Chapter 125

Of physicians and medicines: what is to be done in sickness, and how we are to mourn for the dead. Of the employments of labourers and artificers.

38:1. Honour the physician for the need thou hast of him: for the most High hath created him.

38:2. For all healing is from God, and he shall receive gifts of the king.

38:3. The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be praised.

38:4. The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.

38:5. Was not bitter water made sweet with wood?

38:6. The virtue of these things is come to the knowledge of men, and the most High hath given knowledge to men, that he may be honoured in his wonders.

38:7. By these he shall cure and shall allay their pains, and of these the apothecary shall make sweet confections, and shall make up ointments of health, and of his works there shall be no end.

38:8. For the peace of God is over all the face of the earth.

38:9. My son, in thy sickness neglect not thyself, but pray to the Lord, and he shall heal thee.

38:10. Turn away from sin and order thy hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all offence.

38:11. Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour, and make a fat offering, and then give place to the physician.

38:12. For the Lord created him: and let him not depart from thee, for his works are necessary.

38:13. For there is a time when thou must fall into their hands:

38:14. And they shall beseech the Lord, that he would prosper what they give for ease and remedy, for their conversation.

38:15. He that sinneth in the sight of his Maker, shall fall into the hands of the physician.

38:16. My son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to lament as if thou hadst suffered some great harm, and according to judgment cover his body, and neglect not his burial.

38:17. And for fear of being ill spoken of weep bitterly for a day, and then comfort thyself in thy sadness.

38:18. And make mourning for him according to his merit for a day, or two, for fear of detraction.

38:19. For of sadness cometh death, and it overwhelmeth the strength, and the sorrow of the heart boweth down the neck.

38:20. In withdrawing aside sorrow remaineth: and the substance of the poor is according to his heart.

38:21. Give not up thy heart to sadness, but drive it from thee: and remember the latter end.

38:22. Forget it not: for there is no returning, and thou shalt do him no good, and shalt hurt thyself.

38:23. Remember my judgment: for thine also shall be so: yesterday for me, and to day for thee.

38:24. When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest, and comfort him in the departing of his spirit.

38:25. The wisdom of a scribe cometh by his time of leisure: and he that is less in action, shall receive wisdom.

A scribe.... That is, a doctor of the law, or, a learned man.

38:26. With what wisdom shall he be furnished that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth the oxen therewith, and is occupied in their labours, and his whole talk is about the offspring of bulls?

38:27. He shall give his mind to turn up furrows, and his care is to give the kine fodder.

38:28. So every craftsman and workmaster that laboureth night and day, he who maketh graven seals, and by his continual diligence varieth the figure: he shall give his mind to the resemblance of the picture, and by his watching shall finish the work.

38:29. So doth the smith sitting by the anvil and considering the iron work. The vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace.

38:30. The noise of the hammer is always in his ears, and his eye is upon the pattern of the vessel he maketh.

38:31. He setteth his mind to finish his work, and his watching to polish them to perfection.

38:32. So doth the potter sitting at his work, turning the wheel about with his feet, who is always carefully set to his work, and maketh all his work by number:

38:33. He fashioneth the clay with his arm, and boweth down his strength before his feet:

38:34. He shall give his mind to finish the glazing, and his watching to make clean the furnace.

38:35. All these trust to their hands, and every one is wise in his own art.

38:36. Without these a city is not built.

38:37. And they shall not dwell, nor walk about therein, and they shall not go up into the assembly.

38:38. Upon the judges’ seat they shall not sit, and the ordinance of judgment they shall not understand, neither shall they declare discipline and judgment, and they shall not be found where parables are spoken:

38:39. But they shall strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer shall be in the work of their craft, applying their soul, and searching in the law of the most High.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 39

The exercises of the wise man. The Lord is to be glorified for his works.

39:1. The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.

39:2. He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.

39:3. He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.

39:4. He shall serve among great men, and appear before the governor.

39:5. He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.

39:6. He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.

39:7. He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.

39:8. For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:

39:9. And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.

39:10. And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.

39:11. He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

39:12. Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.

39:13. The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.

39:14. Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise.

39:15. If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he rest, it shall be to his advantage.

39:16. I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a holy transport.

39:17. By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of waters.

Ye divine offspring.... He speaks to the children of Israel, the people of God: whom he exhorts to bud forth and flourish with virtue.

39:18. Give ye a sweet odour as frankincense.

39:19. Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.

39:20. Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your lips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in praising him, you shall say in this manner:

39:21. All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.

39:22. At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters:

39:23. For at his commandment favour is shewn, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.

39:24. The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.

39:25. He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before him.

39:26. There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things shall be sought in their time.

39:27. His blessing hath overflowed like a river.

39:28. And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit the nations, that have not sought after him.

39:29. Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was made dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners they are stumblingblocks in his wrath.

39:30. Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good and evil things.

39:31. The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.

39:32. All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.

39:33. There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on grievous torments.

39:34. In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.

39:35. Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance.

