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diff --git a/77250-0.txt b/77250-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..76a8d29 --- /dev/null +++ b/77250-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4914 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77250 *** + + + + + The Wisdom of the East Series + + EDITED BY + L. CRANMER-BYNG + Dr. S. A. KAPADIA + + + THE WISDOM OF THE + APOCRYPHA + + + + +EDITORIAL NOTE + + +The object of the Editors of this series is a very definite one. +They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books +shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East +and West--the old world of Thought and the new of Action. In this +endeavour, and in their own sphere, they are but followers of the +highest example in the land. They are confident that a deeper knowledge +of the great ideals and lofty philosophy of Oriental thought may help +to a revival of that true spirit of Charity which neither despises nor +fears the nations of another creed and colour. Finally, in thanking +press and public for the very cordial reception given to the “Wisdom of +the East” Series, they wish to state that no pains have been spared to +secure the best specialists for the treatment of the various subjects +at hand. + + L. CRANMER-BYNG. + S. A. KAPADIA. + + NORTHBROOK SOCIETY, + 185 PICCADILLY, W. + + + + +WISDOM OF THE EAST + +THE WISDOM OF THE +APOCRYPHA + +WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY C. E. LAWRENCE + +AUTHOR OF “PILGRIMAGE,” ETC. + +[Illustration] + +LONDON +JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. +1910 + + + + +To + +A. W. E. & L. C. B. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + +INTRODUCTION 7 + +THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON 19 + +ECCLESIASTICUS 38 + + + + +NOTE + + +The Revised Version of the Apocrypha has been used in this volume by +the kind permission of the Delegates and Syndics of the University +Presses of Oxford and Cambridge. Owing to rigid limitations of space, +some deletions have been necessary. These are, principally, the last +nine chapters of _The Wisdom of Solomon_, consisting of historical +illustrations, and therefore quite well spared; and in _Ecclesiasticus_ +chapters xxxv., xxxvi., and from xliv. 16 to 1. 21. The design on the +cover is the work of Mr. Edward Frampton, whom I am glad to thank. + + C. E. L. + + + + +THE WISDOM OF THE APOCRYPHA + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +It is, comparatively speaking, so little a while since the Bible +was the unfailing source of human comfort and inspiration, that the +indifference with which, in recent years, it had come to be regarded +by the many, must needs have brought disquieting thoughts to the +few. In the days of our grandparents, and for five centuries before +that, the Bible was, at once, the fount of divine wisdom, the sure +depository of truth for the faithful, an impregnable rock; and so +firmly was its influence established, that all the contrary efforts of +the times could not weaken or diminish its power for strengthening and +comforting the hearts and minds of believing men. Then, in perhaps a +natural process--for reasons I will not in this connection endeavour +to suggest, though they are evident enough to whosoever would seek +them--the old power of the scriptures seemed gradually to fade. +The Bible became less the personal companion, and more a sideboard +ornament; if, indeed, it was not merely an impediment on the shelf +of the forgotten. Then time again wrought change, a hopeful change. +The scholarly study and criticism given to the book during the last +twenty to thirty years, helped by well-organised and wonderfully +well-rewarded archæological research, have had, with other tendencies, +this effect. They re-established the authority of the scriptures, and +reintroduced them to thoughtful minds; not quite, perhaps, as in the +old uncritical days, but with the living force and authority of an +immortal literature. The Bible became no longer--or should I say, not +merely?--a mystical touchstone, a magical entity; but a rich collection +of national writings, containing, as it does, a series of human +documents of unsurpassable value--history, law, philosophy, politics, +prophecy, poetry, proverbs, and allegories--which had for the centuries +of its evolution and creation, and have for these days and the years to +come, inspiration and messages which, when sought and realised, must +inevitably rouse, raise, and instruct the energies and thoughts of +mankind. + +It is as such--as human documents reflecting the ideals and the +philosophy of eastern wisdom--that this selection of two of the +Apocryphal books of the Old Testament has been included in the “Wisdom +of the East” series. Regarded as human documents, there can be no +question of their great interest and value. _The Wisdom of Solomon_ and +_Ecclesiasticus_ follow naturally after, and are not unworthy to range +with, _The Proverbs_ and _Ecclesiastes_; although not for an instant +would one claim for them equality of excellence with those accepted +parts of the Canon. Nevertheless, the neglect of the Apocryphal +writings has meant a loss, unjustifiable; for they carry on the +literature, and generally illustrate the ethical attitude, of the Jews, +during the gap of years which lapsed between the last books of the Old +Testament and the Synoptic Gospels, and are in many respects unique. + +For our purposes they have a necessary message. The truths they tell, +the criticism of men and things they make, are as applicable to modern +life as are the extremely acute generalisations of _The Proverbs_. They +spur, chide, stimulate, promise reward to, and inspire, the wise and +the prudent of these days, as they did the people of the times wherein +they were written. The world is, after all, intensely conservative. The +changes wrought by humanity inevitably work in cycles, and come back to +points passed, days, years, ages before. There is, indeed--so we come +to the over-quoted aphorism of Solomon--nothing new under the sun. Man +in his vanities, his little pride, his temporary strength, his abundant +weakness, is the same creature precisely--for what essential difference +do modern rules and trappings really make?--as he was when the sun +looked down on flocks and herds in the pleasant pastures of Palestine, +where now are wearying rocks and blistering sand; as he was when the +harp of David, the drums and trumpets of Sennacherib, the war-cries of +the Maccabees, challenged the hills and valleys of Judæa for a little +while, and then were still. Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all +is vanity! The unknown writer of _The Wisdom of Solomon_ in measure +echoed and carried on that humbling, eternal truth; so, too, though +with still slighter voice, did Jesus the Son of Sirach, who, sometime +in the two to three hundred years preceding the dawn of the Christian +era, wrote this generally neglected wisdom-book, _Ecclesiasticus_. But, +besides the vanity of man, these sages also spoke, even though vaguely, +of the hope which waited on him. That is not to be forgotten. + +It is necessary before noticing the general message and appeal of these +wisdom-books to revert briefly to the question of the particular place +and value of the Apocrypha as compared with some of the canonical +books of the Old Testament. This is not quite where it was. It is +worth while to realise that. The higher criticism, as it is called, +by subjecting the scriptures to the wholesome test of educated +and scientific inquiry, has modified the comparative value of its +component parts. Some it has illumined and strengthened; others it +has proved to be of different value from that previously ascribed to +them. Dreams and visions, allegories and parables, are the reasonable +and helpful explanations of certain supernatural signs and wonders +in the Old Testament, the literal truth of which, though hampering +and perplexing to many believers of scriptural truth, would have +been fiercely maintained and stoutly defended by the Bunyan type of +religious warrior--and honour be to every man in that fighting company! +Be that as it may, the results of the higher criticism have brought +into prominence this fact, that the action of St. Jerome in shelving +the Septuagint and retranslating the Old Testament from the original +Hebrew, thereby excluding the Apocrypha from the place it had hitherto +occupied with the canonical scriptures, entailed consequences which +the translators of the Authorised Version, who followed in his steps, +would, under cross-examination in these days, if such were possible, +have found it hard to justify. Why, for example, I ask with profound +respectfulness, should the story of the slaying of Sisera by Jael, who +flagrantly broke the laws of eastern hospitality, have been accepted +within the Canon, while the kindred but not so flagrant deed of Judith, +the destroyer of Holofernes, was relegated to the Apocrypha? Why, too, +should that beautiful poem _The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s_, +have been accepted as “establishing doctrine,” while the wisdom-books +in this volume were ignored--to be neglected ever since, unread and +practically forgotten by the overwhelming majority of religious people. +In any case, the criticism which has questioned and diminished the +value of certain books or chapters in the Old Testament has by doing so +revived interest in the Apocrypha. If, here and there, its history may +be unreliable and its incidents fantastic, does that necessarily weaken +the value of its better parts? Certainly not; otherwise the better +parts of the canonical scriptures would be so weakened also. + +It is, therefore, a good thing that the long-time neglect of this +supplement to the Bible should be ended; and, as the wisdom-books +here printed amply testify, humanity has lost through not having +better acquaintance of them. Church-people have known something about +them, for parts of _The Wisdom of Solomon_ and of _Ecclesiasticus_ +are included in the Lectionary; but no such inadequate selection, no +such casual fragments as are read in the churches, can give more than +a slight idea of their particular value and importance. They hold +ideals. The degree of the sublimity of those ideals is various, and +depends, in measure, on the receptivity and character of the reader; +but they are ideals, and uplifting, nevertheless; and at no time, in +any civilisation, can ideals be dispensed with. Where no vision is, the +people perish. + +The idea “Wisdom” meant different things to the Jews as their +history made progress, and has in these books various meanings and +is differently applied as the supposed needs of the nation or the +individual are illustrated. No simple definition of Wisdom as lauded +by Ben Sira, his grandson, or the unknown author of _The Wisdom of +Solomon_ (whose wisdom certainly it was not), can, therefore, be exact +or adequate. To do justice to the word in all the circumstances of its +use would require a many coloured catalogue; but, taking it in its +larger sense and expressing the general idea in simple English, it +meant duty--duty with the implied sacrifice of self, duty associated +with submission to Jehovah, “the Lord.” Not always is the wisdom of Ben +Sira worthy of this lofty description--Mr. Worldly Wiseman might often +quote him comfortably--but, reading the books through, it may justly be +said to mean that. + +It was a wisdom based on centuries of hard experience. The Jews whose +philosophy, Hellenised, is here expressed, had known the extremes, +and pretty well all the conditions, of life; and every phase of their +development--the slow pastoral age, the years of Egyptian bondage, +the fighting days in Canaan, the periods of heroism, of kingship, of +failure, of captivity, ending with the scattering of God’s Chosen, +never to be gathered again into one local community--was remembered +with burning memory, though it was not without balm. We have, then, in +these books, the settled philosophy, characteristically eastern, which, +while remembering the pain of the past, makes the best of present +blessings. + +Life, as shown in these wisdom-books, is a shadowy affair. We have the +experienced patriarch’s view of it as a business to which, uninvited, +man was put to be got through manfully. “We also, as soon as we were +born, ceased to be”--how sombrely true are those words!--and “Our +allotted time is the passing of a shadow.” Yes: but the snatched +fragment of fleeting time contains an opportunity for knowing truth and +practising wisdom. “My Soul,” says _Ecclesiasticus_, “prove thy soul in +thy life.” There we find the kernel of all this philosophy. Existence +on earth is the opportunity for duty: do it--now! Other passages, no +doubt, could be quoted, giving a cruder meaning to the message of these +books; but mine, I claim, is the truest. Wisdom calls for duty: duty +necessitates discipline. Again and again that truth is asserted and +that note struck. Sometimes Ben Sira carries the call for discipline +to undue length, in connection with the upbringing of children, for +example, as did Solomon the King when he advised that unsparing use +of the rod which our fathers took too literally; but, justly, these +writers, knowing the people of their and our days, insist on the +absolute necessity of discipline in every walk of life. The writer of +_The Wisdom of Solomon_--loftier and deeper was he than Ben Sira--goes +further yet, for, after saying that Wisdom “is radiant and fadeth +not away,” he proceeds to assert that “her true beginning is desire +of discipline.” The pupil must wish and seek as well as the master +teach; and then, the reward, “All the gold of the earth in her presence +is a little sand,” and “in kinship with wisdom is immortality.” The +immortality promised in the Apocrypha is, however, only a flicker and +vague, yet is it something considering the time of the writing, for +from the feeblest sparks may spring, as from those sparks there sprang, +consuming flames and light, life-giving. + +There is a side to the teaching of _Ecclesiasticus_ which is not to +be ignored, as it represents the duller facets of the great jewels of +eastern wisdom. Ben Sira abused woman badly. She was to him, as she is +still to others not only in the unmoving orient, a chattel for degraded +uses; a chattering burden; untrustworthy, mischievous; a hewer of wood +and drawer of water for her generous master, man. He bluntly represents +a woman’s wickedness as wickedness at its worst. His advice of how +to treat a daughter is, to put it mildly, unpleasant. As for the +nagging housewife--were the tents and habitations of Israel so heavily +afflicted?--the nuisance inspired him to a simile, “As the going up of +a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is the wife full of words to +a quiet man.” + +To pass to lesser things, Ben Sira could not suffer fools gladly. +The fact that so few Jews fail in the characteristics of shrewdness +and practical common-sense must largely be due to the harsh, +ironical things said of fools again, again, and ever again, in their +much-studied literature. “The discourse of a fool is like a burden in +the way.” One can almost hear the sage yawning at the close of a bout +of boredom. “The life of a fool is worse than death.” This is final +enough. So, also, of the man, too talkative. “Contend not with a man +that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon his fire.” The spirit +and picture in those words--there are many such sayings in these ripe +and stimulating books--are vivid: they fit these our times as they did +the days of Jesus, son of Sirach. Indeed, there is nothing new! The +ninny, the bore, the nagging wife, the man of empty tongue, Paul Pry, +Sir Peter Pomposity--these and many others, a tiresome company, are of +the eternal people, they who can never die. Ben Sira shows that he knew +them well. So also--so alas!--do we. + +Of various aspects of work he speaks: the dignity of labour was hardly +realised in those very pre-Carlylean days. His advice to masters +is shrewd--“Be not as a lion in thy house, nor fanciful among thy +servants”--and (probably with the prototype of Jeames in his mind’s +eye) contemptuous. “Fodder, a stick and burdens for an ass; bread, +and discipline and work for a servant”--which is reminiscent of the +sea-captain who, to keep his crew from grumbling in idleness, set them +in spare hours to scrape the rust from the anchor-chains. There is, +however, a broader spirit and more humanity in his consideration of the +workers in the fields and their aristocratic brothers in industry, the +artisan-artists, makers of the useful and beautiful, the graver, the +smith, and the potter. Of them he points a contrast which indirectly +exalts what we call the glory of the work. Here are words shrewd, +pregnant with meaning, worthy to be noted and kept in remembrance: + + “The wisdom of the scribe cometh by opportunity of leisure, and he + that hath little business shall become wise. + + “How shall he become wise that holdeth the plough, that glorieth in + the shaft of the goad, that driveth oxen and is occupied in their + labours, and whose discourse is of the stock of bulls?” + + (Ecclus. xxxviii.). + +I need quote no more of this passage, as it is to be read in the pages +that follow. It is but one instance, of many, showing the insight and +truth, applicable to all times, of Ben Sira’s philosophy. + +In the small affairs of every day these sages can help us: and +they--especially the writer of _The Wisdom of Solomon_--are not +unmindful of the larger life, the lighted truths, the eternal verities. +These wisdom-books taken together, as we are taking them, give +helpful, strengthening counsel on the great and the little troubles, +fears, comforts, questions which--all in a tangle and somehow--comprise +human life. + +Death these writers could contemplate with a resignation which +challenges comparison with the attitude of Omar, who was, before all +else, anxious to squeeze wine from the grapes and to take and give +kisses while still the sun was shining; he knowing full well that in +the emptiness and darkness to come there could be no joys of company, +no laughter, wine, or love such as he lived for: a sorry delight wedded +to a sorrier expectation, given to us, as it is, in verses so moving +and sweet that they accentuate the sadness ever brooding. “Fear not +the sentence of death, remember them that have been before thee and +that come after,” is a far nobler appeal to those who tremble at the +thought of the coming of the grey angel. And still there is God. “The +Eyes of the Lord are ten-thousand times brighter than the sun.” He is +omniscient and rules with beneficence; that confidence which the Jews +in their religion created was not extinguished, despite past trouble +and great national disappointments. As to the manner of travelling +along the road of life, between the dim but certain gates of birth and +death: “One praying and another cursing, whose voice will the Lord +listen to?” These sayings show how well they view man in the individual +and the abstract: for what always tells is character. “A man’s +attire, and grinning laughter and gait shew what he is,” and--this +to be remembered by the public man whose heart is breaking from the +ingratitude of those he serves, whose shoulders are galled by the +thankless burden which duty has compelled him to bear--“The man of low +estate may be pardoned in mercy, but mighty men shall be searched out +mightily.” On that true note--a strengthening message from the east to +the duty-doers of all times--it is well to close. + + + + +THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON + + +=1= Love righteousness, ye that be judges of the earth, think ye of the +Lord with a good mind, and in singleness of heart seek ye him; + +Because he is found of them that tempt him not, and is manifested to +them that do not distrust him. + +For crooked thoughts separate from God; and the supreme Power, when it +is brought to the proof, putteth to confusion the foolish: + +Because wisdom will not enter into a soul that deviseth evil, nor dwell +in a body that is held in pledge by sin. + +For a holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and will start away +from thoughts that are without understanding, and will be put to +confusion when unrighteousness hath come in. + +For wisdom is a spirit that loveth man, and she will not hold a +blasphemer guiltless for his lips; because God beareth witness of his +reins, and is a true overseer of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue: + +Because the spirit of the Lord hath filled the world, and that which +holdeth all things together hath knowledge of every voice. + +Therefore no man that uttereth unrighteous things