Ecclesiasticus 37-40

Chapter 37

Every friend saith, I am his friend also: but there is a friend, which is only a friend in name. 2 Is it not a grief unto death, when a companion and friend is turned to an enemy? 3 O wicked imagination, whence came thou in to cover the earth with deceit? 4 There is a companion, which rejoices in the prosperity of a friend, but in the time of trouble will be against him. 5 There is a companion, which helps his friend for the belly, and takes up the buckler against the enemy. 6 Forget not thy friend in thy mind, and be not unmindful of him in thy riches.

7 Every counselor extolls counsel; but there is some that counsels for himself. 8 Beware of a counselor, and know before what need he has; for he will counsel for himself; lest he cast the lot upon thee, 9 And say unto thee, Thy way is good: and afterward he stand on the other side, to see what shall befall thee. 10 Consult not with one that suspects thee: and hide thy counsel from such as envy thee. 11 Neither consult with a woman touching her of whom she is jealous; neither with a coward in matters of war; nor with a merchant concerning exchange; nor with a buyer of selling; nor with an envious man of thankfulness; nor with an unmerciful man touching kindness; nor with the slothful for any work; nor with a hireling for a year of finishing work; nor with an idle servant of much business: hearken not unto these in any matter of counsel. 12 But be continually with a godly man, whom thou know to keep the commandments of the Lord, whose, mind is according to thy mind, and will sorrow with thee, if thou shall miscarry. 13 And let the counsel of thine own heart stand: for there is no man more faithful unto thee than it. 14 For a man’s mind is sometime wont to tell him more than seven watchmen, that sit above in a high tower. 15 And above all this pray to the Most High, that He will direct thy way in truth. 16 Let reason go before every enterprise, and counsel before every action. 17 The countenance is a sign of changing of the heart. 18 Four manner of things appear: good and evil, life and death: but the tongue rules over them continually. 19 There is one that is wise and teaches many, and yet is unprofitable to himself. 20 There is one that shows wisdom in words, and is hated: he shall be destitute of all food. 21 For grace is not given, him from the Lord, because he is deprived of all wisdom. 22 Another is wise to himself; and the fruits of understanding are commendable in his mouth. 23 A wise man instructs his people; and the fruits of his understanding fail not. 24 A wise man shall be filled with blessing; and all they that see him shall count him happy. 25 The days of the life of man may be numbered: but the days of Israel are innumerable. 26 A wise man shall inherit glory among his people, and his name shall be perpetual.

27 My son, prove thy soul in thy life, and see what is evil for it, and give not that unto it. 28 For all things are not profitable for all men, neither has every soul pleasure in everything. 29 Be not unsatiable in any dainty thing, nor too greedy upon meats: 30 For excess of meats brings sickness, and surfeiting will turn into choler. 31 By surfeiting have many perished; but he that takes heed prolongs his life.

Chapter 38

Honor a physician with the honor due unto him for the uses which ye may have of him: for the Lord has created him. 2 For of the Most High comes healing, and he shall receive honor of the king. 3 The skill of the physician shall lift up his head: and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration. 4 The Lord has created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them. 5 Was not the water made sweet with wood, that the virtue thereof might be known? 6 And He has given men skill, that He might be honored in His marvelous works. 7 With such does He heal men, and takes away their pains. 8 Of such does the apothecary make a confection; and of his works there is no end; and from him is peace over all the earth,

9 My son, in thy sickness be not negligent: but pray unto the Lord, and He will make thee whole. 10 Leave off from sin, and order thine hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all wickedness. 11 Give a sweet savor, and a memorial of fine flour; and make a fat offering, as not being. 12 Then give place to the physician, for the Lord has created him: let him not go from thee, for thou has need of him. 13 There is a time when in their hands there is good success. 14 For they shall also pray unto the Lord, that he would prosper that, which they give for ease and remedy to prolong life. 15 He that sins before his Maker, let him fall into the hand of the physician.

