The Wisdom of
Jesus son of Eleazar
Chapter 1
1 Since many and great
things have been given to us through the law and the prophets and the others
who followed after them, for which it is necessary to praise Israel for
education and wisdom, and that not only those who read them must become
knowledgeable,
1a but also that those
who love learning should be able to be useful to those outside, both in
speaking and in writing, my grandfather Jesus, having given himself more fully
to the reading of the law and the prophets
1b and the other
ancestral books, and having acquired in these a sufficient competence, was led
also himself to write something of the things pertaining to education and
wisdom, so that those who love learning, having become acquainted with these
things also, might advance much more through living according to the law.
1c You are therefore
urged to make the reading with goodwill and attention and to have indulgence in
those things where we may seem
1d to be at a loss in
some of the words that have been labored over in the translation; for these
things are not equivalent in themselves when spoken in Hebrew and when
translated into another language; and not only these, but also the law itself
and the prophecies
1e and the rest of the
books have no small difference when spoken in themselves. For in the
thirty-eighth year under King Euergetes, having
arrived in Egypt and having spent time there, finding no small dissimilarity of
education,
1f I deemed it most
necessary to apply myself also to some zeal and diligence to translate this
book, having brought much sleeplessness and knowledge in the interval of time,
so that, having brought the book to completion, I might publish it also for those
in the sojourn who wish to love learning,
1g preparing their
character to live lawfully. 1hAll wisdom is from the Lord and is with him
forever.
2 Who will number the
sand of the seas and the drops of rain and the days of eternity?
3 Who will trace out
the height of heaven and the breadth of the earth and the deep and wisdom?
4 Wisdom was created
before all things, and understanding of prudence from eternity.
6 To whom was the root
of wisdom revealed? And who knew her cunning devices?
8 There is one wise,
exceedingly fearful, sitting upon his throne.
9 The Lord himself
created her and saw and numbered her and poured her out upon all his works,
10 with all flesh
according to his giving, and he supplied her to those who love him.
11 The fear of the Lord
is glory and boasting and gladness and a crown of exultation.
12 The fear of the Lord
will delight the heart and will give gladness and joy and long life.
13 For the one who
fears the Lord it will be well at the last, and on the day of his death he will
be blessed.
14 The beginning of
wisdom is to fear the Lord, and with the faithful she was created together in
the womb.
15 With men she made a
nest as a foundation of eternity, and with their seed she will be trusted.
16 The fullness of
wisdom is to fear the Lord, and she makes them drunk from her fruits;
17 she will fill all
their house with desirable things and the storehouses from her produce.
18 The crown of wisdom
is the fear of the Lord, blossoming forth peace and health of healing.
19 And he saw and
numbered her; he poured out knowledge and understanding of prudence and exalted
the glory of those who hold her.
20 The root of wisdom is
to fear the Lord, and her branches are long life.
22 Unrighteous anger
will not be able to be justified; for the weight of his anger is a fall for
him.
23 Until a time the
long-suffering will hold out, and afterward gladness will be given back to him;
24 until a time he will
hide his words, and the lips of many will recount his understanding.
25 In the treasures of
wisdom are parables of knowledge, but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.
26 Having desired
wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord will supply her to you.
27 For wisdom and
education are the fear of the Lord, and his good pleasure is faith and
gentleness.
28 Do not disobey the
fear of the Lord, and do not approach him with a double heart.
29 Do not be a
hypocrite in the mouths of men, and beware in your lips.
30 Do not exalt
yourself, lest you fall and bring dishonor upon your soul, and the Lord will
reveal your secrets and will cast you down in the midst of the assembly,
because you did not approach the fear of the Lord and your heart is full of
deceit.
Chapter 2
1 My child, if you come
to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for testing;
2 make straight your
heart and endure, and do not hurry in time of visitation;
3 cling to him and do
not depart, so that you may be increased at your last end.
4 Accept whatever is
brought upon you, and in the changes of your humiliation be patient;
5 for gold is tested in
fire, and acceptable people in the furnace of humiliation.
6 Trust in him, and he
will help you; make straight your ways and hope in him.
7 You who fear the
Lord, wait for his mercy, and do not turn aside, lest you fall.
8 You who fear the
Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not fail.
9 You who fear the
Lord, hope for good things and for everlasting joy and mercy.
10 Look at the
generations of old and see: who trusted in the Lord and was put to shame? Or
who persevered in his fear and was forsaken? Or who called upon him, and he
overlooked him?
11 For the Lord is
compassionate and merciful, and he forgives sins and saves in time of
affliction.
12 Woe to fearful
hearts and to slack hands, and to the sinner who walks on two paths.
13 Woe to the slack
heart, because it does not believe; therefore it will not be sheltered.
14 Woe to you who have
lost endurance; and what will you do when the Lord visits?
15 Those who fear the
Lord will not disobey his words, and those who love him will keep his ways.
16 Those who fear the
Lord will seek his approval, and those who love him will be filled with the
law.
17 Those who fear the
Lord will prepare their hearts and humble their souls before him.
18 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.
Chapter 3
1 Hear me, your father,
O children, and do accordingly, that you may be saved;
2 for the Lord has
honored a father above children and has established a mother's authority over
sons.
3 Whoever honors a
father makes atonement for sins,
4 and whoever glorifies
his mother is like one who lays up treasure.
5 Whoever honors a
father will be gladdened by his own children, and when he prays, he will be
heard.
6 Whoever glorifies a
father will have length of days, and whoever obeys the Lord will give rest to
his mother;
7 and he will serve his
parents as though they were masters.
8 In deed and word
honor your father, so that a blessing from him may come upon you;
9 for a father's
blessing strengthens the houses of children, but a mother's curse uproots
foundations.
10 Do not glory in the
dishonor of your father, for your father's dishonor is no glory to you;
11 for a man's glory
comes from the honor of his father, and a mother in disgrace is a reproach to
her children.
12 Child, support your
father in his old age and do not grieve him as long as he lives;
13 and even if he loses
his understanding, show forbearance and do not dishonor him in the fullness of
your strength.
14 For kindness to a
father will not be forgotten, and in place of sins it will be built up for you.
15 In the day of your
affliction it will be remembered in your favor; as fair weather upon ice, so
your sins will be melted away.
16 Like a blasphemer is
the one who abandons his father, and cursed by the Lord is the one who provokes
his mother to anger.
17 Child, carry out
your works in gentleness, and you will be loved by an acceptable man.
18 The greater you are,
the more you should humble yourself, and you will find favor before the Lord;
20 for great is the
power of the Lord, and by the humble he is glorified.
21 Do not seek what is
too difficult for you, and do not examine what is too strong for you;
22 reflect on what has
been commanded to you, for you have no need of hidden things.
23 Do not meddle in the
superfluous things of your works; for more than human understanding has been
shown to you.
24 For many have been
led astray by their own opinions, and an evil suspicion has caused their minds
to slip.
26 A hard heart will be
afflicted at the end, and the one who loves danger will perish in it.
27 A hard heart will be
weighed down with pains, and the sinner will add sin to sins.
28 For the affliction
of the proud there is no healing; for a plant of wickedness has taken root in
him.
29 The heart of the
understanding will ponder a proverb, and an attentive ear is the desire of a
wise man.
30 Water will quench a blazing
fire, and almsgiving will make atonement for sins.
31 The one who repays
kindnesses is mindful of what is to come, and at the time of his fall he will
find support.
Chapter 4
1 My child, do not
deprive the poor of their livelihood, and do not keep needy eyes waiting.
2 Do not grieve a
hungry soul, and do not provoke a man in his distress.
3 Do not further
disturb an embittered heart, and do not delay a gift to one in need.
4 Do not reject a
suppliant in affliction, and do not turn your face away from the poor.
5 Do not turn your eye
away from one in need, and do not give anyone occasion to curse you;
6 for if anyone curses
you in the bitterness of his soul, his Maker will hear his prayer.
7 Make yourself beloved
to the assembly, and bow your head to a great man.
8 Incline your ear to
the poor, and answer him peaceably with gentleness.
9 Rescue the wronged
from the hand of the wrongdoer, and do not be faint-hearted when you sit in
judgment.
10 Be like a father to
orphans, and like a husband to their mother; and you will be like a son of the
Most High, and he will love you more than your mother does.
11 Wisdom exalts her
sons and lays hold of those who seek her.
12 Whoever loves her
loves life, and those who rise early for her will be filled with gladness.
13 Whoever holds her
fast will inherit glory, and wherever she enters, the Lord blesses.
14 Those who serve her
minister to the Holy One, and the Lord loves those who love her.
15 Whoever obeys her
will judge nations, and whoever gives heed to her will dwell in security.
16 If he trusts her, he
will inherit her, and his descendants will be in possession;
17 for at first she
will walk with him in crooked ways, bringing fear and dread upon him, and she
will torment him with her discipline, until she can trust his soul, and she
will test him with her statutes;
18 then she will return
to him on the straight path and will gladden him and reveal to him her hidden
things.
19 If he goes astray,
she will abandon him and hand him over to the power of his downfall.
20 Watch for the right
time and beware of evil, and do not be ashamed for your own life;
21 for there is a shame
that brings sin, and there is a shame that is glory and grace.
22 Do not show
partiality to your own harm, and do not be ashamed to your own downfall.
23 Do not withhold a
word at the time of need;
24 for wisdom will be
known through speech, and instruction through the word of the tongue.
25 Do not contradict
the truth, and be ashamed of your own ignorance.
26 Do not be ashamed to
confess your sins, and do not fight the current of a river.
27 Do not subject
yourself to a foolish man, and do not show partiality to a ruler.
28 Fight to the death
for the truth, and the Lord God will fight for you.
29 Do not be rash with
your tongue, nor sluggish and slack in your deeds.
30 Do not be like a
lion in your house, nor a visionary among your servants.
31 Do not let your hand
be stretched out to receive and closed when giving back.
Chapter 5
1 Do not lean on your
possessions, and do not say, "I have enough for myself."
2 Do not follow your
soul and your strength to walk in the desires of your heart;
3 and do not say,
"Who will have power over me?" for the Lord, taking vengeance, will
avenge.
4 Do not say, "I
have sinned, and what has happened to me?" for the Lord is long-suffering.
5 Concerning atonement,
do not be without fear, to add sin upon sins;
6 and do not say,
"His mercy is great; the multitude of my sins will be atoned for,"
for mercy and wrath are with him, and his anger will rest upon sinners.
7 Do not wait to return
to the Lord, and do not put off day after day; for suddenly the wrath of the
Lord will come forth, and in the time of vengeance you will be destroyed.
8 Do not lean on
unrighteous wealth; for it will profit you nothing in the day of calamity.
9 Do not winnow in every
wind, and do not walk in every path; so is the double-tongued sinner.
10 Be steadfast in your
understanding, and let your word be one.
11 Be quick in your
hearing, and with long-suffering utter your answer.
12 If you have
understanding, answer your neighbor; but if not, let your hand be on your
mouth.
13 Glory and dishonor
are in speech, and a man's tongue is his downfall.
14 Do not be called a
whisperer, and do not lie in ambush with your tongue; for shame is upon the
thief, and evil condemnation upon the double-tongued.
15 In great and small
matters do not be ignorant, and instead of a friend do not become an enemy; for
a bad name will inherit shame and reproach; so is the double-tongued sinner.
Chapter 6
2 Do not lift yourself
up in the counsel of your soul, so that your soul may not be torn apart like a
bull;
3 you will eat up your
leaves and destroy your fruits, and you will leave yourself like dry wood.
4 A wicked soul will
destroy the one who possesses it and will make him a laughingstock to enemies.
5 A sweet throat will multiply his friends,
and an eloquent tongue will multiply pleasant greetings.
6 Let those who are at
peace with you be many, but your counselors one out of a thousand.
7 If you acquire a
friend, acquire him in testing, and do not trust him quickly.
8 For there is a friend
in his own time, and he will not remain in the day of your distress.
9 And there is a friend
who turns into enmity, and he will reveal the strife of your reproach.
10 And there is a
friend who shares tables, and he will not remain in the day of your distress;
11 and in your good
times he will be like you and will speak boldly to your servants;
12 if you are humbled,
he will be against you and will hide from your face.
13 Separate yourself
from your enemies, and beware of your friends.
14 A faithful friend is
a strong shelter, and the one who finds him has found a treasure.
15 There is no exchange
for a faithful friend, and there is no weight for his beauty.
16 A faithful friend is
a medicine of life, and those who fear the Lord will find him.
17The one who fears the
Lord will direct his friendship, because as he is, so also is his neighbor.
18 Child, from your
youth choose discipline, and until gray hairs you will find wisdom.
19 Like the one who
plows and the one who sows, approach her and wait for her good fruits; for in
her service you will labor a little and soon you will eat of her produce.
20How very rough she is
to the uneducated, and a heartless man will not remain in her;
21 like a strong stone
of testing she will be upon him, and he will not delay to throw her off.
22 For wisdom is
according to her name, and she is not visible to many.
23 Listen, child, and
accept my judgment, and do not refuse my counsel;
24 and bring your feet
into her fetters and your neck into her collar;
25 put your shoulder
under and carry her, and do not be vexed with her bonds;
26 with all your soul
approach her, and with all your strength keep her ways;
27 track and search,
and she will be known to you, and when you have become master, do not let her
go;
28 for at the last you
will find her rest, and she will turn to you for joy;
29 and her fetters will
be to you a shelter of strength, and her collars a robe of glory.
30 For a golden
ornament is upon her, and her bonds are a cord of hyacinth;
31 you will clothe
yourself with her as a robe of glory, and you will place a crown of rejoicing
on yourself.
32 If you wish, child,
you will be disciplined, and if you apply your soul, you will be shrewd;
33if you love to
listen, you will accept, and if you incline your ear, you will be wise.
34 Stand in the
multitude of elders; and who is wise? Attach yourself to him.
35 Desire to hear every
divine account, and let proverbs of understanding not escape you.
36 If you see a
discerning man, rise early to him, and let your foot wear out the steps of his
doors.
37 Reflect on the
ordinances of the Lord, and meditate on his commandments continually; he will
strengthen your heart, and the desire for wisdom will be given to you.
Chapter 7
1 Do no evil, and no
evil shall overtake you;
2 depart from wrong,
and it will turn away from you.
3 My son, do not sow in
the furrows of injustice, lest you reap them sevenfold.
4 Do not seek from the
Lord a position of rule, nor from a king a seat of honor.
5 Do not justify
yourself before the Lord, and do not play the wise man before a king.
6 Do not seek to become
a judge, lest you be unable to remove injustice, lest perhaps you show
partiality before a powerful man and put a stumbling block in the way of your
uprightness.
7 Do not sin against
the multitude of the city, and do not cast yourself down before the crowd.
8 Do not bind sin upon
yourself twice, for even in one you will not go unpunished.
9 Do not say, "He
will look upon the multitude of my gifts, and when I make an offering to the
Most High God, he will accept it."
10 Do not be
fainthearted in your prayer, and do not neglect to give alms.
11 Do not mock a man
who is in bitterness of soul, for there is One who humbles and exalts.
12 Do not plow a lie
against your brother, nor do the like to a friend.
13 Do not be willing to
tell any lie, for the habit of it does not lead to good.
14 Do not babble in the
assembly of elders, and do not repeat a word in your prayer.
15 Do not hate
laborious work, nor farming, which was created by the Most High.
16 Do not count
yourself among the multitude of sinners; remember that wrath will not delay.
