THE HOLY
BIBLE
Douay-Rheims Version
THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTICUS THE PROLOGUE
THE knowledge of many and great things hath been shewn us
by the law, and the prophets, and others that have followed
them: for which things Israel is to be commended for doctrine
and wisdom, because not only they that speak must needs be
skilful, but strangers also, both speaking and writing, may by
their means become most learned. My grandfather Jesus, after
he had much given himself to a diligent reading of the law,
and the prophets, and other books, that were delivered to us
from our fathers, had a mind also to write something himself,
pertaining to doctrine and wisdom: that such as are desirous
to learn, and are made knowing in these things, may be more
and more attentive in mind, and be strengthened to live
according to the law. I entreat you therefore to come with
benevolence, and to read with attention, and to pardon us for
those things wherein we may seem, while we follow the image of
wisdom, to come short in the composition of words; for the
Hebrew words have not the same force in them when translated
into another tongue. And not only these, but the law also
itself, and the prophets, and the rest of the books, have no
small difference, when they are spoken in their own language.
For in the eight and thirtieth year coming into Egypt, when
Ptolemy Evergetes was king, and continuing there a long time,
I found there books left, of no small nor contemptible
learning. Therefore I thought it good, and necessary for me to
bestow some diligence and labour to interpret this book; and
with much watching and study in some space of time, I brought
the book to an end, and set it forth for the service of them
that are willing to apply their mind, and to learn how they
ought to conduct themselves, who purpose to lead their life
according to the law of the Lord.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 1
ALL wisdom is from the Lord God, and hath been always with
him, and is before all time.
2 Who hath numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of
rain, and the days of the world? Who hath measured the
height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the
depth of the abyss?
3 Who hath searched out the wisdom of God that goeth before
all things?
4 Wisdom hath been created before all things, and the
understanding of prudence from everlasting.
5 The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom, and her
ways are everlasting commandments.
6 To whom hath the root of wisdom been revealed, and who
hath known her wise counsels?
7 To whom hath the discipline of wisdom been revealed and
made manifest? and who hath understood the multiplicity of
her steps?
8 There is one most high Creator Almighty, and a powerful
king, and greatly to be feared, who sitteth upon his
throne, and is the God of dominion.
9 He created her in the Holy Ghost, and saw her, and
numbered her, and measured her.
10 And he poured her out upon all his works, and upon all
flesh according to his gift, and hath given her to them
that love him.
11 The fear of the Lord is honour, and glory, and gladness,
and a crown of joy.
12 The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall
give joy, and gladness, and length of days.
13 With him that feareth the Lord, it shall go well in the
latter end, and in the day of his death he shall be
blessed.
14 The love of God is honourable wisdom.
15 Ana they to whom she shall shew herself love her by the
sight, and by the knowledge of her great works.
16 The fear of the Lord Is the beginning of wisdom, and was
created with the faithful in the womb, it walketh with
chosen women, and is known with the just and faithful.
17 The fear of the Lord is the religiousness of knowledge.
18 Religiousness shall keep and justify the heart, it shall
give joy and gladness.
19 It shall go well with him that feareth the Lord, and in
the days of his end he shall be blessed.
20 To fear God is the fulness of wisdom, and fulness is from
the fruits thereof.
21 She shall fill all her house with her increase, and the
storehouses with her treasures.
22 The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, filling up
peace and the fruit of salvation:
23 And it hath seen, and numbered her: but both are the gifts
of God.
24 Wisdom shall distribute knowledge, and understanding of
prudence: and exalteth the glory of them that hold her.
25 The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord: and the branches
thereof are longlived.
26 In the treasures of wisdom is understanding, and
religiousness of knowledge: but to sinners wisdom is an
abomination.
27 The fear of the Lord driveth out sin:
28 For he that is without fear, cannot be justified: for the
wrath of his high spirits is his ruin.
29 A patient man shall bear for a time, and afterwards joy
shall be restored to him.
30 A good understanding will hide his words for a time, and
the lips of many shall declare his wisdom.
31 In the treasures of wisdom is the signification of
discipline:
32 But the worship of God is an abomination to a sinner.
33 Son, if thou desire wisdom, keep justice, and God will
give her to thee.
34 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline: and
that which is agreeable to him,
35 Is faith, and meekness: and he will fill up his treasures.
36 Be not incredulous to the fear of the Lord: and come not
to him with a double heart.
37 Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, and let not thy
lips be a stumblingblock to thee.
38 Watch over them, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon
thy soul,
39 And God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the
midst of the congregation.
40 Because thou camest to the Lord wickedly, and thy heart is
full of guile and deceit.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 2
SON, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice
and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation.
2 Humble thy heart, and endure: incline thy ear, and receive
the words of understanding: and make not haste in the time
of clouds.
3 Wait on God with patience: join thyself to God, and
endure, that thy life may be increased in the latter end.
4 Take all that shall be brought upon thee: and in thy
sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience.
5 For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable
men in the furnace of humiliation.
6 Believe God, and he will recover thee: and direct thy way,
and trust in him. Keep his fear, and grow old therein.
7 Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy: and go not
aside from him, lest ye fall.
8 Ye that fear the Lord, believe him: and your reward shall
not be made void.
9 Ye that fear the Lord, hope in him: and mercy shall come
to you for your delight.
10 Ye that fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts shall be
enlightened.
11 My children behold the generations of men: and know ye
that no one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been
confounded.
12 For who hath continued in his commandment, and hath been
forsaken? or who hath called upon him, and he despised
him?
13 For God is compassionate and merciful, and will forgive
sins in the day of tribulation: and he is a protector to
all that seek him in truth.
14 Woe to them that are of a double heart and to wicked lips,
and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner that
goeth on the earth two ways.
15 Woe to them that are fainthearted, who believe not God:
and therefore they shall not be protected by him.
16 Woe to them that have lost patience, and that have
forsaken the right ways, and have gone aside into crooked
ways.
17 And what will they do, when the Lord shall begin to
examine?
18 They that fear the Lord, will not be incredulous to his
word: and they that love him, will keep his way.
19 They that fear the Lord, will seek after the things that
are well pleasing to him: and they that love him, shall be
filled with his law.
20 They that fear the Lord, will prepare their hearts, and in
his sight will sanctify their souls.
21 They that fear the Lord, keep his Commandments, and will
have patience even until his visitation,
22 Saying: If we do not penance, we shall fall into the hands
of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.
23 For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with
him.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 3
THE sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their
generation, obedience and love.
2 Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that
you may be saved.
3 For God hath made the father honourable to the children:
and seeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it
upon the children.
4 He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sine by
prayer, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be
heard in the prayer of days.
5 And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up
a treasure.
6 He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own
children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.
7 He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and
he that obeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his
mother.
8 He that feareth the Lord, honoureth his parents, and will
serve them as his masters that brought him into the world.
9 Honour thy father, in work and word, and all patience,
10 That a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his
blessing may remain in the latter end.
11 The father's blessing establisheth the houses of the
children: but the mother's curse rooteth up the
foundation.
12 Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is
no glory to thee.
13 For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father,
and a father without honour is the disgrace of the son.
14 Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not
in his life;
15 And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and
despise him not when thou art in thy strength: for the
relieving of the father shall not be for- gotten.
16 For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy
mother.
17 And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of
affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sine shall
melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather.
18 Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and
he is cursed of God that angereth his mother.
19 My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be
beloved above the glory of men.
20 The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all
things, and thou shalt find grace before God:
21 For great is the power of God alone, and he is honoured by
the humble.
22 Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search
not into things above thy ability: but the things that God
hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of
his works be not curious.
23 For it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes
those things that are hid.
24 In unnecessary matters be not over curious, and in many of
his works thou shalt not be inquisitive.
25 For many things are shewn to thee above the understanding
of men.
26 And the suspicion of them hath deceived many, and hath
detained their minds in vanity.
27 A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that
loveth danger shall perish in it.
28 A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and
the perverse of heart shall be scandalized therein.
29 A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner
will add sin to sin.
30 The congregation of the proud shall not be healed: for the
plant of wickedness shall take root in them, and it shall
not be perceived.
31 The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good
ear will hear wisdom with all desire.
32 A wise heart, and which hath under- standing, will abstain
from sine, and in the works of justice shall have success.
33 Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins:
34 And God provideth for him that sheweth favour: he
remembereth him afterwards, and in the time of his fall he
shall find a sure stay.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 4
SON, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes
from the poor.
2 Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the Boor in
his want.
3 Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to give
to him that is in distress.
4 Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not
away thy face from the needy.
5 Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger:
and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee
behind thy back.
6 For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness
of his soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will
hear him.
7 Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and
humble thy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a
great man.
8 Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou
owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness.
9 Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the
proud: and be not fainthearted in thy soul.
10 In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and
as a husband to their mother.
11 And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High,
and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother.
12 Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth
them that seek after her, and will go before them in the
way of justice.
13 And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch
for her, shall embrace her sweetness.
14 They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and
whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing.
15 They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one:
and God loveth them that love her.
16 He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he
that looketh upon her, shall remain secure.
17 If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his
generation shall be in assurance.
18 For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first
she chooseth him.
19 She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she
will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline,
till she try him by her laws, and trust his soul.
20 Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to
him, and give him joy,
21 And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon
him treasures of knowledge and understanding of justice.
22 But if he go astray, she will forsake him, and deliver him
into the hands of his enemy.
23 Son, observe the time, and fly from evil.
24 For thy soul be not ashamed to say the truth.
25 For there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a
shame that bringeth glory and grace.
26 Accept no person against thy own person, nor against thy
soul a lie.
27 Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall:
28 And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide
not thy wisdom in her beauty.
29 For by the tongue wisdom is discerned: and understanding,
and knowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and
steadfastness in the works of justice.
30 In nowise speak against the truth, but be ashamed of the
lie of thy ignorance.
31 Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but submit not thyself
to every man for sin.
32 Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not
strive against the stream of the river.
33 Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight
for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee.
34 Be not hasty in thy tongue: and slack and remiss in thy
works.
35 Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy
household, and oppressing them that are under thee.
36 Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut
when thou shouldst give.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 5
SET not thy heart upon unjust possessions, and say not: I have
enough to live on: for it shall be of no service in the time
of vengeance and darkness.
2 Follow not in thy strength the desires of thy heart:
3 And say not: How mighty am I? and who shall bring me under
for my deeds? for God will surely take revenge.