39:36. The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword taking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.

39:37. In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready upon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not transgress his word.

39:38. Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have meditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing,

39:39. All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.

39:40. It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be well approved in their time.

39:41. Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 40

The miseries of the life of man are relieved by the grace of God and his fear.

40:1. Great labour is created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the children of Adam from the day of their coming out of their mother’s womb, until the day of their burial into the mother of all.

40:2. Their thoughts, and fears of the heart, their imagination of things to come, and the day of their end:

40:3. From him that sitteth on a glorious throne, unto him that is humbled in earth and ashes:

40:4. From him that weareth purple, and beareth the crown, even to him that is covered with rough linen: wrath, envy, trouble, unquietness, and the fear of death, continual anger, and strife,

40:5. And in the time of rest upon his bed, the sleep of the night changeth his knowledge.

40:6. A little and as nothing is his rest, and afterward in sleep, as in the day of keeping watch.

40:7. He is troubled in the vision of his heart, as if he had escaped in the day of battle. In the time of his safety he rose up, and wondereth that there is no fear.

40:8. Such things happen to all flesh, from man even to beast, and upon sinners are sevenfold more.

40:9. Moreover, death, and bloodshed, strife, and sword, oppressions, famine, and affliction, and scourges:

40:10. All these things are created for the wicked, and for their sakes came the flood.

40:11. All things that are of the earth, shall return to the earth again, and all waters shall return to the sea.

40:12. All bribery, and injustice shall be blotted out, and fidelity shall stand for ever.

40:13. The riches of the unjust shall be dried up like a river, and shall pass away with a noise like a great thunder in rain.

40:14. While he openeth his hands he shall rejoice: but transgressors shall pine away in the end.

40:15. The offspring of the ungodly shall not bring forth many branches, and make a noise as unclean roots upon the top of a rock.

40:16. The weed growing over every water, and at the bank of the river, shall be pulled up before all grass.

40:17. Grace is like a paradise in blessings, and mercy remaineth for ever.

40:18. The life of a laborer that is content with what he hath, shall be sweet, and in it thou shalt find a treasure.

40:19. Children, and the building of a city shall establish a name, but a blameless wife shall be counted above them both.

40:20. Wine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above them both.

40:21. The flute and the psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is above them both.

40:22. Thy eye desireth favour and beauty, but more than these green sown fields.

40:23. A friend and companion meeting together in season, but above them both is a wife with her husband.

40:24. Brethren are a help in the time of trouble, but mercy shall deliver more than they.

40:25. Gold and silver make the feet stand sure: but wise counsel is above them both.

40:26. Riches and strength lift up the heart: but above these is the fear of the Lord.

40:27. There is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth not to seek for help.

40:28. The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessing, and they have covered it above all glory.

40:29. My son, in thy lifetime be not indigent: for it is better to die than to want.

40:30. The life of him that looketh toward another man’s table is not to be counted a life: for he feedeth his soul with another man’s meat.

40:31. But a man, well instructed and taught, will look to himself.

40:32. Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the unwise, but in his belly there shall burn a fire.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 41

Of the remembrance of death: of an evil and of a good name: of what things we ought to be ashamed.

41:1. O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that hath peace in his possessions!

41:2. To a man that is at rest, and whose ways are prosperous in all things, and that is yet able to take meat!

41:3. O death thy sentence is welcome to the man that is in need, and to him whose strength faileth:

41:4. Who is in a decrepit age, and that is in care about all things, and to the distrustful that loseth patience!

41:5. Fear not the sentence of death. Remember what things have been before thee, and what shall come after thee: this sentence is from the Lord upon all flesh.

41:6. And what shall come upon thee by the good pleasure of the most High? whether ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years.

41:7. For among the dead there is no accusing of life.

41:8. The children of sinners become children of abominations, and they that converse near the houses of the ungodly.

41:9. The inheritance of the children of sinners shall perish, and with their posterity shall be a perpetual reproach.

41:10. The children will complain of an ungodly father, because for his sake they are in reproach.

41:11. Woe to you, ungodly men, who have forsaken the law of the most high Lord.

41:12. And if you be born, you shall be born in malediction: and if you die, in malediction shall be your portion.

41:13. All things that are of the earth, shall return into the earth: so the ungodly shall from malediction to destruction.

41:14. The mourning of men is about their body, but the name of the ungodly shall be blotted out.

41:15. Take care of a good name: for this shall continue with thee, more than a thousand treasures precious and great.

41:16. A good life hath its number of days: but a good name shall continue for ever.

41:17. My children, keep discipline in peace: for wisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen, what profit is there in them both?

41:18. Better is the man that hideth his folly, than the man that hideth his wisdom.

41:19. Wherefore have a shame of these things I am now going to speak of.

Have a shame, etc.... That is to say, be ashamed of doing any of these things, which I am now going to mention; for though sometimes shamefacedness is not to be indulged: yet it is often good and necessary: as in the following cases.

41:20. For it is not good to keep all shamefacedness: and all things do not please all men in opinion.