shall be unseen; +neither shall Justice, when it convicteth, pass him by. + +For in the midst of his counsels the ungodly shall be searched out; and +the sound of his words shall come unto the Lord to bring to conviction +his lawless deeds: + +Because there is an ear of jealousy that listeneth to all things, and +the noise of murmurings is not hid. + +Beware then of unprofitable murmuring, and refrain your tongue from +backbiting; because no secret utterance shall go on its way void, and a +mouth that belieth destroyeth a soul. + +Court not death in the error of your life; neither draw upon yourselves +destruction by the works of your hands: + +Because God made not death; neither delighteth he when the living +perish: + +For he created all things that they might have being: and the +generative powers of the world are healthsome, and there is no poison +of destruction in them: nor hath Hades royal dominion upon earth: + +For righteousness is immortal: + +But ungodly men by their hands and their words called death unto them: +deeming him a friend they consumed away, and they made a covenant with +him, because they are worthy to be of his portion. + + * * * * * + +=2= For they said within themselves, reasoning not aright, Short and +sorrowful is our life; and there is no healing when a man cometh to his +end, and none was ever known that gave release from Hades. + +Because by mere chance were we born, and hereafter we shall be as +though we had never been: because the breath in our nostrils is smoke, +and while our heart beateth reason is a spark, + +Which being extinguished, the body shall be turned into ashes, and the +spirit shall be dispersed as thin air; + +And our name shall be forgotten in time, and no man shall remember our +works; and our life shall pass away as the traces of a cloud, and shall +be scattered as is a mist, when it is chased by the beams of the sun, +and overcome by the heat thereof. + +For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and our end +retreateth not; because it is fast sealed, and none turneth it back. + +Come therefore and let us enjoy the good things that now are; and let +us use the creation with all our soul as youth’s possession. + +Let us fill ourselves with costly wine and perfumes; and let no flower +of spring pass us by: + +Let us crown ourselves with rose-buds, before they be withered: + +Let none of us go without his share in our proud revelry: everywhere +let us leave tokens of our mirth; because this is our portion, and our +lot is this. + +Let us oppress the righteous poor; let us not spare the widow, nor +reverence the hairs of the old man gray for length of years. + +But let our strength be to us a law of righteousness; for that which is +weak is found to be of no service, + +But let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is of +disservice to us, and is contrary to our works, and upbraideth us +with sins against the law, and layeth to our charge sins against our +discipline. + +He professeth to have knowledge of God, and nameth himself servant of +the Lord. + +He became to us a reproof of our thoughts. + +He is grievous unto us even to behold, because his life is unlike other +men’s, and his paths are of strange fashion. + +We were accounted of him as base metal, and he abstaineth from our +ways as from uncleannesses. The latter end of the righteous he calleth +happy: and he vaunteth that God is his father. + +Let us see if his words be true, and let us try what shall befall in +the ending of his life. + +For if the righteous man is God’s son, he will uphold him, and he will +deliver him out of the hand of his adversaries. + +With outrage and torture let us put him to the test, that we may learn +his gentleness, and may prove his patience under wrong. + +Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for he shall be visited +according to his words. + + * * * * * + +Thus reasoned they, and they were led astray; for their wickedness +blinded them, + +And they knew not the mysteries of God, neither hoped they for wages of +holiness, nor did they judge that there is a prize for blameless souls. + +Because God created man for incorruption, and made him an image of his +own proper being; + +But by the envy of the devil death entered into the world, and they +that are of his portion make trial thereof. + +=3= But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no +torment shall touch them. + +In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died; and their +departure was accounted to be their hurt, + +And their journeying away from us to be their ruin: but they are in +peace. + +For even if in the sight of men they be punished, their hope is full of +immortality; + +And having borne a little chastening, they shall receive great good; +because God made trial of them, and found them worthy of himself. + +As gold in the furnace he proved them, and as a whole burnt offering he +accepted them. + +And in the time of their visitation they shall shine forth, and as +sparks among stubble they shall run to and fro. + +They shall judge nations, and have dominion over peoples; and the Lord +shall reign over them for evermore. + +They that trust on him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall +abide with him in love; because grace and mercy are to his chosen. + + * * * * * + +But the ungodly shall be requited even as they reasoned, they which +lightly regarded the righteous man, and revolted from the Lord; + +(For he that setteth at nought wisdom and discipline is miserable;) and +void is their hope and their toils unprofitable, and useless are their +works: + +Their wives are foolish, and wicked are their children; + +Accursed is their begetting. Because happy is the barren that is +undefiled, she who hath not conceived in transgression; she shall have +fruit when God visiteth souls. + +And happy is the eunuch which hath wrought no lawless deed with his +hands, nor imagined wicked things against the Lord; for there shall +be given him for his faithfulness a peculiar favour, and a lot in the +sanctuary of the Lord more delightsome than wife or children. + +For good labours have fruit of great renown; and the root of +understanding cannot fail. + +But children of adulterers shall not come to maturity, and the seed of +an unlawful bed shall vanish away. + +For if they live long, they shall be held in no account, and at the +last their old age shall be without honour. + +And if they die quickly, they shall have no hope, nor in the day of +decision shall they have consolation. + +For the end of an unrighteous generation is always grievous. + +=4= Better than this is childlessness with virtue; for in the memory +of virtue is immortality: because it is recognised both before God and +before men. + +When it is present, men imitate it; and they long after it when it +is departed: and throughout all time it marcheth crowned in triumph, +victorious in the strife for the prizes that are undefiled. + +But the multiplying brood of the ungodly shall be of no profit, and +with bastard slips they shall not strike deep root, nor shall they +establish a sure hold. + +For even if these put forth boughs and flourish for a season, yet, +standing unsure, they shall be shaken by the wind, and by the violence +of winds they shall be rooted out. + +Their branches shall be broken off before they come to maturity, and +their fruit shall be useless, never ripe to eat, and fit for nothing. + +For children unlawfully begotten are witnesses of wickedness against +parents when God searcheth them out. + + * * * * * + +But a righteous man, though he die before his time, shall be at rest. + +(For honourable old age is not that which standeth in length of time, +nor is its measure given by number of years: + +But understanding is gray hairs unto men, and an unspotted life is ripe +old age.) + +Being found well-pleasing unto God he was beloved of him, and while +living among sinners he was translated: + +He was caught away, lest wickedness should change his understanding, or +guile deceive his soul. + +(For the bewitching of naughtiness bedimmeth the things which are good, +and the giddy whirl of desire perverteth an innocent mind.) + +Being made perfect in a little while, he fulfilled long years; + +For his soul was pleasing unto the Lord: therefore hasted he out of the +midst of wickedness. + +But as for the peoples, seeing and understanding not, neither laying +this to heart, that grace and mercy are with his chosen, and that he +visiteth his holy ones:-- + +But a righteous man that is dead shall condemn the ungodly that are +living, and youth that is quickly perfected the many years of an +unrighteous man’s old age; + +For the ungodly shall see a wise man’s end, and shall not understand +what the Lord purposed concerning him, and for what he safely kept +him:-- + +They shall see, and they shall despise; but them the Lord shall laugh +to scorn. And after this they shall become a dishonoured carcase, and a +reproach among the dead for ever: + +Because he shall dash them speechless to the ground, and shall shake +them from the foundations, and they shall lie utterly waste, and they +shall be in anguish, and their memory shall perish. + + * * * * * + +They shall come, when their sins are reckoned up, with coward fear; and +their lawless deeds shall convict them to their face. + +=5= Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the +face of them that afflicted him, and them that make his labours of no +account. + +When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall +be amazed at the marvel of God’s salvation. + +They shall say within themselves repenting, and for distress of spirit +shall they groan, This was he whom aforetime we had in derision, and +made a parable of reproach: + +We fools accounted his life madness, and his end without honour: + +How was he numbered among sons of God? and how is his lot among saints? + +Verily we went astray from the way of truth, and the light of +righteousness shined not for us, and the sun rose not for us. + +We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction, and we +journeyed through trackless deserts, but the way of the Lord we knew +not. + +What did our arrogancy profit us? and what good have riches and +vaunting brought us? + +Those things all passed away as a shadow, and as a message that runneth +by: + +As a ship passing through the billowy water, whereof, when it is gone +by, there is no trace to be found, neither pathway of its keel in the +billows: + +Or as when a bird flieth through the air, no token of her passage is +found, but the light wind, lashed with the stroke of her pinions, and +rent asunder with the violent rush of the moving wings, is passed +through, and afterwards no sign of her coming is found therein: + +Or as when an arrow is shot at a mark, the air disparted closeth up +again immediately, so that men know not where it passed through: + +So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be: and of virtue we had +no sign to shew, but in our wickedness we were utterly consumed. + +Because the hope of the ungodly man is as chaff carried by the wind, +and as foam vanishing before a tempest; and is scattered as smoke is +scattered by the wind, and passeth by as the remembrance of a guest +that tarrieth but a day. + + * * * * * + +But the righteous live for ever, and in the Lord is their reward, and +the care for them with the Most High. + +Therefore shall they receive the crown of royal dignity and the diadem +of beauty from the Lord’s hand; because with his right hand shall he +cover them, and with his arm shall he shield them. + +He shall take his jealousy as complete armour, and shall make the whole +creation his weapons for vengeance on his enemies: + +He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and shall array himself +with judgement unfeigned as with a helmet; + +He shall take holiness as an invincible shield, + +And he shall sharpen stern wrath for a sword: and the world shall go +forth with him to fight against his insensate foes. + +Shafts of lightning shall fly with true aim, and from the clouds, as +from a well drawn bow, shall they leap to the mark. + +And as from an engine of war shall be hurled hailstones full of wrath; +the water of the sea shall be angered against them, and rivers shall +sternly overwhelm them; + +A mighty blast shall encounter them, and as a tempest shall it winnow +them away: and so shall lawlessness make all the land desolate, and +their evil-doing shall overturn the thrones of princes. + + * * * * * + +=6= Hear therefore, ye kings, and understand; learn, ye judges of the +ends of the earth: + +Give ear, ye that have dominion over much people, and make your boast +in multitudes of nations. + +Because your dominion was given you from the Lord, and your sovereignty +from the Most High; who shall search out your works, and shall make +inquisition of your counsels: + +Because being officers of his kingdom ye did not judge aright, neither +kept ye law, nor walked after the counsel of God. + +Awfully and swiftly shall he come upon you; because a stern judgement +befalleth them that be in high place: + +For the man of low estate may be pardoned in mercy, but mighty men +shall be searched out mightily. + +For the Sovereign Lord of all will not refrain himself for any man’s +person, neither will he reverence greatness; because it is he that made +both small and great, and alike he taketh thought for all; + +But strict is the scrutiny that cometh upon the powerful. + +Unto you, therefore, O princes, are my words, that ye may learn wisdom +and fall not from the right way. + +For they that have kept holily the things that are holy shall +themselves be hallowed; and they that have been taught them shall find +what to answer; + +Set your desire therefore on my words; long for them, and ye shall be +trained by their discipline. + + * * * * * + +Wisdom is radiant and fadeth not away; and easily is she beheld of them +that love her, and found of them that seek her. + +She forestalleth them that desire to know her, making herself first +known. + +He that riseth up early to seek her shall have no toil, for he shall +find her sitting at his gates. + +For to think upon her is perfectness of understanding, and he that +watcheth for her sake shall quickly be free from care. + +Because she goeth about, herself seeking them that are worthy of her, +and in their paths she appeareth unto them graciously, and in every +purpose she meeteth them. + +For her true beginning is desire of discipline; and the care for +discipline is love of her; + +And love of her is observance of her laws; and to give heed to her laws +confirmeth incorruption; + +And incorruption bringeth near unto God; + +So then desire of wisdom promoteth to a kingdom. + +If therefore ye delight in thrones and sceptres, ye princes of peoples, +honour wisdom, that ye may reign for ever. + +But what wisdom is, and how she came into being, I will declare, and +I will not hide mysteries from you; but I will trace her out from the +beginning of creation, and bring the knowledge of her into clear +light, and I will not pass by the truth; + +Neither indeed will I take pining envy for my companion in the way, +because envy shall have no fellowship with wisdom. + +But a multitude of wise men is salvation to the world, and an +understanding king is tranquillity to his people. + +Wherefore be disciplined by my words, and thereby shall ye profit. + + * * * * * + +=7= I myself also am mortal, like to all, and am sprung from one born +of the earth, the man first formed, + +And in the womb of a mother was I moulded into flesh in the time of ten +months, being compacted in blood of the seed of man and pleasure that +came with sleep. + +And I also, when I was born, drew in the common air, and fell upon the +kindred earth, uttering, like all, for my first voice, the selfsame +wail: + +In swaddling clothes was I nursed, and with watchful cares. + +For no king had any other first beginning; + +But all men have one entrance into life, and a like departure. + +For this cause I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon +God, and there came to me a spirit of wisdom. + +I preferred her before sceptres and thrones, and riches I esteemed +nothing in comparison of her. + +Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all the gold +of the earth in her presence is a little sand, and silver shall be +accounted as clay before her. + +Above health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather +than light, because her bright shining is never laid to sleep. + +But with her there came to me all good things together, and in her +hands innumerable riches: + +And I rejoiced over them all because wisdom leadeth them; though I knew +not that she was the mother of them. + +As I learned without guile, I impart without grudging; I do not hide +her riches. + +For she is unto men a treasure that faileth not, and they that use it +obtain friendship with God, commended to him by the gifts which they +through discipline present to him. + + * * * * * + +But to me may God give to speak with judgement, and to conceive +thoughts worthy of what hath been given me; because himself is one that +guideth even wisdom and that correcteth the wise. + +For in his hand are both we and our words; all understanding, and all +acquaintance with divers crafts. + +For himself gave me an unerring knowledge of the things that are, to +know the constitution of the world, and the operation of the elements; + +The beginning and end and middle of times, the alternations of the +solstices and the changes of seasons, + +The circuits of years and the positions of stars; + +The natures of living creatures and the ragings of wild beasts, the +violences of winds and the thoughts of men, the diversities of plants +and the virtues of roots: + +All things that are either secret or manifest I learned, + +For she that is the artificer of all things taught me, even wisdom. + + * * * * * + +For there is in her a spirit quick of understanding, holy, alone in +kind, manifold, subtil, freely moving, clear in utterance, unpolluted, +distinct, unharmed, loving what is good, keen, unhindered, + +Beneficent, loving toward man, steadfast, sure, free from care, +all-powerful, all-surveying, and penetrating through all spirits that +are quick of understanding, pure, most subtil: + +For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; yea, she pervadeth and +penetrateth all things by reason of her pureness. + +For she is a breath of the power of God, and a clear effluence of the +glory of the Almighty; therefore can nothing defiled find entrance into +her. + +For she is an effulgence from everlasting light, and an unspotted +mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. + +And she, being one, hath power to do all things; and remaining in +herself, reneweth all things: and from generation to generation passing +into holy souls she maketh men friends of God and prophets. + +For nothing doth God love save him that dwelleth with wisdom. + +For she is fairer than the sun, and above all the constellations of the +stars: being compared with light, she is found to be before it; + +For to the light of day succeedeth night, but against wisdom evil doth +not prevail; + +=8= But she reacheth from one end of the world to the other with full +strength, and ordereth all things graciously. + + * * * * * + +Her I loved and sought out from my youth, and I sought to take her for +my bride, and I became enamoured of her beauty. + +She glorifieth her noble birth in that it is given her to live with +God, and the Sovereign Lord of all loved her. + +For she is initiated into the knowledge of God, and she chooseth out +for him his works. + +But if riches are a desired possession in life, what is richer than +wisdom, which worketh all things? + +And if understanding worketh, who more than wisdom is an artificer of +the things that are? + +And if a man loveth righteousness, the fruits of wisdom’s labour are +virtues, for she teacheth soberness and understanding, righteousness +and courage; and there is nothing in life for men more profitable than +these. + +And if a man longeth even for much experience, she knoweth the things +of old, and divineth the things to come: she understandeth subtilties +of speeches and interpretations of dark sayings: she foreseeth signs +and wonders, and the issues of seasons and times. + +I determined therefore to take her unto me to live with me, knowing +that she is one who would give me good thoughts for counsel, and +encourage me in cares and grief. + +Because of her I shall have glory among multitudes, and honour in the +sight of elders, though I be young. + +I shall be found of a quick conceit when I give judgement, and in the +presence of princes I shall be admired. + +When I am silent, they shall wait for me; and when I open my lips, they +shall give heed unto