16 My son, let tears fall down over the dead, and begin to lament, as if thou had suffered great harm thyself; and then cover his body according to the custom, and neglect not his burial. 17 Weep bitterly, and make great moan, and use lamentation, as he is worthy, and that a day or two, lest thou be evil spoken of: and then comfort thyself for thy heaviness. 18 For of heaviness comes death, and the heaviness of the heart breaks strength. 19 In affliction also sorrow remaineth: and the life of the poor is the curse of the heart. 20 Take no heaviness to heart: drive it away, and member the last end. 21 Forget it not, for there is no turning again: thou shall not do him good, but hurt thyself. 22 Remember my judgment: for thine also shall be so; yesterday for me, and today for thee. 23 When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest; and be comforted for him, when his Spirit is departed from him.

24 The wisdom of a learned man comes by opportunity of leisure: and he that has little business shall become wise. 25 How can he get wisdom that holds the plow, and that glories in the goad, that drives oxen, and is occupied in their labors, and whose talk is of bullocks? 26 He gives his mind to make furrows; and is diligent to give the kine fodder. 27 So every carpenter and workmaster, that labors night and day: and they that cut and grave seals, and are diligent to make great variety, and give themselves to counterfeit imagery, and watch to finish a work: 28 The smith also sitting by the anvil, and considering the ironwork, the vapor of the fire wastes his flesh, and he fights with the heat of the furnace: the noise of the hammer and the anvil is ever in his ears, and his eyes look still upon the pattern of the thing that he makes; he sets his mind to finish his work, and watches to polish it perfectly: 29 So does the potter sitting at his work, and turning the wheel about with his feet, who is alway carefully set at his work, and makes all his work by number; 30 He fashions the clay with his arm, and bows down his strength before his feet; he applies himself to lead it over; and he is diligent to make clean the furnace: 31 All these trust to their hands: and everyone is wise in his work. 32 Without these cannot a city be inhabited: and they shall not dwell where they will, nor go up and down: 33 They shall not be sought for in public counsel, nor sit high in the congregation: they shall not sit on the judges’ seat, nor understand the sentence of judgment: they cannot declare justice and judgment; and they shall not be found where parables are spoken. 34 But they will maintain the state of the world, and all their desire is in the work of their craft.

Chapter 39

But he that gives his mind to the law of the Most High, and is occupied in the meditation thereof, will seek out the wisdom of all the ancient, and be occupied in prophecies. 2 He will keep the sayings of the renowned men: and where subtle parables are, he will be there also. 3 He will seek out the secrets of grave sentences, and be conversant in dark parables. 4 He shall serve among great men, and appear before princes: he will travel through strange countries; for he has tried the good and the evil among men. 5 He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made Him, and will pray before the Most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and make supplication for his sins. 6 When the great Lord will, he shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: he shall pour out wise sentences, and give thanks unto the Lord in his prayer. 7 He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate. 8 He shall show forth that which he has learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord. 9 Many shall commend his understanding; and so long as the world endures, it shall not be blotted out; his memorial shall not depart away, and his name shall live from generation to generation. 10 Nations shall show forth his wisdom, and the congregation shall declare his praise. 11 If he die, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: and if he live, he shall increase it.

12 Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; for I am filled as the moon at the full. 13 Hearken unto me, ye holy children, and bud forth as a rose growing by the brook of the field: 14 And give ye a sweet savor as frankincense, and flourish as a lily, send forth a smell, and sing a song of praise, bless the Lord in all His works. 15 Magnify His name, and show forth His praise with the songs of your lips, and with harps, and in praising Him ye shall say after this manner: 16 All the works of the Lord are exceeding good, and whatsoever he commands shall be accomplished in due season. 17 And none may say, What is this? wherefore is that? for at time convenient they shall all be sought out: at His commandment the waters stood as a heap, and at the words of His mouth the receptacles of waters. 18 At His commandment is done whatsoever pleases Him; and none can hinder, when He will save. 19 The works of all flesh are before Him, and nothing can be hid from His eyes. 20 He sees from everlasting to everlasting; and there is nothing wonderful before Him. 21 A man need not to say, What is this? wherefore is that? for He has made all things for their uses. 22 His blessing covered the dry land as a river, and watered it as a flood. 23 As He has turned the waters into saltness: so shall the heathen inherit His wrath. 24 As His ways are plain unto the holy; so are they stumblingblocks unto the wicked.

