#0
The wisdom of many great things has been revealed to us through the law, and the prophets, and the other books that followed these. Concerning these things, Israel ought to be praised, because of doctrine and wisdom. For it is necessary, not only for those who are speaking, but even for outsiders, to be skillful, both in speaking and in writing, so as to become very learned
My grandfather Jesus, after he gave himself fully to a diligent reading of the law, and the prophets, and the other books that were handed down to us by our ancestors, also wanted to write something himself, about the things that pertain to doctrine and wisdom, so that those who desire to learn and to become skillful in these things would be more and more attentive in mind, and would be strengthened to live according to the law
And so, I exhort you to approach with benevolence, and to perform the reading with attentive study, and to be forbearing in these things when we may seem, while pursuing the image of wisdom, to fall short in the composition of words
For the Hebrew words are deficient when they have been translated into another language.
And not only these words, but also the law itself, and the prophets, and the remainder of the books, have no small difference from when they have been spoken in their own language
For in the time of king Ptolemy Euergetes, in the thirty-eighth year after I had arrived in Egypt, after I had been there for a long time, I found, left behind there, books with a doctrine neither small nor contemptible
And so I considered it to be both good and necessary for me to apply some significant diligence and labor in order to translate this book
Then, after much attentiveness to doctrine over a length of time, I brought to a close the things being considered, so as to offer this book for those who are willing to apply their mind and to learn how they ought to conduct their way of life
for those who have decided to form their life in accord with the law of the Lord
#1
All wisdom is from the Lord God, and has always been with him, and is before all time
Who has numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of the rain, and the days of the world? Who has measured the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss
Who has examined the wisdom of God, which precedes all things
Wisdom was created before all things, and the understanding of prudence is before all time
The Word of God on high is the source of wisdom, whose steps are eternal commandments
To whom has the root of wisdom been revealed, and who has recognized her astuteness
To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed and made manifest? And who has understood the multiplicity of her steps
The most high omnipotent Creator is One, and he is the mighty King, and he is exceedingly to be feared, sitting upon his throne, and he is the sovereign God
He created wisdom through the Holy Spirit, and he saw her, and numbered her, and measured her
And he poured her over all his works, and over all flesh, to the extent of his favor, and he has offered her to those who love him
The fear of the Lord is glory, and honor, and rejoicing, and a crown of exultation
The fear of the Lord will delight the heart, and will give joy and gladness and length of days
It will be well, in the very end, for him who fears the Lord, and on the day that he passes away, he will be blessed
The love of God is honorable wisdom
And those to whom she will appear for their consideration love her because of what they see and know of her great works
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and was created with the faithful in the womb, and walks with elect women, and is known by the just and the faithful
The fear of the Lord is the sanctity of knowledge
Sanctity will guard and justify the heart, and will bestow happiness and joy
It will be well with him who fears the Lord, and at the consummation of his days, he will be blessed
To fear God is the fullness of wisdom, and it is a fullness from its fruits
She will fill her entire house from her offspring, and storehouses from her treasures
The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, the completion of peace, and the fruit of salvation
And the fear of the Lord has seen and numbered wisdom; but both are gifts of God
Wisdom will distribute knowledge and an understanding of prudence; and she lifts up the glory of those who hold to her
The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and its branches are long-lived
In the treasures of wisdom is understanding and the sanctity of knowledge. But to sinners, wisdom is an abomination
The fear of the Lord expels sin
For he who is without fear is not able to be justified. For the disposition of his spirit is his undoing
Those who are patient will suffer for a brief time, and afterwards, happiness will return
A noble mind will hide his words for a brief time, and then the lips of many will declare his understanding
Among the treasures of wisdom is the outward sign of discipline
But to those who sin, the worship of God is an abomination
Son, if you desire wisdom, observe justice, and then God will offer her to you
For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline.
And what pleases him is faith and meekness. And so shall he complete his treasures
You should not be incredulous to the fear of the Lord. And you should not draw close to him with a duplicitous heart
You should not be a hypocrite in the sight of men. And you should not scandalize with your lips
Attend to these things, otherwise you may fall and bring dishonor to your soul
And then God may uncover your secrets, and he may cast you down forcefully in the midst of the congregation
For you drew near to the Lord wickedly, and your heart was filled with deceit and falseness
#2
Son, when you apply yourself to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare your soul for temptation
Humble your heart, and persevere. Incline your ear, and accept words of understanding. And you should not hurry away in the time of distress
Endure steadfastly for God. Join yourself to God, and persevere, so that your life may increase in the very end
Accept everything that will happen to you, and persevere in your sorrow, and have patience in your humiliation
For gold and silver are tested in fire, yet truly, acceptable men are tested in the furnace of humiliation
Believe God, and he will restore you to health. And straighten your way, and hope in him. Observe his fear, and grow old in it
You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy. And do not turn away from him, lest you fall
You who fear the Lord, believe in him. And your reward will not be taken away
You who fear the Lord, hope in him. And mercy will approach you, to your delight
You who fear the Lord, love him. And your hearts will be illuminated
My sons, consider the nations of men, and know that not one of them hoped in the Lord and was confounded
For who has remained in his commandment and been abandoned? Or who has called upon him, and yet he despised him
For God is upright and merciful, and he will forgive sins in the day of tribulation. And he is the Protector to all those who seek him in truth
Woe to the duplicitous heart, and to the wicked lips, and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner who walks the earth by two ways
Woe to the dissolute in heart, who do not trust God! For, as a result, they will not be protected by him
Woe to those who have lost endurance, and who have abandoned upright ways, and who have turned aside to depraved ways
And what will they do when the Lord begins to examine them
Those who fear the Lord will not be unbelieving toward his Word. And those who love him will keep to his way
Those who fear the Lord will seek the things that are well-pleasing to him. And those who love him will be filled with his law
Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and they will sanctify their souls in his sight
Those who fear the Lord keep his commandments, and they will have patience even until his examination
saying: "If we do not do penance, then we will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.
For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with him
#3
The sons of wisdom are the Church of the just: and their generation is obedience and love
Sons, listen to the judgment of your father, and act accordingly, so that you may be saved
For God has honored the father in the sons, and, when seeking the judgment of the mother, he has confirmed it in the children
He who loves God will plead with him on behalf of sins, and will keep himself away from sin, and will be heeded in the prayers of his days
And, like one who stores up treasure, so also is he who honors his mother
He who honors his father will find happiness in his own children, and he will be heeded in the day of his prayer
He who honors his father will live a long life. And he who obeys his father will be a refreshment to his mother
He who fears the Lord honors his parents, and he will serve them as masters, for it is they who conceived him
In word and deed, and in all things, honor your father with patience
so that a blessing may come to you from him, and so that his blessing may remain to the very end
The blessing of the father strengthens the houses of the sons; but the curse of the mother uproots even its foundation
Do not boast in the disgrace of your father; for his shame is not your glory
For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a father without honor is a discredit to the son
Son, support your father in his old age, and do not grieve him in his life
And if his mind should fail, show kindness; and do not spurn him when you are in your strength. For almsgiving to the father will never be forgotten
For even in return for the sin of the mother, good will be repaid to you
And you will be built up in justice, and you will be remembered in the day of tribulation. And your sins will dissolve like ice in warm weather
What an evil form has he who forsakes his father! And whoever exasperates his mother is accursed by God
Son, perform your works in meekness, and you shall be loved beyond the glory of men
However great you may be, humble yourself in all things, and you will find grace in the presence of God
For only the power of God is great, and he is honored by the humble
You should not seek the things that are too high for you, and you should not examine the things that are beyond your ability. But as for the things that God has entrusted to you, consider these always. But you should not be curious in too many of his works
For it is not necessary for you to see with your own eyes the things that are hidden
In unnecessary matters, do not choose to be an examiner of many different things, and you should not be curious about too many of his works
For many things have been revealed to you, beyond the understanding of men
Yet uncertainty in these things has also undermined many persons and has detained their minds in vanity
A hardened heart will have evil in the very end, and he who loves peril will perish in it
A heart advancing in two directions will not have success, and the depraved heart will be scandalized in this way
A wicked heart will be burdened with sorrows, and a sinner will add further sins
The synagogue of the arrogant will not be healed. For the stalk of sinfulness will take root in them, and it will not be understood
The heart of the wise is understood by wisdom, and a good ear will listen to wisdom with all its desire
A wise and understanding heart will abstain from sins, and will have success in works of justice
Water extinguishes a burning fire, and almsgiving withstands sins
And God is the watchman for him who repays a kindness. He remembers him afterwards, and in the time of his fall, he will find a firm support
#4
Son, you should not cheat the poor out of alms, nor should you avert your eyes from a poor man
You should not despise the hungry soul, and you should not aggravate a poor man in his need
You should not afflict the heart of the needy, and you should not delay an offer to someone in anguish
You should not make requests of one who is greatly troubled, and you should not avert your face from the indigent
You should not avert your eyes from the needy out of anger. And you should not abandon those who seek help from you, so that they speak curses behind your back
For the pleadings of him who speaks curses of you, in the bitterness of his soul, will be heeded. For the One who made him will heed him
Make yourself a friend to the congregation of the poor, and humble your soul before an elder, and humble your head before the great
Turn your ear without sadness toward the poor, and repay your debt, and respond to him peacefully in meekness
Free him who suffers injury at the hand of the arrogant, and do not carry animosity in your soul
In judging, be merciful to the orphan, like a father, and be merciful to their mother, like a husband
And then you shall be like an obedient son of the Most High, and he will take pity on you more than a mother would
Wisdom breathes life into her sons, and she lifts up those who are seeking her, and she will precede them in the way of justice
And he who loves her loves life. And those who watch for her shall embrace her delights
Those who hold to her will inherit life. And whatever place she enters, God will bless
Those who serve her will yield to what is holy. And God loves those who love wisdom
He who listens to her shall judge the nations. And he who gazes upon her will remain secure
If he believes in her, he will inherit her, and whatever arises from him will be confirmed
For she walks with him through temptation, and she chooses him from the beginning
She will lead fear and dread and trials over him, and she will crucify him with the tribulation of her doctrine, until she has tested him in his thoughts and she can trust in his soul
And then she will strengthen him, and lead him along a straight path, and rejoice in him
And she will disclose her secrets to him, and she will store up treasure, of the knowledge and understanding of justice, in him
But if he has wandered astray, she will leave him behind, and she will deliver him into the hands of his enemy
Son, be continually observant, and keep away from evil
For the sake of your soul, you should not be ashamed to speak the truth
For there is a shame that brings sin, and there is a shame that brings glory and grace
You should not accept a face contrary to your own face, nor should you accept a lie contrary to your own soul
You should not enjoy the fall of your neighbor
Neither should you withhold words at an opportunity for salvation. You should not conceal your wisdom in her beauty
For wisdom is discerned within speech. And understanding and knowledge and doctrine are discerned in the words of those who understand and by their steadfastness in the works of justice
You should not contradict a word of truth in any way. Otherwise, by a falsehood born of ignorance, you will be confounded
You should not be ashamed to confess your sins, but do not subject yourself to any man because of sin
Do not choose to stand against the face of the powerful, for you should not strive against the current of the river
Suffer for justice, on behalf of your soul, and struggle, even unto death, on behalf of justice, and God will fight against your enemies on your behalf
Do not choose to be quick with your words, nor unproductive or neglectful in your works
Do not choose to be like a lion in your house, distressing those of your household, and oppressing those who are subject to you
Do not let your hand be open when receiving, but closed when giving
#5
Do not choose to seek iniquitous possessions, and you should not say: "I have all I need in life." For it will be of no benefit to you in the time of retribution and darkness
You should not pursue, in your strength, the desires of your heart
And you should not say: "How powerful am I?" or, "Who will cast me down because of my deeds?" For God will vindicate with vengeance
You should not say, "I sinned, and what grief has befallen me?" For the Most High is a patient recompensor
Do not be willing to be without fear concerning a forgiven sin, and you should not add sin upon sin
And you should not say: "The compassion of the Lord is great; he will take pity on the multitude of my sins.
