ECCLESIASTICUS
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
26:20. And no price is worthy of a continent soul.
26:21. As the sun when it riseth to the world in the high places of God, so is the beauty of a good wife for the ornament of her house.
26:22. As the lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty of the face in a ripe age,
26:23. As golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet upon the soles of a steady woman.
26:24. As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments of God in the heart of a holy woman.
26:25. At two things my heart is grieved, and the third bringeth anger upon me.
26:26. A man of war fainting through poverty, and a man of sense despised:
26:27. And he that passeth over from justice to sin, God hath prepared such an one for the sword.
26:28. Two sorts of callings have appeared to me hard and dangerous: a merchant is hardly free from negligence: and a huckster shall not be justified from the sins of the lips.
From negligence... That is, from the neglect of the service of God: because the eager pursuit of the mammon of this world, is apt to make men of that calling forget the great duties of loving God above all things, and their neighbours as themselves.-Ibid. A huckster... Or, a retailer of wine. Men of that profession are both greatly exposed to danger of sin themselves, and are too often accessary to the sins of others.
Ecclesiasticus Chapter 27
Dangers of sin from several heads: the fear of God is the best preservative. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it.
27:1. Through poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be enriched, turneth away his eye.
27:2. As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of stones, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall stick fast.
27:3. Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.
27:4. Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown.
27:5. As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts.
27:6. The furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the trial of affliction just men.
27:7. As the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man.
27:8. Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men.
27:9. If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and shalt put her on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt dwell with her: and she shall protect thee for ever, and in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt find a strong foundation.
27:10. Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them that practise her.
27:11. The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sins for them that work iniquities.
27:12. A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon.
27:13. In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time: but be continually among men that think.
27:14. The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is at the pleasures of sin.
27:15. The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head stand upright: and its irreverence shall make one stop his ears.
27:16. In the quarrels of the road is the shedding of blood: and their cursing is a grievous hearing.
27:17. He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth his credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind.
27:18. Love thy neighbour, and be joined to him with fidelity.
27:19. But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after him.
27:20. For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so is he that destroyeth the friendship of his neighbour.
27:21. And as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy neighbour go, and thou shalt not get him again.
27:22. Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is fled, as a roe escaped out of the snare because his soul is wounded.
27:23. Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is reconciliation:
And of a curse there is reconciliation... That is, it is easier to obtain a reconciliation after a curse, than after disclosing a secret.
27:24. But to disclose the secrets of a friend, leaveth no hope to an unhappy soul.
27:25. He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no man will cast him off:
27:26. In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and on thy words he will lay a stumblingblock.
27:27. I have hated many things but not like him, and the Lord will hate him.