Part 441 (1/2)

13:32. The token of a good heart, and a good countenance thou shalt hardly find, and with labour.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 14

The evil of avarice: works of mercy are recommended, and the love of wisdom.

14:1. Blessed is the man that hath not slipped by a word out of his mouth, and is not p.r.i.c.ked with the remorse of sin.

14:2. Happy is he that hath had no sadness of his mind, and who is not fallen from his hope.

14:3. Riches are not comely for a covetous man and a n.i.g.g.ard, and what should an envious man do with gold?

14:4. He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul, gathereth for others, and another will squander away his goods in rioting.

14:5. He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and he shall not take pleasure in his goods.

14:6. There is none worse than he that envieth himself, and this is the reward of his wickedness:

14:7. And if he do good, he doth it ignorantly, and unwillingly: and at the last he discovereth his wickedness.

14:8. The eye of the envious is wicked: and he turneth away his face, and despiseth his own soul.

14:9. The eye of the covetous man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity: he will not be satisfied till he consume his own soul, drying it up.

14:10. An evil eye is towards evil things: and he shall not have his fill of bread, but shall be needy and pensive at his own table.

14:11. My son, if thou have any thing, do good to thyself, and offer to G.o.d worthy offerings.

14:12. Remember that death is not slow, and that the covenant of h.e.l.l hath been shewn to thee: for the covenant of this world shall surely die.

Covenant of h.e.l.l... The decree by which all are to go down to the regions of death.

14:13. Do good to thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability, stretching out thy hand give to the poor.

14:14. Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good gift overpa.s.s thee.

14:15. Shalt thou not leave to others to divide by lot thy sorrows and labours?

14:16. Give and take, and justify thy soul.

14:17. Before thy death work justice: for in h.e.l.l there is no finding food.

14:18. All flesh shall fade as gra.s.s, and as the leaf that springeth out on a green tree.

14:19. Some grow, and some fall off: so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.

14:20. Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end: and the worker thereof shall go with it.

14:21. And every excellent work shall be justified: and the worker thereof shall be honoured therein.

14:22. Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom, and that shall meditate in his justice, and in his mind shall think of the all seeing eye of G.o.d.