4 Say not: I have sinned, and whet harm hath befallen me?
for the most High is a patient rewarder.
5 Be not without fear about sin forgiven, and add not sin
upon sin:
6 And say not: The mercy of the Lord is great, he will have
mercy on the multitude of my sins.
7 For mercy and wrath quickly come from him, and his wrath
looketh upon sinners.
8 Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not
from day to day.
9 For his wrath shall come on a sudden, and in the time of
vengeance he will destroy thee.
10 Be not anxious for goods unjustly gotten: for they shall
not profit thee in the day of calamity and revenge.
11 Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for
so is every sinner proved by a double tongue.
12 Be steadfast in the way of the Lord, and in the truth of
thy judgment, and in knowledge, and let the word of peace
and justice keep with thee.
13 Be meek to hear the word, that thou mayst understand: and
return a true answer with wisdom.
14 If thou have understanding, answer thy neighbour: but if
not, let thy hand be upon thy mouth, lest thou be
surprised in an unskilful word, and be confounded.
15 Honour and glory is in the word of the wise, but the
tongue of the fool is his ruin.
16 Be not called a whisperer, and be not taken in thy tongue,
and confounded.
17 For confusion and repentance is upon a thief, and an evil
mark of disgrace upon the double tongued, but to the
whisperer hatred, and enmity, and reproach.
18 Justify alike the small and the great.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 6
INSTEAD of a friend become not an enemy to thy neighbour: for
an evil man shall inherit reproach and shame, so shall every
sinner that is envious and double tongued.
2 Extol not thyself in the thoughts of thy soul like a bull:
lest thy strength be quashed by folly,
3 And it eat up thy leaves, and destroy thy fruit: and thou
be left as a dry tree in the wilderness.
4 For a wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and
maketh him to be a joy to his enemies, and shall lead him
into the lot of the wicked.
5 A sweet word multiplieth friends, and appeaseth enemies,
and a gracious tongue in a good man aboundeth.
6 Be in peace with many, but let one of a thousand be thy
counsellor.
7 If thou wouldst get a friend, try him before thou takest
him, and do not credit him easily.
8 For there is a friend for his own occasion, and he will
not abide in the day of thy trouble.
9 And there is a friend that turneth to enmity; and there is
a friend that will disclose hatred and strife and
reproaches.
10 And there is a friend a companion at the table, and he
will not abide in the day of distress.
11 A friend ii he continue steadfast, shall be to thee as
thyself, and shall act with confidence among them of thy
household.
12 If he humble himself before thee, and hide himself from
thy face, thou shalt have unanimous friendship for good.
13 Separate thyself from thy enemies, and take heed of thy
friends.
14 A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath
found him, hath found a treasure.
15 Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend, and no
weight of gold and silver is able to countervail the
goodness of his fidelity.
16 A faithful friend is the medicine of life and immortality:
and they that fear the Lord, shall find him.
17 He that feareth God, shall likewise have good friendship:
because according to him shall his friend be.
18 My son, from thy youth up receive instruction, and even to
thy grey hairs thou shalt find wisdom.
19 Come to her as one that plougheth, and soweth, and wait
for her good fruits:
20 For in working about her thou shalt labour a little, and
shalt quickly eat of her fruits.
21 How very unpleasant is wisdom to the unlearned, and the
unwise will not continue with her.
22 She shall be to them as a mighty stone of trial, and they
will cast her from them before it be long.
23 For the wisdom of doctrine is according to her name, and
she is not manifest unto many, but with them to whom she
is known, she continueth even to the sight of God.
24 Give ear, my son, and take wise counsel, and cast not away
my advice.
25 Put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her
chains:
26 Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved
with her bands.
27 Come to her with all thy mind, and keep her ways with all
thy power.
28 Search for her, and she shall be made known to thee, and
when thou hast gotten her, let her not go:
29 For in the latter end thou shalt find rest in her, and she
shall be turned to thy joy.
30 Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and
a firm foundation, and her chain a robe of glory:
31 For in her is the beauty of life, and her bands are a
healthful binding.
32 Thou shalt put her on as a robe of glory, and thee shalt
set her upon thee as a crown of joy.
33 My son, if thou wilt attend to me, thou shalt learn: and
if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be wise.
34 If thou wilt incline thy ear, thou shalt receive
instruction: and if thou love to hear, thou shalt be wise.
35 Stand in the multitude of ancients that are wise, and join
thyself from thy heart to their wisdom, that thou mayst
hear every discourse of God, and the sayings of praise may
not escape thee.
36 And if thou see a man of understanding, go to him early in
the morning, and let thy foot wear the steps of his doors.
37 Let thy thoughts be upon the precepts of God, and meditate
continually on his commandments: and he will give thee a
heart, and the desire of wisdom shall be given thee.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 7
DO no evils, and no evils shall lay hold of thee.
2 Depart from the unjust, and evils shall depart from thee.
3 My son, sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and
thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.
4 Seek not of the Lord a pre-eminence, nor of the king the
seat of honour.
5 Justify not thyself before God, for he knoweth the heart:
and desire not to appear wise before the king.
6 Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength
enough to extirpate iniquities: lest thou fear the person
of the powerful, and lay a stumblingblock for thy
integrity.
7 Offend not against the multitude of a city, neither cast
thyself in upon the people,
8 Nor bind sin to sin: for even in one thou shalt not be
unpunished.
9 Be not fainthearted in thy mind:
10 Neglect not to pray, and to give alms.
11 Say not: God will have respect to the multitude of my
gifts, and when I offer to the most high God, he will
accept my offerings.
12 Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for
there is one that humbleth and exalteth, God who seeth
13 Devise not a lie against thy brother: neither do the like
against thy friend.
14 Be not willing to make any manner of lie: for the custom
thereof is not good.
15 Be not full of words in a multitude of ancients, and
repeat not the word in thy prayer.
16 Hate not laborious works, nor husbandry ordained by the
most High.
17 Number not thyself among the multitude of the disorderly.
18 Remember wrath, for it will not tarry long.
19 Humble thy spirit very much: for the vengeance on the
flesh of the ungodly is fire and worms.
20 Do not transgress against thy friend deferring money, nor
despise thy dear brother for the sake of gold.
21 Depart not from a wise and good wife, whom thou best
gotten in the fear of the Lord: for the grace of her
modesty is above gold.
22 Hurt not the servant that worketh faithfully, nor the
hired man that giveth thee his life.
23 Let a wise servant be dear to thee as thy own soul,
defraud him not of liberty, nor leave him needy.
24 Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for
thy profit, keep them with thee.
25 Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck
from their childhood.
26 Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew
not thy countenance gay towards them.
27 Marry thy daughter well, and then shalt do a great work,
and give her to a wise man.
28 If thou hast a wife according to thy soul, cast her not
off: and to her that is hateful, trust not thyself. With
thy whole heart,
29 Honour thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy
mother:
30 Remember that thou hadst not been born but through them:
and make a return to them as they have done for thee.
31 With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his
priests.
32 With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake
not his ministers.
33 Honour God with all thy soul, and give honour to the
priests, and purify thyself with thy arms.
34 Give them their portion, as it is commanded thee, of the
firstfruits and of purifications: and for thy negligences
purify thyself with a few.
35 Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the
sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the
holy things:
38 And stretch out thy hand to the poor, that thy expiation
and thy blessing may be perfected.
37 A gift hath grace in the sight of all the living, and
restrain not grace from the dead.
38 Be not wanting in comforting them that weep, and walk with
them that mourn.
39 Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou
shalt be confirmed in love.
40 In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt
never sin.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 8
STRIVE not with a powerful man, lest thou fall into his hands.
2 Contend not with a rich man, lest he bring an action
against thee.
3 For gold and silver hath destroyed many, and hath reached
even to the heart of kings, and perverted them.
4 Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not
wood upon his fire.
5 Communicate not with an ignorant man, lest he speak ill of
thy family.
6 Despise not a man that turneth away from sin, nor reproach
him therewith: remember that we are all worthy of reproof.
7 Despise not a man in his old age; for we also shall become
old.
8 Rejoice not at the death of thy enemy; knowing that we all
die, and are not willing that others should rejoice at our
death.
9 Despise not the discourse of them that are ancient and
wise, but acquaint thyself with their proverbs.
10 For of them thou shalt learn wisdom, and instruction of
understanding, and to serve great men without blame.
11 Let not the discourse of the ancients escape thee, for
they have learned of their fathers:
12 For of them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give an
answer in time of need.
13 Kindle not the coals of sinners by rebuking them, lest
thou be burnt with the flame of the fire of their sins.
14 Stand not against the face of an injurious person, lest he
sit as a spy to entrap thee in thy words.
15 Lend not to a man that is mightier than thyself: and if
thou lendest, count it as lost.
16 Be not surety above thy power: and if thou be surety,
think as if thou wert to pay it.
17 Judge not against a judge: for he judgeth according to
that which is just.
18 Go not on the way with a bold man, lest he burden thee
with his evils: for he goeth according to his own will,
and thou shalt perish together with his folly.
19 Quarrel not with a passionate man, and go not into the
desert with a bold man: for blood is as nothing in his
sight, and where there is no help he will overthrow thee.
20 Advise not with fools, for they cannot love but such
things as please them.
21 Before a stranger do no matter of counsel: for thou
knowest not what he will bring forth.
22 Open not thy heart to every man: lest he repay thee with
an evil turn, and speak reproachfully to thee.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 9
BE not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, lest she shew in
thy regard the malice of a wicked lesson.
2 Give not the power of thy soul to a woman, lest she enter
upon thy strength, and thou be confounded.
3 Look not upon a woman that hath a mind for many: lest thou
fall into her snares.
4 Use not much the company of her that is a dancer, and
hearken not to her, lest thou perish by the force of her
charms.
5 Gaze not upon a maiden, lest her beauty be a
stumblingblock to thee.
6 Give not thy soul to harlots in any point: lest thou
destroy thyself and thy inheritance.
7 Look not round about thee in the of the city, nor wander
up and down in the streets thereof.
8 Turn away thy face from a woman dressed up, and gaze not
about upon another's beauty.
9 For many have perished by the beauty of a woman, and
hereby lust is enkindled as a fire.
10 Every woman that is a harlot, shall be trodden upon as
dung in the way.
11 Many by admiring the beauty of another man's wife, have
become reprobate, for her conversation burneth as fire.
12 Sit not at all with another man's wife, nor repose upon
the bed with her:
13 And strive not with her over wine, lest thy heart decline
towards her, and by thy blood thou fall into destruction.
