Ecclesiasticus 4
4
1My son, #Cp. ch. 34.22. See Lev. 19.13.deprive not the poor of his living,
And make not the needy eyes to wait long.
2Make not a hungry soul sorrowful;
Neither provoke a man in his distress.
3To a heart that is provoked add not more trouble;
And #Cp. Prov. 3.27,28.defer not to give to him that is in need.
4Reject not a suppliant in his affliction;
And #Tob. 4.7.turn not away thy face from a poor man.
5Turn not away thine eye from one that asketh of thee,
# Cp. Prov. 28.27. And give none occasion to a man to curse thee:
6For #Cp. Deut. 15.9.if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul,
# Cp. Job 34.28 & James 5.4. He that made him will hear his supplication.
7GET thyself the love of the congregation;
And to a great man bow thy head.
8Incline thine ear to a poor man,
And answer him with peaceable words in meekness.
9 #
Is. 1.17. Jer. 22.3. Deliver him that is wronged from the hand of him that wrongeth him;
And be not fainthearted in giving judgement.
10 # Cp. Job 29.16 & 31.18. & James 1.27. Be as a father unto the fatherless,
And instead of a husband unto their mother:
So shalt thou be as #Luke 6.35.a son of the Most High,
And he shall love thee #Cp. Is. 49.15.more than thy mother doth.
11 #
Prov. 4.8. Wisdom exalteth her sons,
# Cp. ch. 6.27. And taketh hold of them that seek her.
12 # Cp. Prov. 3.18. He that loveth her loveth life;
And #Prov. 8.17 (mg.). Cp. ch. 32.14.they that seek to her early shall be filled with gladness.
13He that holdeth her fast #Prov. 3.35.shall inherit glory;
And where #4.13 Or shehe entereth, the Lord will bless.
14They that do her service shall minister to the Holy One;
And them that love her the Lord doth love.
15He that giveth ear unto her #See Wis. 3.8.shall judge the nations;
And he that giveth heed unto her shall dwell securely.
16If he trust her, he shall inherit her;
And his generations shall have her in possession.
17 # Cp. Heb. 12.13. For at the first she will walk with him in crooked ways,
And will bring fear and dread upon him,
And torment him with her discipline,
Until she may trust his soul, and try him by her judgements:
18Then will she return again the straight way unto him,
# Cp. ch. 6.28. And will gladden him, and #ch. 14.21., Cp. Ps. 25.14.reveal to him her secrets.
19If he go astray, she will forsake him,
And give him over #4.19 Gr. to the hands of his fall.to his fall.
20 # ch. 27.12., Cp. Rom. 12.11 (mg.) & Eph. 5.16 (mg.) & Col. 4.5 (mg.). OBSERVE the opportunity, and beware of #4.20 Or an evil manevil;
And #Cp. ch. 41.16.be not ashamed concerning thy soul.
21For #Cp. ch. 20.22., See ch. 42.1-8.there is a shame that bringeth sin;
And #See ch. 41.17-24.there is a shame that is glory and grace.
22 # ch. 42.1. Cp. ver. 27. Accept not the person of any against thy soul;
And #4.22 Or be not abashedreverence no man unto thy falling.
23 # Cp. Lev. 19.17. Refrain not speech, #4.23 Gr. in an occasion of safety.when it tendeth to safety;
# 4.23 Most authorities omit this line. And hide not thy wisdom for the sake of fair-seeming.
24For by speech wisdom shall be known;
And instruction by the word of the tongue.
25Speak not against the truth;
And be abashed for thine ignorance.
26 #
Prov. 28.13. James 5.16. Cp. 1 John 1.8,9. Be not ashamed to make confession of thy sins;
And force not the current of the river.
27Lay not thyself down for a fool to tread upon;
And #Cp. ver. 22 & James 2.1,9 & Jude 16.accept not the person of one that is mighty.
28Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord God shall fight for thee.
29 # Cp. ch. 1.29 & 5.13 & Prov. 29.20 & James 1.19. Be not #4.29 Some authorities read rough.hasty in thy tongue,
And in thy deeds slack and remiss.
30Be not #Cp. Prov. 28.15.as a lion in thy house,
# Cp. Eph. 6.9. Nor fanciful among thy servants.
31 # Cp. Acts 20.35. Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and #4.31 Or drawn backclosed when thou shouldest repay.
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Ecclesiasticus 4: RV1895
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historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society