ECCLESIASTICUS

ECCLESIASTICUS II

If thou comest to serve the Lord,
Prepare thy soul for temptation.

Set thine heart aright, and constantly endure,
And make not haste in time of trouble.
Cleave unto him, and depart not away,

That thou mayest be increased at thy latter end. Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully,

And be patient when thou are changed to a low estate.

For gold is tried in the fire,

And acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. Put thy trust in him, and he will help thee; Order thy ways aright, and set thy hope on him.

Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy;
And turn not aside, lest ye fall.

Ye that fear the Lord, put your trust in him;
And your reward shall fail not.

Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good,
And for everlasting gladness and mercy.
Look at the generations of old, and see:

Who did ever put his trust in the Lord, and was ashamed?

Or who did abide in his fear, and was forsaken? Or whom did he ever despise, that called upon

him?

For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy; And he forgiveth sins, and saveth in time of affliction.

But woe unto fearful hearts, and to faint hands, And to the sinner that goeth two ways!

Woe unto the faint heart! for it believeth not; Therefore shall it not be defended.

Woe unto you that have lost your patience! And what will ye do when the Lord shall visit you?

They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts,

And will humble their souls in his sight, saying,
We will fall into the hands of the Lord,
And not into the hands of men;

For as his majesty is,

So also is his mercy.

ECCLESIASTICUS IV

Wisdom exalteth her children,

And layeth hold of them that seek her.
He that loveth her loveth life;

And they shall be filled with joy that seek her early.

He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; And wheresoever she entereth, the Lord will bless.

They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One:

And them that love her the Lord doth love. Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations:

And he shall dwell securely that attendeth unto her.

If a

man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her;

And his generation shall hold her in possession. At the first she will walk with him by crooked

ways,

And bring fear and dread upon him,

And torment him with her discipline,

Until she may trust his soul, and try him by her laws:

But at the last she will return the straight way unto him,

And will gladden him and shew him her secrets. Then shall they know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord,

And nothing sweeter than his commandments.

ECCLESIASTICUS V, VIII, XI, XXXI

Set not thine heart upon thy goods;
And say not, They are sufficient for me.
For gold hath destroyed many,

And perverted the hearts of kings.

Yea, there is that waxeth rich by his wariness

and pinching,

And this is the portion of his reward:

Whereas he saith, I have found rest,

And now will eat continually of my goods;

Yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon

him,

And that he shall leave them to others, and die.

Blessed is the man that is found without blemish,
And whose soul hath not gone after gold!
Who is he? and we will call him blessed:

For wonderful things hath he done among his people.

Who hath been tried thereby, and found perfect?

Then let him glory.

Who hath had the power to transgress, and hath not transgressed?

Or to do evil, and hath not done it?

His name shall be established,

And the congregation shall declare his praise.

ECCLESIASTICUS V, XVI, XXIII, XLII

Say not thou, I will hide myself from the Lord; Who shall remember me from on high?

Among so many people none shall behold me; For what is my soul among such a number of creatures?

Neither say thou in thine heart, Who seeth me? I am compassed about with darkness, the walls

cover me,

And no man seeth me; what need I to fear?

Such a man feareth only the eyes

of men,

And knoweth not that the eyes of the Lord Are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, Beholding all the ways of men,

And looking into secret places.

All things were known unto him or ever they were created;

And in like manner also after they were per

fected.

He searcheth out the deep, and the heart,
And considereth their crafty devices;

For the eyes of the Lord are in every place,
And every hidden thing is revealed unto him.
Yea, no thought escapeth him,

Neither is any word hidden from him.

Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, The deep, and the earth, and all that therein is; The mountains also and the foundations of the earth

Lie open and revealed unto the Lord.

Say not therefore, I have sinned, and no harm hath befallen me;

For not for one sin shalt thou go unpunished.
Neither say thou, His compassion is great;
The Lord will be pacified for the multitude of
my sins:

For as his compassion is great, so also is his correction.

The Lord accepteth not the sacrifices of sinners; But judgeth every man according to his works.

ECCLESIASTICUS VI, XXXVII

My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught; And if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent.

If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive;

And if thou bow down thine ear, thou shalt be

wise.

Stand thou in the multitude of thine elders;