14 Forsake not an old friend, for the new will not be like to
him.
15 A new friend is as new wine: it shall grow old, and thou
shalt drink it with pleasure.
16 Envy not the glory and riches of a sinner: for thou
knowest not what his ruin shall be.
17 Be not pleased with the wrong done by the unjust, knowing
that even to hell the wicked shall not please.
18 Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill, so
thou shalt not suspect the fear of death.
19 And if thou come to him, commit no fault, lest he take
away thy life.
20 Know it to be a communication with death: for thou art
going in the midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of
them that are grieved:
21 According to thy power beware of thy neighbor, and treat
with the wise and prudent.
22 Let just men be thy guests, and let thy glory be in the
fear of God.
23 And let the thought of God be in thy mind, and all thy
discourse on the commandments of the Highest.
24 Works shall be praised for the hand of the artificers, and
the prince of the people for the wisdom of his speech, but
word of the ancients for the sense.
25 A man full of tongue is terrible in his city, and he that
is rash in his word shall be hateful.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 10
A WISE judge shall judge his people, and the government of a
prudent man shall be steady.
2 As the judge of the people is himself, so also are his
ministers: and what manner of man the ruler of a city is,
such also are they that dwell therein.
3 An unwise king shall be the ruin of his people: and cities
shall be inhabited through the prudence of the rulers.
4 The power of the earth is in the hand of God, and in his
time he will raise up a profitable ruler over it.
5 The prosperity of man is in the hand of God, and upon the
person of the scribe he shall lay his honour.
6 Remember not any injury done thee by thy neighbour, and do
thou nothing by deeds of injury.
7 Pride is hateful before God and men: and ah iniquity of
nations is execrable.
8 A kingdom is translated from one people to another,
because of injustices, and wrongs, and injuries, and
divers deceits.
9 But nothing is more wicked than the covetous man. Why is
earth and ashes proud?
10 There is not a more wicked thing than to love money: for
such a one setteth even his own soul to sale: because
while he liveth he hath cast away his bowels.
11 All power is of short life. A long sickness is troublesome
to the physician.
12 The physician cutteth off it short sickness: so also a
king is to day, and to morrow he shall die.
13 For when a man shall die, he shall inherit serpents, end
beasts, and worms.
14 The beginning of the pride of man, is to fall off from
God:
15 Because his heart is departed from him that made him: for
pride is the beginning of all sin: be that holdeth it,
shall be filled with maledictions, and it shall ruin him
in the end.
16 Therefore hath the Lord disgraced the assemblies of the
wicked, and hath utterly destroyed them.
17 God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes, and hath
set up the meek in their stead.
18 God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and
hath planted the humble of these nations.
19 The Lord hath overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and
hath destroyed them even to the foundation.
20 He hath made some of them to wither away, and hath
destroyed them, and hath made the memory of them to cease
from the earth.
21 God hath abolished the memory of the proud, and hath
preserved the memory of them that are humble in mind.
22 Pride was not made for men: nor wrath for the race of
women.
23 That seed of men shall be honoured, which feareth God: but
that seed shall be dishonoured, which transgresseth the
commandments of the Lord.
24 In the midst of brethren their chief is honourable: so
shall they that fear the Lord, be in his eyes.
25 The fear of God is the glory of the rich, and of the
honourable, and of the poor:
26 Despise not a just man that is poor, and do not magnify a
sinful man that is rich.
27 The great man, and the judge, and the mighty is in honour:
and there is none greater than he that feareth God.
28 They that are free shall serve a servant that is wise: and
a man that is prudent and well instructed will not murmur
when he is reproved; and he that is ignorant, shall not be
honoured.
29 Extol not thyself in doing thy work, and linger not in the
time of distress:
30 Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things,
than he that boasteth himself and wanteth bread.
31 My son, keep thy soul in meekness, and give it honour
according to its desert.
32 Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul?
and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own soul?
33 The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear: and
there is a man that is honoured for his wealth.
34 But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in
wealth? and he that is glorified in wealth, let him fear
poverty.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 11
THE wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, and shall make
him sit in the midst of great men.
2 Praise not a man for his beauty, neither despise a man for
his look.
3 The bee is small among flying things, but her fruit hath
the chiefest sweetness.
4 Glory not in apparel at any time, and be not exalted in
the day of thy honour: for the works of the Highest only
are wonderful, and his works are glorious, and secret, end
hidden.
5 Many tyrants have sat on the throne, and he whom no man
would think on, hath worn the crown.
6 Many mighty men have been greatly brought down, and the
glorious have been delivered into the hand of others.
7 Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast
inquired, reprove justly.
8 Before thou hear, answer not a word: and interrupt not
others in the midst of their discourse.
9 Strive not in a matter which doth not concern thee, and
sit not in judgment with sinners.
10 My son, meddle not with many matters: and if thou be rich,
thou shalt not be free from sin: for if thou pursue after
thou shalt not overtake: and if thou run before thou shalt
not escape.
11 There is an ungodly man that laboureth, and maketh haste,
and is in sorrow, and is so much the more in want.
12 Again, there is an inactive man that wanteth help, is very
weak in ability, and full of poverty:
13 Yet the eye of God hath looked upon him for good, and hath
lifted him up from his low estate, and hath exalted his
head: and many have wondered at him, and have glorified
God.
14 Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches,
are from God.
15 Wisdom and discipline, and the knowledge of the law are
with God. Love and the ways of good things are with him
16 Error and darkness are created with sinners: and they that
glory in evil things, grow old in evil.
17 The gift of God abideth with the just, and his advancement
shall have success for ever.
18 There is one that is enriched by living sparingly, and
this is the portion of his reward.
19 In that he saith: I have found me rest, and now I will eat
of my goods alone:
20 And he knoweth not what time shall pass, and that death
approacheth, and that he must leave all to others, and
shall die.
21 Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein,
and grow old in the work of thy commandments.
22 Abide not in the works of sinners. But trust in God, and
stay in thy place.
23 For it is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the
poor man rich.
24 The blessing of God maketh haste to reward the just, and
in a swift hour his blessing beareth fruit.
25 Say not: What need I, and what good shall I have by this?
26 Say not: I am sufficient for myself: and what shall I be
made worse by this?
27 In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils: and
in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things:
28 For it is easy before God in the day of death to reward
every one according to his ways.
29 The affliction of an hour maketh one forget great
delights, and in the end of a man is the disclosing of his
works.
30 Praise not any man before death, for a man is known by his
children.
31 Bring not every man into thy house: for many are the
snares of the deceitful.
32 For as corrupted bowels send forth stinking breath, and as
the partridge is brought into the cage, and as the roe
into the snare: so also is the heart of the proud, and as
a spy that looketh on the fall of his neighbour.
33 For he lieth in wait and turneth good into evil, and on
the elect he will lay a blot.
34 Of one spark cometh a great fire, and of one deceitful man
much blood: and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.
35 Take heed to thyself of a mischievous man, for he worketh
evils: lest he bring upon thee reproach for ever.
36 Receive a stranger in, and he shall overthrow thee with a
whirlwind, and shall turn thee out of thy own.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 12
IF thou do good, know to whom thou dost it, and there shall be
much thanks for thy good deeds.
2 Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense:
and if not of him, assuredly of the Lord.
3 For there is no good for him that is always occupied in
evil, and that giveth no alms: for the Highest hateth
sinners, and hath mercy on the penitent.
4 Give to the merciful and uphold not the sinner: God will
repay vengeance to the ungodly and to sinners, and keep
them against the day of vengeance.
5 Give to the good, and receive not a sinner.
6 Do good to the humble, and give not to the ungodly: hold
back thy bread, and give it not to him, lest thereby he
overmaster thee.
7 For thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good
thou shalt have done to him: for the Highest also hateth
sinners, and will repay vengeance to the ungodly.
8 A friend shall not be known in prosperity, and an enemy
shall not be hidden in adversity.
9 In the prosperity of a man, his enemies are grieved: and
a friend is known in his adversity.
10 Never trust thy enemy: for as a brass pot his wickedness
rusteth:
11 Though he humble himself and go crouching, yet take good
heed and beware of him.
12 Set him not by thee, neither let him sit on thy right
hand, lest he turn into thy place, and seek to take thy
seat: and at the last thou acknowledge my words, and be
pricked with my sayings.
13 Who will pity an enchanter struck by a serpent, or any
that come near wild beasts? so is it with him that keepeth
company with a wicked man, and is involved in his sins.
14 For an hour he will abide with thee: but if thou begin to
decline, he will not endure it.
15 An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart
he lieth in wait, to throw thee into a pit.
16 An enemy weepeth with his eyes: but if he find an
opportunity he will not be satisfied with blood:
17 And if evils come upon thee, thou shalt find him there
first.
18 An enemy hath tears in his eyes, and while he pretendeth
to help thee, will undermine thy feet.
19 He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper
much, and change his countenance.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 13
HE that toucheth pitch, shall be defiled with it: and he that
hath fellowship with the proud, shall put on pride.
2 He shall take a burden upon him that hath fellowship with
one more honour- able than himself. And have no fellow-
ship with one that is richer than thyself.
3 What agreement shall the earthen pot have with the kettle?
for if they knock one against the other, it shall be
broken.
4 The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he will fume: but
the poor is wronged and must hold his peace.
5 If thou give, he will make use of thee: and if thou have
nothing, he will forsake thee.
6 If thou have any thing, he will live with thee, and will
make thee bare, and he will not be sorry for thee.
7 If he have need of thee he will deceive thee, and smiling
upon thee will put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair,
and will say: What wantest thou?
8 And he will shame thee by his meats, till he have drawn
thee dry twice or thrice, and at last he will laugh at
thee: and afterward when he seeth thee, he will forsake
thee, and shake his head at thee.
9 Humble thyself to God, and wait for his hands.
10 Beware that thou be not deceived Into folly, and be
humbled.
11 Be not lowly in thy wisdom, lest being humbled thou be
deceived into folly.
12 If thou be invited by one that is mightier, withdraw
thyself: for so he will invite thee the more.
13 Be not troublesome to him, lest thou be put back: and keep
not far from him, lest thou be forgotten.
14 Affect not to speak with him as an equal: and believe not
his many words: for by much talk he will sift thee, and
smiling will examine thee concerning thy secrets.
15 His cruel mind will lay up thy words: and he will not
spare to do thee hurt, and to cast thee into prison.