17 Humble your soul
greatly, for the punishment of the ungodly is fire and worm.
18 Do not exchange a
friend for money, nor a true brother for the gold of Ophir.
19 Do not pass over a
wise and good wife, for her charm is worth more than gold.
20 Do not mistreat a servant
who works faithfully, nor a hired laborer who gives his life.
21 Let your soul love
an intelligent servant; do not deprive him of freedom.
22 Do you have cattle?
Look after them; and if they are useful to you, let them remain with you.
23 Do you have
children? Discipline them, and bend their necks from their youth.
24 Do you have
daughters? Watch over their bodies, and do not show them a cheerful face.
25 Give a daughter in marriage,
and you will have completed a great task; and give her to a man of
understanding.
26 Do you have a wife
after your heart? Do not cast her out; but do not trust yourself to one whom
you hate.
27 With all your heart
honor your father, and do not forget your mother's birth pangs;
28 remember that
through them you were born, and how can you repay them for what they have given
you?
29 With all your soul
fear the Lord, and revere his priests.
30 With all your
strength love the one who made you, and do not forsake his ministers.
31 Fear the Lord and
honor the priest, and give him his portion, as you have been commanded: the firstfruits, the guilt offering, the gift of the shoulders,
the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits
of the holy things.
32 And stretch out your
hand to the poor man, that your blessing may be made complete.
33 Let the grace of a
gift be before every living person, and do not withhold kindness from the dead.
34 Do not hold back from
those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn.
35 Do not hesitate to
visit a sick man, for by such deeds you will be loved.
36 In all your words
remember your last end, and you will never sin.
Chapter 8
1 Do not contend with a
powerful man, lest you fall into his hands.
2 Do not quarrel with a
rich man, lest he outweigh you in the balance; for gold has destroyed many, and
has turned aside the hearts of kings.
3 Do not contend with a
man full of talk, and do not heap wood upon his fire.
4 Do not jest with an
uneducated man, lest your ancestors be dishonored.
5 Do not reproach a man
who is turning away from sin; remember that we are all liable to punishment.
6 Do not dishonor a man
in his old age, for some of us also are growing old.
7 Do not rejoice over
one who is dead; remember that we all die.
8 Do not disregard the
discourse of the wise, and busy yourself with their proverbs; for from them you
will learn instruction, and how to serve great men.
9 Do not miss the discourse
of the aged, for they themselves learned from their fathers; for from them you
will learn understanding, and how to give an answer in time of need.
10 Do not kindle the
coals of a sinner, lest you be burned in the fire of his flame.
11 Do not rise up from
the presence of an insolent man, lest he lie in wait as an ambush for your
mouth.
12 Do not lend to a man
stronger than yourself; and if you do lend, consider it as lost.
13 Do not give surety beyond
your means; and if you do give surety, take care as one who must pay.
14 Do not go to law
with a judge, for they will decide for him according to his repute.
15 Do not travel on the
road with a reckless man, lest he weigh heavily against you; for he will do
according to his own will, and you will perish together with him through his
folly.
16 Do not pick a fight
with a hot-tempered man, and do not journey with him through the desert; for
blood is as nothing in his eyes, and where there is no help, he will strike you
down.
17 Do not take counsel
with a fool, for he will not be able to keep a matter secret.
18 Do nothing secret
before a stranger, for you do not know what it will bring forth.
19 Do not reveal your
heart to every man, and let him not return you a favor.
Chapter 9
1 Do not be jealous of
the wife of your bosom, nor teach her an evil lesson against yourself.
2 Do not give your soul
to a woman, so that she treads upon your strength.
3 Do not go to meet a
woman who plays the harlot, lest you fall into her snares.
4 Do not linger with a
woman who plays and sings, lest you be caught by her devices.
5 Do not gaze upon a
virgin, lest you stumble and incur penalties on her account.
6 Do not give your soul
to harlots, lest you lose your inheritance.
7 Do not look around in
the streets of the city, nor wander in its deserted places.
8 Turn away your eye from
a shapely woman, and do not gaze at beauty belonging to another; by the beauty
of a woman many have been led astray, and from it love is kindled like fire.
9 Do not sit at all
with a married woman, nor feast with her over wine, lest your soul incline
toward her and by your spirit you slip into destruction.
10 Do not forsake an
old friend, for a new one is not equal to him; a new friend is like new wine:
when it has grown old, you will drink it with gladness.
11 Do not envy the glory
of a sinner, for you do not know what his end will be.
12 Do not take pleasure
in the pleasure of the ungodly; remember that they will not be justified even
unto Hades.
13 Keep far from a man
who has the power to kill, and you will not suspect the fear of death; and if
you do approach, do not offend, lest he take away your life; know that you are
passing through the midst of snares and walking upon the battlements of a city.
14 As far as you can,
aim to know your neighbors, and take counsel with the wise.
15 Let your reasoning
be with the intelligent, and let all your discourse be in the law of the Most
High.
16 Let righteous men be
your dinner companions, and let your boast be in the fear of the Lord.
17 By the hand of
craftsmen a work will be praised, and the leader of a people is wise in his
speech.
18 A man of ready
tongue is feared in his city, and one rash in his speech will be hated.
Chapter 10
1 A wise judge will instruct
his people, and the rule of a man of understanding will be well ordered.
2 As is the judge of
the people, so also are his officials, and as is the ruler of the city, so are
all who dwell in it.
3 An undisciplined king
will destroy his people, but a city will be established through the
understanding of its rulers.
4 In the hand of the
Lord is the authority over the earth, and he will raise up the right man for
the time upon it.
5 In the hand of the Lord
is a man's prosperity, and upon the face of the scribe he will set his glory.
6 Do not be angry with
your neighbor for any wrong, and do nothing by acts of insolence.
7 Arrogance is hateful
before the Lord and before men, and injustice is offensive to both.
8 Sovereignty is
transferred from nation to nation because of injustice and insolence and money.
9 Why is earth and
ashes arrogant? Because in life I have cast away his inward parts.
10 A long illness—the physician
mocks; a king today, and tomorrow he will die.
11 For when a man dies,
he will inherit creeping things and beasts and worms.
12 The beginning of a
man's arrogance is to depart from the Lord, and his heart has withdrawn from
his Maker.
13 For the beginning of
arrogance is sin, and he who holds fast to it will pour forth abomination;
therefore the Lord brought upon them extraordinary calamities and overthrew
them utterly.
14 The Lord has cast down
the thrones of rulers and has seated the meek in their place;
15 the Lord has plucked
up the roots of nations and has planted the humble in their place;
16 the Lord has
overthrown the lands of nations and destroyed them to the foundations of the
earth;
17 he removed some of
them and destroyed them, and made their memory cease from the earth.
18 Arrogance was not
created for men, nor fierce anger for those born of women.
19 What seed is honored?
The seed of man. What seed is honored? Those who fear the Lord. What seed is
dishonored? The seed of man. What seed is dishonored? Those who transgress the
commandments.
20 Among brothers their
leader is honored, and those who fear the Lord are honored in his eyes.
22 The rich and the
eminent and the poor, their boast is the fear of the Lord.
23 It is not right to
dishonor an intelligent poor man, and it is not fitting to glorify a sinful
man.
24 The great man and
the judge and the ruler will be honored, yet none of them is greater than the
one who fears the Lord.
25 Free men will serve
a wise servant, and a man of knowledge will not complain.
26 Do not show off your
cleverness in doing your work, and do not glorify yourself in the time of your
distress.
27 Better is one who
works and has abundance in everything than one who goes about boasting yet
lacks bread.
28 My child, glorify
your soul with gentleness, and give it honor according to its worth.
29 Who will justify the
one who sins against his own soul? And who will honor the one who dishonors his
own life?
30 A poor man is
honored for his knowledge, and a rich man is honored for his wealth.
31 One honored in
poverty, how much more in wealth? And one dishonored in wealth, how much more
in poverty?
Chapter 11
1 The wisdom of the
humble man will lift up his head and will seat him in the midst of the great.
2 Do not praise a man
for his beauty, and do not abhor a man for his appearance.
3 Small among winged
creatures is the bee, yet her fruit is the chief of sweet things.
4 Do not boast in the
wearing of fine clothes, and do not exalt yourself in the day of glory; for
wondrous are the works of the Lord, and his works are hidden from men.
5 Many rulers have sat
upon the ground, while one never thought of has worn the crown.
6 Many mighty men have
been greatly dishonored, and the glorious have been delivered into the hands of
others.
7 Before you examine,
do not find fault; understand first, and then rebuke.
8 Before hearing, do
not answer, and do not interrupt in the middle of speech.
9 Do not contend about
a matter that is no concern of yours, and do not sit in judgment with sinners.
10 My child, let not
your undertakings be about many things; if you multiply them, you will not go
unpunished; and if you pursue, you will not overtake, and you will not escape
by fleeing.
11 There is one who
toils and labors and hurries, and is so much the more in want.
12 There is one who is
sluggish, in need of help, lacking in strength and abounding in poverty; yet
the eyes of the Lord have looked upon him for good, and he has raised him up
from his low estate
13 and lifted up his
head, and many have marveled at him.
14 Good things and bad,
life and death, poverty and wealth, are from the Lord.
17 The gift of the Lord
abides with the godly, and his favor will prosper forever.
18 There is one who
grows rich by his care and pinching, and this is the portion of his reward:
19 when he says,
"I have found rest, and now I shall eat of my goods," yet he does not
know what time will pass, and he will leave them to others and die.
20 Stand by your
covenant and be occupied in it, and grow old in your work.
21 Do not marvel at the
works of the sinner, but trust in the Lord and abide in your labor; for it is
an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord swiftly, in an instant, to make a poor
man rich.
22 The blessing of the
Lord is in the reward of the godly, and in a swift hour he makes his blessing
flourish.
23 Do not say,
"What need do I have, and what good things can be mine from now on?"
24 Do not say, "I
have enough, and what harm can come to me from now on?"
25 In the day of good
things there is forgetfulness of evils, and in the day of evils good things
will not be remembered;
26 for it is easy
before the Lord in the day of death to repay a man according to his ways.
27 An hour's affliction
makes one forget luxury, and at a man's end his works are revealed. 28 Call no
one blessed before his death, and a man will be known through his children.
29 Do not bring every
man into your house, for many are the snares of the deceitful.
30 Like a decoy
partridge in a cage, so is the heart of the proud, and like a spy he watches
for your fall;
31 for he lies in wait,
turning good things into evil, and he will lay blame on things worthy of
praise.
32 From a spark of fire
a heap of coals is kindled, and a sinful man lies in wait for blood.
33 Beware of an
evildoer, for he contrives wicked things, lest he bring lasting blame upon you.
34 Take a stranger into
your house, and he will upset you with troubles and estrange you from your own.
Chapter 12
1 If you do good, know
to whom you do it, and there will be thanks for your good deeds.
2 Do good to a godly
man, and you will find a recompense, if not from him, then from the Most High.
3 There will be no good
for the one who persists in evil, nor for the one who does not give alms
freely.
4 Give to the godly
man, and do not assist the sinner.
5 Do good to the
humble, and do not give to the ungodly; withhold his bread and do not give it
to him, lest by it he gain power over you; for you will find twice as much evil
for all the good you do him.
6 For the Most High
also hates sinners, and will repay vengeance upon the ungodly.
7 Give to the good man,
and do not assist the sinner.
8 A friend will not be
proved in prosperity, and an enemy will not be hidden in adversity.
9 In a man's prosperity
his enemies are grieved, and in his adversity even his friend will keep his
distance.
10 Never trust your
enemy; for as bronze rusts, so does his wickedness.
11 Even if he humbles
himself and goes about bowed down, take heed and guard yourself against him,
and you will be to him like one who has polished a mirror, and you will know
that he has not utterly rusted away.
12 Do not set him
beside yourself, lest he overthrow you and take your place; do not seat him at
your right hand, lest he seek your seat, and at the last you will recognize my
words and be stung by my sayings.
13 Who will pity a
snake-charmer bitten by a serpent, or any who go near wild beasts?
14 So it is with the
one who consorts with a sinful man and is mixed up in his sins.
15 He will stay with
you for an hour, but if you falter, he will not hold fast.
16 The enemy will speak
sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he will plot to throw you into a pit;
the enemy will weep with his eyes, but if he finds an opportunity, he will not
be satisfied with blood.
17 If misfortune meets
you, you will find him there before you, and pretending to help you he will
trip up your heel.
18 He will shake his
head and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.
Chapter 13
1 Whoever touches pitch
will be defiled, and whoever associates with a proud man will become like him.
2 Do not lift a burden
beyond you, and do not associate with one stronger and richer than yourself.
What fellowship shall a clay pot have with a kettle? The one will strike
against it, and the other will be shattered.
3 A rich man does
wrong, and he himself blusters besides; a poor man is wronged, and he himself
must plead besides.
4 If you are useful, he
will make use of you; and if you fall short, he will abandon you.
5 If you have possessions,
he will live with you and drain you dry, and he himself will feel no pain.
6 He has need of you,
and he will lead you astray and smile upon you and give you hope; he will speak
fair words to you and say, "What do you need?"
7 And he will shame you
with his delicacies, until he has drained you two or three times, and at the
last he will mock you; afterward he will see you and abandon you and shake his
head at you.
8 Take care that you
are not led astray and not humiliated in your folly.
9 When a powerful man
invites you, keep back, and he will invite you all the more.
10 Do not push forward,
lest you be thrust away; and do not stand far off, lest you be forgotten.
11 Do not presume to
speak with him as an equal, and do not trust his many words; for by much talk
he will test you, and while smiling he will examine you.
12 Merciless is he who
does not keep confidences, and he will not spare you harm and bonds.
13 Keep watch and take great
care, for you walk about with your own downfall.
15 Every living
creature loves its like, and every man his neighbor;
16 all flesh gathers
according to kind, and a man will cling to his like.
17 What fellowship
shall a wolf have with a lamb? So it is with a sinner toward a godly man.
18 What peace is there
between a hyena and a dog? And what peace between a rich man and a poor man?
19 Wild asses in the
wilderness are the prey of lions; so the poor are pasture for the rich.
20 Humility is an
abomination to the proud; so the poor man is an abomination to the rich.
21 A rich man who
totters is supported by friends, but a lowly man who falls is thrust away
besides by friends.
22 When a rich man
stumbles, there are many helpers; he speaks things unspeakable, and they
justify him. A lowly man stumbled, and they rebuked him besides; he uttered
wisdom, and no place was given him.
23 A rich man spoke, and
all fell silent, and they exalted his word to the clouds. A poor man spoke, and
they said, "Who is this?" And if he stumbles, they will overthrow him
besides.
24 Wealth is good, in
which there is no sin, and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly.
25 The heart of a man
changes his countenance, whether for good or for evil.
26 A cheerful face is
the sign of a heart in prosperity, and the devising of proverbs comes with
laborious pondering.
Chapter 14
1 Blessed is the man who
has not slipped with his mouth, and who is not pierced with sorrow for sins.
2 Blessed is he whose
soul does not condemn him, and who has not fallen from his hope.
3 Riches are not
fitting for a stingy man, and what use is money to an envious man?
4 He who gathers by
depriving his own soul gathers for others, and others will live luxuriously on
his goods.
5 He who is evil to
himself—to whom will he be good? And he will find no enjoyment in his own
money.
