every mouth, and as\nmusic at a banquet of wine.\n\n49:3. He was directed by God unto the repentance of the nation, and he\ntook away the abominations of wickedness.\n\n49:4. And he directed his heart towards the Lord, and in the days of\nsinners he strengthened godliness.\n\n49:5. Except David, and Ezechias and Josias, all committed sin.\n\n49:6. For the kings of Juda forsook the law of the most High, and\ndespised the fear of God.\n\n49:7. So they gave their kingdom to others, and their glory to a strange\nnation,\n\n49:8. They burnt the chosen city of holiness, and made the streets\nthereof desolate according to the prediction of Jeremias.\n\n49:9. For they treated him evil, who was consecrated a prophet from his\nmother's womb, to overthrow, and pluck up, and destroy, and to build\nagain, and renew.\n\n49:10. It was Ezechiel that saw the glorious vision, which was shewn him\nupon the chariot of cherubims.\n\n49:11. For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of rain, and\nof doing good to them that shewed right ways.\n\n49:12. And may the bones of the twelve prophets spring up out of their\nplace: for they strengthened Jacob, and redeemed themselves by strong\nfaith.\n\n49:13. How shall we magnify Zorobabel? for he was as a signet on the\nright hand;\n\n49:14. In like manner Jesus the son of Josedec who in their days built\nthe house, and set up a holy temple to the Lord, prepared for\neverlasting glory.\n\n49:15. And let Nehemias be a long time remembered, who raised up for us\nour walls that were cast down, and set up the gates and the bars, who\nrebuilt our houses.\n\n49:16. No man was born upon earth like Henoch: for he also was taken up\nfrom the earth.\n\n49:17. Nor as Joseph, who was a man born prince of his brethren, the\nsupport of his family, the ruler of his brethren, the stay of the\npeople:\n\n49:18. And his bones were visited, and after death they prophesied.\n\nThey prophesied... That is, by their being carried out of Egypt they\nverified the prophetic prediction of Joseph. Gen. 50.\n\n49:19. Seth and Sem obtained glory among men: and above every soul Adam\nin the beginning,\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 50\n\nThe praises of Simon the high priest. The conclusion.\n\n50:1. Simon the high priest, the son of Onias, who in his life propped\nup the house, and in his days fortified the temple.\n\n50:2. By him also the height of the temple was founded, the double\nbuilding and the high walls of the temple.\n\n50:3. In his days the wells of water flowed out, and they were filled as\nthe sea above measure.\n\n50:4. He took care of his nation, and delivered it from destruction.\n\n50:5. He prevailed to enlarge the city, and obtained glory in his\nconversation with the people: and enlarged the entrance of the house and\nthe court.\n\n50:6. He shone in his days as the morning star in the midst of a cloud,\nand as the moon at the full.\n\n50:7. And as the sun when it shineth, so did he shine in the temple of\nGod.\n\n50:8. And as the rainbow giving light in bright clouds, and as the\nflower of roses in the days of the spring, and as the lilies that are on\nthe brink of the water, and as the sweet smelling frankincense in the\ntime of summer.\n\n50:9. As a bright fire, and frankincense burning in the fire.\n\n50:10. As a massy vessel of gold, adorned with every precious stone.\n\n50:11. As an olive tree budding forth, and a cypress tree rearing itself\non high, when he put on the robe of glory, and was clothed with the\nperfection of power.\n\nClothed with the perfection of power... That is, with all the vestments\ndenoting his dignity and authority.\n\n50:12. When he went up to the holy altar, he honoured the vesture of\nholiness.\n\n50:13. And when he took the portions out of the hands of the priests, he\nhimself stood by the altar. And about him was the ring of his brethren:\nand as the cedar planted in mount Libanus,\n\n50:14. And as branches of palm trees, they stood round about him, and\nall the sons of Aaron in their glory.\n\n50:15. And the oblation of the Lord was in their hands, before all the\ncongregation of Israel: and finishing his service, on the altar, to\nhonour the offering of the most high King,\n\n50:16. He stretched forth his hand to make a libation, and offered of\nthe blood of the grape.\n\n50:17. He poured out at the foot of the altar a divine odour to the most\nhigh Prince.\n\n50:18. Then the sons of Aaron shouted, they sounded with beaten\ntrumpets, and made a great noise to be heard for a remembrance before\nGod.\n\n50:19. Then all the people together made haste, and fell down to the\nearth upon their faces, to adore the Lord their God, and to pray to the\nAlmighty God the most High.\n\n50:20. And the singers lifted up their voices, and in the great house\nthe sound of sweet melody was increased.\n\n50:21. And the people in prayer besought the Lord the most High, until\nthe worship of the Lord was perfected, and they had finished their\noffice.\n\n50:22. Then coming down, he lifted up his hands over all the\ncongregation of the children of Israel, to give glory to God with his\nlips, and to glory in his name:\n\n50:23. And he repeated his prayer, willing to shew the power of God.