16 Take heed to thyself, and attend diligently to what thou
hearest: for thou walkest in danger of thy ruin.
17 When thou hearest those things, see as it were in sleep,
and thou shalt awake.
18 Love God all thy life, and call upon him for thy
salvation.
19 Every beast loveth its like: so also every man him that is
nearest to himself.
20 All flesh shall consort with the like to itself, and every
man shall associate himself to his like.
21 If the wolf shall at any time have fellowship with the
lamb, so the sinner with the just.
22 What fellowship hath a holy man with a dog, or what part
hath the rich with the poor?
23 The wild ass is the lion's prey in the desert: so also the
poor are devoured by the rich.
24 And as humility is an abomination to the proud: so also
the rich man abhorreth the poor.
25 When a rich man is shaken, he is kept up by his friends:
but when a poor man is fallen down, he is thrust away even
by his acquaintance.
26 When a rich man hath been deceived, he hath many helpers:
he hath spoken proud things, and they have justified him.
27 The poor man was deceived, and he is rebuked also: he hath
spoken wisely, and could have no place.
28 The rich man spoke, and all held their peace, and what he
said they extol even to the clouds.
29 The poor man spoke, and they say: Who is this? and if he
stumble, they will overthrow him.
30 Riches are good to him that hath no sin in his conscience:
and poverty is very wicked in the mouth of the ungodly.
31 The heart of a man changeth his countenance, either for
good, or for evil.
32 The token of a good heart, and a good countenance thou
shalt hardly find, and with labour.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 14
BLESSED is the man that hath not slipped by a word out of his
mouth, and is not pricked with the remorse of sin.
2 Happy is he that hath had no sadness of his mind, and who
is not fallen from his hope.
3 Riches are not comely for a covetous man and a niggard,
and what should an envious man do with gold?
4 He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul,
gathereth for others, and another will squander away his
goods in rioting.
5 He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and
he shall not take pleasure in his goods.
6 There is none worse than he that envieth himself, and this
is the reward of his wickedness:
7 And if he do good, he doth it ignorantly, and unwillingly:
and at the last he discovereth his wickedness.
8 The eye of the envious is wicked: and he turneth away his
face, and despiseth his own soul.
9 The eye of the covetous man is insatiable in his portion
of iniquity: he will not be satisfied till he consume his
own soul, drying it up.
10 An evil eye is towards evil things: and he shall not have
his fill of bread, but shall be needy and pensive at his
own table.
11 My son, if thou have any thing, do good to thyself, and
offer to God worthy offerings.
12 Remember that death is not slow, and that the covenant of
hell hath been shewn to thee: for the covenant of this
world shall surely die.
13 Do good to thy friend before thou die, and according to
thy ability, stretching out thy hand give to the poor.
14 Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part
of a good gift over- pass thee.
15 Shalt thou not leave to others to divide by lot thy
sorrows and labours?
16 Give and take, and justify thy soul.
17 Before thy death work justice: for in hell there is no
finding food.
18 All flesh shall fade as grass, and as the leaf that
springeth out on a green tree.
19 Some grow, and some fall off: so is the generation of
flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is
born.
20 Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end: and
the worker thereof shall go with it.
21 And every excellent work shall be justified: and the
worker thereof shall be honoured therein.
22 Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom, and that
shall meditate in his justice, and in his mind shall think
of the all seeing eye of God.
23 He that considereth her ways in his heart, and hath
understanding in her secrets, who goeth after her as one
that traceth, and stayeth in her ways:
24 He who looketh in at her windows, and hearkeneth at her
door:
25 He that lodgeth near her house, and fastening a pin in her
walls shall set up his tent nigh unto her, where good
things shall rest in his lodging for ever.
26 He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall
lodge under her branches:
27 He shall be protected under her covering from the heat,
and shall rest in her glory.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 15
HE that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth
justice, shall lay hold on her,
2 And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will
receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
3 With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed
him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink:
and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be
moved:
4 And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be
confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours.
5 And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth,
and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory.
6 She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness,
and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
7 But foolish men shall not obtain her, and wise men shall
meet her, foolish men shall not see her: for she is far
from pride and deceit.
8 Lying men shall not be mindful of her: but men that speak
truth shall be found with her, and shall advance, even
till they come to the sight of God.
9 Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner:
10 For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with
the wisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth,
and the sovereign Lord will give praise unto it.
11 Say not: It is through God, that she is not with me: for
do not thou the things that he hateth.
12 Say not: He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of
wicked men.
13 The Lord hateth all abomination of error, and they that
fear him shall not love it.
14 God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand
of his own counsel.
15 He added his commandments and precepts.
16 If thou wilt keep the commandments and perform acceptable
fidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee.
17 He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy
hand to which thou wilt.
18 Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he
shall choose shall be given him:
19 For the wisdom of God is great, and he is strong in power,
seeing all men without ceasing.
20 The eyes of the Lord are towards them that fear him, and
he knoweth all the work of man.
21 He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given
no man license to sin:
22 For he desireth not a multitude of faithless and
unprofitable children.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 16
REJOICE not in ungodly children, if they be multiplied:
neither be delighted in them, if the fear of God be not with
them.
2 Trust not to their life, and respect not their labours.
3 For better is one that feareth God, than a thousand
ungodly children.
4 And it is better to die without children, than to leave
ungodly children.
5 By one that is wise a country shall be inhabited, the
tribe of the ungodly shall become desolate.
6 Many such things hath my eyes seen, and greater things
than these my ear hath heard.
7 In the congregation of sinners a fire shall be kindled,
and in an unbelieving nation wrath shall dame out.
8 The ancient giants did not obtain pardon for their sine,
who were destroyed trusting to their own strength:
9 And he spared not the place where Lot sojourned, but
abhorred them for the pride of their word.
10 He had not pity on them, destroying the whole nation that
extolled them- selves in their sine.
11 So did he with the six hundred thousand footmen, who were
gathered together in the hardness of their heart: and if
one had been stiffnecked, it is a wonder if he had escaped
unpunished:
12 For mercy and wrath are with him. He is mighty to forgive,
and to pour out indignation:
13 According as his mercy is, so his correction judgeth a man
according to his works.
14 The sinner shall not escape in his rapines, and the
patience of him that sheweth mercy shall not be put off.
15 All mercy shall make a place for every man according to
the merit of his works, and according to the wisdom of his
sojournment.
16 Say not: I shall be hidden from God. and who shall
remember me from on high?
17 In such a multitude I shall not be known: for what is my
soul in such an immense creation?
18 Behold the heaven, and the heavens of heavens, the deep,
and all the earth, and the things that are in them, shall
be moved in his sight,
19 The mountains also, and the hills, end the foundations of
the earth: when God shall look upon them, they shall be
shaken with trembling.
20 And in all these things the heart is senseless: and every
heart is understood by him:
21 And his ways who shall understand, and the storm, which no
eye of man see?
22 For many of his works are hidden: hut the works of his
justice who shall declare? or who shall endure? for the
testament is far from some, and the examination of all is
in the end.
23 He that wanteth understanding thinketh vain things: and
the foolish, and erring man, thinketh foolish things.
24 Hearken to me, my son, and learn the discipline of
understanding, and attend to my words in thy heart.
25 And I will shew forth good doctrine in equity, and will
seek to declare wisdom: and attend to my words in thy
heart, whilst with equity of spirit I tell thee the
virtues that God hath put upon his works from the
beginning, and I shew forth in truth his knowledge.
26 The works of God are done in judgment from the beginning,
and from the making of them he distinguished their parts,
and their beginnings in their generations.
27 He beautified their works for ever, they have neither
hungered, nor laboured, and they have not ceased from
their works.
28 Nor shall any of them straiten his neighbour at any time.
29 Be not thou incredulous to his word.
30 After this God looked upon the earth, and filled it with
his goods.
31 The soul of every living thing hath shewn forth before the
face thereof, and into it they return again.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 17
GOD created man of the earth, and made him after his own
image.
2 And he turned him into it again, and clothed him with
strength according to himself.
3 He gave him the number of his days and time, and gave him
power over all things that are upon the earth.
4 He put the fear of him upon all flesh, and he had dominion
over beasts and fowls.
5 He created of him a helpmate like to himself: he gave them
counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, and ears, and a heart to
devise: and he filled them with the knowledge of
understanding.
6 He created in them the science of the spirit, he filled
their heart with wisdom, and shewed them both good and
evil.
7 He set his eye upon their hearts to shew them the
greatness of his works:
8 That they might praise the name which he hath sanctified:
and glory in his wondrous acts, that they might declare
the glorious things of his works.
9 Moreover he gave them instructions, and the law of life
for an inheritance.
10 He made an everlasting covenant with them, and he shewed
them his justice and judgments.
11 And their eye saw the majesty of his glory. and their ears
heard his glorious voice, and he said to them: Beware of
all iniquity.
12 And he gave to every one of them commandment concerning
his neighbour.
13 Their ways are always before him, they are not hidden from
his eyes.
14 Over every nation he set a ruler.
15 And Israel was made the manifest portion of God.
16 And all their works are as the sun in the sight of God:
and his eyes are continually upon their ways.
17 Their covenants were not hid by their iniquity, and all
their iniquities are in the sight of God.
18 The alms of a man is as a signet with him, and shall
preserve the grace of a man as the apple of the eye:
19 And afterward he shall rise up, and shall render them
their reward, to every one upon their own head, and shall
turn them down into the bowels of the earth.
20 But to the penitent he hath given the way of justice, and
he hath strengthened them that were fainting in patience,
and hath appointed to them the lot of truth.
21 Turn to the Lord, and forsake thy sins:
22 Make thy prayer before the face of the Lord, and offend
less.
23 Return to the Lord, and turn away from thy injustice, and
greatly hate abomination.
24 And know the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm
in the lot set before thee, and in prayer to the most high
God.
25 Go to the side of the holy age, with them that live and
give praise to God.
26 Tarry not in the error of the ungodly, give glory before
death. Praise perisheth from the dead as nothing.
27 Give thanks whilst thou art living, whilst thou art alive
and in health thou shalt give thanks, and shalt praise
God, and shalt glory in his mercies.
28 How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to
them that turn to him I
29 For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is
not immortal, and they are delighted with the vanity of
evil.
30 What is brighter than the sun; yet it shall be eclipsed.
Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood
hath invented? and this shall be reproved.
