Ye that fear the Lord, love Him, and your heart shall be enlightened.

My children, behold the generations of men and know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord and hath been confounded. For who hath continued in His commandment and hath been forsaken? or who hath called upon Him and He despised him?

For God is compassionate and merciful, and will forgive sins in the day of tribulation: and He is a protector to all that seek Him in truth.

Woe to them that are of a double heart, and to wicked lips, and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner that goeth on the earth two ways.

Woe to them that are faint-hearted, who believe not God: and therefore they shall not be protected by Him.

Woe to them that have lost patience, and that have forsaken the right ways, and have gone aside into crooked ways.

And what will they do, when the Lord shall begin to examine?

They that fear the Lord will not be incredulous to His word and they that love Him will keep His way.

They that fear the Lord will seek after the things that are well pleasing to Him: and they that love Him shall be filled with His law.

They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls.

They that fear the Lord keep His commandments, and will have patience even unto His visitation,

Saying: If we do not penance, we shall fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.

For according to His greatness, so also is His mercy with him.

SECT. CXLIV. THE EXCELLENCE OF SUBMISSION AND HONOUR TO PARENTS.
THE DANGER OF TOO GREAT CURIOSITY.

THE Sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their Ecclus. nation obedient and loving.

Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that ye may be saved.

For God hath made the father honourable to the children : and seeking the judgment of the mother, hath confirmed it upon the children.

He that loveth God shall obtain pardon for his sins, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the day of his prayer.

III. 1-32.

And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure.

He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.

He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life and he that obeyeth the father shall be a comfort to his mother.

He that feareth the Lord honoureth his parents, and will serve them as his masters that brought him into the world.

Honour thy father in work, and word, and all patience, that a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may

remain in the latter end.

The father's blessing establisheth the houses of the children: but the mother's curse rooteth up the foundation.

Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is no glory to thee.

For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father, and a father without honour is the disgrace of the son.

Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life;

And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten.

For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.

And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather.

Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and he is cursed of God that angereth his mother.

My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men.

The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God:

For great is the power of God alone, and He is honoured by the humble.

Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability: but the things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of His works be not curious.

For it is not necessary for thee to see with thine eyes those things that are hid.

In unnecessary matters be not over-curious, and in many of His works thou shalt not be inquisitive.

For many things are shown to thee above the understanding of men.

And the suspicion of them* hath deceived many, and hath detained their minds in vanity.

A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that loveth danger shall perish in it.

A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and the perverse of heart shall be scandalised therein.

A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner will add sin to sin.

The congregation of the proud shall not be healed: for the plant of wickedness shall take root in them, and it shall not be perceived.

The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good ear will hear wisdom with all desire.

A wise heart, and which hath understanding, will abstain from sins, and in the works of justice shall have success.

SECT. CXLV. AN EXHORTATION TO WORKS OF MERCY, TO WISDOM AND
PRUDENCE.

Ecclus.

WATER quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins: And God provideth for him that showeth favour: He re- 111. 33-34, membereth him afterwards, and in the time of his fall he shall find a sure stay.

Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy Ecclus. eyes from the poor.

Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the poor in his want.

Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to give to him that is in distress.

Reject not the petition of the afflicted and turn not away thy face from the needy.

Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back.

For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his soul shall be heard: for He that made him will hear him. Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble thy soul to the elder, and bow thy head to a great

man.

Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor and pay what thou owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness. Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud and be not faint-hearted in thy soul.

* Self-confidence and rash examination of matters beyond comprehension. KENRICK.

IV. 1-36.

In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother.

And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the Most High, and He will have mercy on thee more than a mother.

Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice. And he that loveth her loveth life and they that watch for her shall embrace her sweetness.

They that hold her fast shall inherit life and whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing.

They that serve her shall be servants to the Holy One: and God loveth them that love her.

He that hearkeneth to her shall judge nations: and he that looketh upon her shall remain secure.

If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall be in assurance.

For she walketh with him in temptation;* and at the first she chooseth him.

She will bring upon him fear, and dread, and trial: and she will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by her laws and trust his soul.

Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to him, and give him joy,

And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon him treasures of knowledge and understanding of justice.

But if he go astray, she will forsake him and deliver him into the hands of his enemy.

Son, observe the time, and fly from evil.

For thy life be not ashamed to say the truth.

For there is a shame that bringeth sin; and there is a shame that bringeth glory and grace.

Be not an acceptor of persons to thine own detriment, nor utter a lie against thy soul.

Respect not thy neighbour in his fall:†

And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.

For by the tongue wisdom is discerned and understanding, and knowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and stead fastness in the works of justice.

In no wise speak against the truth; but be ashamed to lie through ignorance.

*She tries his fidelity by subjecting him to severe trials.

†That is, do not yield to human respect, so as to fall into sin, and cause your own ruin. KENRICK.

Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but subject not thyself to every man for sin.

Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not strive against the stream of the river.

Strive for justice for thy soul; and even unto death fight for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee.

Be not hasty in thy tongue, and slack and remiss in thy works.

Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy household, and oppressing them that are under thee.

Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldst give.

SECT. CXLVI. WISDOM COMES TO THOSE THAT FEAR GOD. WE ARE FREE
TO CHOOSE GOOD OR EVIL. WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US.

HE that feareth God will do good: and he that possesseth Ecclus. justice shall lay hold on her.

And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin.

With the bread of life and understanding she shall feed him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink : and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved:

And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours,

And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory.

She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

But foolish men shall not obtain her and wise men shall meet her; foolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit.

Lying men shall not be mindful of her: but men that speak truth shall be found with her, and shall advance, even till they come to the sight of God.

Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner:

For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with the wisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth, and the sovereign Lord will give praise unto it.

Say not: It is through God that she is not with me: for do not thou the things that He hateth.

Say not: He hath caused me to err: for He hath no need of wicked men.

XV. 1-22.