Ecclesiasticus 29-32

Chapter 29

He that is merciful will lend unto his neighbor; and he that strengthens his hand keeps the commandments. 2 Lend to thy neighbor in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbor again in due season. 3 Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shall always find the thing that is necessary for thee. 4 Many, when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them. 5 Till he has received, he will kiss a man’s hand; and for his neighbor’s money he will speak submissively: but when he should repay, he will prolong the time, and return words of grief, and complain of the time. 6 If he prevail, he shall hardly receive the half, and he will count as if he had found it: if not, he has deprived him of his money, and he has gotten him an enemy without cause: he pays him with cursings and railings; and for honor he will pay him disgrace. 7 Many therefore have refused to lend for other men’s ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.

8 Yet have thou patience with a man in poor estate, and delay not to show him mercy. 9 Help the poor for the commandment’s sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty. 10 Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost. 11 Lay up thy treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold. 12 Shut up alms in thy storehouses: and it shall deliver thee from all affliction. 13 It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.

14 An honest man is surety for his neighbor: but he that is impudent will forsake him. 15 Forget not the friendship of thy surety, for he has given his life for thee. 16 A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety: 17 And he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him in danger that delivered him. 18 Suretiship has undone many of good estate, and shaken them as a wave of the sea: mighty men has it driven from their houses, so that they wandered among strange nations. 19 A wicked man transgressing the commandments of the Lord shall fall into suretiship: and he that undertaketh and followeth other men’s business for gain shall fall into suits. 20 Help thy neighbor according to thy power, and beware that thou thyself fall not into the same.

21 The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame. 22 Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man’s house. 23 Be it little or much, hold thee contented, that thou hear not the reproach of thy house. 24 For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where thou are a stranger, thou dare not open thy mouth. 25 Thou shall entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover thou shall hear bitter words: 26 Come, thou stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that thou has ready. 27 Give place, thou stranger, to an honorable man; my brother comes to be lodged, and I have need of mine house. 28 These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of houseroom, and reproaching of the lender.

Chapter 30

He that loves his son causes him often to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end. 2 He that chastises his son shall have joy in him, and shall rejoice of him among his acquaintance. 3 He that teaches his son grieves the enemy: and before his friends he shall rejoice of him. 4 Though his father die, yet he is as though he were not dead: for he has left one behind him that is like himself. 5 While he lived, he saw and rejoiced in him: and when he died, he was not sorrowful. 6 He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one that shall requite kindness to his friends. 7 He that makes too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; and his bowels will be troubled at every cry. 8 An horse not broken becomes headstrong: and a child left to himself will be wilful. 9 Cocker thy child, and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he will bring thee to heaviness. 10 Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him, and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end. 11 Give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his follies. 12 Bow down his neck while he is young, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee, and so bring sorrow to thine heart. 13 Chastise thy son, and hold him to labor, lest his lewd behavior be an offense unto thee.

14 Better is the poor, being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body. 15 Health and good estate of body are above all gold, and a strong body above infinite wealth. 16 There is no riches above a sound body, and no joy above the joy of the heart. 17 Death is better than a bitter life or continual sickness. 18 Delicates poured upon a mouth shut up are as messes of meat set upon a grave. 19 What good does the offering unto an idol? for neither can it eat nor smell: so is he that is persecuted of the Lord. 20 He sees with his eyes and groans, as a eunuch that embraces a virgin and sighs.

21 Give not over thy mind to heaviness, and afflict not thyself in thine own counsel. 22 The gladness of the heart is the life of man, and the joyfulness of a man prolongs his days. 23 Love thine own soul, and comfort thy heart, remove sorrow far from thee: for sorrow has killed many, and there is no profit therein. 24 Envy and wrath shorten the life, and carefulness brings age before the time. 25 A cheerful and good heart will have a care of his meat and diet.

Chapter 31

Watching for riches consumes the flesh, and the care thereof drives away sleep. 2 Watching care will not let a man slumber, as a sore disease breaks sleep, 3 The rich has great labor in gathering riches together; and when he rests, he is filled with his delicates. 4 The poor labors in his poor estate; and when he leaves off, he is still needy. 5 He that loves gold shall not be justified, and he that follows corruption shall have enough thereof. 6 Gold has been the ruin of many, and their destruction was present. 7 It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it, and every fool shall be taken therewith.