31 He beholdeth the power of the height of heaven: and all
men are earth and ashes.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 18
HE that liveth for ever created all things together. God only
shall be justified, and he remaineth an invincible king for
ever.
2 Who is able to declare his works?
3 For who shall search out his glorious acts?
4 And who shall shew forth the power of his majesty? or who
shall be able to declare his mercy?
5 Nothing may be taken away, nor added, neither is it
possible to find out the glorious works of God:
6 When a man hath done, then shall he begin: and when he
leaveth off, he shall be at a loss.
7 What is man, and what is his grace? and what is his good,
or what is his evil?
8 The number of the days of men at the most are a hundred
years: as a drop of water of the sea are they esteemed:
and as a pebble of the sand, so are a few years compared
to eternity.
9 Therefore God is patient in them, and poureth forth his
mercy upon them.
10 He hath seen the presumption of their heart that it is
wicked, and hath known their end that it is evil.
11 Therefore bath he filled up his mercy in their favour, and
hath shewn them the way of justice.
12 The compassion of man is toward his neighbour: but the
mercy of God is upon all flesh.
13 He hath mercy, and teacheth, and correcteth, as a shepherd
doth his hock.
14 He hath mercy on him that receiveth the discipline of
mercy, and that maketh haste in his judgments.
15 My son, in thy good deeds, make no complaint, and when
thou givest any thing, add not grief by an evil word.
16 Shall not the dew assuage the heat? so also the good word
is better than the gift.
17 Lo, is not a word better than a gift? but both are with a
justified man.
18 A fool will upbraid bitterly: and a gift of one ill taught
consumeth the eyes.
19 Before judgment prepare thee justice, and learn before
thou speak.
20 Before sickness take a medicine, and before judgment
examine thyself, and thou shalt find mercy in the sight of
God.
21 Humble thyself before thou art sick, and in the time of
sickness shew thy conversation.
22 Let nothing hinder thee from praying always, and be not
afraid to be justified even to death: for the reward of
God continueth for ever.
23 Before prayer prepare thy soul: and be not as a man that
tempteth God.
24 Remember the wrath that shall be at the last day, and the
time of repaying when he shall turn away his face.
25 Remember poverty is the time of abundance, and the
necessities of poverty in the day of riches.
26 From the morning until the evening the time shall be
changed, and all these are swift in the eyes of God.
27 A wise man will fear in every thing, and in the days of
sine will beware of sloth.
28 Every man of understanding knoweth wisdom, and will give
praise to him that findeth her.
29 They that were of good understanding in words, have also
done wisely themselves: and have understood truth and
justice, and have poured forth pro- verbs and judgments.
30 Go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will.
31 If thou give to thy soul her desires, she will make thee
a joy to thy enemies.
32 Take no pleasure in riotous assemblies, be they ever so
small: for their concertation is continual.
33 Make not thyself poor by borrowing to contribute to feasts
when thou hast nothing in thy purse : for thou shalt be an
enemy to thy own life.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 19
A WORKMAN that is a drunkard shall not be rich: and he that
contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little.
2 Wine and women make wise men fall off, and shall rebuke
the prudent:
3 And he that joineth himself to harlots, will be wicked.
Rottenness and worms shall inherit him, and he shall be
lifted up for a greater example, and his soul shall be
taken away out of the number.
4 He that is hasty to give credit, is light of heart, and
shall be lessened: and he that sinneth against his own
soul, shall be despised.
5 He that rejoiceth in iniquity, shall be censured, and he
that hateth chastisement, shall have less life: and he
that hateth babbling, extinguisheth evil.
6 He that sinneth against his own soul, shall repent: and he
that is delighted with wickedness, shall be condemned.
7 Rehearse not again a wicked and harsh word, and thou shalt
not fare the worse.
8 Tell not thy mind to friend or foe: and if there be a sin
with thee, disclose it not.
9 For he will hearken to thee, and will witch thee, and as
it were defending thy sin he will hate thee, and so will
he be with thee always.
10 Hast thou heard a word against thy neighbour? let it die
within thee, trusting that it will not burst thee.
11 At the hearing of a word the fool is in travail, as a
woman groaning. in the bringing forth a child.
12 As an arrow that sticketh in a man's thigh: so is a word
in the heart of a fool.
13 Reprove a friend, lest he may not have understood, and say
: f did it not: or if he did it, that he may do it no
more.
14 Reprove thy neighbour, for it may be he hath not said it:
and if he hath said it, that he may not say it again.
15 Admonish thy friend: for there is often a fault committed.
16 And believe not every word. There is one, that slippeth
with the tongue, but not from his heart.
17 For who is there that hath not offended with his tongue?
Admonish thy neighbour before thou threaten him.
18 And give place to the fear of the most High: for the fear
of God is all wisdom, and therein is to fear God, and the
disposition of the law is in all wisdom.
19 But the learning of wickedness is not wisdom: and the
device of sinners is not prudence.
20 There is a subtle wickedness, and the same is detestable:
and there is a man that is foolish, wanting in wisdom.
21 Better is a man that hath less wisdom, and wanteth
understanding, with the fear of God, than he that
aboundeth in understanding, and transgresseth the law of
the most High.
22 There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust.
23 And there is one that uttereth an exact word telling the
truth. There is one that humbleth himself wickedly, and
his interior is full of deceit:
24 And there is one that submitteth himself exceedingly with
a great lowliness: and there is one that casteth down his
countenance, and maketh as if he did not see that which is
unknown:
25 And if he be hindered from sinning for want of power, if
he shall find opportunity to do evil, he will do it.
26 A man is known by his look, and a wise man, when thou
meetest him, is known by his countenance.
27 The attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and
the gait of the man, shew what he is.
28 There is a lying rebuke in the anger of an injurious man:
and there is a judgment that is not allowed to be good:
and there is one that holdeth his peace, he is wise.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 20
HOW much better is it to reprove, than to be angry, and not to
hinder him that confesseth in prayer.
2 The lust of an eunuch shall devour a young maiden:
3 So is he that by violence executeth unjust judgment.
4 How good is it, when thou art reproved, to shew
repentance! for so thou shalt escape wilful sin.
5 There is one that holdeth his peace, that is found wise:
and there is another that is hateful, that is bold in
speech.
6 There is one that holdeth his peace, because he knoweth
not what to say: and there is another that holdeth his
peace, knowing the proper time.
7 A wise man will hold his peace till he see opportunity:
but a babbler, and a fool, will regard no time.
8 He that useth many words shall hurt his own soul: and he
that taketh authority to himself unjustly shall be hated.
9 There is success in evil things to a man without
discipline, and there is a finding that turneth to loss.
10 There is a gift that is not profitable: and there is a
gift, the recompense of which is double.
11 There is an abasement because of glory: and there is one
that shall lift up his head from a low estate.
12 There is that buyeth much for a small price, and restoreth
the same sevenfold.
13 A man wise in words shall make himself beloved: but the
graces of fools shall be poured out.
14 The gift of the fool shall do thee no good: for his eyes
are sevenfold.
15 He will give a few things, and upbraid much: and the
opening of his mouth is the kindling of a fire.
16 To day a man lendeth, and to morrow he asketh it again:
such a man as this is hateful.
17 A fool shall have no friend, and there shall be no thanks
for his good deeds.
18 For they that eat his bread, are of a false tongue. How
often, and how many will laugh him to scorn!
19 For he doth not distribute with right understanding that
which was to be had: in like manner also that which was
not to be had.
20 The slipping of a false tongue is as one that falleth on
the pavement: so the fall of the wicked shall come
speedily.
21 A man without grace is as a vain fable, it shall be
continually in the mouth of the unwise.
22 A parable coming out, of a fool's mouth shall be rejected:
for he doth not speak it in due season.
23 There is that is hindered from sinning through want, and
in his rest he shall be pricked.
24 There is that will destroy his own soul through
shamefacedness, and by occasion of an unwise person he
will destroy it: and by respect of person he will destroy
himself.
25 There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend, and
maketh him his enemy for nothing.
26 A lie is a foul blot in a man, and yet it will be
continually in the mouth of men without discipline.
27 A thief is better than a man that is always lying: but
both of them shall inherit destruction.
28 The manners of lying men are without honour: and their
confusion is with them without ceasing.
29 A wise man shall advance himself with his words, and a
prudent man shall please the great ones.
30 He that tilleth his land shall make a high heap of corn:
and he that worketh justice shall be exalted: and he that
pleaseth great men shall escape iniquity.
31 Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and make them
dumb in the mouth, so that they cannot correct.
32 Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is not seen: what
profit is there in them both?
33 Better is he that hideth his folly, than the man that
hideth his wisdom.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 21
MY son, hast thou sinned? do so no more: but for thy former
sins also pray that they may be forgiven thee.
2 Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent: for if thou
comest near them, they will take hold of thee.
3 The teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion, killing the
souls of men.
4 All iniquity is like a two-edged sword, there is no remedy
for the wound thereof.
5 Injuries and wrongs will waste riches: and the house that
is very rich shall be brought to nothing by pride : so the
substance of the proud shall be rooted out.
6 The prayer out of the mouth of the poor shall reach the
ears of God, and judgment shall come for him speedily.
7 He that hateth to be reproved walketh in the trace of a
sinner: and he that feareth God will turn to his own
heart.
8 He that is mighty by a bold tongue is known afar off, but
a wise man knoweth to slip by him.
9 He that buildeth his house at other men's charges, is as
he that gathereth himself stones to build in the winter.
10 The congregation of sinners is like tow heaped together,
and the end of them is a flame of fire.
11 The way of sinners is made plain with stones, and in their
end is hell, and darkness, and pains.
12 He that keepeth justice shall get the understanding
thereof.
13 The perfection of the fear of God is wisdom and
understanding.
14 He that is not wise in good, will not be taught.
15 But there is a wisdom that aboundeth in evil : and there
is no understanding where there is bitterness.
16 The knowledge of a wise man shall abound like a flood, and
his counsel continueth like a fountain of life.
17 The heart of a fool is like a broken vessel, and no wisdom
at all shall it hold.
18 A man of sense will praise every wise word he shall hear,
and will apply it to himself: the luxurious man hath heard
it, and it shall displease him, and he will cast it behind
his back.
19 The talking of a fool is like a burden in the way: but in
the lips of the wise, grace shall be found.
20 The mouth of the prudent is sought after in the church,
and they will think upon his words in their hearts.
