Ecclesiasticus 18

¹He that liveth for ever, created all things together. God only shall be justified, and remaineth an invincible King for ever.

²Who is sufficient to declare his works?

³For who shall search out his glorious things?

⁴and who shall shew forth the power of his greatness? Or who shall add to declare his mercy?

⁵It is not possible to diminish, nor add, neither is it possible to find the glorious works of God:

⁶When a man, shall have done, then shall he begin: and when he shall rest, he shall work.

⁷What is man: and what is his grace? And what is his good, or what his evil?

⁸The number of the days of men at the most an hundred years: as drops of the water of the sea they are reputed: and as the gravel stone of the sand, so a few years in the day of eternity.

⁹For this cause God is patient toward them, and poureth out his mercy upon them.

¹⁰He hath seen the presumption of their heart that it is naught, and hath known their subversion that it is evil.

¹¹Therefore hath he fulfilled his propitiation toward them, and hath shewed them the way of equity.

¹²Man's compassion is touching his neighbour: but the mercy of God is upon all flesh.

¹³He that hath mercy, teacheth and instructeth, as a pastor his flock.

¹⁴He hath mercy on him that receiveth the doctrine of compassion, and he that hasteneth in his judgements.

¹⁵Son in good deeds give no blame, & in every gift give not the sadness of an evil word.

¹⁶Shall not the dew cool heat? So also a word better than a gift.

¹⁷Is not a word above a good gift? But both are with a justified man.

¹⁸A fool will upbraid bitterly: and the gift of one untaught maketh the eyes to dry away.

¹⁹Before judgment prepare thee justice, and before thou speak learn.

²⁰Before sickness take medicine, and before judgement examine thyself, and in the sight of God thou shalt find propitiation.

²¹Before sickness humble thyself, and in time of infirmity shew thy conversation.

²²Be not hindered to pray always, & fear not to be justified even to death, because the reward of God abideth for ever.

²³Before prayer prepare thy soul: and be not as a man that tempteth God.

²⁴Remember the wrath in the day of consummation, and the time of reward in conversation of the face.

²⁵Remember poverty in the time of aboundance, & the necessities of poverty in the day of riches.

²⁶From morning unto evening time shall be changed, & all these are sown in the eyes of God.

²⁷A wise man in all things will fear, and in the days of offences will beware of sloth.

²⁸Every subtile man knoweth wisdom, and to him that findeth her he will give praise.

²⁹The wise in words, and they also have done wisely: and have understood truth and justice, and have rained proverbs & judgments.

³⁰Go not after thy concupiscences, and turn away from thy will.

³¹If thou give to thy soul her concupiscences, she will make thee a joy to thy enemies.

³²Be not delighted in multitudes, nor in few: for their concertation is continual.

³³Be not poor in contention of borrowing, and thou hast nothing in thy purse: for thou shalt be envious to thine own life.