6 There is none more
evil than he who begrudges himself, and this is the recompense of his
wickedness:
7 even if he does good,
he does it in forgetfulness, and in the end he reveals his wickedness.
8 Evil is he who envies
with his eye, turning away his face and despising souls.
9 A greedy man's eye is
not satisfied with a portion, and wicked injustice dries up the soul.
10 An evil eye is
envious over bread, and it is lacking at his own table.
11 My child, according
as you have, do well by yourself, and bring offerings to the Lord worthily.
12 Remember that death
will not delay, and the covenant of Hades has not been shown to you.
13 Before you die, do
good to a friend, and according to your strength reach out and give to him.
14 Do not deprive
yourself of a good day, and do not let a share of a good desire pass you by.
15 Will you not leave
your labors to another, and your toils for the division of a lot?
16 Give and take, and beguile
your soul, for there is no seeking of luxury in Hades.
17 All flesh grows old
like a garment, for the covenant from of old is: "You shall surely
die."
18 Like a leaf
flourishing on a thick tree, some it sheds and others it puts forth, so is the
generation of flesh and blood: one comes to an end and another is born.
19 Every work that
decays comes to an end, and the one who works it will depart with it.
20 Blessed is the man who
will meditate on wisdom, and who will reason with his understanding,
21 who ponders her ways
in his heart and will reflect on her hidden things.
22 Go out after her
like a tracker, and lie in wait on her paths.
23 He who peers through
her windows will also listen at her doors,
24 he who lodges near
her house will also fix a peg in her walls;
25 he will pitch his
tent close by her hands and will lodge in a lodging of good things;
26 he will place his children
under her shelter and will camp beneath her branches;
27 he will be sheltered
by her from the heat, and he will lodge in her glory.
Chapter 15
1 He who fears the Lord
will do this, and he who holds fast to the law will lay hold of her;
2 and she will meet him
like a mother, and like a wife of his youth she will receive him;
3 she will feed him
with the bread of understanding and give him the water of wisdom to drink;
4 he will be supported
upon her and will not be bent, and he will rely upon her and will not be put to
shame;
5 and she will exalt
him above his neighbors, and in the midst of the assembly she will open his
mouth;
6 he will find gladness
and a crown of rejoicing, and he will inherit an everlasting name.
7 Foolish men will not
lay hold of her, and sinful men will not see her;
8 she is far from
arrogance, and lying men will not remember her.
9 Praise is not fitting
in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent from the Lord;
10 for praise will be
spoken in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.
11 Do not say,
"Because of the Lord I fell away"; for what he hates he will not do.
12 Do not say, "He
himself led me astray"; for he has no need of a sinful man.
13 The Lord hates every
abomination, and it is not loved by those who fear him.
14 He himself made man
in the beginning and left him in the hand of his own counsel.
15 If you will, you
shall keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own
choice.
16 He has set before
you fire and water; stretch out your hand to whichever you will.
17 Before men are life
and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him.
18 For great is the
wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees all things,
19 and his eyes are
upon those who fear him, and he himself will know every work of man.
20 He has commanded no
one to be impious, and he has given no one license to sin.
Chapter 16
1 Do not desire a multitude
of useless children, nor rejoice in ungodly sons.
2 If they multiply, do
not rejoice in them, unless the fear of the Lord is with them.
3 Do not trust in their
life, nor rely on their number; for one is better than a thousand, and to die
childless than to have ungodly children.
4 For from one man of
understanding a city will be peopled, but a tribe of the lawless will be made
desolate.
5 Many such things my
eye has seen, and my ear has heard things mightier than these.
6 In an assembly of
sinners a fire will be kindled, and in a disobedient nation wrath was kindled.
7 He did not make
atonement for the ancient giants, who revolted in their strength;
8 he did not spare the
neighbors of Lot, whom he abhorred because of their pride;
9 he showed no mercy to
the nation of destruction, those swept away in their sins,
10 and likewise the six
hundred thousand foot soldiers who were gathered together in their hardness of
heart.
11 Even if there is one
stiff-necked man, it would be a wonder if he goes unpunished; for mercy and
wrath are with him, a mighty one of atonements and one who pours out wrath.
12 As great as his
mercy, so also great is his rebuke; he will judge a man according to his works.
13 The sinner will not
escape with his plunder, and the patience of the godly will surely not be
disappointed.
14 He will make room
for every act of mercy; each will find according to his works.
17 Do not say, "I shall
be hidden from the Lord, and who from on high will remember me? Among a greater
people I shall surely not be known, for what is my soul in the immeasurable
creation?"
18 Behold, the heaven
and the heaven of heaven, the abyss and the earth will be shaken at his
visitation;
19 at the same time the
mountains and the foundations of the earth are shaken with trembling when he
looks upon them.
20 And no heart will
ponder these things, and who will comprehend his ways?
21 And there is a tempest
which man will not see, and the greater part of his works are in hidden places.
22 Who will declare the
works of righteousness? Or who will endure? For the covenant is far off.
23 One diminished in
heart thinks on these things, and a foolish and erring man thinks foolish
things.
24 Listen to me, my
child, and learn knowledge, and attend to my words with your heart.
25 I will show forth
instruction by weight, and with exactness I will declare knowledge.
26 By the judgment of the
Lord are his works from the beginning, and from their making he distinguished their portions.
27 He set his works in
order forever, and their beginnings unto their generations. They neither
hungered nor grew weary, nor did they cease from their works.
28 No one crowded his
neighbor, and unto eternity they will not disobey his word.
29 And after these
things the Lord looked upon the earth and filled it with his good things;
30 with the soul of
every living creature he covered its face, and unto it is their return.
Chapter 17
1 The Lord created man
out of earth and turned him back into it again.
2 He gave them days in
number and a set time, and gave them authority over the things upon it.
3 He clothed them with
strength like his own, and made them according to his image.
4 He put the fear of
him upon all flesh, and gave them dominion over beasts and birds.
6 He gave them counsel
and tongue and eyes, ears and a heart with which to think.
7 He filled them with
the knowledge of understanding, and showed them good and evil.
8 He set his eye upon
their hearts, to show them the majesty of his works,
10 and they shall
praise his holy name, so that they may recount the majesty of his works.
11 He added knowledge
to them, and gave them the law of life as an inheritance.
12 He established an
everlasting covenant with them, and showed them his judgments.
13 Their eyes saw the
majesty of his glory, and their ear heard the glory of his voice.
14 And he said to them,
"Beware of all unrighteousness"; and he commanded each of them
concerning his neighbor.
15 Their ways are
before him continually; they shall not be hidden from his eyes.
17 For each nation he
appointed a ruler, but Israel is the Lord's portion.
19 All their works are
as the sun before him, and his eyes are continually upon their ways.
20 Their unrighteous
deeds are not hidden from him, and all their sins are before the Lord.
22 A man's almsgiving is
as a seal with him, and he will keep a man's kindness as the apple of an eye.
23 Afterward he will
arise and repay them, and render their recompense upon their head;
24 yet to those who
repent he granted a return, and encouraged those who were losing endurance.
25 Turn to the Lord and
forsake your sins; make supplication before his face and lessen your offense.
26 Return to the Most
High and turn away from unrighteousness, and hate abomination exceedingly.
27 Who will praise the Most
High in Hades, in place of the living who give thanks?
28 From the dead, as
from one who does not exist, thanksgiving perishes; the living and healthy will
praise the Lord.
29 How great is the
mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness for those who turn to him.
30 For not all things
can be in men, since a son of man is not immortal.
31 What is brighter
than the sun? Yet even this fails; and flesh and blood will devise evil.
32 He surveys the host of
the height of heaven, but all men are earth and ashes.
Chapter 18
1 He who lives forever
created all things together;
2 the Lord alone will
be justified.
4 He has given no one
power to declare his works; and who shall trace out his mighty deeds?
5 Who shall number the
might of his majesty? And who shall go on to recount his mercies?
6 It is not possible to
diminish or to add, nor is it possible to trace out the wonders of the Lord;
7 when a man has finished,
then he is beginning; and when he stops, then he will be perplexed.
8 What is man, and what
is his use? What is his good, and what is his evil?
9The number of a man's
days: a hundred years are many;
10 like a drop of water
from the sea and a grain of sand, so are a few years in the day of eternity.
11 Therefore the Lord
was patient with them and poured out his mercy upon them.
12 He saw and
recognized that their end is evil; therefore he multiplied his forgiveness.
13 The mercy of a man
is upon his neighbor, but the mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh; reproving
and disciplining and teaching and turning back, as a shepherd his flock.
14 He has mercy on
those who accept discipline and on those who are eager for his judgments.
15 My child, in doing
good deeds do not add reproach, nor with any gift the grief of words.
16 Does not dew give rest from scorching heat? So a word is better than
a gift.
17 Behold, is not a word
better than a good gift? And both are with a gracious man.
18 A fool will reproach
ungraciously, and the gift of a grudging man consumes the eyes.
19 Learn before you
speak, and take care of yourself before illness.
20 Before judgment
examine yourself, and in the hour of visitation you will find forgiveness.
21 Humble yourself
before you fall ill, and in the time of sins show repentance.
22 Let nothing hinder
you from paying a vow in due time, and do not wait until death to be justified.
23 Before you pray,
prepare yourself, and do not be like a man who tests the Lord.
24 Remember wrath in
the days of the end, and the time of vengeance when he turns away his face.
25 Remember the time of
famine in the time of plenty, poverty and want in days of wealth.
26 From morning until
evening the time changes, and all things are swift before the Lord.
27 A wise man will be
cautious in everything, and in days of sins he will guard against wrongdoing.
28 Every intelligent man
knows wisdom, and to him who finds her he will give acknowledgment.
29 Those skilled in
words have themselves become wise and have poured forth precise proverbs.
30 Do not go after your
desires, and restrain yourself from your appetites;
31 if you grant your
soul the pleasure of desire, it will make you the laughingstock of your
enemies.
32 Do not rejoice in
much luxury, nor be bound to its expense.
33 Do not become poor
by feasting on borrowed money, when you have nothing in your purse.
Chapter 19
1 A drunken workman
will not grow rich; he who despises small things will fall little by little.
2 Wine and women will
lead the intelligent astray, and he who consorts with harlots will become more
reckless;
3 decay and worms will
inherit him, and the reckless soul will be taken away.
4 He who trusts quickly
is light of heart, and he who sins wrongs his own soul.
5 He who rejoices in
his heart will be condemned,
6 and he who hates
gossip is diminished in evil.
7 Never repeat a word, and
nothing at all will be lost to you.
8 Do not tell tales
among friend or enemy, and unless it is a sin for you, do not reveal it;
9 for he has heard you
and been on guard against you, and in time he will hate you. 10 Have you heard
a word? Let it die with you; take courage, it will not burst you.
11 At the face of a
word a fool will be in labor, as a woman giving birth at the face of an infant.
12 Like an arrow lodged
in a thigh of flesh, so is a word in the belly of a fool.
13 Question a friend,
perhaps he did not do it; and if he did something, so that he may not do it
again.
14 Question your
neighbor, perhaps he did not say it; and if he has said it, so that he may not
repeat it.
15 Question a friend,
for often there is slander, and do not believe every word.
16 There is one who
slips, but not from the soul; and who has not sinned with his tongue?
17 Question your
neighbor before you threaten, and give place to the law of the Most High.
20 All wisdom is fear of
the Lord, and in all wisdom is the doing of the law;
22 and the knowledge of
wickedness is not wisdom, and there is no prudence where there is the counsel
of sinners.
23 There is a
cleverness that is itself an abomination, and there is a fool who is lacking in
wisdom;
24 better is one
deficient in understanding who is fearful than one abounding in prudence who
transgresses the law.
25 There is a
cleverness that is exact and yet unjust, and there is one who twists favor in
order to bring out a judgment.
26 There is an evildoer
bowed down in gloom, and his inner parts are full of deceit;
27 hiding his face and
feigning deafness, where he was not recognized he will get ahead of you;
28 and if he is
prevented from sinning by lack of strength, when he finds an opportunity he
will do harm.
29 A man is known by
his appearance, and a sensible man is known by the encounter of his face;
30 a man's attire and the
laughter of his teeth and the steps of a person will proclaim what concerns
him.
Chapter 20
1 There is a rebuke
that is not timely, and there is one who keeps silent, and he is prudent.
2 How much better it is
to rebuke than to be angry,
3 and the one who
confesses will be kept from loss.
4 Like the desire of a
eunuch to deflower a young girl, so is the one who executes judgments by
violence.
5 There is one who
keeps silent and is found wise, and there is one who is hated for much talking.
6 There is one who
keeps silent because he has no answer, and there is one who keeps silent,
knowing the right time.
7 A wise man will be silent until the right
moment, but the braggart and fool will overshoot the moment.
8 The one who talks too
much will be loathed, and the one who assumes authority will be hated.
9 There is prosperity
in misfortunes for a man, and there is a gain that turns to loss.
10 There is a gift that
will not profit you, and there is a gift whose repayment is double.
11 There is loss for
the sake of glory, and there is one who has lifted his head from lowliness.
12 There is one who
buys much for little, and pays for it sevenfold.
13 The one who is wise
in words will make himself beloved, but the courtesies of fools will be poured
out in vain.
14 The gift of a fool
will not profit you, for his eyes are many instead of one;
15 he will give little
and reproach much, and he will open his mouth like a herald; today he lends and
tomorrow he will demand it back, such a man is hateful.
16 A fool will say,
"I have no friend, and there is no gratitude for my good deeds;
17 those who eat my
bread are evil of tongue." How often, and by how many, will he be laughed
at!
18 A slip on the
pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; so the fall of the wicked will
come swiftly.
19 A graceless man is
like an untimely tale; it will be continually in the mouth of the uneducated.
20 A proverb from the mouth
of a fool will be rejected, for he will not tell it at its proper time.
21 There is one who is
prevented from sinning by poverty, and in his rest he will not be pricked with
remorse.
22 There is one who
destroys his life through shame, and by a foolish look he will destroy it.
23 There is one who out
of shame makes promises to a friend, and gains him as an enemy for nothing.
24 A lie is an evil
blot on a man; it will be continually in the mouth of the uneducated.
25 A thief is preferable
to one who persists in lying, but both will inherit destruction.
26 The character of a
lying man is dishonor, and his shame is with him continually.
27 The one who is wise
in words will advance himself, and a prudent man will please the great.
28 The one who tills
the land will raise high his heap of grain, and the one who pleases the great
will atone for wrongdoing.
29 Presents and gifts
blind the eyes of the wise, and like a muzzle on the mouth they turn away
reproofs.
30 Hidden wisdom and an
unseen treasure, what benefit is in either?
31 Better is a man who
hides his folly than a man who hides his wisdom.
Chapter 21
1 My child, have you
sinned? Do not do so again, and pray concerning your former sins.
2 Flee from sin as from
the face of a serpent; for if you approach, it will bite you; its teeth are
lion's teeth, destroying the souls of men.
3 All lawlessness is
like a two-edged sword; for its wound there is no healing.
4 Terror and violence will
lay waste riches; thus the house of the proud man will be laid waste.
5 The prayer of the
poor man goes from his mouth to His ears, and his judgment comes speedily.
6 He who hates reproof
is on the sinner's path, but he who fears the Lord will turn back in his heart.
7 The man mighty in
tongue is known from afar, but the man of understanding knows when he slips.
8 He who builds his house with other people's
money is like one gathering his stones for winter.