21 As a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool : and
the knowledge of the unwise is as words without sense.
22 Doctrine to a fool is as fetters on the feet, and like
manacles on the right hand.
23 A fool lifteth up his voice in laughter: but a wise man
will scarce laugh low to himself.
24 Learning to the prudent is as an ornament of gold, and
like a bracelet upon his right arm.
25 The foot of a fool is soon in his neighbour's house: but
a man of experience will be abashed at the person of the
mighty.
26 A fool will peep through the window into the house: but he
that is well taught will stand without.
27 It is the folly of a man to hearken at the door: and a
wise man will be grieved with the disgrace.
28 The lips of the unwise will be telling foolish things but
the words of the wise shall be weighed in a balance.
29 The heart of fools is in their mouth: and the mouth of
wise men is in their heart.
30 While the ungodly curseth the devil, he curseth his own
soul.
31 The talebearer shall defile his own soul, and shall be
hated by all: and he that shall abide with him shall be
hateful: the silent and wise man shall be honoured.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 22
THE sluggard is pelted with a dirty stone, and all men will
speak of his disgrace.
2 The sluggard is pelted with the dung of oxen: and every
one that toucheth him will shake his hands.
3 A son ill taught is the confusion of the father: and a
foolish daughter shall be to his loss.
4 A wise daughter shall bring an inheritance to her husband:
but she that confoundeth, becometh a disgrace to her
father.
5 She that is bold shameth both her father and husband, and
will not be inferior to the ungodly: and shall be
disgraced by them both.
6 A tale out of time is like music in mourning: but the
stripes and instruction of wisdom are never out of time.
7 He that teacheth a fool, is like one that glueth a
potsherd together.
8 He that telleth a word to him that heareth not, is like
one that waketh a man out of a deep sleep.
9 He speaketh with one that is asleep, who uttereth wisdom
to a fool: and in the end of the discourse he saith: Who
is this?
10 Weep for the dead, for his light hath failed: and weep for
the fool, for his understanding faileth.
11 Weep but a little for the dead, for he is at rest.
12 For the wicked life of a wicked fool is worse than death.
13 The mourning for the dead is seven days: but for a fool
and an ungodly man all the days of their life.
14 Talk not much with a fool, and go not with him that hath
no sense.
15 Keep thyself from him, that thou mayst not have trouble,
and thou shalt not be defiled with his sin.
16 Turn away from him, and thou shalt find rest, and shalt
not be wearied out with his folly.
17 What is heavier than lead? and what other name hath he but
fool?
18 Sand and salt, and a mass of iron is easier to bear, than
a man without sense, that is both foolish and wicked.
19 A frame of wood bound together in the foundation of a
building, shall not be loosed: so neither shall the heart
that is established by advised counsel.
20 The thought of him that is wise at all times, shall not be
depraved by fear.
21 As pales set in high places, and plasterings made without
cost, will not stand against the face of the wind:
22 So also a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool shall
not resist against the violence of fear.
23 As a fearful heart in the thought of a fool at all times
will not fear, so neither shall he that continueth always
in the commandments of God.
24 He that pricketh the eye, bringeth out tears: and he that
pricketh the heart, bringeth forth resentment.
25 He that flingeth a stone at birds, shall drive them away:
so he that upbraideth his friend, breaketh friendship.
26 Although thou hast drawn a sword at a friend, despair not:
for there may be a returning. To a friend,
27 If thou hast opened a sad mouth, fear not, for there may
be a reconciliation: except upbraiding, and reproach, and
pride, and disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound:
for in all these cases a friend will flee away.
28 Keep fidelity with a friend in his poverty, that in his
prosperity also thou mayst rejoice.
29 In the time of his trouble continue faithful to him, that
thou mayst also be heir with him in his inheritance.
30 As the vapour of a chimney, and the smoke of the fire
goeth up before the fire: so also injurious words, and
reproaches, and threats, before blood.
31 I will not be ashamed to salute a friend, neither will I
hide myself from his face: and if any evil happen to me by
him, I will bear it.
32 But every one that shall hear it, will beware of him.
33 Who will set a guard before my mouth, and a sure seal upon
my lips, that I fall not by them, and that my tongue
destroy me not?
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 23
O LORD, father, and sovereign ruler of my life, leave me not
to their counsel: nor suffer me to fall by them.
2 Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline
of wisdom over my heart, that they spare me not in their
ignorances, and that their sine may not appear:
3 Lest my ignorances increase, and my offences be
multiplied, and my sine abound, and I fall before my
adversaries, and my enemy rejoice over me?
4 O Lord, father, and God of my life, leave me not to their
devices.
5 Give me not haughtiness of my eyes, and turn away from me
all coveting.
6 Take from me the greediness of the belly, and let not the
lusts of the flesh take hold of me, and give me not over
to a shameless and foolish mind.
7 Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth: and he
that will keep it shall not perish by his lips, nor be
brought to fall into most wicked works.
8 A sinner is caught in his own vanity, and the proud and
the evil speakers shall fall thereby.
9 Let not thy mouth be accustomed to swearing: for in it
there are many falls.
10 And let not the naming of God be usual in thy mouth, and
meddle not with the names of saints, for thou shalt not
escape free from them.
11 For as a slave daily put to the question, is never without
a blue mark: so every one that sweareth, and nameth, shall
not be wholly pure from sin.
12 A man that sweareth much, shall be filled with iniquity,
and a scourge shall not depart from his house.
13 And if he make it void, his sin shall be upon him: and if
he dissemble it, he offendeth double:
14 And if he swear in vain, he shall not be justified: for
his house shall be filled with his punishment.
15 There is also another speech opposite to death, let it not
be found in the inheritance of Jacob.
16 For from the merciful all these things shall be taken
away, and they shall not wallow in sins.
17 Let not thy mouth be accustomed to indiscreet speech: for
therein is the word of sin.
18 Remember thy father and thy mother, for thou sittest is
the midst of great men:
19 Lest God forget thee in their sight, and thou, by thy
daily custom, be infatuated and suffer reproach: and wish
that thou hadst not been born, and curse the day of thy
nativity.
20 The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words, will
never be corrected all the days of his life.
21 Two sorts of men multiply sins, and the third bringeth
wrath and destruction.
22 A hot soul is a burning fire, it will never be quenched,
till it devour some thing.
23 And a man that is wicked in the mouth of his flesh, will
not leave off till he hath kindled a fire.
24 To a man that is a fornicator all bread is sweet, he will
not be weary of sinning unto the end.
25 Every man that passeth beyond his own bed, despising his
own soul, and saying: Who seeth me?
26 Darkness compasseth me about, and the walls cover me, and
no man seeth me: whom do I fear? the most High will not
remember my sins.
27 And he understandeth not that his eye seeth all things,
for such a man's fear driveth from him the fear of God,
and the eyes of men fearing him:
28 And he knoweth not that the eyes of the Lord are far
brighter than the sun, beholding round about all the ways
of men, and the bottom of the deep, and looking into the
hearts of men, into the most hidden parts.
29 For all things were known to the Lord God, before they
were created: so also after they were perfected he
beholdeth all things.
30 This man shall be punished in the streets of the city, and
he shall be chased as a colt: and where he suspected not,
he shall be taken.
31 And he shall be in disgrace with all men, because he
understood not the fear of the Lord.
32 So every woman also that leaveth her husband, and bringeth
in an heir by another :
33 For first she hath been unfaithful to the law of the most
High: and secondly, she hath offended against her husband:
thirdly, she hath fornicated in adultery, end hath gotten
her children of another man.
34 This woman shall be brought into the assembly, and
inquisition shall be made of her children.
35 Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall
bring forth no fruit.
36 She shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her infamy
shall not be blotted out.
37 And they that remain shall know. that there is nothing
better than the fear of God: and that there is nothing
sweeter than to have regard to the commandments of the
Lord.
38 It is great glory to follow the Lord for length of days
shall be received from him.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 24
WISDOM shall praise her own self, and shall be honoured in
God, and shall glory in the midst of her people,
2 And shall open her mouth in the churches of the most High,
and shall glorify herself in the sight of his power,
3 And in the midst of her own people she shall be exalted,
and shall be ad- mired in the holy assembly.
4 And in the multitude of the elect she shall have praise,
and among the blessed she shall be blessed, saying:
5 I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn
before all creatures:
6 I made that in the heavens there should rise light that
never faileth, and as a cloud I covered all the earth:
7 I dwelt in the highest places, and my throne is in a
pillar of a cloud.
8 I alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and have
penetrated into the bottom of the deep, and have walked in
the waves of the sea,
9 And have stood in all the earth: and in every people,
10 And in every nation I have had the chief rule:
11 And by my power I have trodden under my feet the hearts of
all the high and low: and in all these I sought rest, and
I shall abide in the inheritance of the Lord.
12 Then the creator of all things commanded, and said to me:
and he that made me, rested in my tabernacle,
13 And he said to me: Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy
inheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect.
14 From the beginning, and before the world, was I created,
and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in
the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him.
15 And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city
likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem.
16 And I took root in an honourable people, and in the
portion of mg God his inheritance, and my abode is in the
full assembly of saints.
17 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress
tree on mount Sion.
18 I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose
plant in Jericho:
19 As a fair olive tree in the plains, and as a plane tree by
the water in the streets, was I exalted.
20 I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon. and aromatical balm:
I yielded a sweet odour like the best myrrh:
21 And I perfumed my dwelling as storax, and galbanum, and
onyx, and aloes, and as the frankincense not cut, and my
odour is as the purest balm.
22 I have stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree,
and my branches are of honour and grace.
23 As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my
flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.
24 I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of
knowledge, and of holy hope.
25 In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is
all hope of life and of virtue.
26 Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with
my fruits.
27 For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance
above honey and the honeycomb.
28 My memory is unto everlasting generations.
29 They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink
me, shall yet thirst.
30 He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and
they that work by me, shall not sin.
31 They that explain me shall have life everlasting.
32 All these things are the book of life, and the covenant of
the most High, and the knowledge of truth.
33 Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices, and an
inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to
Israel.
34 He appointed to David his servant to raise up of him a
most mighty king, and sitting on the throne of glory for
ever.
35 Who filleth up wisdom as the Phison, and as the Tigris in
the days of the new fruits.
36 Who maketh understanding to abound as the Euphrates, who
multiplieth it as the Jordan in the time of harvest.
37 Who sendeth knowledge as the light, and riseth up as Gehon
in the time of the vintage.