For both mercy and wrath go forth quickly from him, and his wrath sets its gaze upon sinners
You should not delay being converted to the Lord, and you should not set it aside from day to day
For his wrath will approach suddenly, and in the time of vindication, he will destroy you
Do not choose to be anxious for unjust wealth. For these things will not benefit you in the day of darkness and retribution
You should not winnow in every wind, and you should not go forth into every path. For so is every sinner proven by his duplicitous tongue
Be steadfast in the way of the Lord and in the truth of your understanding and knowledge, and let words of peace and justice overtake you
Be meek when listening to a word, so that you may understand. And offer a true response in wisdom
If you understand, then answer your neighbor. But if you do not, then let your hand be over your mouth, so that you are not caught by an inept word, and then confounded
Honor and glory are in the words of those who understand, yet truly, the tongue of the imprudent man is his undoing
You should not be called a whisperer, and you should not be caught by your own tongue, and then confounded
For confusion and remorse is upon a thief, and a wicked mark is upon the double-tongued; but for the whisperer, there is hatred and animosity and disgrace
Justify the small and the great similarly
#6
Do not be willing to become an enemy instead of a friend to your neighbor. For an evil man will inherit reproach and disgrace, as will every sinner who is envious and double-tongued
You should not extol yourself, like a bull, in the thoughts of your soul, lest perhaps your strength may be cast down through foolishness
which would consume your leaves, and destroy your fruit, and leave you behind like a dry tree in the desert
For a wicked soul will destroy the one who has it. For it gladly provides enemies to him, and it will lead him to the fate of the impious
A sweet word multiplies friends and mitigates enemies. And thankful words abound in a good man
Allow many to be at peace with you, but allow one out of a thousand to be your counselor
If you would obtain a friend, test him before you accept him, and do not trust him readily
For there is a friend according to his own time, but he will not remain in the day of tribulation
And there is a friend who can be turned to animosity. And there is a friend who will reveal hatred and ridicule and insults
And there is a friend who is a companion at table, but he will not remain in a day of need
A friend, if he remains steadfast, will be to you as you are to yourself, and he will act with faithfulness among those of your household
If he humbles himself before you and hides himself from your face, you shall have a noble and harmonious friendship
Distance yourself from your enemies, and pay attention to your friends
A faithful friend is a strong shelter, and whoever has found one has found a treasure
Nothing is comparable to a faithful friend, and no weight of silver or gold is worth more than the goodness of his fidelity
A faithful friend is a medicine for life and immortality; and those who fear the Lord will find one
He who fears God will have a similar good friendship, because his friend will be like him
Son, from your youth receive instruction, and then you will find wisdom, even to your grey hairs
Approach wisdom like one who plows and sows, and then wait for her good fruits
For in doing her work, you will labor a little, but you will soon eat from her produce
How exceedingly harsh is wisdom to unlearned men! And so, the witless will not remain with her
She will be to them like a great stone of trial, and they will cast her away from them without delay
For the wisdom of doctrine is in accord with her name, and she is not manifest to many. But she continues with those by whom she is recognized, even in the sight of God
Listen, son, and accept an understanding counsel, for you should not discard my advice
Set your feet in her fetters and your neck in her chains
Incline your shoulder, and carry her, for you will not be grieved by her bindings
Approach her with all your soul, and serve her ways with all your strength
Examine her, and she will be revealed to you, and when you have obtained her, you should not abandon her
For, in the very end, you will find rest in her, and she will turn into your delight
Then her fetters will be a strong protection and a firm foundation for you, and her chains will be a robe of glory
For in her is the beauty of life, and her bindings are a healing bandage
You will be clothed with her as with a robe of glory, and you will set her upon your head like a crown of rejoicing
Son, if you heed me, you will learn. And if you adapt your mind, you will be wise
If you incline your ear, you will receive doctrine. And if you love to listen, you will be wise
Stand among the multitude of prudent elders, and join yourself to their wisdom from the heart, so that you may be able to hear every discourse about God, and so that the proverbs of praise may not flee from you
And if you see a man of understanding, stand watch for him, and let your feet wear down the steps of his doors
Set your thoughts on the precepts of God, and be entirely constant in his commandments. And he himself will give a heart to you, and the desire of wisdom will be given to you
#7
Do not choose to do evil, and evil will not take hold of you
Withdraw from the iniquitous, and evil will withdraw from you
Son, do not sow evil in the furrows of injustice, and you will not reap them sevenfold
Do not seek a role of leadership from the Lord, and do not seek a seat of honor from the king
You should not justify yourself before God, for he is the Knower of hearts. And by no means should you wish to seem wise before the king
Do not seek to become a judge, unless you have sufficient strength to shatter iniquities. Otherwise, you might fear the face of the powerful, and so establish a scandal within your integrity
You should not sin against the multitude of a city, nor should you cast yourself against the people
And you should not bind two sins together. For even in one sin, you will not go unpunished
Do not be cowardly in your soul
You should not be unwilling to beg, nor to give alms
You should not say: "God will look with favor on the multitude of my gifts, and when I make an offering to the most high God, he will accept my gift.
You should not ridicule a man in bitterness of soul. For there is One who humbles and who exalts: the all-seeing God
Do not love a lie against your brother, nor should you act the same toward your friend
Do not be willing to devise a lie of any kind. For the practice of lying is not good
Do not choose to be verbose among a multitude of elders, and you should not repeat the words of your prayers
You should not hate laborious works, nor the rustic life created by the Most High
You should not consider yourself to be among the multitude of the undisciplined
Remember wrath. For it will not be delayed
Humble your spirit greatly. For the retribution against the flesh of the impious is with fire and worms
Do not betray your friend for the sake of money, and you should not spurn your dearest brother for the sake of gold
Do not choose to depart from a good and understanding wife, whom you have been allotted in the fear of the Lord. For the grace of her modesty is above gold
You should not harm the servant whose works are honest, nor the hired hand who entrusts his life to you
Let an understanding servant be loved by you like your own soul. You should not cheat him out of freedom, nor abandon him to destitution
Are cattle yours? Tend to them. And if they are useful, let them remain with you
Are sons yours? Instruct them, and bow them down from their childhood
Are daughters yours? Watch over their bodies. And you should not display a light-hearted attitude toward them
Give your daughter in marriage, and give her to an understanding man, and you will be doing a great work
If a wife in accord with your soul is yours, you should not reject her. But do not entrust yourself to her who is hateful.
With your whole heart, honor your father. And you should not forget the complaints of your mother
Remember that you would not have been born except through them. And so, give back to them as they also have done for you
With all your soul, fear the Lord, and consider his priests to be holy
With all your strength, love him who made you, and you should not abandon his ministers
Honor God from your whole soul, and confer honor on the priests, and continue to purify yourself with your strength
Give them their portion, just as it has been commanded of you, from the first-fruits and from the purifications. And for your ignorant offenses, purify yourself with a smaller offering
You should offer to the Lord the gift of your strength, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first-fruits of what is holy
And reach out your hand to the poor, so that your atonement and your blessing may be perfected
A gift has grace in the sight of all the living, but you should not prohibit grace for the dead
You should not fail to console those who are weeping, nor to walk with those who are mourning
Do not let yourself be slow to visit the sick. For in this way, you will be confirmed in love
In all your works, remember your very end, and so you will not sin, unto eternity
#8
You should not quarrel with a powerful man, lest perhaps you may fall into his hands
You should not contend with a wealthy man, lest perhaps he may bring an action against you
For gold and silver have destroyed many, and have reached and corrupted even the hearts of kings
You should not quarrel with a man who is full of words, for you should not cast wood upon his fire
You should not confide in an ignorant man, lest he speak evil about your family
You should not despise a man who turns himself away from sin, nor reproach him with it. Remember that we are all subject to correction
You should not spurn a man in his old age. For we are all subject to growing old
Do not be willing to rejoice at the death of your enemy, knowing that we all die, and that we do not want others to rejoice over us
You should not despise the discourse of those who are old and wise; instead, ponder their proverbs
For from them, you will learn wisdom and intelligent doctrine, so as to serve great men without blame
Do not allow the discourse of your elders to pass you by. For they have learned from their fathers
And from them, you will learn understanding, and you will learn what response to give in a time of necessity
You should not kindle the coals of sinners by arguing with them. For you might be scorched by the flame from the fire of their sins
You should not stand against the face of a contemptuous person, otherwise he may sit down as if waiting in ambush against your words
You should not lend to a man who is stronger than you. But if you do lend, consider it lost
You should not promise beyond your ability. But if you do promise, consider how to fulfill it
You should not judge against a judge. For he judges according to what is just
You should not go forth on the way with an audacious man, lest perhaps he may burden you with his evils. For he goes forth according to his own will, and you will perish with him in his folly
You should not start a conflict with an angry man, and you should not go into the desert with an audacious man. For shedding blood is nothing to him, and in a place where there is no help for you, he will overthrow you
You should not hold counsel with the foolish. For they are not able to love anything except what pleases them
You should not take counsel in the sight of an outsider. For you do not know what he will do next
You should not reveal your heart to every man, lest perhaps he may offer a false kindness to you, and then speak reproachfully about you
#9
You should not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, lest she reveal, because of you, the malice of a wicked lesson
You should not give authority over your soul to a woman, lest she obtain your strength, and then you would be confounded
You should not look with favor on a woman with many desires, lest perhaps you may fall into her traps
You should not be continually in need of entertainment, nor should you be persuaded by it, lest perhaps you may perish by its effectiveness
You should not stare at a virgin, lest perhaps you may be scandalized by her beauty
You should not give your soul, in any way, to fornicators, lest you destroy yourself and your inheritance
Do not choose to look around in the streets of the city, nor should you wander along its thoroughfares
Avert your face from an ornate woman, for you should not gaze upon strange beauty
Many have perished because of the beauty of a woman; and by this, desire is kindled like a fire