\n\n50:24. And now pray ye to the God of all, who hath done great things in\nall the earth, who hath increased our days from our mother's womb, and\nhath done with us according to his mercy.\n\n50:25. May he grant us joyfulness of heart, and that there be peace in\nour days in Israel for ever:\n\n50:26. That Israel may believe that the mercy of God is with us, to\ndeliver us in his days.\n\n50:27. There are two nations which my soul abhorreth: and the third is\nno nation: which I hate:\n\nAbhorreth... Viz., with a holy indignation, as enemies of God and\npersecutors of his people. Such were then the Edomites who abode in\nmount Seir, the Philistines, and the Samaritans who dwelt in Sichem, and\nhad their schismatical temple in that neighbourhood.\n\n50:28. They that sit on mount Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish\npeople that dwell in Sichem.\n\n50:29. Jesus the son of Sirach, of Jerusalem, hath written in this book\nthe doctrine of wisdom and instruction, who renewed wisdom from his\nheart.\n\n50:30. Blessed is he that is conversant in these good things and he that\nlayeth them up in his heart, shall be wise always.\n\n50:31. For if he do them, he shall be strong to do all things: because\nthe light of God guideth his steps.\n\nEcclesiasticus Chapter 51\n\nA prayer of praise and thanksgiving.\n\n51:1. A prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. I will give glory to thee, O\nLord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my Saviour.\n\n51:2. I will give glory to thy name: for thou hast been a helper and\nprotector to me.\n\n51:3. And hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an\nunjust tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the\nsight of them that stood by, thou hast been my helper.\n\n51:4. And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the\nmercy of thy name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour.\n\n51:5. Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates\nof afflictions, which compassed me about:\n\n51:6. From the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the\nmidst of the fire I was not burnt.\n\n51:7. From the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue,\nand from lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue:\n\n51:8. My soul shall praise the Lord even to death.\n\n51:9. And my life was drawing near to hell beneath.\n\n51:10. They compassed me on every side, and there was no one that would\nhelp me. I looked for the succour of men, and there was none.\n\n51:11. I remembered thy mercy, O Lord, and thy works, which are from the\nbeginning of the world.\n\n51:12. How thou deliverest them that wait for thee, O Lord, and savest\nthem out of the hands of the nations.\n\n51:13. Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have\nprayed for death to pass away.\n\n51:14. I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not\nleave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without\nhelp.\n\n51:15. I will praise thy name continually, and will praise it with\nthanksgiving, and my prayer was heard.\n\n51:16. And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me\nfrom the evil time.\n\n51:17. Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name\nof the Lord.\n\n51:18. When I was yet young, before I wandered about, I sought for\nwisdom openly in my prayer.\n\n51:19. I prayed for her before the temple, and unto the very end I will\nseek after her, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.\n\n51:20. My heart delighted in her, my foot walked in the right way, from\nmy youth up I sought after her.\n\n51:21. I bowed down my ear a little, and received her.\n\n51:22. I found much wisdom in myself, and profited much therein.\n\n51:23. To him that giveth me wisdom, will I give glory.\n\n51:24. For I have determined to follow her: I have had a zeal for good,\nand shall not be confounded.\n\n51:25. My soul hath wrestled for her, and in doing it I have been\nconfirmed.\n\n51:26. I stretched forth my hands on high, and I bewailed my ignorance\nof her.\n\n51:27. I directed my soul to her, and in knowledge I found her.\n\n51:28. I possessed my heart with her from the beginning: therefore I\nshall not be forsaken.\n\n51:29. My entrails were troubled in seeking her: therefore shall I\npossess a good possession.\n\n51:30. The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward: and with it I will\npraise him.\n\n51:31. Draw near to me, ye unlearned, and gather yourselves together\ninto the hours of discipline.\n\n51:32. Why are ye slow and what do you say of these things? your souls\nare exceeding thirsty.\n\n51:33. I have opened my mouth, and have spoken: buy her for yourselves\nwithout silver,\n\n51:34. And submit your neck to the yoke, and let your soul receive\ndiscipline: for she is near at hand to be found.\n\n51:35. Behold with your eyes how I have laboured a little, and have\nfound much rest to myself.\n\n51:36. Receive ye discipline as a great sum of money, and possess\nabundance of gold by her.\n\n51:37. Let your soul rejoice in his mercy and you shall not be\nconfounded in his praise.\n\n51:38. Work your work before the time, and he will give you your reward\nin his time.","title":"The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 26: Ecclesiasticus: The Challoner Revision","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":34749}