38 Who first hath perfect knowledge of her, and a weaker
shall not search her out.
39 For her thoughts are more vast than the sea, and her
counsels more deep than the great ocean.
40 I, wisdom, have poured out rivers.
41 I, like a brook out of a river of a mighty water; I, like
a channel of a river. and like an aqueduct, came out of
paradise.
42 I said: I will water my garden of plants, and I will water
abundantly the fruits of my meadow.
43 And behold my brook became a great river, and my river
came near to a sea:
44 For I make doctrine to shine forth to all as the morning
light, and I will declare it afar off.
45 I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and
will behold all that sleep, and will enlighten all that
hope in the Lord.
46 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and will leave
it to them that seek wisdom, and will not cease to
instruct their offspring even to the holy age.
47 See ye that I have not laboured for myself only, but for
all that seek out the truth.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 25
WITH three things my spirit is pleased, which are approved
before God and men:
2 The concord of brethren, and the love of neighbours, and
mall and wife that agree well together.
3 Three sorts my soul hateth, and I am greatly grieved at
their life:
4 A poor man that is proud: a rich man that is a liar: an
old man that is a fool, and doting.
5 The things that thou hast not gathered in thy youth, how
shalt thou find them in thy old age?
6 O how comely is judgment for a grey head, and for ancients
to know counsel!
7 O how comely is wisdom for the aged, and understanding and
counsel to men of honour!
8 Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of
God is their glory.
9 Nine things that are not to be imagined by the heart have
I magnified, and the tenth I will utter to men with my
tongue.
10 A man that hath joy of his children: and he that liveth
and seeth the fall of his enemies.
11 Blessed is he. that dwelleth with a wise woman, and that
hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath not served
such as are unworthy of him.
12 Blessed is he that findeth a true friend, and that
declareth justice to an ear that heareth.
13 How great is he that findeth wisdom and knowledge! but
there is none above him that feareth the Lord.
14 The fear of God hath set itself above all things:
15 Blessed is the man, to whom it is given to have the fear
of God: he that holdeth it, to whom shall he be likened?
16 The fear of God is the beginning of his love: and the
beginning of faith is to be fast joined unto it.
17 The sadness of the heart is every plague: and the
wickedness of a woman is all evil.
18 And a man will choose any plague, but the plague of the
heart:
19 And ally wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:
20 And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate
him:
21 And ally revenge, but the revenge of enemies.
22 There is no head worse than the head of a serpent:
23 And there is no anger above the anger of a woman. It will
be more agreeable to abide with a lion and a dragon, than
to dwell with a wicked woman.
24 The wickedness of a woman changeth her face: and she
darkeneth her countenance as a bear: and sheweth it like
sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbours,
25 Her husband groaned, and hearing he sighed a little.
26 All malice is shore to the malice of a woman, let the lot
of sinners fall upon her.
27 As the climbing of a sandy way is to the feet of the aged,
so is a wife full of tongue to a quiet man.
28 Look not upon a woman's beauty, and desire not a woman for
beauty.
29 A woman's anger, and impudence, and confusion is great.
30 A woman, if she have superiority, is contrary to her
husband.
31 A wicked woman abateth the courage, and maketh a heavy
countenance, and a wounded heart.
32 Feeble hands, and disjointed knees, a woman that doth not
make her husband happy.
33 From the woman came the beginning of sin, and by her we
all die.
34 Give no issue to thy water, no, not a little: nor to a
wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.
35 If she walk not at thy hand, she will confound thee in the
sight of thy enemies.
36 Cut her off from thy flesh, lest she always abuse thee.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 26
HAPPY is the husband of a good wife: for the number of his
years is double.
2 A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband: and shall fulfil
the years of his life in peace.
3 A good wife is a good portion, she shall be given in the
portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good
deeds.
4 Rich or poor, if his heart is good, his countenance shall
be cheerful at all times.
5 Of three things my heart hath been afraid, and at the
fourth my face hath trembled:
6 The accusation of a city, and the gathering together of
the people:
7 And a false calumny, all are more grievous than death.
8 A jealous woman is the grief and mourning of the heart.
9 With a jealous woman is a scourge of the tongue which
communicateth with all.
10 As a yoke of oxen that is moved to and fro, so also is a
wicked woman: he that hath hold of her, is as he that
taketh hold of a scorpion.
11 A drunken woman is a great wrath: and her reproach and
shame shall not be hid.
12 The fornication of a woman shall be known by the
haughtiness of her eyes, and by her eyelids.
13 On a daughter that turneth not away herself, set a strict
watch: lest finding an opportunity she abuse herself.
14 Take heed of the impudence of her eyes, and wonder not if
she slight thee.
15 She will open her mouth as a thirsty traveller to the
fountain, and will drink of every water near her, and will
sit down by every hedge, and open her quiver against every
arrow, until she fail.
16 The grace of a diligent woman shall delight her husband,
and shall fat his bones.
17 Her discipline is the gift of God.
18 Such is a wise and silent woman, and there is nothing so
much worth as a well instructed soul.
19 A holy and shamefaced woman is grace upon grace.
20 And no price is worthy of a continent soul.
21 As the sun when it riseth to the world in the high places
of God, so is the beauty of a good wife for the ornament
of her house.
22 As the lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, so is the
beauty of the face in a ripe age.
23 As golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm
feet upon the soles of a steady woman.
24 As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the
commandments of God In the heart of a holy woman.
25 At two things my heart is grieved, and the third bringeth
anger upon me:
26 A man of was fainting through poverty: and a man of sense
despised:
27 And he that passeth over from justice to sin, God hath
prepared such an one for the sword.
28 Two sorts of callings have appeared to me hard and
dangerous: a merchant is hardly free from negligence: and
a huckster shall not be justified from the sins of the
lips.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 27
THROUGH poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be
enriched, turneth away his eye.
2 As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of
stones, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin
shall stick fast.
3 Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.
4 Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the
Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown.
5 As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so
will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts.
6 The furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the trial of
affliction just men.
7 Be the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a
word out of the thought of the heart of man.
8 Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial
of men.
9 If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and
shalt put her on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt
dwell with her: and she shall protect thee for ever, and
in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt find a strong
foundation.
10 Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them
that practise her.
11 The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sine for
them that work iniquities.
12 A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is
changed as the moon.
13 In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time:
but be continually among men that think.
14 The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is
at the pleasures of sin.
15 The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the
head stand upright: and its irreverence shall make one
stop his ears.
16 Is the quarrels of the proud is the shedding of blood: and
their cursing is a grievous hearing.
17 He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth his
credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind.
18 Love thy neighbour, and be joined to him with fidelity.
19 But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after
him.
20 For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so also is he
that destroyeth the friendship of his neighbour.
21 And as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast
thou let thy neighbour go, and thou shalt not get him
again.
22 Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is
fled, as a roe escaped out of the snare: because his soul
is wounded.
23 Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is
reconciliation:
24 But to disclose the secrets of a friend, leaveth no hope
to an unhappy soul.
25 He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no
man will cast him off:
26 In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and
will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his
mouth, and on thy words he will lay a stumblingblock.
27 I have hated many things, but not like him, and the Lord
will hate him.
28 If one cast a stone on high, it will fall upon his own
head: and the deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful.
29 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that
setteth a stone for his neighbour, shall stumble upon it:
and he that layeth a snare for another, shall perish in
it.
30 A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the
author, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to
him.
31 Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a
lion shall lie in wait for him.
32 They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the
fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before
they die.
33 Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful
man shall be subject to them.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 28
HE that seeketh to revenge himself, shall find vengeance from
the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance.
2 Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurl thee: and then shall
thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest.
3 Man to man reserveth anger, and doth he seek remedy of
God?
4 He hath no mercy on a man like himself, and doth he
entreat for his own sins?
5 He that is but flesh, nourisheth anger, and doth he ask
forgiveness of God? who shall obtain pardon for his sins?
6 Remember thy last things, and let enmity cease:
7 For corruption and death hang over in his commandments.
8 Remember the fear of God, and be not angry with thy
neighbour.
9 Remember the covenant of the most High, and overlook the
ignorance of thy neighbour.
10 Refrain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sine:
11 For a passionate man kindleth strife, and a sinful man
will trouble his friends, and bring in debate in the midst
of them that are at peace.
12 For as the wood of the forest is, so the fire burneth: and
as a man's strength is, so shall his anger be, and
according to his riches he shall increase his anger.
13 A hasty contention kindleth a fire: and a hasty quarrel
sheddeth blood: and a tongue that beareth witness bringeth
death.
14 If thou blow the spark, it shall burn as a fire: and if
thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: both come out of
the mouth.
15 The whisperer and the double tongued is accursed: for he
hath troubled many that were at peace.
16 The tongue of a third person hath disquieted many, and
scattered them from nation to nation.
17 It hath destroyed the strong cities of the rich, and hath
overthrown the houses of great men.
18 It hath cut in pieces the forces of people, and undone
strong nations.
19 The tongue of a third person hath cast out valiant women,
and deprived them of their labours.
20 He that hearkeneth to it, shall never have rest, neither
shall he have a friend in whom he may repose.
21 The stroke of a whip maketh a blue mark: but the stroke of
the tongue will break the bones.
22 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many
as have perished by their own tongue.
23 Blessed is he that is defended from a wicked tongue, that
hath not passed into the wrath thereof, and that hath not
drawn the yoke thereof, and hath not been bound in its
bands.
24 For its yoke is a yoke of iron: and its bands are bands of
brass.
25 The death thereof is a most evil death: and hell is
preferable to it.
26 Its continuance shall not be for a long time, but it shall
possess the ways of the unjust: and the just shall not be
burnt with its flame.
27 They that forsake God shall fall into it, and it shall
burn in them, and shall not be quenched, and it shall be
sent upon them as a lion, and as a leopard it shall tear
them.
28 Hedge in thy ears with thorns, hear not a wicked tongue,
and make doors and bars to thy mouth.
29 Melt down thy gold and silver, and make a balance for thy
words, and a just bridle for thy mouth:
30 And take heed lest thou slip with thy tongue, and fall in
the sight of thy enemies who lie in wait for thee, and thy
fall be incurable unto death.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 29
HE that sheweth mercy, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that
is stronger in hand, keepeth the commandments.
2 Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his need, and pay
thou thy neighbour again in due time.
3 Reap thy word, and deal faithfully with him: and thou
shalt always find that which is necessary for thee.