Every woman who is a fornicator will be trampled down, like the filth in the street
Many, by admiring the beauty of the wife of another, have become reprobate. For familiarity with her flares up like a fire
You should not sit down at all with another man's wife, nor recline with her on a couch
And you should not argue with her over wine, lest perhaps your heart may turn toward her, and by your emotion, you would be toppled into perdition
You should not abandon an old friend. For a new one will not be similar to him
A new friend is like new wine. It will grow old, and then you will enjoy drinking it
You should not envy the glory and wealth of a sinner. For you do not know what may be his undoing in the future
The injury of the unjust should not please you, knowing that, until they are in hell, the impious will not please
Keep yourself far from a man having the power to kill, and then you will not have the fear of death suspended over you
But if you do approach him, do nothing to offend, lest perhaps he may take away your life
Know that this is a communion with death. For you would be entering the midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of the grieving
According to your ability, be cautious of your neighbor, and treat him as the wise and prudent would
Let just men be your companions, and let your glory be in the fear of God
And let the thought of God be in your mind, and let all your discourse be on the precepts of the Most High
Works will be praised for the hands of the artists, and a leader of the people will be praised for the wisdom of his words, yet truly, the word of the elders will be praised for its understanding
A man full of words is a dread to his city, but one who speaks rashly will be hated for his word
#10
A wise judge will judge his people, and the leadership of an understanding man will be steadfast
As the judge of the people is, so also are his assistants. And whatever kind of man the ruler of a city is, of such a kind also are those who live in it
A foolish king will be the ruin of his people. For cities will be inhabited through the understanding of those with power
Power over the earth is in the hand of God, and, in due time, he will raise up a helpful leader over the earth
The prosperity of a man is in the hand of God, and he will place his honor above the face of the scribe
You should forget all injury done to you by your neighbor, and you should do nothing among the works of injury
Arrogance is hateful in the sight of God and of men. And all iniquity among the nations is abominable
A kingdom is transferred from one people to another because of injustices, and injuries, and contempt, and every kind of deceit
But nothing is more wicked than a greedy man. Why should that which is earth and ashes be arrogant
There is nothing more iniquitous than to love money. For such a one has sold even his own soul. For in his life, he casts aside his innermost being
All power is of short life. A prolonged sickness is of grave concern to a physician
A physician causes a sickness to be shortened. So also, a king is here today, and tomorrow he will die
For when a man dies, he will inherit serpents, and wild beasts, and worms
The beginning of the arrogance of man is apostasy from God
For his heart has withdrawn from the One who made him. For arrogance is the beginning of all sin. Whoever holds to it, will be filled with evil words, and it will overthrow him in the end
Because of this, the Lord has dishonored the gatherings of the evil, and he has destroyed them, even unto the end
God has destroyed the seats of arrogant leaders, and he has caused the meek to be seated in their place
The roots of arrogant nations, God has dried up, and the humble among these nations, he has planted
The Lord has overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and he has utterly destroyed them, even to their foundation
He has dried up some of them, and he has utterly destroyed them, and he has caused their memory to depart from the earth
God has abolished the memory of the arrogant, and he has left behind only the memory of those who are humble in mind
Arrogance was not created for men, nor was an angry temperament created for the gender of women
Those who fear God among the offspring of men will be honored. But those among the offspring who ignore the commandments of the Lord will be dishonored
In the midst of his brothers, a ruler has honor. And those who fear the Lord will have honor in his eyes
The fear of God is the glory of the wealthy, and of the honorable, and of the poor
Do not choose to despise a just man who is poor, and do not choose to magnify a sinful man who is rich
The great man, and the judge, and the powerful have honor. But no one is greater than he who fears God
Those who are free will serve an understanding servant. And a prudent and disciplined man will not murmur at correction. But an ignorant man will not be honored
Do not choose to extol yourself in doing your work, and do not be unproductive during the time of distress
He who works, and so abounds in all things, is better than he who boasts, and so lacks bread
Son, preserve your soul in meekness, and give it honor according to its merit
Who will justify one who sins in his soul? And who will honor one who dishonors his soul
The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear. And there is a man who is honored because of his substance
But if someone is glorified in poverty, how much more in substance? And whoever is glorified in substance, let him fear poverty
#11
The wisdom of one who is humble will exalt his head, and will cause him to sit down in the midst of great men
You should not praise a man for his beauty, and you should not despise a man for his appearances
The bee is small among flying things, but its fruit holds the summit of sweetness
You should not glory in clothing at any time, and you should not let yourself be extolled in the day of your honor. For the works of the Most High alone are wondrous; and glorious and hidden and unseen are his works
Many tyrants have sat upon a throne, and one whom no one would admire has worn a diadem
Many powerful men have been powerfully cast down, and the illustrious have been handed over into the hands of others
Before you inquire, you should not place blame on anyone; and when you have inquired, reprove justly
Before you listen, you should not respond a word; and you should not interrupt in the middle of a discourse
You should not contend in a matter which does not concern you, and you should not sit in judgment together with sinners
Son, you should not be involved in many matters. And if you become rich, you will not be free from transgression. For if you pursue, you will not apprehend; and if you run ahead, you will not escape
There is an impious man who labors and hurries and grieves, but all the more will he be without abundance
There is a debilitated man in need of recovery, who is lacking in strength and abundant in poverty
Yet the eye of God has looked with favor upon him for his benefit, and he has lifted him up from his humiliation, and he has exalted his head. And many have wondered at him, and they have honored God
Good things and misfortune, life and death, poverty and wealth, are from God
Wisdom, and discipline, and knowledge of the law are with God. Love and the ways of good things are with him
Error and darkness have been created by sinners. And those who exult in evil, grow old in evil
The gift of God remains with the just man, and his advancement will have success unto eternity
There is one who is enriched by spending sparingly, and this is the extent of his reward
About this, he says: "I have found rest for myself, and now I alone will eat from my goods.
But he does not know how much time will pass before death approaches, and then he must leave everything behind to others and die
Stand fast in your covenant, and become familiar with it, and grow old in the work of your commandments
You should not spend time in the works of sinners. Instead, trust in God and remain in your own place
For it is easy, in the eyes of God, to make a pauper suddenly rich
The blessing of God hurries to reward the just man, and in a fleeting hour his advancement bears fruit
You should not say: "What do I need?" or, "What good will there be for me in this?
You should not say: "I have enough for myself," or, "What could be worse than this?
In a day of good things, you should not be forgetful of misfortunes. And in a day of misfortunes, you should not be forgetful of good things
For it is easy, in the sight of God, on the day of one's passing, to repay each one according to his ways
The affliction of an hour causes one to forget great delights, and in the end of a man is the uncovering of his works
You should not praise any man before death. For a man is known by his children
You should not bring every man into your house. For many are the snares of the deceitful
For as a stomach with a bad smell vomits, and as a partridge is led into a cage, and like a deer led into a snare, so also is the heart of the arrogant. And it is like a bystander watching his neighbor fall
For it lies in ambush, and then turns good into evil, and it will place the blame on the elect
From one spark, a great fire grows; and from one deceitful man, much blood flows. But a very sinful man lies in ambush for blood
Pay close attention to yourself before a harmful man, for he fabricates evils. Otherwise, he may lead over you a whispered reproach unceasingly
Receive a stranger to yourself, and he will overthrow you with a whirlwind, and he will alienate you from what is your very own
#12
If you do good, know to whom you do it, and there will be many thanks for your good deeds
Do good to the just, and you will find great recompense, and if not from him, certainly from the Lord
For there is no good for someone who is always occupied in evil, or who does not give alms. For the Most High holds hatred for sinners, but he takes pity on the repentant
Give to the merciful, and you should not assist the sinner. For the impious and the sinner will be repaid with the vengeance being held for them on the day of retribution
Give to the good, but you should not receive from a sinner
Do good to the humble, but you should not give to the impious; withhold your bread, do not give it to him, otherwise he may overpower you with it
For you will find twice the evil for all the good you will have done to him. For the Most High also holds hatred for sinners, and he will repay vengeance to the impious
A friend will not be known in good times, and an enemy will not be hidden in adversity
By the good fortune of a man, his enemies are grieved; and by his misfortune, a friend is revealed
You should never trust your enemy. For his wickedness rusts like a brass pot
And if he humbles himself and goes about bowed down, increase your alertness and guard yourself from him
You should not sit down anywhere near him, nor should you allow him to sit at your right hand, lest perhaps he may turn toward your place, and seek your seat, and then, in the very end, you would understand my words and be stung by my sermon
Who will take pity on an enchanter struck by a serpent, or on someone who draws near to wild beasts? And so it is with one who keeps company with an iniquitous man and is involved in his sins
For one hour, he will abide with you. But if you begin to turn aside, he will not permit it
An enemy speaks sweetly with his lips, but in his heart, he waits in ambush, so that he may throw you into a pit
An enemy has tears in his eyes. But if he finds an opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood
And if misfortunes happen upon you, you will find him there first
An enemy has tears in his eyes, but while pretending to help you, he will dig under your feet
He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his expression
#13
Whoever touches pitch will be contaminated by it. And whoever associates with the arrogant will be clothed by arrogance
Whoever associates with those more honorable than himself sets a burden on himself. And so, you should have no fellowship with someone who is wealthier than you
What will the cooking pot have in common with the earthen vessel? And when they collide with one another, one will be broken
The rich man has suffered no injustice, and yet he fumes. But the poor man, though he has been wounded, will remain silent
If you are generous, he will take you up; and when you have nothing, he will cast you aside
If you possess, he will feast with you, and he will empty you, and he will not grieve over you
If he has need of you, he will deceive you; and while smiling, he will give you hope. He will converse with you pleasantly, and he will say: "What is it that you need?