9 An assembly of the lawless
is a bundle of tow, and their end is a flame of fire.
10 The way of sinners
is smoothed with stones, but at its end is the pit of Hades.
11 He who keeps the law
masters his own thoughts, and the fulfillment of the fear of the Lord is
wisdom.
1 2He who is not clever
will not be instructed, but there is a cleverness that multiplies bitterness.
13 The knowledge of the
wise will increase like a flood, and his counsel is like a fountain of life.
14 The inward parts of a
fool are like a broken vessel; he will hold no knowledge at all.
15 If a man of
understanding hears a wise word, he will praise it and add to it; the wanton
man hears it, and it displeases him, and he casts it behind his back.
16 The discourse of a
fool is like a burden on the road, but grace will be found on the lips of the
intelligent.
17 The mouth of the
prudent man will be sought in the assembly, and they will ponder his words in
their heart.
18 As a house destroyed,
so is wisdom to a fool, and the knowledge of the senseless is unexamined talk.
19 Instruction is like
fetters on the feet of the foolish, and like manacles on the right hand.
20 A fool raises his
voice in laughter, but a clever man will scarcely smile quietly.
21 Instruction is like
a golden ornament to the prudent, and like a bracelet on the right arm.
22 The foot of a fool
is quick to enter a house, but a man of much experience will be abashed before
it.
23 A fool peers into a house
from the door, but a man of good breeding will stand outside.
24 It is ill-breeding
for a man to listen at a door, but the prudent man will be weighed down by the
disgrace.
25 The lips of
strangers will tell of these things, but the words of the prudent will be
weighed in a balance.
26 The heart of fools
is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wise is in their heart.
27 When the ungodly man
curses the adversary, he curses his own soul.
28 The whisperer defiles
his own soul and will be hated wherever he dwells.
Chapter 22
1 The sluggard is
compared to a filthy stone, and everyone will hiss at his disgrace.
2 The sluggard is
compared to a lump of dung; everyone who picks him up will shake it off his
hand.
3 A father's shame is
in begetting an undisciplined son, and a daughter is born to his loss.
4 A prudent daughter
will inherit a husband, but she who brings shame is a grief to him who begot
her.
5 The brazen daughter
disgraces both father and husband, and will be despised by both.
6 A tale told at the
wrong time is like music in mourning, but stripes and discipline of wisdom are
fitting at all times.
9 He who teaches a fool
is like one gluing a potsherd together, like one rousing a sleeper from deep
sleep.
10 He who tells a story
to a fool tells it to a drowsy man, and at the end he will say, "What is
it?"
11 Weep for the dead,
for he has left the light behind; and weep for the fool, for he has left understanding
behind. Weep more gently for the dead, for he has found rest; but the life of
the fool is worse than death.
12 Mourning for the
dead lasts seven days, but for the fool and the ungodly all the days of his
life.
13 Do not multiply
words with a senseless man, and do not go to one without understanding; guard
yourself from him, lest you have trouble, and you will not be defiled when he
shakes himself off; turn away from him and you will find rest, and you will not
be wearied by his madness.
14 What is heavier than
lead? And what is its name but "fool"?
15 Sand and salt and a
mass of iron are easier to bear than a man without understanding.
16 A wooden beam bound
into a building will not be loosened in an earthquake; so a heart established
upon a well-considered counsel will not be afraid in a crisis.
17 A heart fixed upon
intelligent thought is like the plastered ornament of a polished wall.
18 Fences set on a high
place will not stand against the wind; so a timid heart with a fool's purpose
will not stand against any fear.
19 He who pricks the
eye brings down tears, and he who pricks the heart reveals feeling.
20 He who throws a
stone at birds scares them away, and he who reproaches a friend will dissolve
friendship.
21 If you have drawn a
sword against a friend, do not despair, for there is a way back;
22 if you have opened
your mouth against a friend, do not fear, for there is reconciliation, except for
reproach and arrogance and disclosure of a secret and a treacherous blow: in
these cases any friend will flee.
23 Gain your neighbor's
trust in his poverty, so that you may be filled together with him in his
prosperity; stand by him in time of affliction, so that you may share in his
inheritance.
24 Before fire comes
the vapor and smoke of a furnace; so before bloodshed come insults.
25 I will not be
ashamed to shelter a friend, and I will not hide from his face;
26 and if evils come upon
me because of him, everyone who hears will guard himself against him.
27 Who will set a guard
over my mouth and a cunning seal upon my lips, so that I may not fall through
them, and my tongue may not destroy me?
Chapter 23
1 O Lord, Father and
Master of my life, do not abandon me to their counsel; do not let me fall by
them.
2 Who will set whips
over my thoughts and the discipline of wisdom over my heart, so that they may
not spare my errors of ignorance, and their sins may not pass by,
3 lest my ignorances be multiplied and my sins abound, and I fall
before my adversaries, and my enemy rejoice over me?
4 O Lord, Father and
God of my life, do not give me a haughty look of the eyes,
5 and turn desire away
from me.
6 Let not the appetite
of the belly and sexual lust seize me, and do not hand me over to a shameless
soul.
7 Hear, children, the
discipline of the mouth; the one who keeps it will not be caught.
8 The sinner will be caught
by his own lips, and the reviler and the arrogant will stumble by them.
9 Do not accustom your
mouth to swearing, nor become habituated to naming the Holy One;
10 for just as a
servant who is continually examined will not lack a bruise, so also the one who
swears and utters the Name continually will never be cleansed from sin.
11 A man of many oaths
will be filled with lawlessness, and the scourge will not depart from his house.
If he offends, his sin is upon him; and if he disregards it, he has sinned
doubly; and if he swore in vain, he will not be justified, for his house will
be filled with calamities.
12 There is a manner of
speech comparable to death; may it not be found in the inheritance of Jacob.
For all these things will be far from the godly, and they will not wallow in
sins.
13 Do not accustom your
mouth to coarse vulgarity, for in it there is sinful speech.
14 Remember your father
and your mother, for you sit in council among the great, lest you forget
yourself in their presence and be made a fool by your habit, and wish you had
never been born, and curse the day of your birth.
15 A man accustomed to
words of reproach will never be disciplined in all his days.
16 Two kinds multiply
sins, and a third brings on wrath:
17 a hot passion like a
burning fire, it will not be quenched until it is consumed; a man who is a fornicator
in the body of his flesh, he will not cease until the fire burns out; to a
fornicating man all bread is sweet; he will not weary until he dies.
18 A man who strays
from his own bed, saying in his soul, "Who sees me? Darkness surrounds me,
and the walls conceal me, and no one sees me. Why should I be afraid? The Most
High will not remember my sins."
19 The eyes of men are
his fear, and he does not know that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times
brighter than the sun, looking upon all the ways of men and observing hidden
places.
20 Before all things
were created, they were known to him, and so also after they were completed.
21 This man will be
punished in the streets of the city, and where he did not suspect, he will be
seized.
22 So also a woman who
leaves her husband and produces an heir by a stranger.
23 For first she
disobeyed the law of the Most High; second, she offended against her husband;
and third, she committed adultery in fornication and produced children by a
strange man.
24 She will be led out
to the assembly, and there will be a visitation upon her children.
25 Her children will
not spread into root, and her branches will not bear fruit.
26 She will leave her
memory for a curse, and her disgrace will not be blotted out.
27 And those who are
left behind will know that nothing is better than the fear of the Lord, and
nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.
Chapter 24
1 Wisdom shall praise
her own soul, and shall boast in the midst of her people.
2 In the assembly of
the Most High she shall open her mouth, and before his power she shall boast:
3 "I came forth
from the mouth of the Most High, and like a mist I covered the earth.
4 I dwelt in the
heights, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
5 I alone encircled the
vault of heaven, and I walked about in the depth of the abysses.
6 In the waves of the sea,
and in all the earth, and among every people and nation, I gained a possession.
7 With all these I
sought rest, and in whose inheritance I should lodge.
8 Then the Creator of
all things commanded me, and he who created me gave rest to my tent, and said,
'Make your dwelling in Jacob, and receive your inheritance in Israel.'
9 Before the age, from
the beginning, he created me, and unto the age I shall not fail.
10 In the holy
tabernacle I ministered before him, and thus I was established in Zion.
11 In the beloved city
likewise he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my authority.
12 And I took root in a
glorified people, in the Lord's portion, his inheritance.
13 I was raised on high
like a cedar in Lebanon, and like a cypress on the mountains of Hermon.
14 I was raised on high
like a palm tree in Engedi, and like rose plants in
Jericho, like a fair olive tree in the plain, and I was raised on high like a
plane tree.
15 Like cinnamon and camel's
thorn of spices I gave forth a scent, and like choice myrrh I spread abroad a
sweet fragrance, like galbanum and onycha and stacte, and like the vapor of
frankincense in the tabernacle.
16 Like a terebinth I
stretched out my branches, and my branches are branches of glory and grace.
17 Like a vine I put
forth grace, and my blossoms are the fruit of glory and wealth.
19 Come to me, you who
desire me, and be filled from my produce;
20 for the remembrance of
me is sweeter than honey, and the inheritance of me sweeter than the honeycomb.
21 Those who eat me
will hunger still, and those who drink me will thirst still.
22 He who obeys me will
not be put to shame, and those who work with me will not sin."
23 All these things are
the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law which Moses commanded
us, an inheritance for the assemblies of Jacob,
25 which fills with
wisdom like the Pishon, and like the Tigris in the days of new fruits,
26 which makes
understanding full like the Euphrates, and like the Jordan in the days of
harvest,
27 which makes
instruction shine forth like light, like the Gihon in the days of vintage.
28 The first man did
not finish knowing her, and likewise the last has not traced her out;
29 for her thought was
made fuller than the sea, and her counsel than the great abyss.
30 And I, like a canal
from a river, and like a water channel, went out into a garden.
31 I said, "I will
water my garden, and I will drench my garden bed"; and behold, my canal
became a river, and my river became a sea.
32 I will yet make
instruction shine like the dawn, and I will make these things manifest to far off;
33 I will yet pour out
teaching like prophecy, and I will leave it behind for generations of ages.
34 See that I have not
labored for myself alone, but for all who seek her out.
Chapter 25
1 In three things I was
made beautiful, and I stood up beautiful before the Lord and men: the concord
of brothers, and the friendship of neighbors, and a wife and husband who get
along together.
2 But three kinds my
soul has hated, and I was greatly offended at their life: a poor man who is
proud, and a rich man who is a liar, an old man who is an adulterer, lacking in
understanding.
3 If you have not
gathered in your youth, how then would you find in your old age?
4 How beautiful is
judgment for gray hairs, and for elders to know counsel.
5 How beautiful is the
wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel for those held in honor.
6 The crown of old men
is much experience, and their boast is the fear of the Lord.
7 Nine thoughts I have
counted blessed in my heart, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: a man
rejoicing over his children, living and looking upon the fall of his enemies;
8 blessed is he who
dwells with an intelligent wife, and he who has not slipped with his tongue,
and he who has not served one unworthy of himself;
9 blessed is he who has
found prudence, and he who recounts it into the ears of those who listen;
10 how great is he who
has found wisdom; but there is none above him who fears the Lord;
11 the fear of the Lord
surpasses everything; he who holds it, to whom shall he be likened?
13 Any wound, but not a
wound of the heart; and any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a woman;
14 any affliction, but
not the affliction of those who hate; and any vengeance, but not the vengeance
of enemies.
15 There is no head
above the head of a serpent, and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.
16 I would be content
to dwell with a lion and a dragon rather than to dwell with an evil wife.
17 The wickedness of a
woman changes her appearance and darkens her face like a bear;
18 her husband will
recline in the midst of his neighbors, and involuntarily he groans bitterly.
19 All malice is small
compared with the malice of a woman; may the lot of a sinner fall upon her.
20 A sandy ascent under
the feet of an old man—such is a garrulous wife to a quiet man.
21 Do not fall for the
beauty of a woman, and do not long after a woman.
22 There is anger and
shamelessness and great disgrace if a wife supports her husband.
23 A downcast heart and
a gloomy face and a wound of the heart is an evil wife; slack hands and
weakened knees is she who does not make her husband happy.
24 From a woman is the
beginning of sin, and because of her we all die.
25 Do not give water an
outlet, nor an evil wife freedom of speech;
26 if she does not go
according to your hands, cut her off from your flesh.
Chapter 26
1 Blessed is the
husband of a good wife, and the number of his days is doubled.
2 A valiant wife
gladdens her husband, and he will fulfill his years in peace.
3 A good wife is a good
portion; she will be given in the portion of those who fear the Lord;
4 and whether rich or
poor, his heart is good, his face cheerful at all times.
5 Of three things my
heart has been afraid, and at the fourth I was in dread: the slander of a city,
and the assembly of a mob, and false accusation, all these are worse than
death.
6 A wife jealous of
another wife is grief of heart and sorrow, and a scourge of the tongue that
shares with all.
7 A wicked wife is an
ox-yoke that shakes; he who takes hold of her is like one who grasps a
scorpion.
8 A drunken wife is a great
wrath, and she will not cover her shame.
9 The fornication of a
woman will be known by the lifting of her eyes and by her eyelids.
10 Over a headstrong
daughter keep strict watch, lest, finding liberty, she use it for herself.
11 Guard against a
shameless eye, and do not marvel if she offends against you.
12 As a thirsty
traveler she will open her mouth and drink from every water nearby; she will
sit down before every peg, and before an arrow she will open her quiver.
13 The grace of a wife will
delight her husband, and her skill will fatten his bones.
14 A silent wife is a
gift of the Lord, and there is no exchange for a well-instructed soul.
15 A modest wife is
grace upon grace, and there is no weight worthy of a self-controlled soul.
16 As the sun rising in
the heights of the Lord, so is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her
house;
17 as a lamp shining
upon the holy lampstand, so is the beauty of a face upon a stately figure;
18 as golden pillars upon
a silver base, so are beautiful feet upon the breast of a steadfast woman.
28 At two things my
heart has grieved, and at the third anger came upon me: a warrior brought low
by poverty, and intelligent men when they are treated with contempt; one who
turns back from righteousness to sin, the Lord will prepare him for the sword.
29 Hardly will a
merchant be delivered from wrongdoing, and a huckster will not be justified
from sin.
Chapter 27
1 Many have sinned for
the sake of gain, and he who seeks to multiply wealth will turn away his eye.
2 A peg will be fixed
between the joints of stones, and sin will be crushed in between selling and
buying.
3 Unless a man holds
fast diligently in the fear of the Lord, his house will quickly be overthrown.
4 In the shaking of a
sieve the refuse remains; so does a man's filth in his reasoning.
5 The furnace tests the
potter's vessels, and the trial of a man is in his reasoning.
6 The fruit of a tree
reveals its cultivation; so does speech reveal the thought of a man's heart.
7 Do not praise a man
before you hear him reason, for this is the test of men.
8 If you pursue what is
just, you will attain it and put it on like a glorious robe.
9 Birds will lodge with
their own kind, and truth will return to those who practice it.
10 A lion lies in wait
for prey; so does sin for those who work injustice.
11 The discourse of the
godly man is always wisdom, but the fool changes like the moon.
12 Among the senseless,
watch for the right time, but among the thoughtful, linger continually.
13 The discourse of
fools is offensive, and their laughter is in the wantonness of sin.
14 The talk of a man
given to many oaths makes the hair stand on end, and their quarreling stops the
ears.
15 The strife of the
proud is bloodshed, and their reviling is grievous to hear.