41:21. Be ashamed of fornication before father and mother: and of a lie before a governor and a man in power:

41:22. Of an offence before a prince, and a judge: of iniquity before a congregation and a people:

41:23. Of injustice before a companion and friend: and in regard to the place where thou dwellest,

41:24. Of theft, and of the truth of God, and the covenant: of leaning with thy elbow over meat, and of deceit in giving and taking:

41:25. Of silence before them that salute thee: of looking upon a harlot: and of turning away thy face from thy kinsman.

41:26. Turn not away thy face from thy neighbour, and of taking away a portion and not restoring.

41:27. Gaze not upon another man’s wife, and be not inquisitive after his handmaid, and approach not her bed.

41:28. Be ashamed of upbraiding speeches before friends: and after thou hast given, upbraid not.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 42

Of what things we ought not to be ashamed. Cautions with regard to women. The works and greatness of God.

42:1. Repeat not the word which thou hast heard, and disclose not the thing that is secret; so shalt thou be truly without confusion, and shalt find favour before all men: be not ashamed of any of these things, and accept no person to sin thereby:

42:2. Of the law of the most High, and of his covenant, and of judgment to justify the ungodly:

42:3. Of the affair of companions and travellers, and of the gift of the inheritance of friends:

42:4. Of exactness of balance and weights, of getting much or little:

42:5. Of the corruption of buying, and of merchants, and of much correction of children, and to make the side of a wicked slave to bleed.

42:6. Sure keeping is good over a wicked wife.

42:7. Where there are many hands, shut up, and deliver all things in number, and weight: and put all in writing that thou givest out or receivest in.

42:8. Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the aged, that are judged by young men: and thou shalt be well instructed in all things, and well approved in the sight of all men living.

42:9. The father waketh for the daughter when no man knoweth, and the care for her taketh away his sleep, when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age, and when she is married, lest she should be hateful:

42:10. In her virginity, lest she should be corrupted, and be found with child in her father’s house: and having a husband, lest she should misbehave herself, or at the least become barren.

42:11. Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter: lest at anytime she make thee become a laughingstock to thy enemies, and a byword in the city, and a reproach among the people, and she make thee ashamed before all the multitude.

42:12. Behold not everybody’s beauty: and tarry not among women.

42:13. For from garments cometh a moth, and from a woman the iniquity of a man.

42:14. For better is the iniquity of a man, than a woman doing a good turn, and a woman bringing shame and reproach.

Better is the iniquity, etc.... That is, there is, commonly speaking, less danger to be apprehended to the soul from the churlishness, or injuries we receive from men, than from the flattering favours and familiarity of women.

42:15. I will now remember the works of the Lord, and I will declare the things I have seen. By the words of the Lord are his works.

42:16. The sun giving light hath looked upon all things, and full of the glory of the Lord is his work.

42:17. Hath not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful works, which the Lord Almighty hath firmly settled to be established for his glory?

42:18. He hath searched out the deep, and the heart of men: and considered their crafty devices.

42:19. For the Lord knoweth all knowledge, and hath beheld the signs of the world, he declareth the things that are past, and the things that are to come, and revealeth the traces of hidden things.

42:20. No thought escapeth him, and no word can hide itself from him.

42:21. He hath beautified the glorious works of his wisdom: and he is from eternity to eternity, and to him nothing may be added,

42:22. Nor can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor.

42:23. O how desirable are all his works, and what we can know is but as a spark!

42:24. All these things live, and remain for ever, and for every use all things obey him.

42:25. All things are double, one against another, and he hath made nothing defective.

42:26. He hath established the good things of every one. And who shall be filled with beholding his glory?

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 43

The works of God are exceedingly glorious and wonderful: no man is able sufficiently to praise him.

43:1. The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious shew.

43:2. The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High.

43:3. At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat? As one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:

43:4. The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out fiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.

43:5. Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened his course.

43:6. And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times and a sign of the world.

43:7. From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.

43:8. The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her perfection.

43:9. Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.

43:10. The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord enlighteneth the world on high.

43:11. By the words of the holy one they stand in judgment, and shall never fall in their watches.

43:12. Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.

43:13. It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory, the hands of the most High have displayed it.

43:14. By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.

43:15. Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.

43:16. By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken.

43:17. At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.

43:18. The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the northern storm, and the whirlwind:

43:19. And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and the falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.

43:20. The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the shower thereof.

43:21. He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth, it shall become like the tops of thistles.

43:22. The cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into crystal; upon every gathering together of waters it shall rest, and shall clothe the waters as a breastplate.

43:23. And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.

43:24. A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a dew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.

43:25. At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth the deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.

43:26. Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when we hear with our ears, we shall admire.

43:27. There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of all living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.

43:28. Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his word all things are regulated.

43:29. We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.

43:30. What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty himself is above all his works.

43:31. The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is admirable.

43:32. Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.

43:33. Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for he is above all praise.

43:34. When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.

43:35. Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?