4 Many have looked upon a thing lent as a thing found, and
have given trouble to them that helped them.
5 Till they receive, they kiss the hands of the lender, and
in promises they humble their voice:
6 But when they should repay, they will ask time, and will
return tedious and murmuring words, and will complain of
the time:
7 And if he be able to pay, he will stand off, he will
scarce pay one half, and will count it as if he had found
it:
8 But if not, he will defraud him of his money, and he shall
get him for an enemy without cause:
9 And he will pay him with reproaches and curses, and
instead of honour and good turn will repay him injuries.
10 Many have refused to lend, not out of wickedness, but they
were afraid to be defrauded without cause.
11 But yet towards the poor be thou more hearty, and delay
not to shew him mercy.
12 Help the poor because of the commandment: and send him not
away empty handed because of his poverty.
13 Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend: and hide it
not under a stone to be lost.
14 Place thy treasure in the commandments of the most High,
and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.
15 Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain
help for thee against all evil.
16 Better than the shield of the mighty, and better than the
spear:
17 It shall fight for thee against thy enemy.
18 A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath
lost shame, will leave him to himself.
19 Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given
his life for thee.
20 The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety.
21 A sinner attributeth to himself the goods of his surety:
and he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him that
delivered him.
22 A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost
all shame, he shall forsake him.
23 Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath
tossed them as a wave of the sea.
24 It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round
about, and they have wandered in strange countries.
25 A sinner that transgresseth the commandment of the Lord,
shall fall into an evil suretyship: and he that
undertaketh many things, shall fall into judgment.
26 Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take
heed to thyself that thou fall not.
27 The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and
clothing, and a house to cover shame.
28 Better is the poor man's fare under a roof of boards, than
sumptuous cheer abroad in another man's house.
29 Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt
not hear the reproach of going abroad.
30 It is a miserable life to go as a guest from house to
house: for where a man is a stranger, he shall not deal
confidently, nor open his mouth.
31 He shall entertain and feed, and give drink to the
unthankful, and moreover he shall hear bitter words.
32 Go, stranger, and furnish the table, and give others to
eat what thou hast in thy hand.
33 Give place to the honourable presence of my friends: for
I want my house, my brother being to be lodged with me.
34 These things are grievous to a man of understanding: the
upbraiding of houseroom, and the reproaching of the
lender.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 30
HE that loveth his son, frequently chastiseth him, that he may
rejoice in his latter end, and not grope after the doors of
his neighbours.
2 He that instructeth his son shall be praised in him, and
shall glory in him in the midst of them of his household.
3 He that teacheth his son, maketh his enemy jealous, and in
the midst of his friends he shall glory in him.
4 His father is dead, and he is as if he were not dead: for
he hath left one behind him that is like himself.
5 While he lived he saw and rejoiced in him: and when he
died he was not sorrowful, neither was he confounded
before his enemies.
6 For he left behind him a defender of his house against his
enemies, and one that will requite kindness to his
friends.
7 For the souls of his sons he shall bind up his wounds, and
at every cry his bowels shall be troubled.
8 A horse not broken becometh stubborn, and a child left to
himself will become headstrong.
9 Give thy son his way, and he shall make thee afraid: play
with him, and he shall make thee sorrowful.
10 Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow, and at the last
thy teeth be set on edge.
11 Give him not liberty in his youth, and wink not at his
devices.
12 Bow down his neck while he is young, and beat his sides
while he is a child, lest he grow stubborn, and regard
thee not, and so be a sorrow of heart to thee.
13 Instruct thy son, and labour about him, lest his lewd
behaviour be an offence to thee.
14 Better is a poor man who is sound, and strong of
constitution, than a rich man who is weak and afflicted
with evils.
15 Health of the soul in holiness of justice, is better then
all gold and silver: and a sound body, than immense
revenues.
16 There is no riches above the riches of the health of the
body: and there is no pleasure above the joy of the heart.
17 Better is death than a bitter life: and everlasting rest,
than continual sickness.
18 Good things that are hidden in a mouth that is shut, are
as masses of meat set about a grave.
19 What good shall an offering do to an idol? for it can
neither eat, nor smell:
20 So is he that is persecuted by the Lord, bearing the
reward of his iniquity:
21 He seeth with his eyes, and groaneth, as an eunuch
embracing a virgin, and sighing.
22 Give not up thy soul to sadness, and afflict not thyself
in thy own counsel.
23 The joyfulness of the heart, is the life of a man, and a
never failing treasure of holiness: and the joy of a man
is length of life.
24 Have pity on thy own soul, pleasing God, and contain
thyself: gather up thy heart in his holiness: and drive
away sadness far from thee.
25 For sadness hath killed many, and there is no profit in
it.
26 Envy and anger shorten a man's days, and pensiveness will
bring old age before the time.
27 A Cheerful and good heart is always feasting: for his
banquets are prepared with diligence.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 31
WATCHING for riches consumeth the flesh, and the thought
thereof driveth away sleep.
2 The thinking beforehand turneth away the understanding,
and a grievous sickness maketh the soul sober.
3 The rich man hath laboured in gathering riches together,
and when he resteth he shall be filled with his goods.
4 The poor man hath laboured in his low way of life, and in
the end he is still poor.
5 He that loveth gold, shall not be justified: and he that
followeth after corruption, shall be filled with it.
6 Many have been brought to fall for gold, and the beauty
thereof hath been their ruin.
7 Gold is a stumblingblock to them that sacrifice to it: woe
to them that eagerly follow after it, and every fool shall
perish by it.
8 Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish: and
that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money
nor in treasures.
9 Who is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done
wonderful things in his life.
10 Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall
have glory everlasting. He that could have transgressed,
and hath not transgressed: and could do evil things, and
hath not done them:
11 Therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all
the church of the saints shall declare his alms.
12 Art thou set at a great table? be not the first to open
thy mouth upon it.
13 Say not: There are many things which are upon it.
14 Remember that a wicked eye is evil.
15 What is created more wicked than an eye? therefore shall
it weep over all the face when it shall see.
16 Stretch not out thy hand first, lest being disgraced with
envy thou be put to confusion.
17 Be not hasty in a feast.
18 Judge of the disposition of thy neighbour by thyself.
19 Use as a frugal man the things that are set before thee:
lest if thou eatest much, thou be hated.
20 Leave off first, for manners' sake: and exceed not, lest
thou offend.
21 And if thou sittest among many, reach not thy hand out
first of all: and be not the first to ask for drink.
22 How sufficient is a little wine for a man well taught, and
in sleeping thou shalt not be uneasy with it, and thou
shalt feel no pain.
23 Watching, and choler, and gripes, are with an intemperate
man:
24 Sound and wholesome sleep with a moderate man: he shall
sleep till morning, and his soul shall be delighted with
him.
25 And if thou hast been forced to eat much, arise, go out,
and vomit: and it shall refresh thee, and thou shalt not
bring sickness upon thy body.
26 Hear me, my son, and despise me not: and in the end thou
shalt find my words.
27 In all thy works be quick, and no infirmity shall come to
thee.
28 The lips of many shall bless him that is liberal of his
bread, and the testimony of his truth is faithful.
29 Against him that is niggardly of his bread, the city will
murmur, and the testimony of his niggardliness is true.
30 Challenge not them that love wine: for wine hath destroyed
very many.
31 Fire trieth hard iron: so wine drunk to excess shall
rebuke the hearts of the proud.
32 Wine taken with sobriety is equal lire to men: if thou
drink it moderately, thou shalt be sober.
33 What is his life, who is diminished with wine?
34 What taketh away life? death.
35 Wine was created from the beginning to make men joyful,
and not to make them drunk.
36 Wine drunken with moderation is the joy of the soul and
the heart.
37 Sober drinking is health to soul and body.
38 Wine drunken with excess raiseth quarrels; and wrath, and
many ruins.
39 Wine drunken with excess is bitterness of the soul.
40 The heat of drunkenness is the stumblingblock of the fool,
lessening strength and causing wounds.
41 Rebuke not thy neighbour in a banquet of wine: and despise
him not in hip mirth.
42 Speak not to him words of reproach: and press him not in
demanding again.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 32
HAVE they made thee ruler? be not lifted up: be among them as
one of them.
2 Have care of them, and so sit down, and when thou hast
acquitted thyself of all thy charge, take thy place :
3 That thou mayst rejoice for them, and receive a crown as
an ornament of grace, and get the honour of the
contribution.
4 Speak, thou that art elder: for it becometh thee,
5 To speak the first word with care knowledge, and hinder
not music.
6 Where there is no hearing, pour out words, and be not
lifted up out season with thy wisdom.
7 A concert of music in a banquet wine is as a carbuncle set
in gold.
8 As a signet of an emerald in a work of gold: so is the
melody of music with pleasant and moderate wine.
9 Hear in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall
come to thee.
10 Young man, scarcely speak in thy own cause.
11 If thou be asked twice, let thy answer be short.
12 In many things be as if thou wert ignorant, and hear in
silence and withal seeking.
13 In the company of great men bake not upon thee: and when
the ancients are present, speak not much.
14 Before a storm goeth lightning: and before shamefacedness
goeth favour: and for thy reverence good grace shall come
to thee.
15 And at the time of rising be not slack: but be first to
run home to thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and
there take thy pastime.
16 And do what thou hast a mind, but not in sin or proud
speech.
17 And for all these things bless the Lord, that made thee,
and that replenisheth thee with all his good things.
18 He that feareth the Lord, will receive his discipline: and
they that will seek him early, shall find a blessing.
19 He that seeketh the law, shall be filled with it: and he
that dealeth deceitfully, shall meet with a stumblingblock
therein.
20 They that fear the Lord, shall find just judgment, and
shall kindle justice as a light.
21 A sinful man will flee reproof, and will find an excuse
according to his will.
22 A man of counsel will not neglect understanding, a strange
and proud man will not dread fear:
23 Even after he hath done with fear without counsel, he
shall be controlled by the things of his own seeking.
24 My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt
not repent when thou hast done.
25 Go not in the way of ruin, and thou shalt not stumble
against the stones; trust not thyself to a rugged may,
lest thou set a stumblingblock to thy soul.
26 And beware of thy own children, and take heed of them of
thy household.
27 In every work of thine regard thy soul in faith: for this
is the keeping of the commandments.
28 He that believeth God, taketh heed to the commandments:
and he that trusteth in him, shall fare never the worse.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 33
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