me; and if I continue speaking, they shall lay +their hand upon their mouth. + +Because of her I shall have immortality, and leave behind an eternal +memory to them that come after me. + +I shall govern peoples, and nations shall be subjected to me. + +Dread princes shall fear me when they hear of me: among my people I +shall shew myself a good ruler, and in war courageous. + +When I am come into my house, I shall find rest with her; for converse +with her hath no bitterness, and to live with her hath no pain, but +gladness and joy. + +When I considered these things in myself, and took thought in my heart +how that in kinship unto wisdom is immortality, + +And in her friendship is good delight, and in the labours of her hands +is wealth that faileth not, and in assiduous communing with her is +understanding, and great renown in having fellowship with her words, I +went about seeking how to take her unto myself. + +Now I was a child of parts, and a good soul fell to my lot; + +Nay rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled. + +But perceiving that I could not otherwise possess wisdom except God +gave her me (yea and to know by whom the grace is given, this too came +of understanding), I pleaded with the Lord and besought him, and with +my whole heart I said, + + * * * * * + +=9= O God of the fathers, and Lord who keepest thy mercy, who madest +all things by thy word; + +And by thy wisdom thou formedst man, that he should have dominion over +the creatures that were made by thee, + +And rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and execute judgement +in uprightness of soul; + +Give me wisdom, her that sitteth by thee on thy throne; and reject me +not from among thy servants: + +Because I am thy bondman and the son of thy handmaid, a man weak and +short-lived, and of small power to understand judgement and laws. + +For even if a man be perfect among the sons of men, yet if the wisdom +that cometh from thee be not with him, he shall be held in no account. + +Thou didst choose me before my brethren to be king of thy people, and +to do judgement for thy sons and daughters. + +Thou gavest command to build a sanctuary in thy holy mountain, and an +altar in the city of thy habitation, a copy of the holy tabernacle +which thou preparedst aforehand from the beginning. + +And with thee is wisdom, which knoweth thy works, and was present when +thou wast making the world, and which understandeth what is pleasing in +thine eyes, and what is right according to thy commandments. + +Send her forth out of the holy heavens, and from the throne of thy +glory bid her come, that being present with me she may toil with me, +and that I may learn what is well-pleasing before thee. + +For she knoweth all things and hath understanding thereof, and in my +doings she shall guide me in ways of soberness, and she shall guard me +in her glory. + +And so shall my works be acceptable, and I shall judge thy people +righteously, and I shall be worthy of my father’s throne. + +For what man shall know the counsel of God? or who shall conceive what +the Lord willeth? + +For the thoughts of mortals are timorous, and our devices are prone to +fail. + +For a corruptible body weigheth down the soul, and the earthly frame +lieth heavy on a mind that is full of cares. + +And hardly do we divine the things that are on earth, and the things +that are close at hand we find with labour; but the things that are in +the heavens who ever yet traced out? + +And who ever gained knowledge of thy counsel, except thou gavest +wisdom, and sentest thy holy spirit from on high? + +And it was thus that the ways of them which are on earth were +corrected, and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto thee; +and through wisdom were they saved. + + + + +THE WISDOM OF JESUS THE SON OF SIRACH + +OR + +ECCLESIASTICUS + + +=1= All wisdom cometh from the Lord, and is with him for ever. + +The sand of the seas, and the drops of rain, and the days of eternity, +who shall number? + +The height of the heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the deep, +and wisdom, who shall search them out? + +Wisdom hath been created before all things, and the understanding of +prudence from everlasting. + +To whom hath the root of wisdom been revealed? and who hath known her +shrewd counsels? + +There is one wise, greatly to be feared, the Lord sitting upon his +throne: + +He created her, and saw, and numbered her, and poured her out upon all +his works. + +She is with all flesh according to his gift; and he gave her freely to +them that love him. + +The fear of the Lord is glory, and exultation, and gladness, and a +crown of rejoicing. + +The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give gladness, +and joy, and length of days. + +Whoso feareth the Lord, it shall go well with him at the last, and in +the day of his death he shall be blessed. + +To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and it was created +together with the faithful in the womb. + +With men she laid an eternal foundation; and with their seed shall she +be had in trust. + +To fear the Lord is the fulness of wisdom; and she satiateth men with +her fruits. + +She shall fill all her house with desirable things, and her garners +with her produce. + +The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect +health to flourish. + +He both saw and numbered her; he rained down skill and knowledge of +understanding, and exalted the honour of them that hold her fast. + +To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom; and her branches are length of +days. + + * * * * * + +Unjust wrath can never be justified; for the sway of his wrath is his +downfall. + +A man that is longsuffering will bear for a season, and afterwards +gladness shall spring up unto him: + +He will hide his words for a season, and the lips of many shall tell +forth his understanding. + +A parable of knowledge is in the treasures of wisdom; but godliness is +an abomination to a sinner. + +If thou desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord shall give +her unto thee freely: + +For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction; and in faith and +meekness is his good pleasure. + +Disobey not the fear of the Lord; and come not unto him with a double +heart. + +Be not a hypocrite in the mouths of men; and take good heed to thy lips. + +Exalt not thyself, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon thy soul; +and so the Lord shall reveal thy secrets, and shall cast thee down in +the midst of the congregation; because thou camest not unto the fear of +the Lord, and thy heart was full of deceit. + + * * * * * + +=2= My son, if thou comest to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for +temptation. + +Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time +of calamity. + +Cleave unto him, and depart not, that thou mayest be increased at thy +latter end. + +Accept whatsoever is brought upon thee, and be longsuffering when thou +passeth into humiliation. + +For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of +humiliation. + +Put thy trust in him, and he will help thee: order thy ways aright, and +set thy hope on him. + + * * * * * + +Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and turn not aside, lest ye +fall. + +Ye that fear the Lord, put your trust in him; and your reward shall not +fail. + +Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good things, and for eternal gladness +and mercy. + +Look at the generations of old, and see: who did ever put his trust +in the Lord, and was ashamed? or who did abide in his fear, and was +forsaken? or who did call upon him, and he despised him? + +For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy; and he forgiveth sins, +and saveth in time of affliction. + + * * * * * + +Woe unto fearful hearts, and to faint hands, and to the sinner that +goeth two ways! + +Woe unto the faint heart! for it believeth not; therefore shall it not +be defended. + +Woe unto you that have lost your patience! and what will ye do when the +Lord shall visit you? + +They that fear the Lord will not disobey his words; and they that love +him will keep his ways. + +They that fear the Lord will seek his good pleasure; and they that love +him shall be filled with the law. + +They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and will humble +their souls in his sight, saying, + +We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: +for as his majesty is, so also is his mercy. + + * * * * * + +=3= Hear me your father, O my children, and do thereafter, that ye may +be saved. + +For the Lord hath given the father glory as touching the children, and +hath confirmed the judgement of the mother as touching the sons. + +He that honoureth his father shall make atonement for sins: + +And he that giveth glory to his mother is as one that layeth up +treasure. + +Whoso honoureth his father shall have joy of his children; and in the +day of his prayer he shall be heard. + +He that giveth glory to his father shall have length of days; and he +that hearkeneth unto the Lord shall bring rest unto his mother, + +And will do service under his parents, as unto masters. + +In deed and word honour thy father, that a blessing may come upon thee +from him. + +For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of children; but +the curse of the mother rooteth out the foundations. + + * * * * * + +Glorify not thyself in the dishonour of thy father; for thy father’s +dishonour is no glory unto thee. + +For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father; and a mother +in dishonour is a reproach to her children. + +My son, help thy father in his old age; and grieve him not as long as +he liveth. + +And if he fail in understanding, have patience with him; and dishonour +him not while thou art in thy full strength. + +For the relieving of thy father shall not be forgotten: and instead of +sins it shall be added to build thee up. + +In the day of thine affliction it shall remember thee; as fair weather +upon ice, so shall thy sins also melt away. + +He that forsaketh his father is as a blasphemer; and he that provoketh +his mother is cursed of the Lord. + + * * * * * + +My son, go on with thy business in meekness; so shalt thou be beloved +of an acceptable man. + +The greater thou art, humble thyself the more, and thou shalt find +favour before the Lord. + + * * * * * + +For great is the potency of the Lord, and he is glorified of them that +are lowly. + +Seek not things that are too hard for thee, and search not out things +that are above thy strength. + +The things that have been commanded thee, think thereupon; for thou +hast no need of the things that are secret. + +Be not over busy in thy superfluous works: for more things are shewed +unto thee than men can understand. + +For the conceit of many hath led them astray; and evil surmising hath +caused their judgement to slip. + + * * * * * + +A stubborn heart shall fare ill at the last; and he that loveth danger +shall perish therein. + +A stubborn heart shall be laden with troubles; and the sinner shall +heap sin upon sin. + +The calamity of the proud is no healing; for a plant of wickedness hath +taken root in him. + +The heart of the prudent will understand a parable; and the ear of a +listener is the desire of a wise man. + +Water will quench a flaming fire; and almsgiving will make atonement +for sins. + +He that requiteth good turns is mindful of that which cometh afterward; +and in the time of his falling he shall find a support. + + * * * * * + +=4= My son, deprive not the poor of his living, and make not the needy +eyes to wait long. + +Make not a hungry soul sorrowful; neither provoke a man in his distress. + +To a heart that is provoked add not more trouble; and defer not to give +to him that is in need. + +Reject not a suppliant in his affliction; and turn not away thy face +from a poor man. + +Turn not away thine eye from one that asketh of thee, and give none +occasion to a man to curse thee: + +For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul, he that made him +will hear his supplication. + + * * * * * + +Get thyself the love of the congregation; and to a great man bow thy +head. + +Incline thine ear to a poor man, and answer him with peaceable words in +meekness. + +Deliver him that is wronged from the hand of him that wrongeth him; and +be not fainthearted in giving judgement. + +Be as a father unto the fatherless, and instead of a husband unto their +mother: so shalt thou be as a son of the Most High, and he shall love +thee more than thy mother doth. + + * * * * * + +Wisdom exalteth her sons, and taketh hold of them that seek her. + +He that loveth her loveth life; and they that seek to her early shall +be filled with gladness. + +He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; and where he entereth, +the Lord will bless. + +They that do her service shall minister to the Holy One; and them that +love her the Lord doth love. + +He that giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations; and he that +giveth heed unto her shall dwell securely. + +If he trust her, he shall inherit her; and his generations shall have +her in possession. + +For at the first she will walk with him in crooked ways, and will bring +fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline, until she +may trust his soul, and try him by her judgements: + +Then will she return again the straight way unto him, and will gladden +him, and reveal to him her secrets. + +If he go astray, she will forsake him, and give him over to his fall. + + * * * * * + +Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; and be not ashamed +concerning thy soul. + +For there is a shame that bringeth sin; and there is a shame that is +glory and grace. + +Accept not the person of any against thy soul; and reverence no man +unto thy falling. + +Refrain not speech, when it tendeth to safety; and hide not thy wisdom +for the sake of fair-seeming. + +For by speech wisdom shall be known; and instruction by the word of the +tongue. + +Speak not against the truth; and be abashed for thine ignorance. + +Be not ashamed to make confession of thy sins; and force not the +current of the river. + +Lay not thyself down for a fool to tread upon; and accept not the +person of one that is mighty. + +Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord God shall fight for thee. + +Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss. + +Be not as a lion in thy house, nor fanciful among thy servants. + +Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and closed when thou +shouldest repay. + +=5= Set not thy heart upon thy goods; and say not, They are sufficient +for me. + +Follow not thine own mind and thy strength, to walk in the desires of +thy heart; + +And say not, Who shall have dominion over me? for the Lord will surely +take vengeance on thee. + + * * * * * + +Say not, I sinned, and what happened unto me? for the Lord is +longsuffering. + +Concerning atonement, be not without fear, to add sin upon sins: + +And say not, His compassion is great; he will be pacified for the +multitude of my sins: for mercy and wrath are with him, and his +indignation will rest upon sinners. + +Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord; and put not off from day to day: +for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth; and thou shalt +perish in the time of vengeance. + + * * * * * + +Set not thine heart upon unrighteous gains: for thou shalt profit +nothing in the day of calamity. + +Winnow not with every wind, and walk not in every path: thus doeth the +sinner that hath a double tongue. + +Be stedfast in thy understanding; and let thy word be one. + +Be swift to hear; and with patience make thine answer. + +If thou hast understanding, answer thy neighbour; and if not, let thy +hand be upon thy mouth. + +Glory and dishonour is in talk: and the tongue of a man is his fall. + +Be not called a whisperer; and lie not in wait with thy tongue: for +upon the thief there is shame, and an evil condemnation upon him that +hath a double tongue. + +In a great matter and in a small be not ignorant; + +=6= And instead of a friend become not an enemy; for an evil name shall +inherit shame and reproach: even so shall the sinner that hath a double +tongue. + + * * * * * + +Exalt not thyself in the counsel of thy soul; that thy soul be not torn +in pieces as a bull: + +Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and destroy thy fruits, and leave thyself +as a dry tree. + +A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath gotten it, and shall make him +a laughing-stock to his enemies. + + * * * * * + +Sweet words will multiply a man’s friends; and a fair-speaking tongue +will multiply courtesies. + +Let those that are at peace with thee be many; but thy counsellors one +of a thousand. + +If thou wouldest get thee a friend, get him by proving, and be not in +haste to trust him. + +For there is a friend that is so for his own occasion; and he will not +continue in the day of thy affliction. + +And there is a friend that turneth to enmity; and he will discover +strife to thy reproach. + +And there is a friend that is a companion at the table; and he will not +continue in the day of thy affliction. + +And in thy prosperity he will be as thyself, and will be bold over thy +servants: + +If thou shalt be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide +himself from thy face. + +Separate thyself from thine enemies; and beware of thy friends. + + * * * * * + +A faithful friend is a strong defence; and he that hath found him hath +found a treasure. + +There is nothing that can be taken in exchange for a faithful friend; +and his excellency is beyond price. + +A faithful friend is a medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord +shall find him. + +He that feareth the Lord directeth his friendship aright; for as he is, +so is his neighbour also. + + * * * * * + +My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: and even unto hoar hairs +thou shalt find wisdom. + +Come unto her as one that ploweth and soweth, and wait for her good +fruits; for thy toil shall be little in the tillage of her, and thou +shalt eat of her fruits right soon. + +How exceeding harsh is she to the unlearned! and he that is without +understanding will not abide in her. + +As a mighty stone of trial shall she rest upon him; and he will not +delay to cast her from him. + +For wisdom is according to her name; and she is not manifest unto many. + + * * * * * + +Give ear, my son, and accept my judgement, and refuse not my counsel, + +And bring thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain. + +Put thy shoulder under her, and bear her, and be not grieved with her +bonds. + +Come unto her with all thy soul, and keep her ways with thy whole power. + +Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee; and when thou +hast got hold of her, let her not go. + +For at the last thou shalt find her rest; and she shall be turned for +thee into gladness. + +And her fetters shall be to thee for a covering of strength, and her +chains for a robe of glory. + +For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are a riband of +blue. + +Thou shalt put her on as a robe of glory, and shalt array thee with her +as a crown of rejoicing. + + * * * * * + +My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be instructed; and if thou wilt yield +thy soul, thou shalt be prudent. + +If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive; and if thou incline thine +ear, thou shalt be wise. + +Stand thou in the multitude of the elders; and whoso is wise, cleave +thou unto him. + +Be willing to listen to every godly discourse; and let not the proverbs +of understanding escape thee. + +If thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and +let thy foot wear out the steps of his doors. + +Let thy mind dwell upon the ordinances of the Lord, and meditate +continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and +thy desire of wisdom shall be given unto thee. + + * * * * * + +=7= Do no evil, so shall no evil overtake thee. + +Depart from wrong, and it shall turn aside from thee. + +My son, sow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and thou shalt not +reap them sevenfold. + + * * * * * + +Seek not of the Lord preeminence, neither of the king the seat of +honour. + +Justify not thyself in the presence of the Lord; and display not thy +wisdom before the king. + +Seek not to be a judge, lest thou be not able to take away iniquities; +lest haply thou fear the person of a mighty man, and lay a +stumblingblock in the way of thy uprightness. + + * * * * * + +Sin not against the multitude of the city, and cast not thyself down in +the crowd. + +Bind not up sin twice; for in one sin thou shalt not be unpunished. + +Say not, He will look upon the multitude of my gifts, and when I offer +to the Most High God, he will accept it. + +Be not fainthearted in thy prayer; and neglect not to give alms. + +Laugh not a man to scorn when he is in the bitterness of his soul; for +there is one who humbleth and exalteth. + +Devise not a lie against thy brother; neither do the like to a friend. + +Love not to make any manner of lie; for the custom thereof is not for +good. + +Prate not in the multitude of elders; and repeat not thy words in thy +prayer. + + * * * * * + +Hate not laborious work; neither husbandry, which the Most High hath +ordained. + +Number not thyself among the multitude of sinners: remember that wrath +will not tarry. + +Humble thy soul greatly; for the punishment of the ungodly man is fire +and the worm. + + * * * * * + +Change not a friend for a thing indifferent; neither a true brother for +the gold of Ophir. + +Forgo not a wise and good wife; for her grace is above gold. + +Entreat not evil a servant that worketh truly, nor a hireling that +giveth thee his life. + +Let thy soul love a wise servant; defraud him not of liberty. + + * * * * * + +Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them; and if they are profitable to +thee, let them stay by thee. + +Hast thou children? correct them, and bow down their neck from their +youth. + +Hast thou daughters? give heed to their body, and make not thy face +cheerful toward them. + +Give thy daughter in marriage, and thou shalt have accomplished a great +matter: and give her to a man of understanding. + + * * * * * + +Hast thou a wife after thy mind? cast her not out: but trust not +thyself to one that is hateful. + +Give glory to thy father with thy whole heart; and forget not the pangs +of thy mother. + +Remember that of them thou wast born: and what wilt thou recompense +them for the things that they have done for thee? + +Fear the Lord with all thy soul; and reverence his priests. + +With all thy strength love him that made thee; and forsake not his +ministers. + +Fear the Lord, and glorify the priest; and give him his portion, even +as it is commanded thee; the firstfruits, and the trespass offering, +and the gift of the shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and +the firstfruits of holy things. + + * * * * * + +Also to the poor man stretch out thy hand, that thy blessing may be +perfected. + +A gift hath grace in the sight of every man living, and for a dead man +keep not back grace. + +Be not wanting to them that weep; and mourn with them that mourn. + +Be not slow to visit a sick man; for by such things thou shalt gain +love. + +In all thy matters remember thy last end, and thou shalt never do amiss. + +=8= Contend not with a mighty man, lest haply thou fall into his hands. + +Strive not with a rich man, lest haply he overweigh thee: for gold hath +destroyed many, and turned aside the hearts of kings. + +Contend not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon +his fire. + + * * * * * + +Jest not with a rude man, lest thine ancestors be dishonoured. + +Reproach not a man when he turneth from sin: remember that we are all +worthy of punishment. + +Dishonour not a man in his old age; for some of us also are waxing old. + +Rejoice not over one that is dead: remember that we die all. + + * * * * * + +Neglect not the discourse of the wise, and be conversant with their +proverbs; for of them thou shalt learn instruction, and how to minister +to great men. + +Miss not the discourse of the aged; for they also learned of their +fathers: because from them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give +answer in time of need. + + * * * * * + +Kindle not the coals of a sinner, lest thou be burned with the flame of +his fire. + +Rise not up from the presence of an insolent man, lest he lie in wait +as an ambush for thy mouth. + +Lend not to a man that is mightier than thyself; and if thou lend, be +as one that hath lost. + +Be not surety above thy power: and if thou be surety, take thought as +one that will have to pay. + + * * * * * + +Go not to law with a judge; for according to his honour will they give +judgement for him. + +Go not in the way with a rash man, lest he be aggrieved with thee; for +he will do according to his own will, and thou shalt perish with his +folly. + +Fight not with a wrathful man, and travel not with him through the +desert; for blood is as nothing in his sight; and where there is no +help, he will overthrow thee. + +Take not counsel with a fool; for he will not be able to conceal the +matter. + +Do no secret thing before a stranger; for thou knowest not what he will +bring forth. + +Open not thine heart to every man; and let him not return thee a favour. + + * * * * * + +=9= Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, and teach her not an +evil lesson against thyself. + +Give not thy soul unto a woman, that she should set her foot upon thy +strength. + +Go not to meet a woman that playeth the harlot, lest haply thou fall +into her snares. + +Use not the company of a woman that is a singer, lest haply thou be +caught by her attempts. + +Gaze not on a maid, less haply thou be trapped in her penalties. + +Give not thy soul unto harlots, that thou lose not thine inheritance. + +Look not round about thee in the streets of the city, neither wander +thou in the solitary places thereof. + +Turn away thine eye from a comely woman, and gaze not on another’s +beauty: by the beauty of a woman many have been led astray; and +herewith love is kindled as a fire. + +Sit not at all with a woman that hath a husband; and revel not with +her at the wine; lest haply thy soul turn aside unto her, and with thy +spirit thou slide into destruction. + + * * * * * + +Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him; as new +wine, so is a new friend; if it become old, thou shalt drink it with +gladness. + + * * * * * + +Envy not the glory of a sinner; for thou knowest not what shall be his +overthrow. + +Delight not in the delights of the ungodly: remember they shall not go +unpunished unto the grave. + + * * * * * + +Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill, and thou shalt have +no suspicion of the fear of death: and if thou come unto him, commit no +fault, lest he take away thy life: know surely that thou goest about in +midst of snares, and walkest upon the battlements of a city. + + * * * * * + +As well as thou canst, guess at thy neighbours; and take counsel with +the wise. + +Let thy converse be with men of understanding; and let all thy +discourse be in the law of the Most High. + +Let just men be the companions of thy board; and let thy glorying be in +the fear of the Lord. + + * * * * * + +For the hand of the artificers a work shall be commended: and he that +ruleth the people shall be counted wise for his speech. + +A man full of tongue is dangerous in his city; and he that is headlong +in his speech shall be hated. + + * * * * * + +=10= A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a man +of understanding shall be well ordered. + +As is the judge of his people, so are his ministers; and as is the +ruler of the city, such are all they that dwell therein. + +An uninstructed king will destroy his people; and a city will be +established through the understanding of the powerful. + +In the hand of the Lord is the authority of the earth; and in due time +he will raise up over it one that is profitable. + +In the hand of the Lord is the prosperity of a man; and upon the person +of the scribe shall he lay his honour. + + * * * * * + +Be not wroth with thy neighbour for every wrong; and do nothing by +works of violence. + +Pride is hateful before the Lord and before men; and in the judgement +of both will unrighteousness err. + +Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation, because of +iniquities, and deeds of violence, and greed of money. + +Why is earth and ashes proud? because in his life he hath cast away his +bowels. + +It is a long disease; the physician mocketh: and he is a king to-day, +and to-morrow he shall die. + +For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, and beasts, +and worms. + +It is the beginning of pride when a man departeth from the Lord; and +his heart is departed from him that made him. + +For the beginning of pride is sin; and he that keepeth it will pour +forth abomination. For this cause the Lord brought upon them strange +calamities, and overthrew them utterly. + +The Lord cast down the thrones of rulers, and set the meek in their +stead. + +The Lord plucked up the roots of nations, and planted the lowly in +their stead. + +The Lord overthrew the lands of nations, and destroyed them unto the +foundations of the earth. + +He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and made their memorial +to cease from the earth. + +Pride hath not been created for men, nor wrathful anger for the +offspring of women. + + * * * * * + +What manner of seed hath honour? the seed of man. What manner of seed +hath honour? they that fear the Lord. What manner of seed hath no +honour? the seed of man. What manner of seed hath no honour? they that +transgress the commandments. + +In the midst of brethren he that ruleth them hath honour; and in the +eyes of the Lord they that fear him. + +The rich man, and the honourable, and the poor, their glorying is the +fear of the Lord. + +It is not right to dishonour a poor man that hath understanding; and it +is not fitting to glorify a man that is a sinner. + +The great man, and the judge, and the mighty man, shall be glorified; +and there is not one of them greater than he that feareth the Lord. + +Free men shall minister unto a wise servant; and a man that hath +knowledge will not murmur thereat. + + * * * * * + +Be not over wise in doing thy work; and glorify not thyself in the time +of thy distress. + +Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that +glorifieth himself, and lacketh bread. + +My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to +the worthiness thereof. + +Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will +glorify him that dishonoureth his own life? + + * * * * * + +A poor man is glorified for his knowledge; and a rich man is glorified +for his riches. + +But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in riches? and he +that is inglorious in riches, how much more in poverty? + + * * * * * + +=11= The wisdom of the lowly shall lift up his head, and make him to +sit in the midst of great men. + +Commend not a man for his beauty; and abhor not a man for his outward +appearance. + +The bee is little among such as fly; and her fruit is the chief of +sweetmeats. + +Glory not in the putting on of raiment, and exalt not thyself in the +day of honour; for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works +are hidden among men. + +Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never +thought of hath worn a diadem. + +Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and men of renown have +been delivered into other men’s hands. + + * * * * * + +Blame not before thou hast examined: understand first, and then rebuke. + +Answer not before thou hast heard; and interrupt not in the midst of +speech. + +Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and where sinners +judge, sit not thou with them. + + * * * * * + +My son, be not busy about many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou +shalt not be unpunished; and if thou pursue, thou shalt not overtake; +and thou shalt not escape by fleeing. + +There is one that toileth, and laboureth, and maketh haste, and is so +much the more behind. + +There is one that is sluggish, and hath need of help, lacking in +strength, and that aboundeth in poverty; and the eyes of the Lord +looked upon him for good, and he set him up from his low estate, + +And lifted up his head; and many marvelled at him. + + * * * * * + +Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from the +Lord. + +The gift of the Lord remaineth with the godly, and his good pleasure +shall prosper for ever. + +There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this is the +portion of his reward: + +When he saith, I have found rest, and now will I eat of my goods; yet +he knoweth not what time shall pass, and he shall leave them to others, +and die. + +Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in +thy work. + + * * * * * + +Marvel not at the works of a sinner; but trust the Lord, and abide in +thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord swiftly on +the sudden to make a poor man rich. + +The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly; and in an hour +that cometh swiftly he maketh his blessing to flourish. + +Say not, What use is there of me? and what from henceforth shall my +good things be? + +Say not, I have sufficient, and from henceforth what harm shall happen +unto me? + +In the day of good things there is a forgetfulness of evil things; and +in the day of evil things a man will not remember things that are good. + +For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord to reward a man in the +day of death according to his ways. + +The affliction of an hour causeth forgetfulness of delight; and in the +last end of a man is the revelation of his deeds. + +Call no man blessed before his death; and a man shall be known in his +children. + + * * * * * + +Bring not every man into thine house; for many are the plots of the +deceitful man. + +As a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the heart of a proud man; and as +one that is a spy, he looketh upon thy falling. + +For he lieth in wait to turn things that are good into evil; and in +things that are praiseworthy he will lay blame. + +From a spark of fire a heap of many coals is kindled; and a sinful man +lieth in wait for blood. + +Take heed of an evil-doer, for he contriveth wicked things; lest haply +he bring upon thee blame for ever. + +Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will distract thee with +brawls, and estrange thee from thine own. + + * * * * * + +=13= He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled; and he that hath +fellowship with a proud man shall become like unto him. + +Take not up a burden above thy strength; and have no fellowship with +one that is mightier and richer than thyself. What fellowship shall the +earthen pot have with the kettle? This shall smite, and that shall be +dashed in pieces. + +The rich man doeth a wrong, and he threateneth withal: the poor is +wronged, and he shall intreat withal. + +If thou be profitable, he will make merchandise of thee; and if thou be +in want, he will forsake thee. + +If thou have substance, he will live with thee; and he will make thee +bare, and will not be sorry. + +Hath he had need of thee? then he will deceive thee, and smile upon +thee, and give thee hope: he will speak thee fair, and say, What +needest thou? + +And he will shame thee by his meats, until he have made thee bare twice +or thrice, and at the last he will laugh thee to scorn; afterward will +he see thee, and will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee. + +Beware that thou be not deceived, and brought low in thy mirth. + +If a mighty man invite thee, be retiring, and so much the more will he +invite thee. + +Press not upon him, lest thou be thrust back; and stand not far off, +lest thou be forgotten. + +Affect not to speak with him as an equal, and believe not his many +words: for with much talk will he try thee, and in a smiling manner +will search thee out. + +He that keepeth not to himself words spoken is unmerciful; and he will +not spare to hurt and to bind. + +Keep them to thyself, and take earnest heed, for thou walkest in peril +of thy falling. + + * * * * * + +Every living creature loveth his like, and every man loveth his +neighbour. + +All flesh consorteth according to kind, and a man will cleave to his +like. + +What fellowship shall the wolf have with the lamb? So is the sinner +unto the godly. + +What peace is there between the hyena and the dog? and what peace +between the rich man and the poor? + +Wild asses are the prey of lions in the wilderness; so poor men are +pasture for the rich. + +Lowliness is an abomination to a proud man; so a poor man is an +abomination to the rich. + + * * * * * + +A rich man when he is shaken is held up of his friends; but one of low +degree being down is thrust away also by his friends. + +When a rich man is fallen, there are many helpers; he speaketh things +not to be spoken, and men justify him: a man of low degree falleth, and +men rebuke him withal; he uttereth wisdom, and no place is allowed him. + +A rich man speaketh, and all keep silence; and what he saith they extol +to the clouds: a poor man speaketh, and they say, Who is this? and if +he stumble, they will help to overthrow him. + + * * * * * + +Riches are good that have no sin; and poverty is evil in the mouth of +the ungodly. + +The heart of a man changeth his countenance, whether it be for good or +for evil. + +A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart that is in prosperity; and +the finding out of parables is a weariness of thinking. + +=14= Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is +not pricked with sorrow for sins. + +Blessed is he whose soul doth not condemn him, and who is not fallen +from his hope. + + * * * * * + +Riches are not comely for a niggard; and what should an envious man do +with money? + +He that gathereth by taking from his own soul gathereth for others; and +others shall revel in his goods. + +He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and he shall not +rejoice in his possessions. + +There is none more evil than he that envieth himself; and this is a +recompense of his wickedness. + +Even if he doeth good, he doeth it in forgetfulness; and at the last he +sheweth forth his wickedness. + +Evil is he that envieth with his eye, turning away the face, and +despising the souls of men. + +A covetous man’s eye is not satisfied with his portion; and wicked +injustice drieth up his soul. + +An evil eye is grudging of bread, and he is miserly at his table. + + * * * * * + +My son, according as thou hast, do well unto thyself, and bring +offerings unto the Lord worthily. + +Remember that death will not tarry, and that the covenant of the grave +is not shewed unto thee. + +Do well unto thy friend before thou die; and according to thy ability +stretch out thy hand and give to him. + +Defraud not thyself of a good day; and let not the portion of a good +desire pass thee by. + +Shalt thou not leave thy labours unto another? and thy toils to be +divided by lot? + +Give, and take, and beguile thy soul; for there is no seeking of luxury +in the grave. + +All flesh waxeth old as a garment; for the covenant from the beginning +is, Thou shalt die the death. + +As of the leaves flourishing on a thick tree, some it sheddeth, and +some it maketh to grow; so also of the generations of flesh and blood, +one cometh to an end, and another is born. + +Every work rotteth and falleth away, and the worker thereof shall +depart with it. + + * * * * * + +Blessed is the man that shall meditate in wisdom, and that shall +discourse by his understanding. + +He that considereth her ways in his heart shall also have knowledge in +her secrets. + +Go forth after her as one that tracketh, and lie in wait in her ways. + +He that prieth in at her windows shall also hearken at her doors. + +He that lodgeth close to her house shall also fasten a nail in her +walls. + +He shall pitch his tent nigh at hand to her, and shall lodge in a +lodging where good things are. + +He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall rest under her +branches. + +By her he shall be covered from heat, and shall lodge in her glory. + +=15= He that feareth the Lord will do this; and he that hath possession +of the law shall obtain her. + +And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married +in her virginity. + +With bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him water of +wisdom to drink. + +He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely +upon her, and shall not be confounded. + +And she shall exalt him above his neighbours; and in the midst of the +congregation shall she open his mouth. + +He shall inherit joy, and a crown of gladness, and an everlasting name. + +Foolish men shall not obtain her; and sinners shall not see her. + +She is far from pride; and liars shall not remember her. + +Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner; for it was not sent him +from the Lord. + +For praise shall be spoken in wisdom; and the Lord will prosper it. + + * * * * * + +Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away; for thou shalt +not do the things that he hateth. + +Say not thou, It is he that caused me to err; for he hath no need of a +sinful man. + +The Lord hateth every abomination; and they that fear him love it not. + +He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his +own counsel. + +If thou wilt, thou shalt keep the commandments; and to perform +faithfulness is of thine own good pleasure. + +He hath set fire and water before thee: thou shalt stretch forth thy +hand unto whichsoever thou wilt. + +Before man is life and death; and whichsoever he liketh, it shall be +given him. + +For great is the wisdom of the Lord: he is mighty in power, and +beholdeth all things; + +And his eyes are upon them that fear him; and he will take knowledge of +every work of man. + +He hath not commanded any man to be ungodly; and he hath not given any +man licence to sin. + + * * * * * + +=16= Desire not a multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight +in ungodly sons. + +If they multiply, delight not in them, except the fear of the Lord be +with them. + +Trust not thou in their life, neither rely on their condition: for one +is better than a thousand; and to die childless than to have ungodly +children. + +For from one that hath understanding shall a city be peopled; but a +race of wicked men shall be made desolate. + +Many such things have I seen with mine eyes; and mine ear hath heard +mightier things than these. + + * * * * * + +In the congregation of sinners shall a fire be kindled; and in a +disobedient nation wrath is kindled. + +He was not pacified toward the giants of old time, who revolted in +their strength. + +He spared not those with whom Lot sojourned, whom he abhorred for their +pride. + +He pitied not the people of perdition, who were taken away in their +sins. + +And in like manner the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered +together in the hardness of their hearts. + +Even if there be one stiffnecked person, it is marvel if he shall be +unpunished: for mercy and wrath are with him; he is mighty to forgive, +and he poureth out wrath. + +As his mercy is great, so is his correction also: he judgeth a man +according to his works. + +The sinner shall not escape with his plunder; and the patience of the +godly shall not be frustrate. + +He will make room for every work of mercy; each man shall find +according to his works. + + * * * * * + +Say not thou, I shall be hidden from the Lord; and who shall remember +me from on high? I shall not be known among so many people; for what is +my soul in a boundless creation? + +Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the deep, and the earth, +shall be moved when he shall visit. + +The mountains and the foundations of the earth together are shaken with +trembling, when he looketh upon them. + +And no heart shall think upon these things: and who shall conceive his +ways? + +And there is a tempest which no man shall see; yea, the more part of +his works are hid. + +Who shall declare the works of his righteousness? or who shall endure +them? For his covenant is afar off. + +He that is wanting in understanding thinketh upon these things; and an +unwise and erring man thinketh follies. + +My son, hearken unto me, and learn knowledge, and give heed to my words +with thy heart. + +I will shew forth instruction by weight, and declare knowledge exactly. + +In the judgement of the Lord are his works from the beginning; and from +the making of them he disposed the parts thereof. + +He garnished his works for ever, and the beginnings of them unto their +generations: they neither hunger, nor are weary, and they cease not +from their works. + +No one thrusteth aside his neighbour; and they shall never disobey his +word. + +After this also the Lord looked upon the earth, and filled it with his +blessings. + +All manner of living things covered the face thereof; and into it is +their return. + + * * * * * + +=17= The Lord created man of the earth, and turned him back unto it +again. + +He gave them days by number, and a set time, and gave them authority +over the things that are thereon. + +He endued them with strength proper to them; and made them according to +his own image. + +He put the fear of man upon all flesh, and gave him to have dominion +over beasts and fowls. + +Counsel, and tongue, and eyes, ears, and heart, gave he them to +understand withal. + +He filled them with the knowledge of wisdom, and shewed them good and +evil. + +He set his eye upon their hearts, to shew them the majesty of his works. + +And they shall praise the name of his holiness, that they may declare +the majesty of his works. + +He added unto them knowledge, and gave them a law of life for a +heritage. + +He made an everlasting covenant with them, and shewed them his +judgements. + +Their eyes saw the majesty of his glory; and their ear heard the glory +of his voice. + +And he said unto them, Beware of all unrighteousness; and he gave them +commandment, each man concerning his neighbour. + + * * * * * + +Their ways are ever before him; they shall not be hid from his eyes. + +For every nation he appointed a ruler; and Israel is the Lord’s portion. + +All their works are as the sun before him; and his eyes are continually +upon their ways. + +Their iniquities are not hid from him; and all their sins are before +the Lord. + +With him the alms of a man is as a signet; and he will keep the bounty +of a man as the apple of the eye. + +Afterwards he will rise up and recompense them, and render their +recompense upon their head. + +Howbeit unto them that repent he granteth a return; and he comforteth +them that are losing patience. + + * * * * * + +Return unto the Lord, and forsake sins: make thy prayer before his +face, and lessen the offence. + +Turn again to the Most High, and turn away from iniquity; and greatly +hate the abominable thing. + +Who shall give praise to the Most High in the grave, instead of them +which live and return thanks? + +Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead, as from one that is not: he that +is in life and health shall praise the Lord. + +How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness unto them that +turn unto him! + +For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is not immortal. + +What is brighter than the sun? yet this faileth: and an evil man will +think on flesh and blood. + +He looketh upon the power of the height of heaven: and all men are +earth and ashes. + + * * * * * + +=18= He that liveth for ever created all things in common. + +The Lord alone shall be justified. + +To none hath he given power to declare his works: and who shall trace +out his mighty deeds? + +Who shall number the strength of his majesty? and who shall also tell +out his mercies? + +As for the wondrous works of the Lord, it is not possible to take from +them nor add to them, neither is it possible to track them out. + +When a man hath finished, then he is but at the beginning; and when he +ceaseth, then shall he be in perplexity. + +What is man, and whereto serveth he? What is his good, and what is his +evil? + +The number of man’s days at the most are a hundred years. + +As a drop of water from the sea, and a pebble from the sand; so are a +few years in the day of eternity. + +For this cause the Lord was longsuffering over them, and poured out his +mercy upon them. + +He saw and perceived their end, that it is evil; therefore he +multiplied his forgiveness. + +The mercy of a man is upon his neighbour; but the mercy of the Lord is +upon all flesh; reproving, and chastening, and teaching, and bringing +again, as a shepherd doth his flock. + +He hath mercy on them that accept chastening, and that diligently seek +after his judgements. + + * * * * * + +My son, to thy good deeds add no blemish; and no grief of words in any +of thy giving. + +Shall not the dew assuage the scorching heat? So is a word better than +a gift. + +Lo, is not a word better than a gift? And both are with a gracious man. + +A fool will upbraid ungraciously; and the gift of an envious man +consumeth the eyes. + + * * * * * + +Learn before thou speak; and have a care of thy health or ever thou be +sick. + +Before judgement examine thyself; and in the hour of visitation thou +shalt find forgiveness. + +Humble thyself before thou be sick; and in the time of sins shew +repentance. + +Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy vow in due time; and wait not until +death to be justified. + +Before thou makest a vow, prepare thyself; and be not as a man that +tempteth the Lord. + +Think upon the wrath that shall be in the days of the end, and the +time of vengeance, when he turneth away his face. + +In the days of fulness remember the time of hunger, and poverty and +want in the days of wealth. + +From morning until evening the time changeth; and all things are speedy +before the Lord. + +A wise man will fear in everything; and in days of sinning he will +beware of offence. + +Every man of understanding knoweth wisdom; and he will give thanks unto +him that found her. + +They that were of understanding in sayings became also wise themselves, +and poured forth apt proverbs. + + * * * * * + +Go not after thy lusts; and refrain thyself from thine appetites. + +If thou give fully to thy soul the delight of her desire, she will make +thee the laughing-stock of thine enemies. + +Make not merry in much luxury; neither be tied to the expense thereof. + +Be not made a beggar by banqueting upon borrowing, when thou hast +nothing in thy purse. + + * * * * * + +=19= A workman that is a drunkard shall not become rich: he that +despiseth small things shall fall by little and little. + +Wine and women will make men of understanding to fall away: and he that +cleaveth to harlots will be the more reckless. + +Moths and worms shall have him to heritage: and a reckless soul shall +be taken away. + + * * * * * + +He that is hasty to trust is lightminded; and he that sinneth shall +offend against his own soul. + +He that maketh merry in his heart shall be condemned: + +And he that hateth talk hath the less wickedness. + +Never repeat what is told thee, and thou shalt fare never the worse. + +Whether it be of friend or foe, tell it not; and unless it is a sin to +thee, reveal it not. + +For he hath heard thee, and observed thee, and when the time cometh he +will hate thee. + +Hast thou heard a word? let it die with thee: be of good courage, it +will not burst thee. + +A fool will travail in pain with a word, as a woman in labour with a +child. + +As an arrow that sticketh in the flesh of the thigh, so is a word in a +fool’s belly. + + * * * * * + +Reprove a friend; it may be he did it not: and if he did something, +that he may do it no more. + +Reprove thy neighbour; it may be he said it not: and if he hath said +it, that he may not say it again. + +Reprove a friend; for many times there is slander: and trust not every +word. + +There is one that slippeth, and not from the heart: and who is he that +hath not sinned with his tongue? + +Reprove thy neighbour before thou threaten him; and give place to the +law of the Most High. + + * * * * * + +All wisdom is the fear of the Lord; and in all wisdom is the doing of +the law. + +And the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom; and the prudence of +sinners is not counsel. + +There is a wickedness, and the same is abomination; and there is a fool +wanting in wisdom. + +Better is one that hath small understanding, and feareth, than one that +hath much prudence, and transgresseth the law. + +There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust; and there is +one that perverteth favour to gain a judgement. + +There is one that doeth wickedly, that hangeth down his head with +mourning; but inwardly he is full of deceit, + +Bowing down his face, and making as if he were deaf of one ear: where +he is not known, he will be beforehand with thee. + +And if for want of power he be hindered from sinning, if he find +opportunity, he will do mischief. + +A man shall be known by his look, and one that hath understanding shall +be known by his face, when thou meetest him. + +A man’s attire, and grinning laughter, and gait, shew what he is. + + * * * * * + +=20= * * * There is a prosperity that a man findeth in misfortunes; and +there is a gain that turneth to loss. + +There is a gift that shall not profit thee; and there is a gift whose +recompense is double. + +There is an abasement because of glory; and there is that hath lifted +up his head from a low estate. + +There is that buyeth much for a little, and payeth for it again +sevenfold. + +He that is wise in words shall make himself beloved; but the +pleasantries of fools shall be wasted. + +The gift of a fool shall not profit thee; for his eyes are many instead +of one. + +He will give little, and upbraid much; and he will open his mouth like +a crier: to-day he will lend and to-morrow he will ask it again: such +an one is a hateful man. + +The fool will say, I have no friend, and I have no thanks for my good +deeds; they that eat my bread are of evil tongue. + +How oft, and of how many, shall he be laughed to scorn! + + * * * * * + +A slip on a pavement is better than a slip with the tongue; so the fall +of the wicked shall come speedily. + +A man without grace is as a tale out of season; it will be continually +in the mouth of the ignorant. + +A wise sentence from a fool’s mouth will be rejected; for he will not +speak it in its season. + + * * * * * + +There is that is hindered from sinning through want; and when he taketh +rest, he shall not be troubled. + +There is that destroyeth his soul through bashfulness; and by a foolish +countenance he will destroy it. + +There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend; and he maketh +him his enemy for nothing. + + * * * * * + +A lie is a foul blot in a man: it will be continually in the mouth of +the ignorant. + +A thief is better than a man that is continually lying; but they both +shall inherit destruction. + +The disposition of a liar is dishonour; and his shame is with him +continually. + +He that is wise in words shall advance himself; and one that is prudent +will please great men. + +He that tilleth his land shall raise his heap high; and he that +pleaseth great men shall get pardon for iniquity. + +Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and as a muzzle on the +mouth, turn away reproofs. + +Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is out of sight, what profit is +in them both? + +Better is a man that hideth his folly than a man that hideth his wisdom. + + * * * * * + +=22= A slothful man is compared to a stone that is defiled; and every +one will hiss him out in his disgrace. + +A slothful man is compared to the filth of a dunghill: every man that +taketh it up will shake out his hand. + + * * * * * + +A father hath shame in having begotten an uninstructed son; and a +foolish daughter is born to his loss. + +A prudent daughter shall inherit a husband of her own; and she that +bringeth shame is the grief of him that begat her. + +She that is bold bringeth shame upon father and husband; and she shall +be despised of them both. + +Unseasonable discourse is as music in mourning; but stripes and +correction are wisdom at every season. + + * * * * * + +He that teacheth a fool is as one that glueth a potsherd together; even +as one that waketh a sleeper out of a deep sleep. + +He that discourseth to a fool is as one discoursing to a man that +slumbereth; and at the end he will say, What is it? + +Weep for the dead, for light hath failed him; and weep for a fool, for +understanding hath failed him; weep more sweetly for the dead, because +he hath found rest; but the life of the fool is worse than death. + +Seven days are the days of mourning for the dead; but for a fool and an +ungodly man, all the days of his life. + + * * * * * + +Talk not much with a foolish man, and go not to one that hath no +understanding: beware of him, lest thou have trouble; and so thou shalt +not be defiled in his onslaught: turn aside from him, and thou shalt +find rest; and so thou shalt not be wearied in his madness. + +What shall be heavier than lead? And what is the name thereof, but a +fool? + +Sand, and salt, and a mass of iron, is easier to bear, than a man +without understanding. + + * * * * * + +Timber girt and bound into a building shall not be loosed with shaking: +so a heart established in due season on well advised counsel shall not +be afraid. + +A heart settled upon a thoughtful understanding is as an ornament of +plaister on a polished wall. + +Pales set on a high place will not stand against the wind: so a fearful +heart in the imagination of a fool will not stand against any fear. + +He that pricketh the eye will make tears to fall; and he that pricketh +the heart maketh it to shew feeling. + +Whoso casteth a stone at birds frayeth them away: and he that +upbraideth a friend will dissolve friendship. + +If thou hast drawn a sword against a friend, despair not; for there may +be a returning. + +If thou hast opened thy mouth against a friend, fear not; for there +may be a reconciling; except it be for upbraiding, and arrogance, and +disclosing of a secret, and a treacherous blow: for these things every +friend will flee. + + * * * * * + +Gain trust with thy neighbour in his poverty, that in his prosperity +thou mayest have gladness: abide stedfast unto him in the time of his +affliction, that thou mayest be heir with him in his inheritance. + +Before fire is the vapour and smoke of a furnace; so revilings before +bloodshed. + +I will not be ashamed to shelter a friend; and I will not hide myself +from his face: + +And if any evil happen unto me because of him, every one that heareth +it will beware of him. + + * * * * * + +Who shall set a watch over my mouth, and a seal of shrewdness upon my +lips, that I fall not from it, and that my tongue destroy me not? + +=23= O Lord, Father and Master of my life, abandon me not to their +counsel; suffer me not to fall by them. + +Who will set scourges over my thought, and a discipline of wisdom over +mine heart? That they spare me not for mine ignorances, and my heart +pass not by their sins: + +That mine ignorances be not multiplied, and my sins abound not; and I +shall fall before mine adversaries, and mine enemy rejoice over me. + +O Lord, Father and God of my life, give me not a proud look, + +And turn away concupiscence from me. + +Let not greediness and chambering overtake me; and give me not over to +a shameless mind. + + * * * * * + +Hear ye, my children, the discipline of the mouth; and he that keepeth +it shall not be taken. + +The sinner shall be overtaken in his lips; and the reviler and the +proud man shall stumble therein. + +Accustom not thy mouth to an oath; and be not accustomed to the naming +of the Holy One. + +For as a servant that is continually scourged shall not lack a bruise, +so he also that sweareth and nameth God continually shall not be +cleansed from sin. + +A man of many oaths shall be filled with iniquity; and the scourge +shall not depart from his house: if he shall offend, his sin shall be +upon him; and if he disregard it, he hath sinned doubly; and if he hath +sworn in vain, he shall not be justified; for his house shall be filled +with calamities. + +There is a manner of speech that is clothed about with death: let it +not be found in the heritage of Jacob; for all these things shall be +far from the godly, and they shall not wallow in sins. + +Accustom not thy mouth to gross rudeness, for therein is the word of +sin. + +Remember thy father and thy mother, for thou sittest in the midst of +great men; that thou be not forgetful before them, and become a fool by +thy custom; so shalt thou wish that thou hadst not been born, and curse +the day of thy nativity. + +A man that is accustomed to words of reproach will not be corrected all +the days of his life. + + * * * * * + +Two sorts of men multiply sins, and the third will bring wrath: a hot +mind, as a burning fire, will not be quenched till it be consumed: +a fornicator in the body of his flesh will never cease till he hath +burned out the fire. + +All bread is sweet to a fornicator: he will not leave off till he die. + +A man that goeth astray from his own bed, saying in his heart, Who +seeth me? darkness is round about me, and the walls hide me, and no man +seeth me; of whom am I afraid? the Most High will not remember my sins; + +--And the eyes of men are his terror, and he knoweth not that the eyes +of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, beholding all +the ways of men, and looking into secret places. + +All things were known unto him or ever they were created; and in like +manner also after they were perfected. + +This man shall be punished in the streets of the city; and where he +suspected not he shall be taken. + + * * * * * + +=24= Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her +people. + +In the congregation of the Most High shall she open her mouth, and +glory in the presence of his power. + +I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth as +a mist. + +I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in the