8 Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and has not gone after gold. 9 Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things has he done among his people. 10 Who has been tried thereby, and found perfect? then let him glory. Who might offend, and has not offended? or done evil, and has not done it? 11 His goods shall be established, and the congregation shall declare his alms.

12 If thou sit at a bountiful table, be not greedy upon it, and say not, There is much meat on it. 13 Remember that a wicked eye is an evil thing: and what is created more wicked than an eye? therefore it weeps upon every occasion. 14 Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looks, and thrust it not with him into the dish. 15 Judge not thy neighbor by thyself: and be discreet in every point. 16 Eat as it becomes a man, those things which are set before thee; and devour note, lest thou be hated. 17 Leave off first for manners’ sake; and be not unsatiable, lest thou offend. 18 When thou sit among many, reach not thine hand out first of all. 19 A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured, and he fetches not his wind short upon his bed. 20 Sound sleep comes of moderate eating: he rises early, and his wits are with him: but the pain of watching, and choler, and pangs of the belly, are with an unsatiable man. 21 And if thou has been forced to eat, arise, go forth, vomit, and thou shall have rest.

22 My son, hear me, and despise me not, and at the last thou shall find as I told thee: in all thy works be quick, so shall there no sickness come unto thee. 23 Whoso is liberal of his meat, men shall speak well of him; and the report of his good housekeeping will be believed. 24 But against him that is a niggard of his meat the whole city shall murmur; and the testimonies of his niggardness shall not be doubted of.

25 Show not thy valiantness in wine; for wine has destroyed many. 26 The furnace proves the edge by dipping: so does wine the hearts of the proud by drunkenness. 27 Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk moderately: what life is then to a man that is without wine? for it was made to make men glad. 28 Wine measurably drunk and in season brings gladness of the heart, and cheerfulness of the mind: 29 But wine drunken with excess makes bitterness of the mind, with brawling and quarreling. 30 Drunkenness increases the rage of a fool till he offend: it diminishes strength, and makes wounds. 31 Rebuke not thy neighbor at the wine, and despise him not in his mirth: give him no despiteful words, and press not upon him with urging him to drink.

Chapter 32

If thou be made the master of a feast, lift not thyself up, but be among them as one of the rest; take diligent care for them, and so sit down. 2 And when thou has done all thy office, take thy place, that thou may be merry with them, and receive a crown for thy well-ordering of the feast.

3 Speak, thou that are the elder, for it becomes thee, but with sound judgment; and hinder not music. 4 Pour not out words where there is a musician, and show not forth wisdom out of time. 5 A concert of music in a banquet of wine is as a signet of carbuncle set in gold. 6 As a signet of an emerald set in a work of gold, so is the melody of music with pleasant wine. 7 Speak, young man, if there be need of thee: and yet scarcely when thou are twice asked. 8 Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in few words; be as one that knows and yet holds his tongue. 9 If thou be among great men, make not thyself equal with them; and when ancient men are in place, use not many words. 10 Before the thunder goes lightning; and before a shame-faced man shall go favor. 11 Rise up betimes, and be not the last; but get thee home without delay. 12 There take thy pastime, and do what thou will: but sin not by proud speech. 13 And for these things bless him that made thee, and has replenished thee with his good things.

14 Whoso fears the Lord will receive His discipline; and they that seek Him early shall find favor. 15 He that seeks the law shall be filled therewith: but the hypocrite will be offended thereat. 16 They that fear the Lord shall find judgment, and shall kindle justice as a light. 17 A sinful man will not be reproved, but finds an excuse according to his will.

18 A man of counsel will be considerate; but a strange and proud man is not daunted with fear, even when of himself he has done without counsel. 19 Do nothing without advice; and when thou has once done, repent not. 20 Go not in a way wherein thou may fall, and stumble not among the stones. 21 Be not confident in a plain way. 22 And beware of thine own children. 23 In every good work trust thy own soul; for this is the keeping of the commandments. 24 He that believes in the Lord takes heed to the commandment; and he that trusts in Him shall fare never the worse.

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King James Version Bible. It was authorized by King James I. It was translated by the Church of England and was first published in 1611.

God’s words are in red letters, old and new testament, as it should be. It is in paragraph form for easy reading. With all verses numbers labeled in blue for quick reference.

The Apocrypha was in the original King James version of the Bible. It should never have been removed. At the time Jesus was on earth the old testament and the Apocrypha scriptures were studied.

All scripture is Jewish scripture, Judaism is a religion not an ethnicity. Jesus is the Savior of the Jews. He is the Head of the Church.

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

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