Ecclesiasticus 17
3 The creation of man, and the goodness that God hath done unto him. 20 Of alms. 26 And repentance.
THE Lord hath created man of the earth, and turned him unto it again.
He gave him the number of days and certain times, and gave him power of the things, that are upon earth.
He clothed them with strength, as they had need, and made them according to his image.
He made all flesh to fear him, so that he had the dominion over the beasts, and fowls.
[He created out of him an helper like unto himself,] and gave them discretion and a tongue, and eyes, ears, and an heart to understand, and fixedly he gave them a spirit, and subsequently gave them speech to declare his works.
And he filled them with knowledge of understanding, and showed them good and evil.
He set his eye upon their hearts, declaring unto them his noble works,
And gave them occasion to rejoice perpetually in his miracles, that they should prudently declare his works, and that the elect should praise his Name together.
Beside this, he gave them knowledge, and gave them the Law of life for an heritage, that they might now know that they were mortal.
He made an everlasting covenant with them, and showed them his judgements.
Their eyes saw the majesty of his glory, and their ears heard his glorious voice.
And he said unto them, Beware of all unrighteous things. He gave every man also a commandment concerning his neighbor.
Their ways are ever before him, and are not hid from his eyes.
Every man from his youth is given to evil, and their stony hearts can not become flesh.
He appointed a ruler upon every people, when he divided the nations of the whole earth.
And he did choose Israel, as a peculiar people to himself, whom he nourished with discipline as his first born, and gives him most loving light, and does not forsake him.
All their works are as the sun before him, and his eyes are continually upon their ways.
None of their unrighteousness is hid from him, but all their sins are before the Lord.
And as he is merciful, and knows his work, he does not leave them nor forsake them, but spares them.
The alms of a man, is as a thing sealed up before him, and he keeps the good deeds of man as the apple of the eye, and gives repentance to their sons, and daughters.
At the last shall he arise, and reward them, and shall repay their reward upon their heads.
But unto them that will repent, he gives them grace to return, and exhorts such as fail, with patience, [and sends them the portion of the verity.]
Return them unto the Lord, and forsake thy sins: make thy prayer before his face and take away the offense.
Turn again unto the most High: for he will bring thee from darkness to wholesome light forsake thine unrighteousness, and a hate greatly all abomination.
[Know the righteousness and judgments of God: stand in the portion that is set forth for thee, and in the prayer of the most high God, and go in the parts of the holy world with such as be living and confess God.]
Who can praise the most High in the hell, as do all they that live and confess him?
[Abide not thou in the error of the ungodly, but praise the Lord before death]
Thankfulness perishes from the dead, as though he were not: but the living, and he that is found of heart, praises the Lord, [and rejoices in his mercy.]
How great is the loving kindness of the Lord our God, and his compassion unto such as turn unto him in holiness!
For all things can not be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, [and they take pleasure in the vanity of the wicked.]
What is more clear than the sun? yet shall it fail.
So flesh and blood that thinks evil, [shall be reproved.]
He sees the power of the high heaven, and all men are but earth and ashes.
Ecclesiasticus 18
2 The marvelous works of God. 6,7 The misery and wretchedness of man. 9 Against God ought we not to complain. 21 The performing of vows.
HE that lives forever, made all things together: the Lord who only is just, and there is none other but he, [and he remains a victorious King for ever.]
He orders the world with the power of his hand, and all things obey his will: for he governs all things by his power, and divided the holy things from the profane.
To whom hath he given power to express his works? who will seek out the ground of his noble acts?
Who shall declare the power of his great armies? or who will take upon him to tell out his mercy?
As for the wondrous works of the Lord, there may nothing be taken from them, neither can any thing be put unto them, neither may the ground of them be found out.
But when a man hath done his best, he must begin again, and when he thinks to come to an end, he must go again to his labor.
What is man? whereto serves he? what good or evil can he do?
If the number of a man’s days be an hundred years, it is much: and no man hath certain knowledge of his death.
As drops of rain are unto the sea, and as a gravel stone is in comparison of the sand, so are a thousand years to the days everlasting.
Therefore is [God] patient with them, and pours out his mercy upon them.
He saw and perceived, that [the arrogancy of their heart, and their ruin was evil: therefore heaped he up his mercy upon them the way of righteousness.]
The mercy that a man has, reaches to his neighbor: but the mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh: he chastens, and nurtures, and teaches, and brings back, as a shepherd his flock.
He hath mercy of them that receive discipline, and that diligently seek after his judgments.
My son, when thou do good, reprove not: and whatsoever thou give, use no discomfortable words.
Shall not the dew assuage the heat? so is a word better than a gift.
Lo, is not a word better than a good gift? but a gracious man gives them both.
A fool will reproach churlishly, and a gift of the envious puts out the eyes.
[Get thee righteousness before thou come to judgment:] learn before thou speak, and use physike [medical science/theory, doctor]* if ever thou be sick.
Examine thyself, before you be judged, and in the day of the visitation thou shalt find mercy.
Humble thyself before thou be sick, and whilst thou may yet sin, show thy conversion.
Let nothing let thee to pray thy vow in time, and defer not unto death to be reformed: [for the reward of God endures for ever.]
Before thou pray, prepare thyself, and be not as one that tempts the Lord.
Think upon the wrath, that shall be at the end, and the hour of vengeance, when he shall turn away his face.
When thou hast enough, remember the time of hunger: and when thou art rich, think upon poverty and need.
From the morning until the evening the time is changed, and all such things are soon done before the Lord.
A wise man fears in all things, and in the days of transgression he keeps himself from sin: but the fool does not observe the time.
Every wise man knows wisdom, and knowledge, and praises him that finds her.
They that have understanding, deal wisely in words: [they understand the truth and righteousness,] and pour out with modesty grave sentences for man’s life.
The chief authority of speaking is of the Lord alone: for a mortal man has but a dead heart.
Follow not thy lusts, but turn thee from thine own appetites.
For if thou givest thy soul her desires, it shall make thine enemies that envy thee, to laugh thee to scorn.
Take not thy pleasure in great voluptuousness, and entangle not thyself with such company.
Become not a beggar by making banquets of that that thou hast borrowed, and so leave nothing in thy purse: else you should slanderously lie in wait for thine own life.
*WP4Y
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