pillar of the cloud. + +Alone I compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the depth of the +abyss. + +In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, and in every people and +nation, I got a possession. + +With all these I sought rest; and in whose inheritance shall I lodge? + +Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment; and he that +created me made my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy tabernacle be +in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel. + +He created me from the beginning before the world; and to the end I +shall not fail. + +In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him; and so was I +established in Sion. + +In the beloved city likewise he gave me rest; and in Jerusalem was my +authority. + +And I took root in a people that was glorified, even in the portion of +the Lord’s own inheritance. + +I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree on the +mountains of Hermon. + +I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore, and as rose plants in +Jericho, and as a fair olive tree in the plain; and I was exalted as a +plane tree. + +As cinnamon and aspalathus, I have given a scent of perfumes; and as +choice myrrh, I spread abroad a pleasant odour; as galbanum, and onyx, +and stacte, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle. + +As the terebinth I stretched out my branches; and my branches are +branches of glory and grace. + +As the vine I put forth grace; and my flowers are the fruit of glory +and riches. + +Come unto me, ye that are desirous of me, and be filled with my produce. + +For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the +honeycomb. + +They that eat me shall yet be hungry; and they that drink me shall yet +be thirsty. + +He that obeyeth me shall not be ashamed; and they that work in me shall +not do amiss. + + * * * * * + +All these things are the book of the covenant of the Most High +God, even the law which Moses commanded us for a heritage unto the +assemblies of Jacob. + +It is he that maketh wisdom abundant, as Pishon, and as Tigris in the +days of new fruits; + +That maketh understanding full as Euphrates, and as Jordan in the days +of harvest; + +That maketh instruction to shine forth as the light, as Gihon in the +days of vintage. + +The first man knew her not perfectly; and in like manner the last hath +not traced her out. + +For her thoughts are filled from the sea, and her counsels from the +great deep. + + * * * * * + +And I came out as a stream from a river, and as a conduit into a garden. + +I said, I will water my garden, and will water abundantly my garden +bed; and, lo, my stream became a river, and my river became a sea. + +I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning, and will make +these things to shine forth afar off. + +I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it unto generations +of ages. + +Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that +diligently seek her. + + * * * * * + +=25= In three things I was beautified, and stood up beautiful +before the Lord and men: the concord of brethren, and friendship of +neighbours, and a woman and her husband that walk together in agreement. + +But three sorts of men my soul hateth, and I am greatly offended at +their life: a poor man that is haughty, and a rich man that is a liar, +and an old man that is an adulterer lacking understanding. + + * * * * * + +In thy youth thou hast not gathered, and how shouldest thou find in +thine old age? + +How beautiful a thing is judgement for gray hairs, and for elders to +know counsel! + +How beautiful is the wisdom of old men, and thought and counsel to men +that are in honour! + +Much experience is the crown of old men; and their glorying is the fear +of the Lord. + + * * * * * + +There be nine things that I have thought of, and in mine heart counted +happy; and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: a man that hath joy +of his children; a man that liveth and looketh upon the fall of his +enemies: + +Happy is he that dwelleth with a wife of understanding; and he that +hath not slipped with his tongue; and he that hath not served a man +that is unworthy of him: + +Happy is he that hath found prudence; and he that discourseth in the +ears of them that listen. + +How great is he that hath found wisdom! yet is there none above him +that feareth the Lord. + +The fear of the Lord passeth all things: he that holdeth it, to whom +shall he be likened? + + * * * * * + +Give me any plague but the plague of the heart; and any wickedness but +the wickedness of a woman; + +Any calamity, but a calamity from them that hate me; and any vengeance, +but the vengeance of enemies. + +There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath +above the wrath of an enemy. + + * * * * * + +I will rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than keep house with a +wicked woman. + +The wickedness of a woman changeth her look, and darkeneth her +countenance as a bear doth. + +Her husband shall sit at meat among his neighbours, and when he heareth +it he sigheth bitterly. + +All malice is but little to the malice of a woman: let the portion of a +sinner fall on her. + +As the going up a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife +full of words to a quiet man. + +Throw not thyself upon the beauty of a woman; and desire not a woman +for her beauty. + +There is anger, and impudence, and great reproach, if a woman maintain +her husband. + +A wicked woman is abasement of heart, and sadness of countenance, and a +wounded heart: a woman that will not make her husband happy is as hands +that hang down, and palsied knees. + +From a woman was the beginning of sin; and because of her we all die. + +Give not water an outlet; neither to a wicked woman freedom of speech. + +If she go not as thou wouldest have her, cut her off from thy flesh. + + * * * * * + +=26= Happy is the husband of a good wife; and the number of his days +shall be twofold. + +A brave woman rejoiceth her husband; and he shall fulfil his years in +peace. + +A good wife is a good portion: she shall be given in the portion of +such as fear the Lord. + +Whether a man be rich or poor, a good heart maketh at all times a +cheerful countenance. + + * * * * * + +Of three things my heart was afraid; and concerning the fourth kind +I made supplication: the slander of a city, and the assembly of a +multitude, and a false accusation: all these are more grievous than +death. + +A grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous of another +woman, and the scourge of a tongue communicating to all. + +A wicked woman is as a yoke of oxen shaken to and fro: he that taketh +hold of her is as one that graspeth a scorpion. + +A drunken woman causeth great wrath; and she will not cover her own +shame. + +The whoredom of a woman is in the lifting up of her eyes; and it shall +be known by her eyelids. + +Keep strict watch on a headstrong daughter, lest she find liberty for +herself, and use it. + +Look well after an impudent eye; and marvel not if it trespass against +thee. + +She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller, and drink of every +water that is near: at every post will she sit down, and open her +quiver against any arrow. + + * * * * * + +The grace of a wife will delight her husband; and her knowledge will +fatten his bones. + +A silent woman is a gift of the Lord; and there is nothing so much +worth as a well-instructed soul. + +A shamefast woman is grace upon grace; and there is no price worthy of +a continent soul. + +As the sun when it ariseth in the highest places of the Lord, so is the +beauty of a good wife in the ordering of a man’s house. + +As the lamp that shineth upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty of +the face in ripe age. + +As the golden pillars are upon a base of silver, so are beautiful feet +with the breasts of one that is stedfast. + + * * * * * + +For two things my heart is grieved; and for the third anger cometh upon +me: a man of war that suffereth for poverty; and men of understanding +that are counted as refuse: one that turneth back from righteousness to +sin; the Lord shall prepare him for the sword. + +A merchant shall hardly keep himself from wrong doing; and a huckster +shall not be acquitted of sin. + +=27= Many have sinned for a thing indifferent; and he that seeketh to +multiply gain will turn his eye away. + +A nail will stick fast between the joinings of stones; and sin will +thrust itself in between buying and selling. + +Unless a man hold on diligently in the fear of the Lord, his house +shall soon be overthrown. + + * * * * * + +In the shaking of a sieve, the refuse remaineth; so the filth of man in +his reasoning. + +The furnace will prove the potter’s vessels; and the trial of a man is +in his reasoning. + +The fruit of a tree declareth the husbandry thereof; so is the +utterance of the thought of the heart of a man. + +Praise no man before thou hearest him reason; for this is the trial of +men. + + * * * * * + +If thou followest righteousness, thou shalt obtain her, and put her on, +as a long robe of glory. + +Birds will resort unto their like; and truth will return unto them that +practise her. + +The lion lieth in wait for prey; so doth sin for them that work +iniquity. + + * * * * * + +The discourse of a godly man is always wisdom: but the foolish man +changeth as the moon. + +Among men void of understanding observe the opportunity; but stay +continually among the thoughtful. + +The discourse of fools is an offence; and their laughter is in the +wantonness of sin. + +The talk of a man of many oaths will make the hair stand upright; and +their strife maketh one stop his ears. + +The strife of the proud is a shedding of blood; and their reviling of +each other is a grievous thing to hear. + + * * * * * + +He that revealeth secrets destroyeth credit, and shall not find a +friend to his mind. + +Love a friend, and keep faith with him; but if thou reveal his secrets, +thou shalt not pursue after him; + +For as a man hath destroyed his enemy, so hast thou destroyed the +friendship of thy neighbour. + +And as a bird which thou hast loosed out of thy hand, so hast thou let +thy neighbour go, and thou wilt not catch him again: + +Pursue him not, for he is gone far away, and hath escaped as a gazelle +out of the snare. + +For a wound may be bound up, and after reviling there may be a +reconcilement; but he that revealeth secrets hath lost hope. + + * * * * * + +One that winketh with the eye contriveth evil things; and no man will +remove him from it. + +When thou art present, he will speak sweetly, and will admire thy +words; but afterward he will writhe his mouth, and set a trap for thee +in thy words. + +I have hated many things, but nothing like him; and the Lord will hate +him. + +One that casteth a stone on high casteth it on his own head; and a +deceitful stroke will open wounds. + +He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and he that setteth a snare +shall be taken therein. + +He that doeth evil things, they shall roll upon him, and he shall not +know whence they have come to him. + +Mockery and reproach are from the haughty; and vengeance, as a lion, +shall lie in wait for him. + +They that rejoice at the fall of the godly shall be taken in a snare; +and anguish shall consume them before they die. + + * * * * * + +Wrath and anger, these also are abominations; and a sinful man shall +possess them. + +=28= He that taketh vengeance shall find vengeance from the Lord; and +he will surely make firm his sins. + +Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done thee; and then thy +sins shall be pardoned when thou prayest. + +Man cherisheth anger against man; and doth he seek healing from the +Lord? + +Upon a man like himself he hath no mercy; and doth he make supplication +for his own sins? + +He being himself flesh nourisheth wrath: who shall make atonement for +his sins? + +Remember thy last end, and cease from enmity: remember corruption and +death, and abide in the commandments. + +Remember the commandments, and be not wroth with thy neighbour; and +remember the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance. + +Abstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins; for a passionate +man will kindle strife; + +And a man that is a sinner will trouble friends, and will make debate +among them that be at peace. + +As is the fuel of the fire, so will it burn; and as the stoutness of +the strife is, so will it burn: as is the strength of the man, so will +be his wrath; and as is his wealth, so will he exalt his anger. + +A contention begun in haste kindleth a fire; and a hasty fighting +sheddeth blood. + +If thou blow a spark, it shall burn; and if thou spit upon it, it shall +be quenched: and both these shall come out of thy mouth. + + * * * * * + +Curse the whisperer and double-tongued: for he hath destroyed many that +were at peace. + +A third person’s tongue hath shaken many, and dispersed them from +nation to nation; and it hath pulled down strong cities, and overthrown +the houses of great men. + +A third person’s tongue hath cast out brave women, and deprived them of +their labours. + +He that hearkeneth unto it shall not find rest, nor shall he dwell +quietly. + +The stroke of a whip maketh a mark in the flesh; but the stroke of a +tongue will break bones. + +Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: yet not so many as they that +have fallen because of the tongue. + +Happy is he that is sheltered from it, that hath not passed through the +wrath thereof; that hath not drawn its yoke, and hath not been bound +with its bands. + +For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands +of brass. + +The death thereof is an evil death; and Hades were better than it. + +It shall not have rule over godly men; and they shall not be burned in +its flame. + +They that forsake the Lord shall fall into it; and it shall burn among +them, and shall not be quenched; it shall be sent forth upon them as a +lion; and as a leopard it shall destroy them. + +Look that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns; bind up thy +silver and thy gold; + +And make a balance and a weight for thy words; and make a door and a +bar for thy mouth. + +Take heed lest thou slip therein; lest thou fall before one that lieth +in wait. + + * * * * * + +=29= He that sheweth mercy will lend unto his neighbour; and he that +strengtheneth him with his hand keepeth the commandments. + +Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need; and pay thou thy neighbour +again in due season. + +Confirm thy word, and keep faith with him; and at all seasons thou +shalt find what thou needest. + +Many have reckoned a loan as a windfall, and have given trouble to +those that helped them. + +Till he hath received, he will kiss a man’s hands; and for his +neighbour’s money he will speak submissly: and when payment is due, he +will prolong the time, and return words of heaviness, and complain of +the times. + +If he prevail, he shall hardly receive the half; and he will count it +as a windfall: if not, he hath deprived him of his money, and he hath +gotten him for an enemy without cause: he will pay him with cursings +and railings; and for honour he will pay him disgrace. + +Many on account of men’s ill-dealing have turned away; they have feared +to be defrauded for nought. + +Howbeit with a man in poor estate be longsuffering; and let him not +wait for thine alms. + +Help a poor man for the commandment’s sake; and according to his need +send him not empty away. + +Lose thy money for a brother and a friend; and let it not rust under +the stone to be lost. + +Bestow thy treasure according to the commandments of the Most High; and +it shall profit thee more than gold. + +Shut up alms in thy store-chambers; and it shall deliver thee out of +all affliction: + +It shall fight for thee against thine enemy better than a mighty shield +and a ponderous spear. + + * * * * * + +A good man will be surety for his neighbour; and he that hath lost +shame will fail him. + +Forget not the good offices of thy surety; for he hath given his life +for thee. + +A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety; + +And he that is of an unthankful mind will fail him that delivered him. + +Suretiship hath undone many that were prospering, and shaken them as a +wave of the sea: mighty men hath it driven from their homes; and they +wandered among strange nations. + +A sinner that falleth into suretiship, and undertaketh contracts for +work, shall fall into lawsuits. + +Help thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself +that thou fall not to the same. + + * * * * * + +The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and a garment, and a +house to cover shame. + +Better is the life of a poor man under a shelter of logs, than +sumptuous fare in another man’s house. + +With little or with much, be well satisfied. + +It is a miserable life to go from house to house: and where thou art a +sojourner, thou shalt not dare to open thy mouth. + +Thou shalt entertain, and give to drink, and have no thanks: and +besides this thou shalt hear bitter words. + +Come hither, thou sojourner, furnish a table, and if thou hast aught in +thy hand, feed me with it. + +Go forth, thou sojourner, from the face of honour; my brother is come +to be my guest; I have need of my house. + +These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of +house-room, and the reproaching of the money-lender. + + * * * * * + +=30= He that loveth his son will continue to lay stripes upon him, that +he may have joy of him in the end. + +He that chastiseth his son shall have profit of him, and shall glory of +him among his acquaintance. + +He that teacheth his son shall provoke his enemy to jealousy; and +before friends he shall rejoice of him. + +His father dieth, and is as though he had not died; for he hath left +one behind him like himself. + +In his life, he saw and rejoiced in him; and when he died, he sorrowed +not: + +He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one to requite +kindness to his friends. + +He that maketh too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; and his +heart will be troubled at every cry. + +An unbroken horse becometh stubborn; and a son left at large becometh +headstrong. + +Cocker thy child, and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he +will grieve thee. + +Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him; and thou shalt +gnash thy teeth in the end. + +Give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his follies. + +Bow down his neck in his youth, and beat him on the sides while he is +a child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee; and there +shall be sorrow to thy soul. + +Chastise thy son, and take pains with him, lest his shameless behaviour +be an offence unto thee. + + * * * * * + +Better is a poor man, being sound and strong of constitution, than a +rich man that is plagued in his body. + +Health and a good constitution are better than all gold; and a strong +body than wealth without measure. + +There is no riches better than health of body; and there is no gladness +above the joy of the heart. + +Death is better than a bitter life, and eternal rest than a continual +sickness. + +Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed are as messes of +meat laid upon a grave. + +What doth an offering profit an idol? for neither shall it eat nor +smell: so is he that is afflicted of the Lord, + +Seeing with his eyes and groaning. + + * * * * * + +Give not over thy soul to sorrow; and afflict not thyself in thine own +counsel. + +Gladness of heart is the life of a man; and the joyfulness of a man is +length of days. + +Love thine own soul, and comfort thy heart: and remove sorrow far from +thee; for sorrow hath destroyed many, and there is no profit therein. + +Envy and wrath shorten a man’s days; and care bringeth old age before +the time. + +A cheerful and good heart will have a care of his meat and diet. + +=31= Wakefulness that cometh of riches consumeth the flesh, and the +anxiety thereof putteth away sleep. + +Wakeful anxiety will crave slumber; and in sore disease sleep will be +broken. + + * * * * * + +A rich man toileth in gathering money together; and when he resteth, he +is filled with his good things. + +A poor man toileth in lack of substance; and when he resteth, he +becometh needy. + +He that loveth gold shall not be justified; and he that followeth +destruction shall himself have his fill of it. + +Many have been given over to ruin for the sake of gold; and their +perdition meeteth them face to face. + +It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it; and every fool +shall be taken therewith. + +Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and that goeth not +after gold. + +Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things