And he will impress you with his foods, until he has drained you two or three times, and in the very end, he will ridicule you. And afterward, when he sees you, he will abandon you, and he will shake his head at you
Humble yourself before God, and wait for his hands
Be careful. Otherwise, having been seduced into foolishness, you will be humiliated
Do not choose to be low in your wisdom, otherwise, having been brought low, you will be seduced into foolishness
If you are invited by someone who is more powerful than you, you should decline. Otherwise, he will invite you all the more
You cannot be rude to him, lest you be pushed away. And you cannot stray far from him, lest you be forgotten
You cannot hold a discussion with him as with an equal. You should not trust his many words. For by much talking, he will probe you, and while smiling, he will question you about your secrets
His cruel mind will store up your words; and he will not spare you from affliction, nor from prison
Be cautious of yourself, and attend diligently to what you are hearing. For you are walking toward your own destruction
Yet truly, while listening to these things, consider it as if it were a dream, and you will awaken
Love God for your entire life, and call upon him for your salvation
Every animal loves its own kind; so also every man loves those closest to himself
All flesh will join with whatever is similar to itself, and every man will associate with whomever is similar to himself
If a wolf would at any time have fellowship with a lamb, so also would a sinner have fellowship with the just
What fellowship does a holy man have with a dog? Or what portion do the wealthy have with the poor
In the desert, the wild donkey is the prey of the lion. So also are the poor the pasture of the rich
And just as humility is an abomination to the arrogant, so also does the rich man abhor the poor man
When a wealthy man has been shaken, he is strengthened by his friends. But when a lowly man has fallen, he is expelled even by those who know him well
When a rich man has been deceived, many will help him recover; he has spoken arrogantly, and yet they justify him
When a poor man has been deceived, in addition he is rebuked; he has spoken with understanding, and no place is given to him
The rich man has spoken, and all remain silent, and they repeat his words, even to the clouds
The poor man has spoken, and they say: "Who is this?" And if he stumbles, they will overthrow him
Substance is good for him who has no sin on his conscience. And poverty is called very wicked by the mouth of the impious
The heart of a man changes his face, either for better or for worse
You will find, with difficulty and much labor, the sign of a good heart and a good face
#14
Blessed is the man who has not slipped because of a word from his mouth, and who has not been stung by grief because of an offense
Happy is he who does not have sadness in his mind, and who has not fallen away from his hope
Substance is senseless for a greedy and stingy man. And what would a spiteful man do with gold
Whoever acquires unjustly, according to his own mind, gathers for others. For another will spend his goods lavishly
Whoever is wicked to himself, to whom will he be good? For he will not take enjoyment in his own goods
Whoever has ill will toward himself, nothing is more worthless than he is. But such is the reward of his wickedness
And if he does good, he does it ignorantly and unwillingly. And in the very end, he realizes his own malice
The eye of the spiteful man is wicked, and he averts his face and despises his own soul
The eye of the greedy man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity. He will not be satisfied until he has consumed his own soul, withering it away
An evil eye is directed at evil things. And he will not be satisfied by bread; instead, he will be needy and grieving at his own table
Son, if you have anything, do good to yourself, and offer worthy oblations to God
Remember that death has not been delayed, and that the covenant of the grave has been revealed to you. For the covenant of this world will pass away in death
Do good to your friend before you die. And according to your ability, extend your hand and give to the poor
Do not cheat yourself out of a good day, and do not let the smallest good gift pass you by
Should you not leave it to others to divide your sorrows and labors by lot
Give, and receive, and justify your soul
Before your passing, accomplish justice. For in death, there is no food to be found
All flesh grows old like the grass, and like the foliage that springs forth from a green tree
Some spring up, and others fall away. Such is the generation of flesh and blood. One is finished, and another is born
Every corruptible work will fail in the end. And its worker will go with it
But every excellent work will be justified. And whoever worked it will be honored by it
Blessed is the man who will abide in wisdom, and who will meditate on her righteousness, and who, in his mind, will consider the circumspection of God
He considers her ways in his heart, and he finds understanding in her secrets. He goes after her like an investigator, and he is constant in her ways
He gazes through her windows, and he listens at her door
He rests next to her house, and, fastening a peg in her walls, he sets up his cottage by her hands. And so, good things will find rest in his cottage as time passes
He will station his sons under her covering, and he will abide under her branches
He will be protected by her covering from the heat, and he will rest in her glory
#15
Whoever fears God will do good. And whoever holds to justice will obtain it
And like an honorable mother, she will meet him, and like a virgin bride, she will receive him
She will feed him with the bread of life and understanding. And she will give him to drink from the water of salvific wisdom. And she will be confirmed in him, and he will not waver
And she will hold to him, and he will not be confounded. And she will exalt him, along with those closest to him
And in the midst of the Church, she will open his mouth, and she will fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and she will clothe him with a robe of glory
She will store up in him a treasure of rejoicing and exultation, and she will cause him to inherit an everlasting name
But foolish men will not take hold of her. And though understanding men will meet her, foolish men will not catch sight of her. For she is far from arrogance and deceit
Lying men will be wary of her. But men who speak the truth will be found with her, and they will have success, even when examined by God
Praise is not beautiful in the mouth of a sinner
For wisdom was sent from God. And praise will stand before the wisdom of God, and praise will abound in the mouths of the faithful, and the sovereign Lord will give praise to wisdom
You should not say: "It is because of God that wisdom is absent." For you should not do what he detests
You should not say: "He has led me astray." For the impious are of no use to him
The Lord hates all abominable error, and those who fear him will not love such things
God established man from the beginning, and he left him in the hand of his own counsel
He added his commandments and precepts
If you choose to keep the commandments, and if, having chosen them, you fulfill them with perpetual fidelity, they will preserve you
He has set water and fire before you. Extend your hand to whichever one you would choose
Before man is life and death, good and evil. Whichever one he chooses will be given to him
For the wisdom of God is manifold. And he is strong in power, seeing all things without ceasing
The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, and he knows each one of the works of man
He has commanded no one to act impiously, and he has given no one permission to sin
For he does not desire a multitude of unfaithful and useless sons
#16
You should not rejoice in impious children, if they are successful; nor should you take delight in them, if the fear of God is not in them
You should not approve of their life, nor should you look with favor on their labors
For one child who fears God is better than one thousand impious children
And it is better to die without children, than to leave behind impious children
By means of one person with understanding, a country will be inhabited. The tribe of the impious will become desolate
Many such things my eyes have seen, and greater things than these my ear has heard
In the synagogue of sinners, a fire will blaze forth; and amid an unbelieving people, wrath will flare up
The giants of antiquity did not obtain pardon for their sins; they were destroyed by trusting in their own abilities
And he did not spare the place of Lot's sojourn, and he abhorred them because of the arrogance of their words
He did not take pity on them, destroying an entire people, who even extolled themselves concerning their sins
And this was so with six hundred thousand men, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts. And if  even a single obstinate person had escaped unpunished, it would be a wonder
For mercy and wrath are with him. He is powerful in forgiveness, and he pours forth wrath
As is his mercy, so also is his correction; he judges a man according to his works
The sinner, in his violations, will not escape; but the patience of the One who shows mercy will not be diminished
Every mercy will make a place for each man, according to the merit of his works, and according to the understanding of his sojourn
You should not say: "I am hidden from God," or, "Who, from on high, will take note of me?
or, "Among a great number of people, I will not be noticed. For what is my soul amid such an immense creation?
Behold: the heavens, and the heaven of the heavens, the abyss, and the entire earth, and the things that are within these, will be shaken by his gaze
together with mountains and hills, and the foundations of the earth. When God casts his gaze upon them, they will be struck with trembling
And concerning all these things, the heart is without understanding; but every heart is understood by him
And who will understand his ways, or the tempest, which no eye of man will see
For many of his works are concealed. But who will announce the works of his justice? Or who will endure them? For the testament is far from some persons, and the examination of each thing is in its end
Whoever diminishes the heart, thinks empty thoughts. For the imprudent and erring man thinks up foolishness
Listen to me, son, and learn the discipline of understanding, and attend to my words in your heart
And I will speak with equity about discipline, and I will strive to announce wisdom. So attend to my words in your heart, and I will speak with equity of spirit, about the virtues that God has set within his works from the beginning, and I will announce his knowledge in truth
With the judgment of God, his works have been done from the beginning; and from their institution, he himself distinguished their parts and set their beginnings, in their kinds
He has beautified their works unto eternity. They have neither hungered, nor labored, and they have not ceased from their works
Neither will any one of them cause anguish to his neighbor, forever
You should not be incredulous at his word
Afterward, God looked with favor upon the earth, and he filled it with his goodness
The soul of every living thing brought word from before his face, and their return again is to him
#17
God created man from the earth, and he made him according to his own image
And he returned him again to it, and he clothed him with virtue according to himself
He gave him the number and time of his days, and he gave him authority over all the things that are upon the earth
He placed the fear of him over all flesh, and he had dominion over wild beasts and flying things
He created from him a helper, similar to himself. He gave them counsel, and language, and sight, and hearing, and a heart, in order to think. And he filled them with the discipline of understanding
He created within them the knowledge of the spirit. He filled their heart with understanding, and he showed them both good and evil
He set his eye upon their hearts, to reveal to them the greatness of his works
so that they might highly praise the name of sanctification, and give glory to his wonders, so that they might declare the greatness of his works
In addition, he gave them discipline and the law of life, as their inheritance
He established an eternal covenant with them, and he revealed to them his justice and judgments
And their eye saw the greatness of his honor, and their ears heard the honor of his voice, and he said to them: "Beware of all iniquity.