25 For the good are good things created from the beginning: so evil things for sinners. 26 The principal things for the whole use of man’s life are water, fire, iron, and salt, flour of wheat, honey, milk, and the blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing. 27 All these things are for good to the godly: so to the sinners they are turned into evil.

28 There be spirits that are created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction they pour out their force, and appease the wrath of Him that made them. 29 Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance; 30 Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, serpents, and the sword punishing the wicked to destruction. 31 They shall rejoice in His commandment, and they shall be ready upon earth, when need is; and when their time is come, they shall not transgress His word.

32 Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and thought upon these things, and have left them in writing. 33 All the works of the Lord are good: and He will give every needful thing in due season. 34 So that a man cannot say, This is worse than that: for in time they shall all be well approved. 35 And therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth, and bless the name of the Lord.

Chapter 40

Great travail is created for every man, and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day that they go out of their mother’s womb, till the day that they return to the mother of all things. 2 Their imagination of things to come, and the day of death, trouble their thoughts, and cause fear of heart; 3 From him that sits on a throne of glory, unto him that is humbled in earth and ashes; 4 From him that wears purple and a crown, unto him that is clothed with a linen frock. 5 Wrath, and envy, trouble, and unquietness, fear of death, and anger, and strife, and in the time of rest upon his bed his night sleep, do change his knowledge. 6 A little or nothing is his rest, and afterward he is in his sleep, as in a day of keeping watch, troubled in the vision of his heart, as if he were escaped out of a battle. 7 When all is safe, he awakes, and marvels that the fear was nothing.

8 Such things happen unto all flesh, both man and beast, and that is sevenfold more upon sinners. 9 Death, and bloodshed, strife, and sword, calamities, famine, tribulation, and the scourge; 10 These things are created for the wicked, and for their sakes came the flood. 11 All things that are of the earth shall turn to the earth again: and that which is of the waters does return into the sea.

12 All bribery and injustice shall be blotted out: but true dealing shall endure forever. 13 The goods of the unjust shall be dried up like a river, and shall vanish with noise, like a great thunder in rain. 14 While he opens his hand he shall rejoice: so shall transgressors come to naught. 15 The children of the ungodly shall not bring forth many branches: but are as unclean roots upon a hard rock. 16 The weed growing upon every water and bank of a river shall be pulled up before all grass. 17 Bountifulness is as a most fruitful garden, and mercifulness endures forever.

18 To labor, and to be content with that a man has, is a sweet life: but he that finds a treasure is above them both. 19 Children and the building of a city continue a man’s name: but a blameless wife is counted above them both. 20 Wine and music rejoice the heart: but the love of wisdom is above them both. 21 The pipe and the psaltery make sweet melody: but a pleasant tongue is above them both. 22 Thine eye desires favor and beauty: but more than both corn while it is green. 23 A friend and companion never meet amiss: but above both is a wife with her husband. 24 Brethren and help are against time of trouble: but alms shall deliver more than them both. 25 Gold and silver make the foot stand sure: but counsel is esteemed above them both. 26 Riches and strength lift up the heart: but the fear of the Lord is above them both: there is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needs not to seek help. 27 The fear of the Lord is a fruitful garden, and covers him above all glory.

28 My son, lead not a beggar’s life; for better it is to die than to beg. 29 The life of him that depends on another man’s table is not to be counted for a life; for he pollutes himself with other men’s meat: but a wise man well nurtured will beware thereof. 30 Begging is sweet in the mouth of the shameless: but in his belly there shall burn a fire.

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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 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

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