hath he +done among his people. + +Who hath been tried thereby, and found perfect? Then let him glory. Who +hath had the power to transgress, and hath not transgressed? And to do +evil, and hath not done it? + +His goods shall be made sure, and the congregation shall declare his +alms. + +Sittest thou at a great table? be not greedy upon it, and say not, Many +are the things upon it. + +Remember that an evil eye is a wicked thing: what hath been created +more evil than an eye? therefore it sheddeth tears from every face. + +Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looketh, and trust not thyself +with it into the dish. + +Consider thy neighbour’s liking by thine own; and be discreet in every +point. + +Eat, as becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and eat +not greedily, lest thou be hated. + +Be first to leave off for manners’ sake; and be not insatiable, less +thou offend. + +And if thou sittest among many, reach not out thy hand before them. + +How sufficient to a well-mannered man is a very little, and he doth not +breathe hard upon his bed. + +Healthy sleep cometh of moderate eating; he riseth early, and his wits +are with him; the pain of wakefulness, and colic, and griping, are with +an insatiable man. + +And if thou hast been forced to eat, rise up in the midst thereof, and +thou shalt have rest. + +Hear me, my son, and despise me not, and at the last thou shall find my +words true: in all thy works be quick, and no disease shall come unto +thee. + + * * * * * + +Him that is liberal of his meat the lips shall bless; and the testimony +of his excellence shall be believed. + +Him that is a niggard of his meat the city shall murmur at; and the +testimony of his niggardness shall be sure. + + * * * * * + +Shew not thyself valiant in wine; for wine hath destroyed many. + +The furnace proveth the temper of steel by dipping; so doth wine prove +hearts in the quarrelling of the proud. + +Wine is as good as life to men, if thou drink it in its measure: what +life is there to a man that is without wine? and it hath been created +to make men glad. + +Wine drunk in season and to satisfy is joy of heart, and gladness of +soul: + +Wine drunk largely is bitterness of soul, with provocation and conflict. + +Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool unto his hurt; it diminisheth +strength, and addeth wounds. + + * * * * * + +Rebuke not thy neighbour at a banquet of wine, neither set him at +nought in his mirth: speak not unto him a word of reproach, and press +not upon him by asking back a debt. + +=32= Have they made thee ruler of a feast? be not lifted up, be thou +among them as one of them; take thought for them, and so sit down. + +And when thou hast done all thy office, take thy place, that thou +mayest be gladdened on their account, and receive a crown for thy well +ordering. + + * * * * * + +Speak, thou that art the elder, for it becometh thee, but with sound +knowledge; and hinder not music. + +Pour not out talk where there is a performance of music, and display +not thy wisdom out of season. + +As a signet of carbuncle in a setting of gold, so is a concert of music +in a banquet of wine. + +As a signet of emerald in a work of gold, so is a strain of music with +pleasant wine. + + * * * * * + +Speak, young man, if there be need of thee; yet scarcely if thou be +twice asked. + +Sum up thy speech, many things in few words; be as one that knoweth and +yet holdeth his tongue. + +If thou be among great men, behave not as their equal; and when another +is speaking, make not much babbling. + +Before thunder speedeth lightning; and before a shamefast man favour +shall go forth. + +Rise up betimes, and not be the last; get thee home quickly and loiter +not: + +There take thy pastime, and do what is in thy heart; and sin not by +proud speech; + +And for these things bless him that made thee, and giveth thee to drink +freely of his good things. + +He that feareth the Lord will receive his discipline; and they that +seek him early shall find favour. + +He that seeketh the law shall be filled therewith: but the hypocrite +shall stumble thereat. + +They that fear the Lord shall find judgement, and shall kindle +righteous acts as a light. + +A sinful man shunneth reproof, and will find a judgement according to +his will. + + * * * * * + +A man of counsel will not neglect a thought; a strange and proud man +will not crouch in fear, even after he hath done a thing by himself +without counsel. + +Do nothing without counsel; and when thou hast once done, repent not. + +Go not in a way of conflict; and stumble not in stony places. + +Be not confident in a smooth way. + +And beware of thine own children. + +In every work trust thine own soul; for this is the keeping of the +commandments. + + * * * * * + +He that believeth the law giveth heed to the commandment; and he that +trusteth in the Lord shall suffer no loss. + +=33= There shall no evil happen unto him that feareth the Lord; but in +temptation once and again will he deliver him. + +A wise man will not hate the law; but he that is a hypocrite therein is +as a ship in a storm. + +A man of understanding will put his trust in the law; and the law is +faithful unto him, as when one asketh at the oracle. + +Prepare thy speech, and so shalt thou be heard; bind up instruction, +and make thine answer. + +The heart of a fool is as a cartwheel; and his thoughts like a rolling +axle-tree. + +A stallion horse is as a mocking friend; he neigheth under every one +that sitteth upon him. + + * * * * * + +Why doth one day excel another, when all the light of every day in the +year is of the sun? + +By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished; and he varied +seasons and feasts: + +Some of them he exalted and hallowed, and some of them hath he made +ordinary days. + +And all men are from the ground, and Adam was created of earth. + +In the abundance of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them, and made +their ways various: + +Some of them he blessed and exalted, and some of them he hallowed and +brought nigh to himself: some of them he cursed and brought low, and +overthrew them from their place. + +As the clay of the potter in his hand, all his ways are according to +his good pleasure; so men are in the hand of him that made them, to +render unto them according to his judgement. + +Good is set over against evil, and life over against death: so is the +sinner over against the godly. + +And thus look upon all the works of the Most High; two and two, one +against another. + + * * * * * + +And I awaked up last, as one that gleaneth after the grape-gatherers: +by the blessing of the Lord I got before them, and filled my winepress +as one that gathereth grapes. + +Consider that I laboured not for myself alone, but for all them that +seek instruction. + +Hear me, ye great men of the people, and hearken with your ears, ye +rulers of the congregation. + + * * * * * + +To son and wife, to brother and friend, give not power over thee while +thou livest; and give not thy goods to another, lest thou repent and +make supplication for them again. + +Whilst thou yet livest, and breath is in thee, give not thyself over to +anybody. + +For better it is that thy children should supplicate thee, than that +thou shouldest look to the hand of thy sons. + +In all thy works keep the upper hand; bring not a stain on thine honour. + +In the day that thou endest the days of thy life, and in the time of +death, distribute thine inheritance. + + * * * * * + +Fodder, a stick, and burdens, for an ass; bread, and discipline, and +work, for a servant. + +Set thy servant to work, and thou shalt find rest: leave his hands +idle, and he will seek liberty. + +Yoke and thong will bow the neck: and for an evil servant there are +racks and tortures. + +Send him to labour, that he be not idle; for idleness teacheth much +mischief. + +Set him to work, as is fit for him; and if he obey not, make his +fetters heavy. + +And be not excessive toward any; and without judgement do nothing. + +If thou hast a servant, let him be as thyself, because thou hast bought +him with blood. + +If thou hast a servant, treat him as thyself; for as thine own soul +wilt thou have need of him: if thou treat him ill, and he depart and +run away, which way wilt thou go to seek him? + + * * * * * + +=34= Vain and false hopes are for a man void of understanding; and +dreams give wings to fools. + +As one that catcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind, so is he +that setteth his mind on dreams. + +The vision of dreams is as this thing against that, the likeness of a +face over against a face. + +Of an unclean thing what shall be cleansed? and of that which is false +what shall be true? + +Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain: and the heart +fancieth, as a woman’s in travail. + +If they be not sent from the Most High in thy visitation, give not thy +heart unto them. + +For dreams have led many astray: and they have failed by putting their +hope in them. + +Without lying shall the law be accomplished; and wisdom is perfection +to a faithful mouth. + + * * * * * + +A well-instructed man knoweth many things; and he that hath much +experience will declare understanding. + +He that hath no experience knoweth few things: but he that hath +wandered shall increase his skill. + +In my wandering I have seen many things; and more than my words is my +understanding. + +Ofttimes was I in danger even unto death; and I was preserved because +of these things. + +The spirit of those that fear the Lord shall live; for their hope is +upon him that saveth them. + +Whoso feareth the Lord shall not be afraid, and shall not play the +coward; for he is his hope. + +Blessed is the soul of him that feareth the Lord: to whom doth he give +heed? and who is his stay? + +The eyes of the Lord are upon them that love him, a mighty protection +and strong stay, a cover from the hot blast, and a cover from the +noonday, a guard from stumbling, and a succour from falling. + +He raiseth up the soul, and enlighteneth the eyes: he giveth healing, +life, and blessing. + + * * * * * + +He that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is made +in mockery; and the mockeries of wicked men are not well-pleasing. + +The Most High hath no pleasure in the offerings of the ungodly; neither +is he pacified for sins by the multitude of sacrifices. + +As one that killeth the son before his father’s eyes is he that +bringeth a sacrifice from the goods of the poor. + +The bread of the needy is the life of the poor: he that depriveth him +thereof is a man of blood. + +As one that slayeth his neighbour is he that taketh away his living; +and as a shedder of blood is he that depriveth a hireling of his hire. + +One building, and another pulling down, what profit have they had but +toil? + +One praying, and another cursing, whose voice will the Lord listen to? + +He that washeth himself after touching a dead body, and toucheth it +again, what profit hath he in his washing? + +Even so a man fasting for his sins, and going again, and doing the +same; who will listen to his prayer? and what profit hath he in his +humiliation? + + * * * * * + +=37= Every friend will say, I also am his friend: but there is a +friend, which is only a friend in name. + +Is there not a grief in it even unto death, when a companion and friend +is turned to enmity? + +O wicked imagination, whence camest thou rolling in to cover the dry +land with deceitfulness? + +There is a companion, which rejoiceth in the gladness of a friend, but +in time of affliction will be against him. + +There is a companion, which for the belly’s sake laboureth with his +friend, in the face of battle will take up the buckler. + +Forget not a friend in thy soul; and be not unmindful of him in thy +riches. + + * * * * * + +Every counsellor extolleth counsel; but there is that counselleth for +himself. + +Let thy soul beware of a counsellor, and know thou before what is his +interest (for he will take counsel for himself); lest he cast the lot +upon thee, + +And say unto thee, Thy way is good: and he will stand over against +thee, to see what shall befall thee. + +Take not counsel with one that looketh askance at thee; and hide thy +counsel from such as are jealous of thee. + +Take not counsel with a woman about her rival; neither with a coward +about war; nor with a merchant about exchange; nor with a buyer about +selling; nor with an envious man about thankfulness; nor with an +unmerciful man about kindliness; nor with a sluggard about any kind of +work; nor with a hireling in thy house about finishing his work; nor +with an idle servant about much business: give not heed to these in any +matter of counsel. + +But rather be continually with a godly man, whom thou shalt have known +to be a keeper of the commandments, who in his soul is as thine own +soul, and who will grieve with thee, if thou shalt miscarry. + +And make the counsel of thy heart to stand; for there is none more +faithful unto thee than it. + +For a man’s soul is sometime wont to bring him tidings, more than seven +watchmen that sit on high on a watch-tower. + +And above all this intreat the Most High, that he may direct thy way in +truth. + + * * * * * + +Let reason be the beginning of every work, and let counsel go before +every action. + +As a token of the changing of the heart, four manner of things do rise +up, good and evil, life and death; and that which ruleth over them +continually is the tongue. + +There is one that is shrewd and the instructor of many, and yet is +unprofitable to his own soul. + +There is one that is subtil in words, and is hated; he shall be +destitute of all food: + +For grace was not given him from the Lord; because he is deprived of +all wisdom. + +There is one that is wise to his own soul; and the fruits of his +understanding are trustworthy in the mouth. + +A wise man will instruct his own people; and the fruits of his +understanding are trustworthy. + +A wise man shall be filled with blessing; and all they that see him +shall call him happy. + +The life of man is numbered by days; and the days of Israel are +innumerable. + +The wise man shall inherit confidence among his people, and his name +shall live for ever. + + * * * * * + +My son, prove thy soul in thy life, and see what is evil for it, and +give not that unto it. + +For all things are not profitable for all men, neither hath every soul +pleasure in every thing. + +Be not insatiable in any luxury, and be not greedy on the things that +thou eatest. + +For in multitude of meats there shall be disease, and surfeiting shall +come nigh unto colic. + +Because of surfeiting have many perished; but he that taketh heed shall +prolong his life. + + * * * * * + +=38= Honour a physician according to thy need of him with the honours +due unto him: for verily the Lord hath created him. + +For from the Most High cometh healing; and from the king he shall +receive a gift. + +The skill of the physician shall lift up his head; and in the sight of +great men he shall be admired. + +The Lord created medicines out of the earth; and a prudent man will +have no disgust at them. + +Was not water made sweet with wood, that the virtue thereof might be +known? + +And he gave men skill, that they might be glorified in his marvellous +works. + +With them doth he heal a man, and taketh away his pain. + +With these will the apothecary make a confection; and his works shall +not be brought to an end; and from him is peace upon the face of the +earth. + + * * * * * + +My son, in thy sickness be not negligent; but pray unto the Lord, and +he shall heal thee. + +Put away wrong doing, and order thine hands aright, and cleanse thy +heart from all manner of sin. + +Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour; and make fat thine +offering, as one that is not. + +Then give place to the physician, for verily the Lord hath created him; +and let him not go from thee, for thou hast need of him. + +There is a time when in their very hands is the issue for good. + +For they also shall beseech the Lord, that he may prosper them in +giving relief and in healing for the maintenance of life. + +He that sinneth before his Maker, let him fall into the hands of the +physician. + + * * * * * + +My son, let thy tears fall over the dead, and as one that suffereth +grievously begin lamentation; and wind up his body according to his +due, and neglect not his burial. + +Make bitter weeping, and make passionate wailing, and let thy mourning +be according to his desert, for one day or two, lest thou be evil +spoken of; and so be comforted for thy sorrow. + +For of sorrow cometh death, and sorrow of heart will bow down the +strength. + +In calamity sorrow also remaineth; and the poor man’s life is grievous +to the heart. + +Give not thy heart unto sorrow: put it away, remembering the last end: + +Forget it not, for there is no returning again: him thou shalt not +profit, and thou wilt hurt thyself. + +Remember the sentence upon him; for so also shall thine be; yesterday +for me, and to-day for thee. + +When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest; and be comforted +for him, when his spirit departeth from him. + + * * * * * + +The wisdom of the scribe cometh by opportunity of leisure; and he that +hath little business shall become wise. + +How shall he become wise that holdeth the plough, that glorieth in the +shaft of the goad, that driveth oxen, and is occupied in their labours, +and whose discourse is of the stock of bulls? + +He will set his heart upon turning his furrows; and his wakefulness is +to give his heifers their fodder. + +So is every artificer and workmaster, that passeth his time by night +as by day; they that cut gravings of signets, and his diligence is to +make great variety; he will set his heart to preserve likeness in his +portraiture, and will be wakeful to finish his work. + +So is the smith sitting by the anvil, and considering the unwrought +iron: the vapour of the fire will waste his flesh; and in the heat of +the furnace will he wrestle with his work: the noise of the hammer will +be ever in his ear, and his eyes are upon the pattern of the vessel; he +will set his heart upon perfecting his works, and he will be wakeful +to adorn them perfectly. + +So is the potter sitting at his work, and turning the wheel about +with his feet, who is always anxiously set at his work, and all his +handywork is by number; + +He will fashion the clay with his arm, and will bend his strength in +front of his feet; he will apply his heart to finish the glazing; and +he will be wakeful to make clean the furnace. + + * * * * * + +All these put their trust in their hands; and each becometh wise in his +own work. + +Without these shall not a city be inhabited, and men shall not sojourn +nor walk up and down therein. + +They shall not be sought for in the council of the people, and in the +assembly they shall not mount on high; they shall not sit on the seat +of the judge, and they shall not understand the covenant of judgement: +neither shall they declare instruction and judgement; and where +parables are they shall not be found. + +But they will maintain the fabric of the world; and in the handywork of +their craft is their prayer. + + * * * * * + +=39= Not so he that hath applied his soul, and meditateth in the law +of the Most High; he will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and +will be occupied in prophecies. + +He will keep the discourse of the men of renown, and will enter in +amidst the subtilties of parables. + +He will seek out the hidden meaning of proverbs, and be conversant in +the dark sayings of parables. + +He will serve among great men, and appear before him that ruleth; he +will travel through the land of strange nations; for he hath tried good +things and evil among men. + +He will apply his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and +will make supplication before the Most High, and will open his mouth in +prayer, and will make supplication for his sins. + + * * * * * + +If the great Lord will, he shall be filled with the spirit of +understanding: he shall pour forth the words of his wisdom, and in +prayer give thanks unto the Lord. + +He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, and in his secrets shall he +meditate. + +He shall shew forth the instruction which he hath been taught, and +shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord. + +Many shall commend his understanding; and so long as the world +endureth, it shall not be blotted out: his memorial shall not depart, +and his name shall live from generation to generation. + +Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the congregation shall tell out +his praise. + +If he continue, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: and if +he die, he addeth thereto. + + * * * * * + +Yet