16 He who reveals
secrets destroys trust and will never find a friend for his soul.
17 Love a friend and keep
faith with him; but if you reveal his secrets, do not pursue after him.
18 For as a man
destroys his enemy who is dead, so you have destroyed the friendship of your
neighbor;
19 and as you let a
bird go from your hand, so you have let your neighbor go, and you will not
catch him again.
20 Do not pursue him,
for he has gone far away and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare.
21 For a wound may be
bound up, and there is reconciliation after abuse, but he who reveals secrets
has lost all hope.
22 He who winks with
the eye contrives evil, and no one will remove it from him;
23 before your eyes his
mouth will speak sweetly, and he will admire your words, but afterward he will
twist his mouth and set a stumbling block by your words.
24 I have hated many
things, but nothing like him, and the Lord will hate him.
25 He who throws a
stone on high throws it on his own head, and a treacherous blow will open
wounds.
26 He who digs a pit will
fall into it, and he who sets a snare will be caught in it.
27 He who does evil, it
will roll back upon him, and he will not know from where it comes to him.
28 Mockery and reproach
are for the proud man, and vengeance will lie in wait for him like a lion.
29 Those who rejoice at
the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare, and anguish will consume them
before their death.
30 Wrath and anger,
these too are abominations, and the sinful man will hold fast to them.
Chapter 28
1 He who takes
vengeance will find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins
in remembrance.
2 Forgive your neighbor
his wrong, and then when you pray your sins will be forgiven.
3 Does a man harbor
anger against a man, and yet seek healing from the Lord?
4 Does he have no mercy
on a man like himself, and yet pray concerning his own sins?
5 He himself, being
flesh, nourishes wrath—who will make atonement for his sins?
6 Remember your last
end and cease from enmity; remember corruption and death, and abide in the
commandments.
7 Remember the
commandments and do not be angry with your neighbor; remember the covenant of
the Most High and overlook ignorance.
8 Refrain from strife,
and you will lessen your sins; for a hot-tempered man will kindle strife,
9 and a sinful man will
trouble friends and cast slander among those at peace.
10 According to the
fuel of the fire, so will it burn, and according to the stubbornness of the strife
it will burn; according to a man's strength will his anger be, and according to
his wealth he will heighten his wrath.
11 A quarrel pressed on
kindles fire, and strife pressed on sheds blood.
12 If you blow on a
spark, it will blaze up, and if you spit on it, it will be quenched; and both
come out of your mouth.
13 Curse the whisperer
and the double-tongued, for he has destroyed many who were at peace.
14 A third tongue has shaken
many and scattered them from nation to nation; it has pulled down fortified
cities and overthrown the houses of great men.
15 A third tongue has
cast out valiant women and deprived them of their labors.
16 He who heeds it will
not find rest, nor will he dwell in quietness.
17 The stroke of a whip
makes a welt, but the stroke of a tongue will crush bones.
18 Many have fallen by
the edge of the sword, but not so many as those who have fallen because of the
tongue.
19 Blessed is he who is
sheltered from it, who has not passed through its fury, who has not drawn its
yoke and has not been bound with its bonds;
20 for its yoke is a
yoke of iron, and its bonds are bonds of bronze.
21 Its death is an evil
death, and Hades is preferable to it.
22 It will not have
power over the godly, and they will not be burned in its flame.
23 Those who forsake
the Lord will fall into it, and it will blaze among them and will not be quenched;
it will be sent out against them like a lion, and like a leopard it will
destroy them.
24 See that you hedge
your property about with thorns; bind up your silver and your gold;
25 and make a balance
and a weight for your words, and make a door and a bar for your mouth.
26 Take heed lest you
slip by it, lest you fall before him who lies in wait.
Chapter 29
1 He who shows mercy
lends to his neighbor, and he who strengthens him with his hand keeps the
commandments.
2 Lend to your neighbor
in the time of his need, and in turn repay your neighbor at the appointed time.
3 Confirm your word and
keep faith with him, and at every time you will find what you need.
4 Many have regarded a
loan as a windfall, and have caused trouble to those who helped them.
5 Until he receives it,
he will kiss his hands, and over his neighbor's money he will lower his voice;
but at the time of repayment he will drag out the time, and will return words
of indifference, and will blame the season.
6 If he can, he will
scarcely get back half, and will count it as a windfall; but if not, he has
robbed him of his money, and has gained him as an enemy for nothing; he will
repay him with curses and reviling, and instead of honor he will repay him with
dishonor.
7 Many have turned
away, not out of wickedness, but out of fear of being defrauded for nothing.
8 Nevertheless, be
patient with the lowly man, and do not keep him waiting for your alms.
9 For the commandment's
sake, help the poor man, and according to his need do not send him away empty.
10 Lose your silver for
the sake of a brother and a friend, and do not let it rust under a stone to be
destroyed.
11 Lay up your treasure
according to the commandments of the Most High, and it will profit you more
than gold.
12 Store up almsgiving
in your treasuries, and it will deliver you from every affliction; 13 better
than a mighty shield and better than a heavy spear, it will fight for you
against the enemy.
14 A good man will
stand surety for his neighbor, but the one who has lost all shame will abandon
him.
15 Do not forget the
kindness of your guarantor, for he has given his life for you.
16 A sinner will
overturn the good fortune of a guarantor, and the ungrateful in mind will
abandon his rescuer.
17 Surety has destroyed
many who were prospering, and has tossed them like a wave of the sea;
18 it has driven mighty
men from their homes, and they wandered among foreign nations.
19 A sinner falling into
suretyship, and pursuing gain, will fall into lawsuits.
20 Help your neighbor
according to your ability, and take care for yourself lest you fall.
21 The beginning of
life is water and bread and clothing, and a house to cover one's nakedness.
22 Better is the life
of a poor man under a shelter of beams than splendid food among strangers.
23 With little or much,
be content, and you will not hear the reproach of being a sojourner.
24 It is a wretched life
to go from house to house, and where you sojourn you will not open your mouth;
25 you will entertain
and give drink without thanks, and besides this you will hear bitter words:
26 "Come here,
stranger, set the table, and if you have anything in your hand, feed me";
27 "Go away,
stranger, before one more honored; my brother has come to stay with me, and I
have need of my house."
28 These things are
hard for a man of understanding: the rebuke of a household and the reproach of
a creditor.
Chapter 30
1 He who loves his son
will apply the rod to him continually, that he may rejoice over him at his end.
2 He who disciplines
his son will profit by him, and will boast of him among his acquaintances.
3 He who teaches his
son will provoke his enemy to jealousy, and will exult over him before his
friends.
4 His father died, and
it is as though he had not died, for he has left behind him one like himself.
5 In his life he saw
him and rejoiced, and at his death he was not grieved;
6 against his enemies
he left an avenger, and to his friends one who repays kindness.
7 He who pampers his
son will bind up his wounds, and at every cry his heart will be troubled.
8 An unbroken horse
turns out stubborn, and a son left to himself turns out headstrong.
9 Pamper a child, and
he will terrify you; play with him, and he will grieve you.
10 Do not laugh with
him, lest you sorrow with him, and in the end you will grind your teeth.
11 Do not give him
authority in his youth;
12 bruise his sides
while he is a child, lest he grow hardened and disobey you.
13 Discipline your son
and labor over him, lest you stumble because of his shamelessness.
14 Better is a poor man
who is healthy and strong in constitution than a rich man scourged in his body.
15 Health and soundness
are better than all gold, and a robust body than measureless wealth.
16 There is no wealth
better than health of body, and there is no gladness beyond joy of heart.
17 Better is death than
a bitter life, and everlasting rest than lingering illness.
18 Good things poured
out upon a closed mouth are like offerings of food laid upon a grave.
19 What benefit is a
sacrifice to an idol? For it neither eats nor smells; so is he who is pursued
by the Lord.
20 Seeing with his eyes
and groaning, like a eunuch who embraces a virgin and groans.
21 Do not give your
soul over to grief, and do not afflict yourself by your own counsel.
22 Gladness of heart is
the life of a man, and the rejoicing of a man is length of days.
23 Beguile your soul
and comfort your heart, and put grief far from you; for grief has destroyed
many, and there is no profit in it.
24 Jealousy and anger
shorten one's days, and anxiety brings old age before its time.
25 A cheerful and good
heart will attend to the foods it eats.
Chapter 31
1 Wakefulness over
riches wastes away the flesh, and anxiety about them drives away sleep.
2 The anxiety of wakefulness
will banish slumber, and a grave illness will break off sleep.
3 The rich man has
toiled in gathering money, and in his rest he is filled with his delicacies.
4 The poor man has
toiled in the scarcity of his living, and in his rest he becomes needy.
5 He who loves gold
will not be justified, and he who pursues gain will be led astray by it.
6 Many have been given
over to ruin for the sake of gold, and their destruction has come face to face
with them.
7 It is a stumbling block
to those who are devoted to it, and every fool will be caught by it.
8 Blessed is the rich
man who has been found blameless, and who has not gone after gold.
9 Who is he? And we
will call him blessed, for he has done wonders among his people.
10 Who has been tested
by it and found perfect? Then it will be to him for a boast. Who has been able
to transgress and did not transgress, and to do evil and did not do it?
11 His goods will be established,
and the assembly will recount his acts of charity.
12 Have you sat at a
great table? Do not open your throat over it, and do not say, "How much
there is upon it!"
13 Remember that an
evil eye is a bad thing. What has been created more evil than the eye?
Therefore it weeps from every face.
14 Where it looks, do
not stretch out your hand, and do not crowd with it in the dish.
15 Judge your
neighbor's feelings by your own, and be thoughtful in every matter.
16 Eat like a human being
what is set before you, and do not chew greedily, lest you be hated.
17 Be the first to
stop, for the sake of good manners, and do not be insatiable, lest you give
offense.
18 And if you are
seated among many, do not stretch out your hand before they do.
19 How sufficient a
little is for a well-bred man, and on his bed he does not gasp for breath.
20 Healthy sleep comes
with a moderate stomach; he rises early, and his mind is with him. The pain of sleeplessness
and of colic and gripes attends the insatiable man.
21 And if you have been
forced to overeat, get up, go vomit at a distance, and you will have relief.
22 Listen to me, my
child, and do not despise me, and in the end you will find my words true: in
all your works be diligent, and no illness will befall you.
23 Lips will bless one
who is generous with bread, and the testimony to his goodness is trustworthy.
24 The city will murmur
against one who is stingy with bread, and the testimony to his stinginess is
accurate.
25 Do not play the
strong man over wine, for wine has destroyed many.
26 The furnace tests
the temper of steel by dipping; so wine tests hearts in a quarrel of the proud.
27 Wine is like life to
men, if you drink it in due measure. What life is there for one who lacks wine?
For it was created for the gladness of men.
28 Wine drunk in due
season and in sufficiency is rejoicing of heart and gladness of soul.
29 Wine drunk in excess
is bitterness of soul, with provocation and downfall.
30 Drunkenness
increases the anger of a fool to his hurt, diminishing his strength and adding
wounds.
31 At a banquet of wine
do not rebuke your neighbor, and do not despise him in his merriment; do not
speak a word of reproach to him, and do not press him with a demand for
repayment.
Chapter 32
1 Have they made you
the leader of the feast? Do not exalt yourself; be among them as one of them;
take care of them, and then sit down.
2 And when you have
done all your duty, take your place, so that you may be gladdened on their
account and receive a crown for your good ordering.
3 Speak, elder, for it
befits you, with accurate knowledge, and do not hinder the music.
4 Where there is
entertainment, do not pour out talk, and do not display wisdom out of season.
5 A ruby seal on an
ornament of gold is a concert of music at a banquet of wine;
6 a seal of emerald in
a setting of gold is the melody of music with pleasant wine.
7 Speak, young man, if
there is need of you, but scarcely twice, if you are asked.
8 Sum up your speech,
many things in few words; be as one who knows and yet holds his tongue.
9 In the midst of great
men do not make yourself their equal, and when another is speaking do not
babble much.
10 Before thunder the
lightning hastens, and before a modest man favor will go forth.
11 Rise up in good time
and do not be last; hurry away home and do not linger.
12 There amuse yourself
and do what you have in mind, but do not sin through arrogant speech.
13 And for these things
bless him who made you and who satisfies you abundantly with his good things.
14 He who fears the
Lord will accept instruction, and those who rise early will find favor.
15 He who seeks the law
will be filled with it, but the hypocrite will stumble at it.
16 Those who fear the
Lord will find judgment, and will kindle righteous deeds like a light.
17 A sinful man will
shun reproof, and will find a decision according to his own will.
18 A man of counsel
will not overlook a thought; the stranger and the proud man will not cower in
fear.
19 Do nothing without
counsel, and when you have acted, do not regret it.
20 Do not go in a way
full of pitfalls, and do not stumble on stony ground.
21 Do not be
overconfident on a smooth road,
22 and beware even of
your own children.
23 In every work trust
your own soul, for this too is the keeping of the commandments.
24 He who believes the law
heeds the commandments, and he who trusts in the Lord will suffer no loss.
Chapter 33
1 No evil shall befall
the one who fears the Lord, but in trial he will be delivered again and again.
2 A wise man will not
hate the law, but he who is a hypocrite about it is like a ship in a storm.
3 A man of
understanding will put his trust in the law, and the law is faithful to him as
an inquiry of clear oracles.
4 Prepare your speech,
and so you will be heard; bind up instruction, and then give answer.
5 The heart of a fool
is like a cartwheel, and his reasoning like a turning axle.
6 A mocking friend is
like a stallion for breeding: he neighs under everyone who mounts him.
7 Why does one day
surpass another, when all the daylight of the year is from the sun?
8 By the knowledge of
the Lord they were distinguished, and he varied seasons and feasts:
9 some of them he
exalted and hallowed, and some of them he made into ordinary days.
10 And all men are from
the ground, and Adam was created from earth:
11 in the abundance of
his knowledge the Lord distinguished them and made their ways different:
12 some of them he
blessed and exalted, and some he hallowed and brought near to himself; some of
them he cursed and humbled, and overturned them from their station.
13 As clay of the
potter in his hand, all his ways are according to his good pleasure, so are men
in the hand of him who made them, to render to them according to his judgment.
14 Opposite evil is good,
and opposite death is life; so opposite the godly man is the sinner.
15 And so look upon all
the works of the Most High: two by two, one opposite the other.
16 And I awoke last of
all, like one gleaning after the grape-gatherers:
17 by the blessing of
the Lord I arrived first, and like a grape-gatherer I filled the winepress.
18 Consider that I have
not labored for myself alone, but for all who seek instruction.
19 Hear me, you great ones
of the people, and you leaders of the assembly, give ear.
20 To son and wife, to
brother and friend, do not give power over yourself while you live; and do not
give your possessions to another, lest you regret it and have to beg for them.
21 While you still live
and breath is in you, do not exchange yourself with
any flesh;
22 for it is better
that your children should beg from you than that you should look to the hands
of your sons.
23 In all your works be
preeminent; give no blemish to your honor.
24 In the day of the
ending of the days of your life, and at the time of death, distribute your
inheritance.
25 Fodder and a stick
and burdens for a donkey; bread and discipline and work for a servant.
26 Set your slave to
work, and you will find rest; leave his hands idle, and he will seek freedom.
27 Yoke and thong will
bow the neck, and for a wicked servant there are racks and tortures;
28 put him to labor, that
he may not be idle, for idleness has taught much evil;
29 set him to work, as
befits him, and if he does not obey, make his fetters heavy.