And he commanded each one concerning his neighbor
Their ways are always in his sight; they are not hidden from his eyes
Over each and every people, he has appointed a ruler
And Israel was made to be the manifest portion of God
And in the sight of God, all their works are like the sun. And his eyes, without ceasing, inspect their ways
The covenants are not hidden by their iniquity, and all their iniquities are in the sight of God
The almsgiving of a man is like a seal upon him, which will guard the grace of a man like the pupil of an eye
And afterward, it will rise up and repay them their reward, each one upon his head, and it will return to the hidden places of the earth
Now, to the repentant, he has given the way of justice, and he has strengthened those lacking in patience, and he has fastened them to a destiny of truth
Convert to the Lord, and relinquish your sins
Make supplication before the face of the Lord, and diminish your offenses
Return to the Lord, and turn away from your injustice, and have immense hatred for abomination
And acknowledge the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the circumstances set before you and in prayer to the most high God
Go to the side of the holy generation, to those who live in order to give praise to God
You should not linger in the error of the impious; confess before death. Confession perishes from the dead as if it were nothing
Confess while living; you should give thanks while you are still alive and healthy. And you should praise God and glory in his compassion
How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness, for those who convert to him
For not all things can be in men, because the son of man is not immortal, and because they are pleased by the emptiness of malice
What is brighter than the sun? Yet this will fail. Or what is more wicked than that which flesh and blood has invented? And this will be reproved
He beholds the power of the heights of heaven. And all men are earth and ashes
#18
The One who dwells in eternity created all things together. God alone will be justified, and he remains an invincible King for eternity
Who is able to declare his works
For who can examine his greatness
And who will announce the power of his magnitude? Or who would be able to describe his mercy
There is no diminishing, and no increasing, and there is no discovering, the greatness of God
When man has reached the end, then he will begin. And when he ceases, he will be in need
What is man, and what is his grace? And what is his good, or what is his evil
The number of the days of men are as many as one hundred years. Like a drop of water in the ocean, so they are considered to be. And like a grain of sand on the shore, so do these few years compare to the days of all time
For this reason, God is patient with them, and he pours forth his mercy upon them
He has seen that the presumption of their heart is evil, and he knows that their rebelliousness is wicked
Therefore, he has bestowed his forgiveness on them, and he has revealed to them the way of equity
The compassion of man is toward those closest to him. But the mercy of God is upon all flesh
He is merciful, and he teaches and corrects, like a shepherd with his flock
He takes pity on those who accept the doctrine of compassion, and he applies his judgments promptly
Son, in your good works, you should not complain, and in giving anything, you should not cause grief with evil words
Is heat not refreshed by the dew? So also is a good word better than a gift
Behold, is a word not greater than a gift? But both are with a justified man
The foolish place blame sharply. And a gift from the undisciplined causes the eyes to fail
Before you judge, put justice in order within yourself, and before you speak, learn
Before you become sick, obtain medicine. And before you judge, examine yourself. And then you will find forgiveness in the sight of God
Before you become weak, humble yourself; and in a time of infirmity, show your way of life
Let nothing impede you from praying always. And then you will not dread to be justified, even unto death. For the reward of God dwells in eternity
Before you pray, prepare your soul. And do not choose to be like a man who tempts God
Remember the wrath that will be on the day of consummation, and remember the time of retribution, when he will turn away his face
Remember poverty in a time of abundance, and remember the deficiency of poverty in a day of riches
From morning until evening, the time will be changed, and all these are swift in the eyes of God
A wise man will be cautious in all things, and during a time of many offenses, he will be attentive against inaction
Anyone who is astute recognizes wisdom, and he will acknowledge anyone who finds it
Those who show understanding with words also have acted wisely themselves, and they have understood truth and justice, and they have fulfilled proverbs and judgments
You should not go after your desires; instead, turn away from your own will
If you offer your desires to your soul, this will cause you to become a joy to your enemies
Take no delight in disorderly gatherings, whether large or small. For their commission of offenses is unceasing
You should not be reduced by the contention of borrowing, even if there is nothing in your purse. For you would be contending against your own life
#19
An inebriated worker will not be wealthy. And whoever despises littleness will fall a little at a time
Wine and women cause wise men to fall away, and then they will complain against those who understand
And whoever joins himself to fornicators will become wicked. Decay and worms will inherit him, and he will be denounced as the greater example, and his soul will be deducted from the number
Whoever is quick to believe has a trivial heart and will be diminished. And whoever offends against his own soul will have even less
Whoever rejoices in iniquity will be condemned. And whoever hates correction will have less in life. But whoever hates excessive talk extinguishes evil
Whoever sins against his own soul will be punished. And whoever rejoices in malice will be condemned
You should not repeat a wicked and harsh word, and then you will not be diminished
Do not reveal your mind to friend or foe. And if there is a sin within you, do not disclose it
For he will listen to you and watch you, and while pretending to defend your sin, he will despise you, and so he will be whenever he is with you
Have you heard a word against your neighbor? Let it die within you, trusting that it will not burst forth from you
Before the face of a word, a foolish man labors, like a woman groaning as she gives birth to a child
Like an arrow fixed in the flesh of the thigh, so is a word in the heart of a foolish man
Correct a friend, though perhaps there was a misunderstanding, and he may say, "I did not do it." Or, if he did do it, correct him, so that he may not do it again
Correct your neighbor, for perhaps he did not say it. But if he did say it, correct him, so that he may not say it again
Correct your friend. For often a fault has been committed
And do not believe every word. There is one who slips with his word, but not with his heart
For who is there who has not offended with his words? Correct your neighbor before you reprimand him
And make a place for the fear of the Most High. For all wisdom is fear of God, and it is wise to fear God, and in all wisdom is the orderly disposition of the law
But the discipline of wickedness is not wisdom. And there is no prudence in the thoughts of sinners
There is a wickedness, and in it there is abomination. And there is a foolish man who has been diminished in wisdom
Better is a man who has been diminished in wisdom because his mind is failing, but with the fear of God, than he who abounds in intelligence, but with transgression against the law of the Most High
There is a certain cleverness, and it is unjust
And there is one who utters a careful word, explaining away the truth. There is one who humbles himself wickedly, for his interior is filled with deceit
And there is one who lowers himself excessively with a great debasement. And there is one who inclines his face downward, and pretends as if he did not see what has not been made known
And if he is prevented from sinning by a lack of ability, and then finds an opportunity for evildoing, he will do evil
A man is recognized by his appearances. But when you meet an understanding man, he is recognized by his face
The clothing of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the walk of a man, give a report about him
There is a lying correction in the anger of a contemptuous man. And there is a judgment which does not prove to be good. But there is one who is silent, and the same is prudent
#20
How much better is it to reprove, than to become angry, so as not to hinder him who may confess in prayer
The lust of an eunuch will deflower a young maiden
similar is he who by violence gives an iniquitous judgment
How good it is, when you are corrected, to show contrition! For in this way, you will escape deliberate sin
There is one who, by remaining silent, is found to be wise. And there is another who is hateful and who provokes by speaking out
There is one who, not having the understanding to speak, remains silent. And there is another who remains silent, knowing the proper time
A wise man will remain silent until the proper time. But an unrestrained and imprudent person will not heed the times
Whoever uses many words will wound his own soul. And whoever unjustly takes authority upon himself will be hated
There is advancement in evil for an undisciplined man, and there is a plan which turns to his detriment
There is a gift which is not helpful, and there is a gift, the repayment for which is double
There is a loss for the sake of boasting, and there is one who will lift up his head from lowliness
There is one who buys much for a small price, and who pays it back sevenfold
Anyone wise in words makes himself loved. But the graces of the foolish will be poured away
A gift from the unwise will not benefit you. For his gaze is divided, sevenfold
He will give little, and reproach much. And the opening of his mouth is like a burning flame
There is one who lends today and demands repayment tomorrow. A man such as this is hateful
A foolish man will not have a friend, and there will be no thanks for his good deeds
For those who eat his bread have a false tongue. How often and how many are those who will ridicule him
For what he possesses, he does not distribute with correct understanding. And he acts similarly with what he does not possess
The slip of a false tongue is like someone who falls upon pavement. Such a fall for the wicked will arrive quickly
A disagreeable man is like a pointless fable; it will be continually in the mouth of the undisciplined
A parable from the mouth of a fool will be rejected. For he does not speak it at the proper time
There is one who is prevented from sinning by poverty, and in his rest, he will be vexed
There is one who will lose his own soul because of pretense, and he will lose it by an example of imprudence. For by seeking the approval of another, he will destroy himself
There is one who, for the sake of what others think, makes a promise to a friend, and so he gains him as an enemy for no reason
A lie is a wicked disgrace to a man, and yet lies will be continually in the mouths of those without discipline
A thief is better than a man who constantly lies. But both of them will inherit perdition
The habits of lying men are without honor. And their shame is with them without ceasing
A wise man will benefit himself by his own words, and a prudent man will please the powerful
Whoever works his land will raise high a stockpile of grain. And whoever works justice will himself be raised high. Yet truly, whoever pleases the  powerful will escape unfair treatment
Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and silence their mouths, turning them aside from their task of correction
Wisdom hidden, and treasure unseen: of what use is either of these
He who hides his foolishness is better than a man who conceals his wisdom
#21
Son, have you sinned? You should not add further sins. Then too, for your former sins, pray so that they may be forgiven you
Flee from sins, as if from the face of a serpent. For if you approach them, they will take hold of you
Their teeth are like the teeth of a lion, bringing death to the souls of men
All iniquity is like a two-edged spear; there is no healing in its wound
Reproach and injury will make resources useless. And a house that is exceedingly wealthy will become powerless through pride. In this way, the resources of the arrogant will be eradicated
Supplications from the mouth of the pauper will reach all the way to the ears of God, and judgment will come to him quickly
Whoever hates correction is walking in the steps of a sinner. But whoever fears God will convert within his heart
He who has power by means of a bold tongue will be known from far away. But an understanding man knows to slip past him
Whoever builds his house, paid for by another, is like one who gathers his building stones in winter
The synagogue of sinners is like stubble piled up; for the end of them both is a burning fire
The way of sinners is paved and level, and at their end is hell and darkness and punishments
Whoever observes justice will obtain an understanding of it
The consummation of the fear of God is wisdom and understanding
One who is not wise in goodness will not accept instruction
Now there is a wisdom which abounds in evil. But there is no understanding where there is bitterness
The knowledge of the wise will increase like a flood, and his counsel will continue like a fountain of life
The heart of the foolish is like a broken vessel, for it will not hold any wisdom
A knowledgeable man will praise any wise word he hears, and he will apply it to himself. The self-indulgent man has heard it, and it displeases him, and so he casts it behind his back
The talk of the foolish is like a burden on a journey. But in the lips of the understanding, grace will be found
The mouth of the prudent is sought in the Church, and they will consider his words in their hearts
Like a house which has been demolished, so is wisdom to the foolish. And the knowledge of the unwise is like meaningless words
Doctrine to the senseless is like fetters on the feet, and like chains on the right hand
A foolish man lifts up his voice in laughter. But a wise man will not even laugh quietly to himself
Doctrine is to the prudent like a gold ornament, and like an armband on the right arm
The feet of the foolish step easily into his neighbor's house. But an experienced man will be apprehensive in the presence of the powerful
A senseless man will gaze through a window into the house. But a man who has been well-taught will stand outside
It is foolish for a man to listen through the door. And a prudent man will be grieved at this disgrace
The lips of the imprudent will describe senseless things. But the words of the prudent will be weighed on a balance
The hearts of the foolish are in their mouths. But the mouths of the wise are with their hearts
Whenever the impious curse the devil, they curse their own soul
Those who whisper accusations defile their own souls, and they will be hated by all. And whoever abides with them will be hateful. The silent and understanding man will be honored
#22
The lazy man is pelted with a dirty stone, and all will speak about his rejection
The lazy man is pelted with the dung of oxen, and all who touch him will brush off their hands
An undisciplined son is the shame of his father, but an undisciplined daughter will be to his degradation
A prudent daughter brings an inheritance to her husband. But she who causes shame will be a disgrace to him who conceived her
She who is bold shames her father and her husband, and she will not be less offensive to the impious. For she will be held in dishonor by both
An untimely explanation is like music in a time of mourning. But the sharp correction and doctrine of wisdom are ever timely
Whoever teaches the foolish is like someone who glues together a broken pot
Whoever explains a word to one who is not listening is like someone who suddenly awakens a sleeping person from a deep sleep
Whoever explains wisdom to the senseless is like one speaking to a sleeping person. And at the end of the explanation, he says: "Who is this?
Weep over the dead, for his light has failed. And weep over the foolish, for his understanding has failed
Weep only a little over the dead, for he is at rest
But the wicked life of a wicked fool is worse than death
The mourning for the dead is seven days; but for the foolish and the impious, it is all the days of their life
You should not talk at length with the foolish, and you should not go with the senseless
Keep yourself from him, so that you may not have problems, and so that you will not be polluted by his sin
Turn away from him, and you will find rest, and you will not be discouraged by his foolishness
What is heavier than lead? And what else can he be called but foolish
Sand, and salt, and an iron weight are each easier to bear than an imprudent man, who is both foolish and impious
A bundle of wood strapped together in the foundation of a building will not be loosened. And similar is the heart that has been strengthened by thoughtful counsel
The thoughts of one who is understanding will not be corrupted by fear in any situation
Just as chaff in a high place, or a wall made of mortar without stones set within, will not continue against the face of the wind
so also a timid heart, and the thoughts of the senseless, will not withstand the forcefulness of fear
Despite a cowardly heart, the thoughts of the foolish will not fear any situation; yet neither will one who continues always in the precepts of God
He who jabs an eye produces tears. And he who jabs the heart produces understanding
He who throws a stone at birds will drive them away. So also, he who accuses his friend dissolves the friendship
But if you have drawn a sword against a friend, you should not despair; for there may be a way back.