more will I utter, which I have thought upon; and I am filled as +the moon at the full. + +Hearken unto me, ye holy children, and bud forth as a rose growing by a +brook of water: + +And give ye a sweet savour as frankincense, and put forth flowers as a +lily, spread abroad a sweet smell, and sing a song of praise; bless ye +the Lord for all his works. + +Magnify his name, and give utterance to his praise with the songs of +your lips, and with harps; and thus shall ye say when ye utter his +praise: + + * * * * * + +All the works of the Lord are exceeding good, and every command shall +be accomplished in his season. + +None can say, What is this? wherefore is that? for in his season they +shall all be sought out. At his word the waters stood as a heap, and +the receptacles of waters at the word of his mouth. + +At his command is all his good pleasure done; and there is none that +shall hinder his salvation. + +The works of all flesh are before him; and it is not possible to be hid +from his eyes. + +He beholdeth from everlasting to everlasting; and there is nothing +wonderful before him. + +None can say, What is this? wherefore is that? For all things are +created for their uses. + + * * * * * + +His blessing covered the dry land as a river, and saturated it as a +flood. + +As he hath turned the waters into saltness; so shall the heathen +inherit his wrath. + +His ways are plain unto the holy; so are they stumblingblocks unto the +wicked. + +Good things are created from the beginning for the good; so are evil +things for sinners. + +The chief of all things necessary for the life of man are water, and +fire, and iron, and salt, and flour of wheat, and honey, and milk, the +blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing. + +All these things are for good to the godly; so to the sinners they +shall be turned into evil. + +There be winds that are created for vengeance, and in their fury lay on +their scourges heavily; in the time of consummation they pour out their +strength, and shall appease the wrath of him that made them. + +Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, all these are created for +vengeance; + +Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions and adders, and a sword punishing +the ungodly unto destruction. + +They shall rejoice in his commandment, and shall be made ready upon +earth, when need is; and in their seasons they shall not transgress his +word. + + * * * * * + +Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I thought this, and +left it in writing; + +All the works of the Lord are good: and he will supply every need in +its season. + +And none can say, This is worse than that; for they shall all be well +approved in their season. + +And now with all your heart and mouth sing ye praises, and bless the +name of the Lord. + + * * * * * + +=40= Great travail is created for every man, and a heavy yoke is +upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their coming forth from their +mother’s womb, until the day for their burial in the mother of all +things. + +The expectation of things to come, and the day of death, trouble their +thoughts, and cause fear of heart; + +From him that sitteth on a throne of glory, even unto him that is +humbled in earth and ashes; + +From him that weareth purple and a crown, even unto him that is clothed +with a hempen frock. + +There is wrath, and jealousy, and trouble, and disquiet, and fear of +death, and anger, and strife; and in the time of rest upon his bed his +night sleep doth change his knowledge. + +A little or nothing is his resting, and afterward in his sleep, as in a +day of keeping watch, he is troubled in the vision of his heart, as one +that hath escaped from the front of battle. + +In the very time of his deliverance he awaketh, and marvelleth that the +fear is nought. + + * * * * * + +It is thus with all flesh, from man to beast, and upon sinners +sevenfold more. + +Death, and bloodshed, and strife, and sword, calamities, famine, +tribulation, and the scourge; + +All these things were created for the wicked, and because of them came +the flood. + +All things that are of the earth turn to the earth again: and all +things that are of the waters return into the sea. + + * * * * * + +All bribery and injustice shall be blotted out; and good faith shall +stand for ever. + +The goods of the unjust shall be dried up like a river, and like a +great thunder in rain shall go off in noise. + +In opening his hands a man shall be made glad: so shall transgressors +utterly fail. + +The children of the ungodly shall not put forth many branches; and are +as unclean roots upon a sheer rock. + +The sedge that groweth upon every water and bank of a river shall be +plucked up before all grass. + +Bounty is as a garden of blessings, and almsgiving endureth for ever. + +The life of one that laboureth, and is contented, shall be made sweet; +and he that findeth a treasure is above both. + +Children and the building of a city establish a man’s name; and a +blameless wife is counted above both. + +Wine and music rejoice the heart; and the love of wisdom is above both. + +The pipe and the psaltery make pleasant melody; and a pleasant tongue +is above both. + +Thine eye shall desire grace and beauty; and above both the green blade +of corn. + +A friend and a companion never meet amiss; and a wife with her husband +is above both. + +Brethren and succour are for a time of affliction; and almsgiving is a +deliverer above both. + +Gold and silver will make the foot stand sure; and counsel is esteemed +above them both. + +Riches and strength will lift up the heart; and the fear of the Lord is +above both; there is nothing wanting in the fear of the Lord, and there +is no need to seek help therein. + +The fear of the Lord is as a garden of blessing, and covereth a man +above all glory. + + * * * * * + +My son, lead not a beggar’s life; better it is to die than to beg. + +A man that looketh unto the table of another, his life is not to be +counted for a life; he will pollute his soul with another man’s meats: +but a man wise and well-instructed will beware thereof. + +In the mouth of the shameless begging will be sweet; and in his belly a +fire shall be kindled. + +=41= O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that is at +peace in his possessions, unto the man that hath nothing to distract +him, and hath prosperity in all things, and that still hath strength to +receive meat! + +O death, acceptable is thy sentence unto a man that is needy, and that +faileth in strength, that is in extreme old age, and is distracted +about all things, and is perverse, and hath lost patience! + +Fear not the sentence of death; remember them that have been before +thee, and that come after: this is the sentence from the Lord over all +flesh. + +And why dost thou refuse, when it is the good pleasure of the Most +High? Whether it be ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years, there is no +inquisition of life in the grave. + + * * * * * + +The children of sinners are abominable children, and they frequent the +dwellings of the ungodly. + +The inheritance of sinners’ children shall perish, and with their +posterity shall be a perpetual reproach. + +Children will complain of an ungodly father, because they shall be +reproached for his sake. + +Woe unto you, ungodly men, which have forsaken the law of the Most High +God! + +If ye be born, ye shall be born to a curse; if ye die, a curse shall be +your portion. + +All things that are of the earth shall go back to the earth: so the +ungodly shall go from a curse unto perdition. + +The mourning of men is about their bodies: but the name of sinners +being evil shall be blotted out. + +Have regard to thy name; for it continueth with thee longer than a +thousand great treasures of gold. + +A good life hath its number of days; and a good name continueth for +ever. + + * * * * * + +=42= Of these things be not ashamed, and accept no man’s person to sin +thereby: + +Of the law of the Most High, and his covenant; and of judgement to do +justice to the ungodly; + +Of reckoning with a partner and with travellers; and of a gift from the +heritage of friends; + +Of exactness of balance and weights; and of getting much or little; + +Of indifferent selling of merchants; and of much correction of +children; and of making the side of an evil servant to bleed. + +Sure keeping is good, where an evil wife is; and where many hands are, +shut thou close. + +Whatsoever thou handest over, let it be by number and weight; and in +giving and receiving let all be in writing. + +Be not ashamed to instruct the unwise and foolish, and one of extreme +old age that contendeth with those that are young; and so shalt thou be +well instructed indeed, and approved in the sight of every man living. + + * * * * * + +A daughter is a secret cause of wakefulness to a father; and the care +for her putteth away sleep; + + * * * * * + +Look not upon every body in regard of beauty, and sit not in the midst +of women; + +For from garments cometh a moth, and from a woman a woman’s wickedness. + +Better is the wickedness of a man than a pleasant-dealing woman, and a +woman which putteth thee to shameful reproach. + + * * * * * + +I will make mention now of the works of the Lord, and will declare the +things that I have seen: in the words of the Lord are his works. + +The sun that giveth light looketh upon all things; and the work of the +Lord is full of his glory. + +The Lord hath not given power to the saints to declare all his +marvellous works; which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that +whatsoever is might be established in his glory. + +He searcheth out the deep, and the heart, and he hath understanding of +their cunning devices; for the Most High knoweth all knowledge, and he +looketh into the signs of the world, + +Declaring the things that are past, and the things that shall be, and +revealing the traces of hidden things. + +No thought escapeth him; there is not a word hid from him. + +The mighty works of his wisdom he hath ordered, who is from everlasting +to everlasting; nothing hath been added unto them, nor diminished from +them; and he hath no need of any counsellor. + +How desirable are all his works! one may behold this even unto a spark. + +All these things live and remain for ever in all manner of uses, and +they are all obedient. + +All things are double one against another: and he hath made nothing +imperfect. + +One thing establisheth the good things of another: and who shall be +filled with beholding his glory. + + * * * * * + +=43= The pride of the height is the firmament in its clearness, the +appearance of heaven, in the spectacle of its glory. + +The sun when he appeareth, bringing tidings as he goeth forth, is a +marvellous instrument, the work of the Most High: + +At his noon he drieth up the country, and who shall stand against his +burning heat? + +A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, but the sun three times +more, burning up the mountains: breathing out fiery vapours, and +sending forth bright beams, he dimmeth the eyes. + +Great is the Lord that made him; and at his word he hasteneth his +course. + + * * * * * + +The moon also is in all things for her season, for a declaration of +times, and a sign of the world. + +From the moon is the sign of the feast day; a light that waneth when +she is come to the full. + +The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her +changing; an instrument of the hosts on high, shining forth in the +firmament of heaven; + +The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light +in the highest places of the Lord. + +At the word of the Holy One they will stand in due order, and they will +not faint in their watches. + +Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it; exceeding beautiful +in the brightness thereof. + +It compasseth the heaven round about with a circle of glory; the hands +of the Most High have stretched it. + + * * * * * + +By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth +swiftly the lightnings of his judgement. + +By reason thereof the treasure-houses are opened; and clouds fly forth +as fowls. + +By his mighty power he maketh strong the clouds, and the hailstones are +broken small: + +And at his appearing the mountains will be shaken, and at his will the +south wind will blow. + +The voice of his thunder maketh the earth to travail; so doth the +northern storm and the whirlwind: as birds flying down he sprinkleth +the snow; and as the lightning of the locust is the falling down +thereof: + +The eye will marvel at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart will +be astonished at the raining of it. + +The hoar frost also he poureth on the earth as salt; and when it is +congealed, it is as points of thorns. + + * * * * * + +The cold north wind shall blow, and the ice shall be congealed on the +water: it shall lodge upon every gathering together of water, and the +water shall put on as it were a breastplate. + +It shall devour the mountains, and burn up the wilderness, and consume +the green herb as fire. + +A mist coming speedily is the healing of all things; a dew coming +after heat shall bring cheerfulness. + +By his counsel he hath stilled the deep, and planted islands therein. + +They that sail on the sea tell of the danger thereof; and when we hear +it with our ears, we marvel. + +Therein be also those strange and wondrous works, variety of all that +hath life, the race of sea-monsters. + +By reason of him his end hath success, and by his word all things +consist. + + * * * * * + +We may say many things, yet shall we not attain; and the sum of our +words is, He is all. + +How shall we have strength to glorify him? for he is himself the great +one above all his works. + +The Lord is terrible and exceeding great; and marvellous is his power. + +When ye glorify the Lord, exalt him as much as ye can; for even yet +will he exceed: and when ye exalt him, put forth your full strength: be +not weary; for ye will never attain. + +Who hath seen him, that he may declare him? and who shall magnify him +as he is. + +Many things are hidden greater than these; for we have seen but a few +of his works. + +For the Lord made all things; and to the godly gave he wisdom. + + * * * * * + +=44= Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us. + +The Lord manifested in them great glory, even his mighty power from the +beginning. + +Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms, and were men renowned for +their power, giving counsel by their understanding, such as have +brought tidings in prophecies: + +Leaders of the people by their counsels, and by their understanding men +of learning for the people; wise were their words in their instruction: + +Such as sought out musical tunes, and set forth verses in writing: + +Rich men furnished with ability, living peaceably in their habitations: + +All these were honoured in their generations, and were a glory in their +days. + +There be of them, that have left a name behind them, to declare their +praises. + +And some there be, which have no memorial; who are perished as though +they had not been, and are become as though they had not been born; and +their children after them. + +But these were men of mercy, whose righteous deeds have not been +forgotten. + +With their seed shall remain continually a good inheritance; their +children are within the covenants. + +Their seed standeth fast, and their children for their sakes. + +Their seed shall remain for ever, and their glory shall not be blotted +out. + +Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name liveth to all +generations. + +Peoples will declare their wisdom, and the congregation telleth out +their praise. + + * * * * * + +=50= And now bless ye the God of all, which everywhere doeth great +things, which exalteth our days from the womb, and dealeth with us +according to his mercy. + +May he grant us joy fulness of heart, and that peace may be in our days +in Israel for the days of eternity: + +To intrust his mercy with us; and let him deliver us in his time! + + * * * * * + +I have written in this book the instruction of understanding and +knowledge, I Jesus, the son of Sirach Eleazar, of Jerusalem, who out of +his heart poured forth wisdom. + +Blessed is he that shall be exercised in these things; and he that +layeth them up in his heart shall become wise. + +For if he do them, he shall be strong to all things: for the light of +the Lord is his guide. + + * * * * * + +=51= When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I sought wisdom +openly in my prayer. + +Before the temple I asked for her, and I will seek her out even to the +end. + +From her flower as from the ripening grape my heart delighted in her: +my foot trod in uprightness, from my youth I tracked her out. + +I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and found for myself +much instruction. + +I profited in her: unto him that giveth me wisdom I will give glory. + +For I purposed to practise her, and I was zealous for that which is +good; and I shall never be put to shame. + +My soul hath wrestled in her, and in my doing I was exact: I spread +forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her. + +I set my soul aright unto her, and in pureness I found her. I gat me +a heart joined with her from the beginning: therefore shall I not be +forsaken. + +My inward part also was troubled to seek her: therefore have I gotten a +good possession. + +The Lord gave me a tongue for my reward; and I will praise him +therewith. + + * * * * * + +Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and lodge in the house of instruction. + +Say, wherefore are ye lacking in these things, and your souls are very +thirsty? + +I opened my mouth, and spake, Get her for yourselves without money. + +Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: +she is hard at hand to find. + +Behold with your eyes, how that I laboured but a little, and found for +myself much rest. + +Get you instruction with a great sum of silver, and gain much gold by +her. + +May your soul rejoice in his mercy, and may ye not be put to shame in +praising him. + +Work your work before the time cometh, and in his time he will give you +your reward. + + +_Printed by Hazell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury._ + + + + +THE WISDOM OF THE EAST SERIES + +Edited by L. 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Secs._ + + Prof. T. W. ARNOLD (London University College). + Prof. L. D. BARNETT (London University College). + Miss G. BELL. + SYED HOSAIN BILGRAMI, C.S.I. + Prof. J. F. BLUMHARDT (Cambridge University). + Prof. E. G. BROWNE (Cambridge University). + Dr. J. ESTLIN CARPENTER (Oxford University). + A. G. ELLIS, Esq. + Prof. GREGORY FOSTER (Provost, London University College). + Dr. M. GASTER. + Prof. H. A. GILES (Cambridge University). + LIONEL GILES. Esq., M.A. + Prof. IGNAZ GOLDZIHER (Buda-pest University). + Dr. G. A. GRIERSON, C.I.E. + Sir HENRY HOWORTH, K.C.I.E. + Sir ALFRED LYALL, G.C.I.E. + Sir CHARLES LYALL, K.C.S.I. + Prof. A. A. MACDONELL (Oxford University). + Prof. D. S. MARGOLIOUTH (Oxford University). + Mrs. D. S. MARGOLIOUTH. + THEODOR MORISON, Esq., M.A. + J. MORRIS, Esq. (Japan). + A. H. HALLAM MURRAY, Esq. + Prof. REGINALD A. NICHOLSON (Cambridge University). + Prof. RAPSON (Cambridge University). + Miss RIDDING. + SYED AMEER ALI, C.I.E. + F. W. THOMAS, Esq., M.A. + Prof. ANTON TIEN. + Don M. DE WICKREMASINGHE (Oxford University). + + +ROMANCE OF THE EAST SERIES + +Edited by L. CRANMER-BYNG + +_Crown 8vo. 2s. 6d. net each._ + +In this series the great store-houses of Oriental romance will be +opened for the first time to the public. Tales from the Sanskrit, +from the Chinese, from every language of the East possessing a great +literature will appear in due course. From these vivid narratives of +old-world romance it will be possible for the reader to glean much +information concerning the lives and manners and customs of vanished +races, and the greatness of Empires that have passed away. + + TALES OF THE CALIPHS. From the Arabic + Translated by CLAUD FIELD + + TALES WITHIN TALES. From the Fables of Pilpai + Translated by Sir ARTHUR WOLLASTON, K.C.I.E. + + THE GOLDEN TOWN. From the Sanskrit of Soma Deva + Translated by Dr. L. D. BARNETT. + +_Works added to the Series will be announced in due course_ + +LONDON + +JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber’s note + + +Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice. Line spacing +has been standardized. + + +Spelling was retained as in the original except for the following +changes: + + Page 41: “confirmed the judgemen” “confirmed the judgement” + Page 73: “from thine appetities” “from thine appetites” + Page 117: “in the the midst of women” “in the midst of women” + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77250 *** |