30 Yet do not go to
excess against any flesh, and do nothing without judgment.
31 If you have a
servant, let him be as yourself, because you acquired him with blood;
32 if you have a
servant, treat him as a brother, for you will need him as your own soul;
33 if you mistreat him
and he rises up and runs away, on what road will you seek him?
Chapter 34
1 Empty and false are
the hopes of a man without understanding, and dreams give wings to fools.
2 Like one grasping at
a shadow and chasing the wind, so is he who pays heed to dreams.
3 The vision of dreams
is this thing against that, the likeness of a face facing a face.
4 From an unclean thing
what shall be made clean? And from a false thing what shall speak truth?
5 Divinations and omens
and dreams are vain, and the heart fancies things like a woman in labor.
6 Unless they are sent from
the Most High in a visitation, do not give your heart to them;
7 for dreams have led
many astray, and those hoping in them have fallen.
8 Without falsehood the
law shall be fulfilled, and wisdom is perfection to a faithful mouth.
9 A man who has
traveled knows many things, and one of much experience will declare
understanding.
10 He who has not been
tested knows little, but he who has traveled abounds in cleverness.
11 I have seen many things
in my wanderings, and my understanding is more than my words.
12 Often I was in
danger even unto death, and I was saved because of these things.
13 The spirit of those
who fear the Lord shall live, for their hope is upon him who saves them.
14 He who fears the
Lord will fear nothing and shall not be afraid, for he is his hope.
15 Blessed is the soul
of him who fears the Lord: to whom does he look? And who is his support?
16 The eyes of the Lord
are upon those who love him, a mighty shield and a support of strength, a
shelter from the burning heat and a shelter from the noonday, a guard from
stumbling and a help from falling,
17 lifting up the soul
and enlightening the eyes, giving healing, life, and blessing.
18 He who sacrifices
from an unjust gain, his offering is blemished, and the gifts of the lawless
are not for acceptance.
19 The Most High is not
pleased with the offerings of the ungodly, nor is he propitiated for sins by a multitude
of sacrifices.
20 Like one who slays a
son before his father is he who brings a sacrifice from the goods of the poor.
21 The bread of the
needy is the life of the poor; he who deprives them of it is a man of blood.
22 He who takes away a
livelihood murders his neighbor, and he who withholds the wage of a hired man
sheds blood.
23 One builds, and one
tears down: what have they gained more than toil?
24 One prays, and one
curses: whose voice will the Master hear?
25 One who washes himself
after touching a corpse and touches it again—what did he gain by his washing?
26 So is a man who
fasts for his sins and goes again and does the same things: who will listen to
his prayer? And what did he gain by humbling himself?
Chapter 35
1 He who keeps the law
multiplies offerings; he who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace
offering.
2 He who returns a
favor offers fine flour, and he who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.
3 To depart from wickedness
is pleasing to the Lord, and to depart from injustice is an atonement.
4 Do not appear before
the Lord empty-handed, for all these things are done because of the
commandment.
5 The offering of a
righteous man enriches the altar, and its pleasing fragrance rises before the
Most High.
6 The sacrifice of a
righteous man is acceptable, and its memorial will not be forgotten.
7 Glorify the Lord with
a generous eye, and do not stint the firstfruits of
your hands.
8 With every gift show a
cheerful face, and consecrate your tithe with gladness.
9 Give to the Most High
as he has given to you, and with a generous eye, as your hand has found means;
10 for the Lord is one
who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.
11 Do not offer a
bribe, for he will not accept it, and do not rely upon an unrighteous
sacrifice;
12 for the Lord is
judge, and with him there is no partiality.
13 He will not show
partiality against a poor man, and he will hear the prayer of one who has been
wronged;
14 he will by no means
overlook the supplication of the orphan, nor the widow when she pours out her
plea.
15 Do not the tears of
the widow run down her cheek, and does not her cry go up against him who caused
them?
16 He who serves God
acceptably will be received, and his prayer will reach to the clouds;
17 the prayer of the
humble pierces the clouds, and until it draws near, he will not be consoled;
18 and he will not
desist until the Most High visits, and judges for the righteous and executes judgment.
19 And the Lord will
not delay, nor will he be patient with them,
20 until he crushes the
loins of the merciless and repays vengeance upon the nations,
21 until he removes the
multitude of the insolent and shatters the scepters of the unrighteous,
22 until he repays man
according to his deeds, and the works of men according to their devices,
23 until he judges the
cause of his people and makes them glad with his mercy.
24 Mercy is beautiful in
the time of his affliction, like clouds of rain in a time of drought.
Chapter 36
1 Have mercy upon us, O
Master, God of all, and look upon us, and cast your fear upon all the nations;
2 lift up your hand
against foreign nations, and let them see your mighty power.
3 As you were
sanctified in us before them, so may you be magnified in them before us;
4 and let them know
you, even as we also have known that there is no God but you, O Lord.
5 Renew signs and work fresh
wonders; glorify your hand and your right arm;
6 stir up wrath and
pour out anger; remove the adversary and crush the enemy.
7 Hasten the time and
remember the oath, and let them recount your mighty deeds.
8 Let him that escapes
be devoured by the wrath of fire, and may those who harm your people find
destruction.
9 Crush the heads of
the rulers of the enemies, who say, "There is none but us."
10 Gather together all
the tribes of Jacob, and give them their inheritance as from the beginning.
11 Have mercy, O Lord,
upon the people that is called by your name, and upon Israel, whom you likened
to a firstborn.
12 Have compassion upon
the city of your sanctuary, Jerusalem, the place of your rest;
13 fill Zion with the
celebration of your wondrous deeds, and your people with your glory.
14 Bear witness to
those who were your creatures in the beginning, and raise up the prophecies
made in your name;
15 give reward to those
who wait for you, and let your prophets be found trustworthy.
16 Hear, O Lord, the
prayer of your suppliants, according to the blessing of Aaron concerning your
people,
17 and all those upon
the earth shall know that you are the Lord, the God of the ages.
18 The belly will eat
any food, yet one food is better than another.
19 As the palate tastes
the meats of the hunt, so a discerning heart discerns false words.
20 A perverse heart
will cause grief, and a man of much experience will pay him back.
21 A woman will accept any
man, yet one daughter is better than another.
22 The beauty of a
woman gladdens the countenance, and surpasses every desire of man;
23 if there is mercy
and gentleness on her tongue, her husband is not like the sons of men.
24 He who acquires a
wife begins to acquire possessions, a helper suited to him and a pillar of
rest.
25 Where there is no
fence, the property will be plundered; and where there is no wife, a man will
wander and groan.
26 For who will trust a
nimble robber that leaps from city to city?
27 So it is with a man
who has no nest, and who lodges wherever nightfall finds him.
Chapter 37
1 Every friend will
say, "I too am a friend"; but there is a friend who is a friend in
name only.
2 Is it not a grief
unto death when a companion and friend turns to enmity?
3 O wicked imagination,
whence did you roll in to cover the dry land with deceit?
4 A companion rejoices
in a friend's prosperity, but in the time of trouble he will be against him.
5 A companion labors
with a friend for the sake of the belly, but in the face of battle he will take
up the shield.
6 Do not forget a
friend in your soul, and do not be unmindful of him in your riches.
7 Every counselor
extols counsel, but there is one who counsels in his own interest.
8 Guard your soul from
a counselor, and know beforehand what his need is, for he will counsel for
himself, lest he cast the lot against you
9 and say to you,
"Your way is good," and then stand opposite to see what will befall
you.
10 Do not consult with
one who looks at you suspiciously, and hide your counsel from those who are
jealous of you:
11 with a woman about
her rival, and with a coward about war; with a merchant about trade, and with a
buyer about selling; with an envious man about gratitude, and with a merciless
man about kindness; with a sluggard about any work, and with a hired laborer
for a year about finishing a task; with an idle servant about much labor, do not
rely on these for any counsel.
12 But rather be
continually with a godly man, whom you know to keep the commandments, who in
his soul is as your own soul, and who, if you stumble, will grieve with you.
13 And establish the
counsel of your heart, for there is none more faithful to you than it;
14 for a man's soul is
sometimes accustomed to report more than seven watchmen sitting high upon a
watchtower.
15 And above all this,
pray to the Most High, that he may direct your way in truth.
16 The beginning of
every work is speech, and before every action, counsel.
17 As a trace of the
changing of the heart, four parts arise:
18 good and evil, life
and death; and that which continually rules over them is the tongue.
19 There is a man who
is clever and the instructor of many, yet is useless to his own soul.
20 There is one who is
subtle in words and is hated; he will be lacking in all sustenance,
21 for grace was not
given to him from the Lord, because he was deprived of all wisdom.
22 There is one wise
for his own soul, and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy in his
mouth.
23 A wise man will
instruct his own people, and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy.
24 A wise man will be
filled with blessing, and all who see him will call him blessed.
25 The life of a man is
a number of days, but the days of Israel are without number.
26 The one who is wise
among his people will inherit trust, and his name will live forever.
27 My child, in your life
test your soul, and see what is bad for it, and do not give it to it;
28 for not all things
are profitable for all, and not every soul takes pleasure in everything.
29 Do not be insatiable
in every luxury, and do not pour yourself out upon foods;
30 for in many foods
there will be sickness, and insatiability will bring one near to cholera.
31 Through
insatiability many have died, but he who takes heed will add to his life.
Chapter 38
1 Honor the physician
with the honors due him, according to your need of him, for the Lord created
him;
2 for healing comes
from the Most High, and he will receive a gift from the king.
3 The skill of the physician will lift up his
head, and he will be admired in the presence of great men.
4 The Lord created
medicines from the earth, and a sensible man will not despise them.
5 Was not water made
sweet by a tree, so that its power might be known?
6 And he gave skill to
men, that he might be glorified in his marvelous works.
7 By them he heals and
takes away pain; the pharmacist makes a mixture of them,
8 and his works will
never be finished, and from him peace is upon the face of the earth.
9 My child, in your
sickness do not be negligent, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
10 Put away wrongdoing
and direct your hands aright, and cleanse your heart from every sin.
11 Offer a sweet savor
and a memorial of fine flour, and make a rich offering, as though you were
about to die.
12 And give the physician
his place, for the Lord created him; let him not leave you, for there is need
of him.
13 There is a time when
success lies in their hands,
14 for they too will
pray to the Lord that he grant them success in giving rest and healing, for the
preservation of life.
15 He who sins before
his Maker, may he fall into the hands of a physician.
16 My child, shed tears
over the dead, and as one suffering grievously begin the lament; and according
to his due, lay out his body, and do not neglect his burial.
17 Make bitter weeping
and fervent wailing, and observe mourning according to his worth, for one day
or two, to avoid criticism; then be comforted for your grief.
18 For from grief comes
death, and grief of heart bows down strength.
19 In calamity sorrow
also remains, and the life of the poor man weighs upon the heart.
20 Do not give your
heart to grief; put it away, remembering the end.
21 Do not forget: there
is no returning; you will not help him, and you will harm yourself.
22 Remember my
sentence, for yours will be the same: mine yesterday, and yours today.
23 When the dead is at
rest, let his memory rest, and be comforted for him when his spirit has
departed.
24 The wisdom of the
scribe comes with opportunity for leisure, and he who has little business will
become wise.
25 How can he become
wise who holds the plow, and glories in the shaft of the goad, who drives oxen
and is occupied with their labors, and whose talk is of the offspring of bulls?
26 He sets his heart on
turning furrows, and his vigilance is for the fodder of heifers.
27 So it is with every
craftsman and master builder who passes the night as the day; those who cut
engravings of seals, his diligence is to vary the design; he sets his heart on
making the likeness of a picture, and his vigilance is to complete the work.
28 So it is with the
smith sitting near the anvil, studying the ironwork; the vapor of the fire will
melt his flesh, and he battles with the heat of the furnace; he inclines his
ear to the sound of the hammer, and his eyes are fixed on the pattern of the
vessel; he sets his heart on completing his works, and his vigilance is to
adorn them to perfection.
29 So it is with the
potter sitting at his work and turning the wheel with his feet, who is always
anxiously set upon his work, and all his output is by number;
30 with his arm he shapes
the clay, and before his feet he bends its strength; he devotes his heart to
finishing the glazing, and his vigilance is to clean the kiln.
31 All these rely on
their hands, and each is skilled in his own work.
32 Without them no city
will be inhabited, and men will neither dwell nor go about in it.
33 Yet they will not be
sought for the counsel of the people, nor will they be prominent in the
assembly; they will not sit on the judge's seat, nor will they ponder the
covenant of judgment.
34 Nor will they
expound instruction and judgment, and they will not be found among those who
speak in proverbs; but they will maintain the fabric of the world, and their
prayer is in the practice of their craft.
Chapter 39
1 But he who devotes
his soul and meditates on the law of the Most High will seek out the wisdom of
all the ancients and will be occupied with prophecies;
2 he will preserve the
discourse of famous men and will penetrate into the turnings of parables;
3 he will seek out the hidden
things of proverbs and will be conversant with the riddles of parables.
4 He will serve among
great men and will appear before rulers; he will travel through the land of
foreign nations, for he has tested the good and the evil among men.
5 He will give his
heart to rise early to the Lord who made him, and will make supplication before
the Most High; and he will open his mouth in prayer and make supplication
concerning his sins.
6 If the great Lord is willing,
he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; he will pour forth words of
his wisdom and in prayer will give thanks to the Lord;
7 he will direct his
counsel and knowledge, and will meditate on his hidden things;
8 he will show forth
the instruction of his teaching, and will glory in the law of the covenant of
the Lord.
9 Many will praise his
understanding, and to eternity it will not be blotted out; his memorial will
not depart, and his name will live for generations of generations;
10 nations will recount
his wisdom, and the assembly will proclaim his praise;
11 if he endures, he
will leave a name greater than a thousand, and if he rests, it suffices for
him.
12 Once more, having
considered, I will declare, and I was filled like the full moon.
13 Listen to me, holy
sons, and blossom like a rose growing by a stream of water,
14 and give a sweet
fragrance like frankincense, and put forth blossoms like a lily. Spread abroad
fragrance and sing a song of praise; bless the Lord for all his works.
15 Ascribe majesty to
his name, and give thanks in his praise, with songs of the lips and with lyres,
and thus shall you say in thanksgiving:
16 All the works of the
Lord are exceedingly good, and every command will be fulfilled in its time. One
cannot say, What is this? For what is this? For all things will be sought out
in their time.
17 At his word the
water stood like a heap, and at the utterance of his mouth the reservoirs of
waters.
18 At his command is all
his good pleasure, and there is no one who can diminish his salvation.
19 The works of all
flesh are before him, and it is impossible to be hidden from his eyes;
20 from eternity to
eternity he has looked, and nothing is marvelous before him.
21 One cannot say, What
is this? For what is this? For all things have been created for their uses.
22 His blessing covered
like a river, and like a flood it drenched the dry land;
23 so shall the nations
inherit his wrath, as he turned waters into brine.
24 His ways are straight for the holy, so they
are stumbling blocks for the lawless;
25 good things have
been created for the good from the beginning, so evil things for sinners.
26 The chief of every
need for the life of man: water and fire and iron and salt and fine wheat flour
and milk and honey, the blood of the grape and oil and clothing;
27 all these things are
for good to the godly, so for sinners they will be turned into evils.