If you have opened a harsh mouth against a friend, you should not fear; for there may be a reconciliation. However, if there are accusations, or abuse, or arrogance, or the revealing of secrets, or a wound from deceitfulness, in all these cases, a friend will flee away
Hold to faithfulness with a friend in his poverty, so that you may also rejoice in his prosperity
In the time of his tribulation, remain faithful to him, so that you may also be an heir with him in his inheritance
Just as the steam from an oven, or the smoke from a fire, rises up before a flame, so also do curses and insults and threats rise up before bloodshed
I shall not be ashamed to greet a friend, nor shall I hide myself from his face. And if misfortunes befall me because of him, I will endure
Anyone who hears of this will be wary around him
Who will provide a keeper for my mouth, and a reliable seal over my lips, so that I may not fall because of them, and so that my tongue does not destroy me
#23
Lord, Father and Ruler of my life: may you not abandon me to their counsel, nor permit me to fall by them
They would impose scourges over my thoughts and over the discipline of wisdom in my heart. And they would not spare me from their ignorances, nor would they allow their own offenses to become apparent
And they intend that my ignorances would increase, and my offenses be multiplied, and my sins abound. And so I would fall in the sight of my adversaries, and be rejoiced over by my enemy
Lord, Father and God of my life: may you not abandon me to their plans
Do not leave me with the haughtiness of my eyes. And avert all desire from me
Take the desire of the body from me, and do not allow sexual desire to take hold of me, and do not permit an irreverent and senseless mind within me
O sons: listen to the doctrine of my mouth. For those who observe it will not perish by the lips, nor be scandalized into wicked works
A sinner is held by his own emptiness. And the arrogant and those who speak evil will be scandalized by these things
Do not allow your mouth to become accustomed to swearing oaths. For in this, there are many pitfalls
Truly, do not allow the naming of God to be continually in your mouth, and do not treat as if common the names of the holy ones. For you will not escape punishment by them
Just as a servant, continually interrogated, will not be without a bruise, so everyone who swears oaths and takes God's name will not be entirely free from sin
A man who swears many oaths will be filled with iniquity, and scourges will not depart from his house
And if he fails to fulfill it, his offense will be over him, and if he pretends he fulfilled it, he offends doubly
And if he swears an oath insincerely, he will not be justified. For his house will be filled with retribution for him
There is yet another kind of talk which faces death; let it not be found in the inheritance of Jacob
For all these things will be taken away from the merciful, and they shall not wallow in offenses
Do not allow your mouth to become accustomed to undisciplined speech. For in this, there is the sin of words
When you sit in the midst of great men, remember your father and mother
Otherwise, God may forget you, when you are in their sight, and then you would be repeatedly ridiculed and would suffer disgrace, and you might wish that you had never been born, and you might curse the day of your nativity
The man who is accustomed to disgraceful words will not accept instruction, all the days of his life
Two kinds of persons abound in sins, and a third adds wrath and perdition
A desirous soul is like a burning fire, it will not be quenched, until it devours something
And a man who is wicked in the desires of his flesh will not desist until he has kindled a fire
To a man of fornication, all bread is sweet; he will not tire of transgression, to the very end
Every man who transgresses his own bed has contempt for his own soul. And so he says: "Who can see me
Darkness surrounds me, and the walls enclose me, and no one catches sight of me. Whom should I fear? The Most High will not remember my offenses.
And he does not understand that God's eye sees all things. For fear within a man such as this drives away from him both the fear of God and the eyes of those men who fear God
And he does not acknowledge that the eyes of the Lord are much brighter than the sun, keeping watch over all the ways of men, even to the depths of the abyss, and gazing into the hearts of men, even to the most hidden parts
For all things, before they were created, were known to the Lord God. And even after their completion, he beholds all things
This man will be punished in the streets of the city, and he will be chased like a young horse. And in a place that he does not suspect, he will be captured
And because he did not understand the fear of the Lord, he will be in disgrace before all men,
as will be every woman, too, who abandons her husband and establishes an inheritance by marriage to another man
For first, she was unbelieving of the law of the Most High. Second, she offended against her husband. Third, she fornicated by adultery, and so established her children by another man
This woman will be led into the assembly, and she will be stared at by her children
Her children will not take root, and her branches will not produce fruit
She will leave behind her memory as a curse, and her infamy will not be wiped away
And those who are left behind will acknowledge that there is nothing better than the fear of God, and that there is nothing sweeter than to have respect for the commandments of the Lord
It is a great glory to follow the Lord. For length of days will be received from him
#24
Wisdom will praise her own mind, and she will be honored by God, and she will be glorified in the midst of her people
And she will open her mouth in the churches of the Most High, and she will be glorified in the sight of his virtue
And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly
And she will have praise within the multitude of the elect. And she will be blessed among the blessed. And she will say
"I went forth from the mouth of the Most High, as the first-born before all creatures
I caused an unfailing light to arise in the heavens. And I covered all the earth like a cloud
I lived in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloud
I alone have encompassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated to the depths of the abyss, and have walked upon the waves of the sea
and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people
and in every nation, I have held primacy
And by virtue, I have tread upon the hearts of all, the great and the lowly. And I have sought my rest in all of them. And I will continue, as the inheritance of the Lord
Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle
And he said to me: 'Let your dwelling place be with Jacob, and let your inheritance be in Israel, for you shall take root among my elect.
From the beginning, and before the world, I was created. And even unto the future world, I will not cease to exist. For I have ministered before him in the holy habitation
And in this way, I was established in Zion. And likewise, in the holy city, I found rest. And my authority was in Jerusalem
And I took root among an honorable people, within the portion of my God, within his inheritance. And so my abode is in the full assembly of the saints
I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion
I was exalted like a palm tree in Kadesh and like a rose bush in Jericho
I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road
I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh
And I perfumed my dwelling place with sweet gum, and aromatic resin, and flower petals, and aloe, as well as the finest cedar from Lebanon. And my fragrance is like undiluted balsam
I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace
Like the vine, I have born the fruit of a sweet fragrance. And my flowers are the fruit of honor and integrity
I am the mother of the beauty of love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope
All grace of the way and of the truth is in me. All hope of life and of virtue is in me
Journey toward me, all you who desire me, and be filled by my harvest
For my spirit is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance is better than honey and the honeycomb
My memory is for the generations of all ages
Whoever consumes me will hunger still. And whoever drinks me will thirst still
Whoever listens to me will not be confounded. And whoever acts in me will not sin
Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life.
All this is a book of life, and a covenant of the Most High, and an acknowledgement of truth
Moses commanded the law by the precepts of justice, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel
God appointed David as his servant, in order to raise up from him a most mighty King, who would sit upon the throne of honor forever
It is he who fulfills wisdom, like the Phison river and the Tigris river in the first days
It is he who fulfills understanding, like the  river Euphrates. It is he who multiplies understanding, like the river Jordan in the time of the harvest
He sends forth discipline like the light, and he stands forth like the river Gehon in the time of the vintage
He first had perfect knowledge of her, for a weaker one would not search for her
For her thoughts abound like the sea, and her counsels abound like the great abyss
"I, wisdom, have poured forth rivers
I am like a brook leading to a river of immense waters. I am like a channel flowing from a river. And I went forth from Paradise like an aqueduct
I said: I will irrigate my garden of plantings, and I will thoroughly water the fruits of my field
And behold, my brook became overflowing, and my river drew near to the sea
For I illuminate doctrine to all, like the first light. And I will announce doctrine, even to those who are far away
I will reach to all the lower parts of the earth, and I will gaze upon all who sleep, and I will illuminate all who hope in the Lord
Even now, I pour forth doctrine like prophecy. And even now, I bequeath doctrine to those who seek wisdom. And I will not cease from their progeny, even unto the holy time
See how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking truth!
#25
My spirit is pleased with three things; these are approved in the sight of God and men
the harmony of brothers, and the love of neighbors, and a husband and wife agreeing well together
My soul hates three kinds of things; and I am greatly distressed over their souls
an arrogant pauper, a wealthy liar, a foolish and senseless elder
The things that you have not obtained in your youth, how will you find them in your old age
How beautiful it is for a grey head to have judgment, and for elders to know counsel
How beautiful it is for those who are aged to have wisdom, and for those who are honored to have understanding and counsel
Great experience is the crown of the aged, and the fear of God is their glory
I have magnified nine things, overlooked by the heart; and a tenth, I will declare to men with my tongue
a man who finds joy in his children, and one who lives to see the undoing of his enemies
Blessed is he who lives with a wise wife, and he who has not slipped with his tongue, and he who has not served those unworthy of himself
Blessed is he who finds a true friend, and he who describes justice to an attentive ear
How great is he who finds wisdom and knowledge! But there is no one above him who fears the Lord
The fear of God has set itself above all things
Blessed is the man to whom it has been given to have the fear of God. He who holds to it, to whom can he be compared
The fear of God is the beginning of his love; and the beginning of faith has been joined closely to the same
The sadness of the heart is every wound. And the wickedness of a wife is every malice
And a man will choose any wound, but the wound of the heart
and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a wife
and any obstacle, but the obstacle of those who hate him
and any vindication, but the vindication of his enemies
There is no head worse than the head of a serpent
and there is no anger above the anger of a wife. It would be more agreeable to abide with a lion or a dragon, than to live with a wicked wife
A wicked wife changes her face. And she darkens her countenance like a bear. And she displays it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbors
her husband groans, and hearing of this, he sighs a little
All malice is brief compared to the malice of a wife. Let the fate of sinners fall upon her
As climbing over sand is to the feet of the aged, so is a talkative wife to a quiet man
You should not favor a woman's beauty, and you should not desire a wife for her beauty
The anger and disrespect and shame from a wife can be great
The wife, if she has primacy, is set against her husband
A wicked wife debases the heart, and saddens the face, and wounds the heart
A wife who does not make her husband happy enfeebles the hands and weakens the knees
The beginning of sin came from a woman; and through her, we all die
You should not provide an exit to your water, not even a little; nor should you give permission for a wicked wife to exceed the limit
If she will not walk at your hand, she will confound you in the sight of your enemies
Tear her away from your body, lest she abuse you continually
#26
Blessed is the husband of a good wife. For the number of his years is doubled
A good wife delights her husband, and she will fill up the years of his life with peace
A good wife is a good portion. She will be given the portion of those who fear God, like a man who has done good deeds
But, rich or poor, with a good heart, his countenance will be cheerful at all times
Of three things, my heart has been afraid, and at a fourth, my face has shown dread
an accusation made by a city, and the gathering of a mob
and a deceitful false accusation. All these are more grievous than death
A jealous wife is a grief and a mourning to the heart
In a jealous wife, there is a scourge of the tongue, which communicates with everyone
Like a yoke of oxen being provoked, so also is a wicked wife. He who has hold of her is like one who has taken hold of a scorpion
An inebriated wife is a great wrath. And her disgrace and indecency will not be covered
The fornication of a wife will become known by the haughtiness of her eyes and by her eyelids
So that her daughter will not also turn away, keep a strict watch; otherwise, having found an opportunity, she may enjoy herself
Be wary of the irreverence of her eyes, and you should not wonder if she might disregard you
Like a thirsty traveler, she will open her mouth to the fountain, and she will drink from every water nearby, and she will sit down beside every fencepost, and she will open her quiver to every arrow, until she becomes weary
The grace of an attentive wife will delight her husband, and will fatten his bones
Her discipline is a gift from God
Such is an understanding and quiet wife. For there is no substitution for a well-instructed soul
A holy and contrite wife is grace upon grace
And no amount of money is equal to the value of a soul with self-restraint
Like the sun rising over the world in the high places of God, so the beauty of a good wife is the adornment of her house
Like a lamp shining atop a holy lampstand, so is the beauty of a face in the mature stage of life
Like golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet of a mature wife upon the soles of her feet
Like everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so are the commandments of God in the heart of a holy wife
By two things, my heart is greatly saddened, and at a third, anger overwhelms me
a man of war failing because of dire need, and an understanding man treated with contempt
and anyone who crosses over from justice to sin. God has prepared such a one for the spear
Two kinds of things have seemed difficult and dangerous to me: a merchant will not be easily freed from his negligence, and a shopkeeper will not be justified by the sins of his lips
#27
Because of need, many have sinned. And whoever seeks to be enriched, averts his eye
Like a post fixed in the middle of adjoining stones, so also will sin become wedged between selling and buying
Sin will be crushed with the one who sins
If you do not hold yourself steadfastly to the fear of the Lord, your house will be quickly overthrown
Just as the dust remains when one shakes a sieve, so will the doubt of a man remain in his thoughts
The furnace tests the potter's vessels, and the trial of the tribulation tests just men
As the pruning of a tree reveals its fruit, so does a word reveal the thoughts in the heart of a man
You should not praise a man before he speaks; for such is the testing of men
If you pursue justice, you will obtain it. And you will be clothed with justice, as with a long robe of honor. And you will live with justice. And justice will protect you continually. And on the day of reckoning, you will find a strong foundation
Birds flock to their own kind. And truth will return to those who practice it
The lion lies in wait for its prey continually. So also do sins lie in wait for those who work iniquity
A holy man persists in wisdom like the sun. But a senseless man changes like the moon
In the midst of the senseless, retain a word for the proper time. But be continually in the midst those who are thoughtful
The discussions of sinners are hateful, and their laughter is a delight in sin
The speech that swears many oaths will cause the hair of the head to stand upright; and its irreverence will cause the ears to be blocked
The shedding of blood is in the quarrels of the arrogant; and their evil talk is grievous to hear
Whoever discloses the secret of a friend breaks faith; and he will not find a friend for his soul
Love your neighbor, and be united with him faithfully
But if you disclose his secrets, you should not continue to follow after him
For like a man who destroys his friend, so also is he who destroys the friendship of his neighbor
And like someone releasing a bird from his hand, so have you abandoned your neighbor, and you will not obtain him again
You should no longer seek him, for he is now far away; he has fled like a roe-deer from a snare. For his soul has been wounded
You will no longer be able to bind his wound. For there may be a reconciliation from cursing
But to disclose the secrets of a friend is the hopeless act of an unhappy soul
One who winks with the eye fabricates iniquity, and no one will cast him aside
In the sight of your eyes, he will sweeten his mouth, and he will admire your talk. But at the very end, he will pervert his mouth, and he will offer a scandal from your own words
I have hated many things, but I have not done as he has done, and the Lord will hate him
Whoever throws a stone straight up will find that it falls on his own head. And a deceitful wound will return to wound the deceitful
And whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever positions a stone against his neighbor will stumble over it. And whoever lays a trap for another will perish by it
Whoever sets in motion a wicked plan will find that it rolls back over him, and he will not know from which direction it will arrive
Mockery and derision are of the arrogant, and vengeance will lie in wait for them, like a lion
Whoever enjoys the fall of the just will perish in a snare, and grief will consume them before they die
Anger and fury are both abominable, and the sinful man will be held by them
#28
Whoever wishes for vengeance will find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely be attentive to his sins
Forgive your neighbor, if he has harmed you, and then your sins will be forgiven you when you pray
A man holds on to anger against another man, and does he then seek a remedy from God
He has no mercy on a man like himself, and does he then entreat for his own sins
He who is but flesh holds on to anger, and does he then request forgiveness from God? Who can obtain pardon for his sins in this way
Remember your very end, and let animosities cease
For corruption and death are suspended over his commandments
Remember the fear of God, and do not be angry with your neighbor
Remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook the ignorant offenses of your neighbor
Refrain from strife, and you will diminish your sins
For an ill-tempered man enflames conflict, and a sinful man troubles his friends, and he casts hostility into the midst of those who have peace
For the fire burns according to the wood of the forest. And the anger of a man burns according to the strength of the man. And according to his resources, he will exalt his anger
A hasty contention kindles a fire. And a hasty quarrel sheds blood. And an accusatory tongue brings death
If you blow on a spark, it will increase to a fire. But if you spit on it, it will be extinguished. Both of these proceed from the mouth
The double-tongued whisperer is accursed. For he has disturbed many who had peace
A third tongue has stirred up many, and has scattered them from nation to nation
It has destroyed the walled cities of the wealthy, and has undermined the houses of the great
It has cut down the virtues of the peoples, and has broken strong nations
A third tongue has cast down virtuous women, and has deprived them of their labors
Whoever favors it will not have rest, nor will he have a friend in whom he may find peace
The wound of a whip causes a bruise, but the wound of the tongue will crush the bones
Many have fallen by the mouth of the sword, but not as many as have perished by their own tongue
Blessed is he who is protected from a wicked tongue, who has not gone over to its wrath, and has not pulled its yoke, and has not been bound by its chains
For its yoke is a yoke of iron. And its chains are chains of brass
Its death is a most wicked death. And hell is more useful than it is
Its continuance will not be permanent, but it will take hold of the ways of the unjust. And the just will not be burned by its flame
Those who abandon God will fall by it, and it will burn within them and not be quenched. And it will be sent upon them, like a lion, and it will wound them, like a leopard
Hedge your ears with thorns. Do not be willing to listen to a wicked tongue. And make doors and bars for your mouth
Melt down your gold and your silver. And make a scale for your words, and an upright bridle for your mouth
And be attentive, lest perhaps you may slip with your tongue, and fall in the sight of your enemies, who are lying in wait for you, and then your fall may be incurable unto death
#29
He shows mercy who lends to his neighbor, for he keeps the commandments by strengthening him
Lend to your neighbor in his time of need, and receive it again from your neighbor in his time
Keep your word, and act faithfully with him, and then you will find whatever you need in every time
Many have treated a loan like found money, and they offered trouble to those who helped them
Until they receive, they kiss the hands of the giver, and they humble their voice in promises
But at the time of repayment, they will ask for more time, and they will speak annoying and complaining words, and they will make excuses for the time
Then, if he is able to repay, he will turn away. He will pay barely one half, and he will consider it as if he had found it
But if not, then he will defraud him of his money, and he will have him as an enemy without cause
And he will repay him with accusations and curses, and he will repay him with contempt, instead of with honor and kindness
Many have refused to lend, not because of wickedness, but because they were afraid to be defrauded without cause
Yet truly, be more steadfast toward the humble, and you should not delay in acts of mercy toward them
Assist the poor because of the commandment. And you should not send him away empty because of his dire need
Lose your money to your brother and your friend. For you should not hide it under a stone to be lost
Let your treasure be in the precepts of the Most High, and it will benefit you more than gold
Store your alms in the hearts of the poor, and it will obtain help for you against all evil
Better than the shield or the lance of a powerful man
it will fight for you against your enemy
A good man offers credit for the sake of his neighbor. But one who abandons him to himself will perish in shame
You should not forget the kindness of your benefactor. For he has offered his life on your behalf
The sinner and the unclean flee from such promises
A sinner attributes to himself the goods of his loan. And an ungrateful mind will abandon the one who has freed him
A man offers credit to his neighbor. But when he will have lost respect, he will abandon him
A wicked promise has destroyed many who had good intentions, and has tossed them like a wave on the ocean
It has caused powerful men to travel around, and they have wandered amid foreign nations
A sinner transgressing the commandment of the Lord will fall into a wicked promise. And he who undertakes many things will fall into judgment
Help your neighbor to recover according to your ability, but attend to yourself, lest you also fall
The primary need in a man's life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to protect modesty
A pauper's food under a roof of boards is better than a splendid feast on a sojourn away from home
Let yourself be pleased with little instead of much, and you will not hear the reproach of being away from home
It is a wicked life to go from house to house as a guest. For wherever he is a guest, he will not act confidently, nor open his mouth
He will entertain, and feed, and give drink to the ungrateful, and beyond this, he will listen to bitter words
"Go, my guest, and set the table, and let others eat from what you have in your hand.
"Depart from the honored face of my friends. For it has become necessary for my house to host my brother instead.
These things are grievous to a man having understanding: to take advantage of a household, and to reproach a lender
#30
He who loves his son will frequently chastise him, so that he may be happy in the very end, and not grope for the doors of his neighbors
He who instructs his son will be praised over him and will glory in him, in the midst of his household
He who teaches his son will make his enemy jealous, and in the midst of his friends, he will glory in him
When his father has died, it will be as if he were not dead. For he will have left behind someone who is like himself
In his life, he saw him and rejoiced in him. And at his passing, he was not sorrowful, nor was he confounded in the sight of his enemies
For he left behind himself a defender of his house against his enemies, and someone who will repay his friends with kindness
For the sake of the souls of his sons, he will bind up his wounds, and at every voice, his gut will be stirred up
An untamed horse becomes stubborn, and a child left to himself becomes headstrong
Coddle a son, and he will make you afraid. Play with him, and he will make you sorrowful
You should not laugh with him; otherwise you may have grief, and in the end, your teeth be clenched
You should not give him power in his youth, but you should not despise his thoughts
Bow down his neck in his youth, and slap his sides while he is a child, lest perhaps he may become stubborn, and then he will not trust you, and so he will bring sorrow to your soul
Instruct your son, and work with him, lest you give offense by his shameful behavior
Better is a healthy pauper with a strong constitution, than a wealthy man who is weak and afflicted by maladies
A healthy soul with the sanctity of justice is better than all the gold and silver. And a sound body is better than immense revenues
There is no revenue above the revenue of a healthy body. And there is no delight above a joyful heart
Death is better than a bitter life. And eternal rest is better than continual sickness
Good things hidden in a closed mouth are like seats at a feast placed around a grave
What benefit is there in an offering to an idol? For it can neither eat, nor smell
So is he who flees from the Lord, carrying the wages of his iniquity
He sees with his eyes and groans, like a eunuch who embraces a virgin and sighs
You should not give your soul to sadness, and you should not afflict yourself by your own counsel
The gladness of the heart is the life of a man, and it is a treasure of sanctity without defect. And the exultation of a man is length of life
Take pity on your own soul by pleasing God, and show self-restraint. Gather your heart into his sanctity, and drive sadness far away from yourself
For sadness has killed many, and there is no usefulness in it
Envy and anger will diminish your days, and pensiveness will bring old age before its time
A cheerful and good heart is like a feast. And its feasts are formed by diligence
#31
Watching for wealth consumes the flesh, and thinking about it takes away sleep
Anticipation in thought distracts the mind, and a grievous infirmity makes the soul sober
The rich man has labored in gathering wealth, and in his rest, he will be filled with his goods
The poor man has labored in his lowly way, and in the end, he may still be in need
Whoever loves gold will not be justified. And whoever pursues consumption will be consumed by it
Many have been caused to fall because of gold, and it became their ruin by its beauty
Gold is a stumbling block to those who sacrifice for it. Woe to those who pursue it eagerly, for all the imprudent will perish by it
Blessed is the rich man who is found to be without blemish. And blessed is he who has not gone after gold, nor placed his hope in money or treasures
Who is he? For we should praise him. For he has done wonderful things in his life
He has been tested by it, and has become perfect; he will have eternal glory. He was able to transgress, but he has not transgressed. He was able to do evil, but he has not done evil
Therefore, his good things are established in the Lord, and the entire Church of the saints will proclaim his almsgiving
Are you seated at a great table? You should not open your mouth over it first
You should not speak in this way: "There are many things that are upon it.