28 There are winds that
have been created for vengeance, and in his wrath he made firm their scourges;
in the time of consummation they will pour out strength and will appease the
wrath of him who made them.
29 Fire and hail and
famine and death—all these have been created for vengeance;
30 the teeth of wild
beasts and scorpions and vipers and the sword that avenges the ungodly unto
destruction;
31 they will rejoice in
his commandment, and will be made ready upon the earth for their uses, and in
their times they will not transgress his word.
32 Therefore from the
beginning I was established, and I considered and left it in writing:
33 All the works of the
Lord are good, and he will supply every need in its hour,
34 and one cannot say,
This is worse than that, for all things will be approved in their time.
35 And now with all
your heart and mouth sing praise, and bless the name of the Lord.
Chapter 40
1 Great toil has been
created for every man, and a heavy yoke lies upon the sons of Adam, from the day
they come forth from their mother's womb until the day of their return to the
mother of all:
2 their thoughts and
the fear of their heart, their anxious expectation, the day of death.
3 From him who sits on
a glorious throne even to him humbled in dust and ashes,
4 from him who wears
purple and a crown even to him clothed in coarse linen, there is wrath and envy
and trouble and unrest and fear of death and fury and strife.
5 And in the time of rest
upon his bed, sleep at night changes his knowledge:
6 he gets little or no
rest, and afterward in his sleep, as on a day of watching, he is troubled by
the visions of his heart, like one who has fled from the face of battle;
7 at the moment of his
deliverance he awakes, and marvels that his fear was for nothing.
8 It is so with all
flesh, from man to beast, and upon sinners sevenfold more:
9 death and blood and
strife and sword, calamities, famine and ruin and scourge.
10 All these things were
created for the lawless, and because of them the flood came.
11 All things that are
from the earth return to the earth, and what is from the waters returns to the
sea.
12 Every bribe and
injustice shall be blotted out, but faithfulness shall stand forever.
13 The wealth of the
unjust shall dry up like a river, and shall resound like great thunder in a
rainstorm;
14 when he opens his
hands he shall rejoice, but so shall transgressors utterly fail.
15 The offspring of the
ungodly shall not multiply branches, and unclean roots are upon sheer rock;
16 reeds by every water
and river bank shall be plucked up before all other grass.
17 Kindness is like a
garden of blessings, and almsgiving endures forever.
18 The life of one who
is self-sufficient and of a laborer shall be made sweet, but he who finds a
treasure is above both.
19 Children and the
building of a city establish a name, but a blameless wife is counted above
both.
20 Wine and music gladden
the heart, but the love of wisdom is above both.
21 Flute and harp make
sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is above both.
22 The eye desires
grace and beauty, but above both the green shoots of sown seed.
23 A friend and a
companion meet at the right time, but above both is a wife with her husband.
24 Brothers and help
are for a time of affliction, but almsgiving delivers above both.
25 Gold and silver make
the foot stand firm, but counsel is esteemed above both.
26 Riches and strength lift
up the heart, but the fear of the Lord is above both; in the fear of the Lord
there is no lack, and with it there is no need to seek help.
27 The fear of the Lord
is like a garden of blessing, and it covers a man above all glory.
28 My child, do not
live a life of begging; it is better to die than to beg.
29 A man who looks to
another's table, his life is not to be reckoned a life; he defiles his soul
with another's food; but a man of knowledge and discipline will guard himself.
30 In the mouth of the
shameless begging is sweet, but in his belly a fire shall burn.
Chapter 41
1 O death, how bitter
is the remembrance of you to a man at peace among his possessions, to a man
free from distraction and prospering in all things, who is still strong enough
to receive food.
2 O death, good is your
sentence to a man in need and failing in strength, in extreme old age,
distracted about all things, disobedient, and having lost patience.
3 Do not fear the sentence
of death; remember those before you and those who come after.
4 This is the sentence
from the Lord upon all flesh, and why do you refuse the good pleasure of the
Most High? Whether ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years, there is no reproof
of life in Hades.
5 Abominable children
are the children of sinners, and those who keep company in the dwellings of the
ungodly.
6 The inheritance of
sinners' children shall perish, and reproach shall abide continually with their
offspring.
7 Children will find
fault with an ungodly father, because they shall be reproached on his account.
8 Woe to you, ungodly
men, who have forsaken the law of the Most High God:
9 if you are born, you
shall be born to a curse, and if you die, a curse shall be your portion.
10 All that is from the
earth shall return to the earth; so the ungodly go from a curse to destruction.
11 The mourning of men
is over their bodies, but the evil name of sinners shall be blotted out.
12 Take care for your
name, for it will remain with you longer than a thousand great treasures of
gold.
13 A good life has its
number of days, but a good name endures forever.
14 Keep instruction in
peace, my children; but hidden wisdom and an unseen treasure, what profit is in
either?
15 Better is a man who
hides his folly than a man who hides his wisdom.
16 Therefore show shame
according to my word; for it is not good to keep every kind of shame, and not
everything is approved by all in good faith.
17 Be ashamed before
father and mother of fornication, and before a leader and ruler of a lie,
18 before a judge and
magistrate of an offense, and before the assembly and the people of
lawlessness,
19 before a partner and
friend of injustice, and before the place where you sojourn of theft,
20 before the truth of
God and his covenant, and of leaning your elbow at meals,
21 of scorn in
receiving and giving, and of silence before those who greet you,
22 of looking upon a woman
who is a harlot, and of turning away your face from a kinsman,
23 of taking away a
portion or a gift, and of gazing upon a married woman,
24 of meddling with his
maidservant and do not come near her bed
25 before friends of
reproachful words, and after giving do not reproach,
26 of repeating what
you hear, and of revealing secret words.
27 Then you shall be
truly modest, and shall find favor before every man.
Chapter 42
1 Of these things be
not ashamed, and do not show partiality so as to sin:
2 of the law of the
Most High and his covenant, and of judgment, to justify the ungodly;
3 of a reckoning with a
partner and with travelers, and of a gift from the inheritance of friends;
4 of exactness of
scales and weights, and of getting much or little;
5 of profit from the
selling of merchants, and of much discipline of children, and of making the
side of a wicked servant bleed.
6 Upon an evil wife a
seal is good, and where there are many hands, lock up.
7 Whatever you hand over,
let it be by number and weight, and both giving and receiving, all in writing;
8 of instruction of the
senseless and the fool, and of the very aged man who contends with the young.
So shall you be truly instructed and approved before every living person.
9 A daughter is a
hidden sleeplessness to her father, and anxiety for her drives away sleep: in
her youth, lest she pass her prime; and being married, lest she be hated;
10 in her virginity, lest
she be defiled and become pregnant in her father's house; being with a husband,
lest she transgress; and being married, lest she be barren.
11 Over a headstrong
daughter keep a firm watch, lest she make you a laughingstock to enemies, a
byword in the city and summoned before the people, and shame you in the
assembly of many.
12 Do not look upon any
person for beauty, and do not sit in the midst of women;
13 for from garments
comes the moth, and from a woman comes a woman's wickedness.
14 Better is the
wickedness of a man than a woman who does good, and a woman brings shame to
reproach.
15 I will now call to
mind the works of the Lord, and what I have seen I will recount: by the words
of the Lord are his works.
16 The shining sun
looks upon all things, and the work of the Lord is full of his glory.
17 The Lord has not
enabled his holy ones to recount all his marvels, which the Lord Almighty
established, that the universe might be made firm in his glory.
18 He searches out the abyss
and the heart, and he has understood their devices; for the Most High knows all
knowledge, and he looks upon the sign of the age,
19 declaring the things
past and the things to come, and revealing the traces of hidden things.
20 No thought escapes
him; not a single word is hidden from him.
21 He has arranged the
mighty works of his wisdom, as he is from everlasting and unto everlasting;
nothing has been added or taken away, and he has needed no counselor.
22 How desirable are all
his works, and as a spark is what can be seen!
23 All these things
live and remain forever for every need, and all are obedient.
24 All things are in
pairs, one opposite the other, and he has made nothing lacking.
25 One thing confirms
the good of another, and who shall be filled with beholding his glory?
Chapter 43
1 The pride of the
heights is the firmament of purity, the appearance of heaven in a vision of
glory.
2 The sun, when it appears,
proclaiming at its rising, is a marvelous instrument, the work of the Most
High;
3 at its noon it dries
up the land, and who can withstand its burning heat?
4 One blowing a furnace
works in burning heat, but the sun three times more scorches the mountains;
breathing out fiery vapors and shining forth its rays, it dims the eyes.
5 Great is the Lord who
made it, and at his words it hastens its course.
6 And the moon in all things
is for its season, a declaration of times and a sign of the age;
7 from the moon comes
the sign of the feast, a light that wanes at its completion.
8 The month is named
after it, increasing wondrously in its changing, an instrument of the hosts on
high, shining forth in the firmament of heaven.
9 The beauty of heaven
is the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of
the Lord;
10 at the words of the Holy
One they stand according to his decree, and they shall never grow weary in
their watches.
11 Look at the rainbow
and bless the one who made it, exceedingly beautiful in its brightness;
12 it encircles the
heaven with a circle of glory; the hands of the Most High have stretched it
out.
13 By his command he
hastens the snow and speeds the lightnings of his judgment;
14 therefore the
storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds;
15 in his majesty he strengthens
the clouds, and the hailstones are broken in pieces;
16 and at his appearing
the mountains shall be shaken; at his will the south wind shall blow.
17 The voice of his
thunder rebukes the earth, and the storm of the north wind and the whirlwind.
18 Like birds flying
down he scatters the snow, and its descent is like locusts alighting; the eye
marvels at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart is astonished at its
falling.
19 He also pours frost like
salt upon the earth, and when it freezes it becomes like points of thorns.
20 The cold north wind
blows, and ice freezes upon the water; it settles upon every gathering of
water, and the water puts it on like a breastplate.
21 It devours the
mountains and burns up the wilderness and consumes the green grass like fire.
22 A mist is the
healing of all things, coming speedily; a dew coming after heat brings cheer.
23 By his reasoning he
calmed the deep and planted islands in it.
24 Those who sail the
sea tell of its danger, and we marvel at what our ears hear;
25 and there are
strange and wonderful works, the variety of every living thing, the creation of
sea monsters.
26 Because of him his
messenger prospers, and by his word all things hold together.
27 We could say much
and yet never reach the end, and the sum of our words is: He is the all.
28 When we glorify him,
where shall we have strength? For he is greater than all his works.
29 The Lord is fearful and
exceedingly great, and marvelous is his power.
30 When you glorify the
Lord, exalt him as much as you can, for he will surpass even that; and when you
exalt him, multiply your strength; do not grow weary, for you shall never reach
the end.
31 Who has seen him and
can describe him? And who can magnify him as he is?
32 Many things greater
than these are hidden, for we have seen but few of his works;
33 for the Lord has
made all things, and to the godly he has given wisdom.
Chapter 44
1 Let us now praise
famous men, and our fathers in their generations.
2 The Lord created
great glory, his majesty from the beginning of time.
3 There were those who
ruled in their kingdoms, and men renowned for power; those giving counsel by
their understanding, those who declared things in prophecies;
4 leaders of the people
by their deliberations, and by understanding of learning for the people, wise
words in their instruction;
5 those who sought out musical
melodies and set forth verses in writing;
6 wealthy men endowed
with strength, living at peace in their dwellings
7 all these were
honored in their generations, and were a glory in their days.
8 There are some of
them who have left behind a name, so that their praises might be recounted;
9 and there are some
for whom there is no memorial, and they perished as though they had never
existed, and became as though they had never been born, and their children
after them.
10 But these were men of
mercy, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten;
11 with their seed it
shall remain, a good inheritance for their descendants;
12 their seed stood
fast in the covenants, and their children for their sake;
13 their seed shall
abide forever, and their glory shall not be blotted out;
14 their bodies were
buried in peace, and their name lives on for generations;
15 peoples will recount
their wisdom, and the assembly proclaims their praise.
16 Enoch pleased the Lord
and was taken up, an example of repentance to the generations.
17 Noah was found
perfect and righteous; in the time of wrath he became an exchange; because of
him a remnant was left to the earth when the flood came;
18 everlasting
covenants were established with him, so that all flesh should not be blotted
out by a flood.
19 Abraham was a great
father of a multitude of nations, and no one was found like him in glory;
20 he kept the law of
the Most High and entered into covenant with him; in his flesh he established
the covenant, and in trial he was found faithful;
21 therefore he assured
him by an oath that the nations would be blessed in his seed, that he would
multiply him like the dust of the earth, and exalt his seed like the stars, and
give them an inheritance from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the
earth.
22 And in Isaac he
established it likewise, for the sake of Abraham his father.
23 The blessing of all men
and the covenant he made to rest upon the head of Jacob; he acknowledged him in
his blessings, and gave to him by inheritance; and he distinguished his
portions, dividing them among twelve tribes.
Chapter 45
1 And he brought forth
from him a man of mercy, who found favor in the eyes of all flesh, beloved by
God and men, Moses, whose memory is in blessings.
2 He made him like the
glory of the holy ones, and magnified him amid the fears of enemies.
3 By his words he made signs
cease; he glorified him before the face of kings; he gave him commandments for
his people, and showed him something of his glory.
4 In faithfulness and
meekness he sanctified him; he chose him out of all flesh.
5 He made him hear his
voice, and led him into the thick darkness, and gave him commandments face to
face, a law of life and knowledge, to teach Jacob the covenant, and Israel his
judgments.
6 He exalted Aaron, a
holy man like him, his brother, from the tribe of Levi.
7 He established him as
an everlasting covenant, and gave him the priesthood of the people; he blessed
him with fine adornment, and girded him with a robe of glory.
8 He clothed him with
the perfection of boasting, and strengthened him with implements of power:
breeches and a long robe and an ephod.
9 And he encircled him
with pomegranates, with very many golden bells round about, to sound a noise
with his steps, to make a sound heard in the temple as a memorial for the sons
of his people;
10 with a holy garment,
with gold and blue and purple, the work of an embroiderer; with the oracle of
judgment, the revelations of truth, with twisted scarlet, the work of a
craftsman;
11 with precious
stones, engraved like a seal, in a setting of gold, the work of a jeweler, for
a memorial with writing engraved according to the number of the tribes of
Israel;
12 a golden crown upon
the turban, engraved like a seal of holiness, a boast of honor, a work of
might, the desires of the eyes adorned.
13 Beautiful things
like these have never existed before him; no stranger has ever put them on, but
only his sons and his descendants forever.
14 His sacrifices shall
be wholly consumed, twice each day continually.
15 Moses filled his
hands and anointed him with holy oil; it became for him an everlasting
covenant, and for his seed, as long as the days of heaven, to minister to him
and at the same time serve as priest and bless his people in his name.
16 He chose him out of all
the living to offer sacrifice to the Lord, incense and a sweet fragrance for a
memorial, to make atonement for your people.
17 He gave him
authority in his commandments, in the covenants of judgments, to teach Jacob
the testimonies, and to enlighten Israel by his law.
18 Strangers conspired
against him and were jealous of him in the wilderness, the men who were with
Dathan and Abiram, and the company of Korah, in wrath and anger.
19 The Lord saw it and
was not pleased, and they were destroyed in the wrath of his anger; he wrought
wonders against them, to consume them with the fire of his flame.
20 And he added glory
to Aaron and gave him an inheritance; he allotted to him the firstfruits of the first produce; first of all he prepared
bread in abundance.
21 For they shall eat
the sacrifices of the Lord, which he gave to him and to his seed.
22 Yet in the land of
the people he shall have no inheritance, and there is no portion for him among the
people; for he himself is your portion and inheritance.
23 And Phinehas the son
of Eleazar is third in glory, in that he was zealous in the fear of the Lord,
and stood firm when the people turned away, in the goodness of the readiness of
his soul; and he made atonement for Israel.
24 Therefore a covenant
of peace was established with him, to be leader of the sanctuary and of his
people, so that to him and to his seed should belong the greatness of the
priesthood forever.
25 And there was a covenant
with David the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah: the inheritance of the king
passes from son to son alone; the inheritance of Aaron belongs also to his
seed.
26 May he give you
wisdom in your heart to judge his people in righteousness, so that their good
things may not vanish away, nor their glory, throughout their generations.
Chapter 46
1 Mighty in war was
Joshua the son of Nun, and successor of Moses in prophecies, who, according to
his name, became great for the salvation of his chosen ones, to take vengeance
on the enemies that rose up, so that he might give Israel its inheritance.
2 How glorified he was
when he lifted up his hands and stretched out the sword against cities!
3 Who before him ever
stood so firm? For he himself led the wars of the Lord.
4 Was not the sun held
back by his hand, and did not one day become as two?
5 He called upon the
Most High, the Mighty One, when his enemies pressed him on every side, and the
great Lord heard him with hailstones of mighty power;
6 he hurled war down
upon the nation, and at the descent he destroyed those who resisted, so that
the nations might know his armor, that his war was before the Lord.
7 For he also followed
after the Mighty One, and in the days of Moses he showed mercy, he and Caleb
the son of Jephunneh, by standing against the assembly, to restrain the people
from sin and to still the murmuring of wickedness.
8 And they two alone
were preserved out of six hundred thousand foot soldiers, to bring them into
their inheritance, into a land flowing with milk and honey.
9 And the Lord gave
strength to Caleb, and it remained with him until old age, so that he went up
onto the high land, and his seed obtained the inheritance,
10 so that all the sons
of Israel might see that it is good to walk after the Lord.
11 And the judges, each
by his own name, all whose hearts did not go astray in fornication and who did not
turn away from the Lord—may their memory be in blessings!
12 May their bones
flourish again out of their place, and may their name be renewed upon the sons
of those who have been glorified.
13 Beloved by his Lord,
Samuel, prophet of the Lord, established the kingdom and anointed rulers over
his people;
14 by the law of the
Lord he judged the congregation, and the Lord visited Jacob;
15 by his faithfulness
he was proved an accurate prophet, and by his words he was known to be
trustworthy in vision.
16 And he called upon
the Lord, the Mighty One, when his enemies pressed him on every side, with the
offering of a suckling lamb;
17 and the Lord
thundered from heaven, and with a great sound made his voice heard,
18 and he crushed the
leaders of the Tyrians and all the rulers of the Philistines.
19 And before the time
of his eternal sleep he bore witness before the Lord and his anointed: "I
have not taken goods, not even sandals, from any flesh"; and no man accused
him.
20 And after he had
fallen asleep he prophesied and showed the king his end, and lifted up his
voice from the earth in prophecy, to blot out the lawlessness of the people.
Chapter 47
1 And after him rose up
Nathan to prophesy in the days of David.
2 As the fat is set
apart from the peace offering, so was David from the sons of Israel.
3 He played among lions
as among kids, and among bears as among lambs of the flock.
4 In his youth did he not
slay a giant, and take away reproach from the people, when he lifted up his
hand with a sling stone and cast down the boasting of Goliath?
5 For he called upon
the Lord Most High, and he gave strength to his right hand to slay a man mighty
in war, to exalt the horn of his people.
6 So they glorified him
among ten thousands, and praised him with the blessings of the Lord, when the
diadem of glory was brought to him;
7 for he destroyed the
enemies on every side, and brought to nothing the Philistines his adversaries;
to this day he broke their horn.
8 In all his works he
gave thanks to the Holy One Most High with words of glory; with his whole heart
he sang praise, and loved him who made him.
9 And he set singers
before the altar, that by their sound they might make sweet melody;
10 he gave beauty to
the feasts, and adorned the seasons unto completion, that they might praise his
holy name, and that the sanctuary might resound from morning.
11 The Lord took away his
sins, and exalted his horn forever, and gave him a covenant of kings and a
throne of glory in Israel.
12 After him rose up a
wise son, and for his sake he dwelt in wide security:
13 Solomon reigned in
days of peace, to whom God gave rest on every side, that he might set up a
house for his name, and prepare a sanctuary forever.
14 How wise you were in
your youth, and filled like a river with understanding!
15 Your soul covered
the earth, and you filled it with parables of riddles;
16 your name reached to
islands far off, and you were beloved in your peace;
17 for songs and
proverbs and parables and interpretations the lands marveled at you.
18 In the name of the
Lord God, who is called the God of Israel, you gathered gold like tin, and
multiplied silver like lead.
19 You bowed your loins
to women, and were brought into subjection through your body;
20 you put a blemish on
your glory, and profaned your seed, so as to bring wrath upon your children,
and grief for your folly,
21 so that the
sovereignty was divided, and out of Ephraim arose a rebellious kingdom.
22 But the Lord will
not forsake his mercy, nor destroy any of his words, nor blot out the offspring
of his chosen one, nor take away the seed of him who loved him; and he gave a
remnant to Jacob, and to David a root out of him.
23 And Solomon rested
with his fathers, and left after him of his seed the folly of the people, one
diminished in understanding, Rehoboam, who turned the people away by his
counsel;
24 and Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, and gave Ephraim the way of sin; and their
sins were multiplied exceedingly, so as to remove them from their land;
25 and they sought out
every wickedness, until vengeance came upon them.
Chapter 48
1 And Elijah the
prophet arose like fire, and his word burned like a torch;
2 who brought a famine
upon them, and by his zeal made them few in number.
3 By the word of the
Lord he shut up the heavens, and likewise three times brought down fire.
4 How you were
glorified, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! And who is like you, to boast?
5 You who raised a dead
man from death and from Hades by the word of the Most High;
6 who brought down
kings to destruction, and honored men from their beds;
7 who heard rebuke at
Sinai, and judgments of vengeance at Horeb;
8 who anointed kings
for retribution, and prophets as successors after him;
9 who was taken up in a
whirlwind of fire, in a chariot of fiery horses;
10 who is written of in
reproofs for appointed times, to calm anger before wrath, to turn the heart of
a father to a son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
11 Blessed are those
who saw you, and those who have fallen asleep in love; for we too shall surely
live.
12 Elijah, who was
covered by the whirlwind and Elisha was filled with his spirit; and in his days
he was not shaken by any ruler, and no one oppressed him.
13 No word was too much
for him, and in death his body prophesied;
14 and in his life he
did wonders, and in his death his works were marvelous.
15For all this the
people did not repent, nor did they turn away from their sins, until they were
carried off as plunder from their land and were scattered over all the earth.
16 And the people were
left very few, with a ruler in the house of David; some of them did what was
pleasing, but others multiplied sins.
17 Hezekiah fortified
his city and brought water into its midst; he tunneled through hard rock with iron
and built cisterns for water.
18 In his days
Sennacherib came up and sent the Rabshakeh, and he departed; and he lifted his
hand against Zion and boasted greatly in his arrogance.
19 Then their hearts
and hands were shaken, and they were in anguish like women in labor;
20 and they called upon
the merciful Lord, spreading out their hands to him. And the Holy One quickly
heard them from heaven and redeemed them by the hand of Isaiah;
21 he struck the camp of
the Assyrians, and his angel wiped them out.
22 For Hezekiah did
what was pleasing to the Lord and held firm to the ways of David his father,
which Isaiah the prophet commanded, who was great and faithful in his vision.
23In his days the sun
went backward, and he added life to the king.
24 By a great spirit he saw the last things and
comforted those who mourned in Zion.
25 He revealed what
would come to pass until the end of the age, and hidden things before they came
to be.
Chapter 49
1 The memory of Josiah
is like a composition of incense prepared by the work of a perfumer; in every
mouth it will be sweet as honey, and as music at a banquet of wine.
2 He was rightly
directed in the conversion of the people, and removed the abominations of
lawlessness.
3 He directed his heart
toward the Lord; in the days of the lawless he strengthened piety.
4 Except for David and
Hezekiah and Josiah, all committed grievous transgression; for they forsook the
law of the Most High, he kings of Judah failed.
5 For they gave their
power to others, and their glory to a foreign nation.
6 They set fire to the
chosen city of the sanctuary and made her streets desolate,
7 by the hand of
Jeremiah; for they mistreated him, though he was sanctified as a prophet in the
womb, to root out and to afflict and to destroy, and likewise to build and to
plant.
8 Ezekiel it was who
saw a vision of glory, which He showed him upon the chariot of the cherubim;
9 for he also made mention
of the enemies in the storm, and to do good to those who direct their ways
rightly.
10 And may the bones of
the twelve prophets flourish again from their place; for they comforted Jacob
and redeemed them in the faith of hope.
11 How shall we magnify
Zerubbabel? He was like a signet on the right hand;
12 so was Jesus the son
of Josedek, who in their days built the house and raised up a holy temple to
the Lord, prepared for everlasting glory.
13 And of Nehemiah the memory
is lasting, who raised up for us the fallen walls, and set up gates and bars,
and rebuilt our dwellings.
14 No one was created
upon the earth such as Enoch; for he was taken up from the earth.
15 Nor was a man born
like Joseph, a leader of his brothers, a support of the people; and his bones
were visited.
16 Shem and Seth were
glorified among men, and above every living thing in the creation is Adam.
Chapter 50
1 Simon, the son of Onias,
the high priest, who in his life repaired the house, and in his days fortified
the temple;
2 and by him was laid
the foundation of the double height, the high retaining wall of the temple
enclosure;
3 in his days a
reservoir of waters was hewn out, a cistern like the sea in circumference;
4 he who took thought
for his people against ruin, and strengthened the city against siege.
5 How glorious he was
as he looked out from the tent, when the people gathered round him, and as he came
out of the house of the veil!
6 As the morning star
in the midst of clouds, as the full moon in her days,
7 as the sun shining
forth upon the temple of the Most High, and as the rainbow giving light among
clouds of glory,
8 as the flower of
roses in the days of new fruits, as lilies by a spring of water, as a shoot of
Lebanon in the days of summer,
9 as fire and
frankincense upon the censer, as a vessel of hammered gold adorned with every
precious stone,
10 as an olive tree
budding forth fruits, and as a cypress rising up among the clouds.
11 When he put on the
robe of glory and was clothed with the perfection of splendor, in going up to
the holy altar he made the enclosure of the sanctuary glorious.
12 And when he received
the portions from the hands of the priests, he himself standing by the hearth
of the altar, with a garland of brethren around him, like a growth of cedars in
Lebanon, and they encircled him like trunks of palm trees,
13 and all the sons of Aaron
in their glory, with the offering of the Lord in their hands, before all the
assembly of Israel;
14 and completing his
ministry at the altars, to adorn the offering of the Most High, the Almighty,
15 he stretched out his
hand to the cup and poured out of the blood of the grape; he poured it out at
the foundations of the altar, a sweet-smelling savor to the Most High, the King
of all.
16 Then the sons of
Aaron shouted, they sounded with trumpets of beaten work; they made a great voice
to be heard for a memorial before the Most High.
17 Then all the people
together hastened and fell down upon their faces to the earth, to worship their
Lord, the Almighty, God Most High.
18 And the singers
praised him with their voices; in the fullest sound was the melody made sweet.
19 And the people
besought the Lord Most High in prayer before him that is merciful, till the
order of the Lord's service was ended, and they had completed his ministry.
20 Then he went down
and lifted up his hands over the whole assembly of the children of Israel, to
give the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to glory in his name.
21 And they bowed down
in worship a second time, to receive the blessing from the Most High.
22 And now bless the
God of all, who does great things everywhere, who exalts our days from the
womb, and deals with us according to his mercy.
23 May he give us
gladness of heart, and that peace may come in our days in Israel, as in the
days of old;
24 may he entrust his mercy
to us, and let him redeem us in our days.
25 With two nations is
my soul vexed, and the third is no nation:
26 those who dwell on
the mountain of Samaria, and the Philistines, and the foolish people that dwell
in Shechem.
27 Instruction of
understanding and knowledge has Jesus the son of Sirach, son of Eleazar, of
Jerusalem, inscribed in this book, who poured forth wisdom from his heart.
28 Blessed is he who
shall be occupied in these things, and he who lays them up in his heart shall become
wise.
29 For if he does them,
he shall be strong for all things; for the light of the Lord is his path.
Chapter 51
1 I will give thanks to
you, Lord and King, and I will praise you, God my savior; I give thanks to your
name,
2 because you became my
protector and helper and redeemed my body from destruction and from the snare
of a slanderous tongue, from lips that work falsehood; and in the presence of
those who stood by, you became my helper and redeemed me,
3 according to the abundance
of your mercy and your name, from gnashing teeth ready to devour, from the hand
of those seeking my life, from the many afflictions that I had,
4 from choking fire on
every side and from the midst of a fire that I did not kindle,
5 from the depth of the
belly of Hades, and from an unclean tongue and a lying word
6 a slander of an
unjust tongue to the king. My soul drew near to death, and my life was close to
Hades below.
7 They surrounded me on
every side, and there was no one to help; I looked for the assistance of men,
and there was none.
8 And I remembered your
mercy, Lord, and your work from of old, that you deliver those who wait for you
and save them from the hand of enemies.
9 And I raised up my
supplication from the earth and prayed for deliverance from death.
10 I called upon the
Lord, the father of my lord, not to forsake me in days of affliction, in the
time of the arrogance of the helpless; I will praise your name continually and
sing hymns in thanksgiving.
11 And my prayer was
heard, for you saved me from destruction and delivered me from an evil time.
12 Therefore I will
give thanks to you and praise you, and I will bless the name of the Lord.
13 While I was still
young, before I wandered, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
14 Before the temple I
asked for her, and I will seek her out to the end.
15 From the blossom, as
of a ripening grape, my heart delighted in her. My foot walked in uprightness; from
my youth I tracked her.
16 I inclined my ear a
little and received her, and I found for myself much instruction.
17 Progress came to me
through her; to him who gives me wisdom I will give glory.
18 For I resolved to
practice her, and I was zealous for the good, and I shall never be put to
shame.
19 My soul has wrestled
with her, and in the doing of the law I was exacting. I spread out my hands on
high and mourned my ignorance of her.
20 I directed my soul toward
her, and in purity I found her. I gained a heart with her from the beginning;
therefore I shall never be forsaken.
21 And my inner being
was stirred to seek her; therefore I have acquired a good possession.
22 The Lord gave me a
tongue as my reward, and with it I will praise him.
23 Draw near to me, you
who are uneducated, and lodge in the house of instruction.
24 Why do you say that
you lack these things, and your souls are exceedingly thirsty?
25 I opened my mouth
and spoke: Acquire for yourselves without money.
26 Put your neck under
the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction. She is near to find.
27 See with your eyes
that I labored but little and found for myself much rest.
28 Take a share of
instruction with a large sum of silver, and gain much gold by her.
29 May your soul
rejoice in his mercy, and may you not be put to shame in praising him.
30 Do your work before
the appointed time, and he will give your reward in his time.