Remember that a wicked eye is evil
What has been made more wicked than the eye? Therefore, when it sees, it will shed tears over the entire face
You should not extend your hand first, for then, having been corrupted by envy, you would be ashamed
You should not press forward at a feast
Understand which things are your neighbor's and not your own
Make use of the things that are set before you, just as a frugal man would. Otherwise, if you eat much, you will be hated
Cease eating first, for the sake of discipline. And do not eat to excess, lest you offend
And if you sit in the midst of many, you should not extend your hand before they do, and you should not be the first to ask for a drink
How sufficient is a little wine for a well-taught man! For in sleep, you will not labor because of it, and you will not feel pain
Worry, and disease, and torment are with an intemperate man
A healthy sleep is with a temperate man. He will sleep until morning, and his soul will be delighted with him
And if you have been coaxed into eating too much, rise up, go outside, and vomit. And it will refresh you, and you will not bring sickness upon your body
Listen to me, son, for you should not spurn me. And in the very end, you will discover my words
In all your works, be prompt, and then no infirmity will befall you
The lips of many will bless the splendid in bread. For the testimony of his truthfulness is faithful
The city will murmur against the wicked in bread. For the testimony against his wickedness is true
Do not choose to provoke those who love wine. For wine has destroyed many
Fire tests the hardness of iron; similarly, drinking wine to inebriation will rebuke the hearts of the arrogant
Drinking wine in sobriety gives a contented life to men. If you drink it in moderation, you will be sober
What is life to him who is diminished by wine
What can cheat him of his life? Death
From the beginning, wine was created for cheerfulness, but not for inebriation
Wine taken in moderation lifts up the mind and the heart
Sober drinking is healthful to mind and body
Wine taken in excess stirs up conflict and anger, and brings many to ruin
Wine taken in excess is bitter to the soul
The effects of inebriation are a stumbling block to the imprudent, diminishing strength and causing wounds
You should not argue with your neighbor during a banquet of wine. And you should not spurn him in his cheerfulness
You should not speak words of reproach to him. And you should not press him with repeated requests
#32
Have they appointed you as a leader? Do not be willing to be extolled. Be among them as one of them
Have concern for them, and in this way sit down with them, and when you have explained all your concerns, sit back
Then you may rejoice because of them, and you may receive a crown as an adornment of grace, and so obtain the dignity of the assembly
Speak, you who are greater by birth. For it is fitting for yo
to speak the first word with careful knowledge. But you should not hinder the music
Where no one is listening, you should not pour out words. And do not choose to be extolled improperly for your wisdom
A gemstone of garnet is set amid an ornament of gold, and a concert of music is set amid a banquet of wine
Just as a signet of emerald is set amid a work of gold, so is a melody of music set amid delightful and moderate wine
Listen silently, and for your reverence, good graces will be added to you
Young man, speak in your own case only reluctantly
If you have been asked twice, let your response be concise
In many matters, be as if you lack knowledge, and listen silently as well as intently
In the midst of great men, you should not be presumptuous. And where the elders are present, you should not speak much
Lightning goes before a hailstorm, and grace goes before modesty. And so, for your reverence, good graces will be added to you
And at the hour for rising, you should not be lax. Later, be the first to run ahead to your house, and there withdraw, and there take your pastime
And act according to your intentions, but not in sin and not in arrogant speech
And for all these things, bless the Lord, who made you, and who fills you to overflowing with all his good things
Whoever fears the Lord will accept his doctrine. And whoever watches for him diligently will find a blessing
Whoever seeks the law will be filled from the law. But whoever acts with treachery will be scandalized by treachery
Those who fear the Lord will find just judgment, and they will kindle justice like a light
A sinful man will shun correction, and he will find a rationalization in accord with his own will
A man of counsel will not reject understanding. A strange and arrogant man will not be disturbed by fear
Even so, after he has acted out of fear and without counsel, he will be rebuked by his own criticism
Son, you should do nothing without counsel, and then you will not regret what you have done
You should not go into the way of ruin, and you then will not stumble on stones. You should not commit yourself to a laborious way; otherwise, you may set up a scandal against your own soul
And be cautious concerning your own sons. And be attentive to those of your own household
In all of your works, trust your soul to faith. For this is the keeping of the commandments
Whoever believes God attends to the commandments. And whoever trusts in him will not be diminished
#33
No evils will befall one who fears the Lord. Instead, God will preserve him during temptation and will free him from evils
A wise man does not hate the commandments and the justices, and so he will not be thrown about violently, like a ship in a storm
A man of understanding puts his faith in the law of God, and so the law is faithful to him
Whoever would resolve a dispute will prepare a word, and so, having prayed, he will be heard. And he will observe discipline, and then he will respond
The heart of a fool is like the wheel of a cart. And his thoughts are like a turning axel
A friend who is a whisperer is like an untamed horse: he neighs under anyone who sits upon him
Why does day follow after day, and light follow after light, and year follow after year, in accord with the sun
By the knowledge of the Lord, they were arranged, after the sun was made, in keeping with his command
And so, the seasons changed, with their feast days. And according to them, they celebrated the feast days, in their hour
Some of them, God exalted and magnified. And some of them, he set amid the ordinary days. And all men are from the ground, and from the earth, from which Adam was created
With a mulititude of disciplines, the Lord has distinguished them and diversified their ways
Some of them, he has blessed and exalted. And some of them he has sanctified and placed close to himself. And some of them, he has cursed and brought low, and he has turned them from their station
Just as the clay is in the potter's hand, so as to form and to shape it
so are all his ways in accord with his dispensation, and so is man in the hand of the One who made him. And he will repay him according to his judgment
Good is against evil, and life is against death; so also is a sinner against a just man. And so should you consider all the works of the Most High: two and two, and one against another
And I awakened at the very end, and I was like one who gathers grapes after the grape-gatherers
I, too, have hoped in the blessing of God. And I have filled the winepress like one who gathers grapes
Consider how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking discipline
Listen to me, you great ones, with all the peoples. And incline your ears, you rulers of the Church
You should not give authority over yourself to a son or wife, to a brother or friend, in your life. And you should not give your estate to another, lest perhaps you may regret it, and then you would be begging for the same
While you are still living and breathing, let no one among all flesh change you
For it is better if your children petition you, than if you look toward the hands of your children
In all your works, be pre-eminent
You should not allow a blemish upon your glory. On the day of the consummation of the days of your life, at the time of your passing, distribute your inheritance
Fodder and a rod and a burden are for a donkey; bread and discipline and work are for a servant
He works under discipline, and he seeks rest. Allow his hands to be idle, and he seeks liberty
The yoke and the strap bend a stiff neck, and continual labors bend a servant
Torture and chains are for a malevolent servant; send him to work, so that he may not be idle
For idleness has taught much evil
Appoint him to a task. For this is fitting for him. And if he will not be obedient, bend him with chains. But you should do no more than any flesh can bear. Truly, you should do nothing grievous without judgment
If you have a faithful servant, let him be to you like your own soul. Treat him like a brother. For you have obtained him by the blood of your soul
If you harm him unjustly, he will turn away and flee
And then, when he lifts himself up and departs, you will not know whom to ask, or in what way to seek him
#34
The hopes of a senseless man are empty and false; and dreams extol the imprudent
Like one who chases a shadow and pursues the wind, so also is one who pays attention to lying visions
In the vision of dreams, one thing represents another, as when a mask is before the face of a man
What can be cleansed by the unclean? And what truth can be spoken from a lie
Erroneous divinations and false signs and the dreams of evildoers are emptiness
For your heart suffers from imagination, like a woman suffering in childbirth. Unless it is a visitation sent from the Most High, you should not set your heart upon it
For dreams have caused many to go astray, and those who have hoped in them have fallen away
The word of the law will be fulfilled without a lie, and wisdom will be made plain in the mouths of the faithful
He who has not been tested, what does he know? A man with much experience will consider many things. And whoever has learned much will explain with understanding
He who has no experience knows little. And he who has done many things has made many mistakes
He who has not been tested, what kind of things can he know? He who has been deceived will be more cunning
I have seen much by wandering, and the customs of many things
At times, I have even been in danger of death because of these things, but I was freed by the grace of God
The spirit of those who fear God is sought, and they will be blessed by his providence
For their hope is in him who saves them, and the eyes of God are on those who love him
Those who fear the Lord will tremble at nothing, and they will not be terrified. For he is their hope
The soul of him who fears the Lord is blessed
To whom should he look, and who is his strength
The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him. He is a powerful Protector, a Firmament of virtue, a Shelter from the heat, and a Covering from the midday sun
a Guardian from offenses, and a Helper from falling, who exalts the soul and illuminates the eyes, and who gives health and life and blessing
An immolation from iniquity is a stained oblation, and the derisions of the unjust are not well pleasing
The Lord is only for those who persevere for him in the way of truth and justice
The Most High does not approve of the gifts of the iniquitous. Neither does he have respect for the oblations of the unjust; neither will he forgive their sins because of the multitude of their sacrifices
Whoever offers a sacrifice from the substance of the poor is like one who sacrifices the son in the sight of his father
The bread of the indigent is the life of the poor. Whoever cheats them out of it is a man of blood
Whoever takes away the bread of sweat is like one who kills his neighbor
He who sheds blood, and he who cheats the hired hand out of his wages, are brothers
When one builds and another destroys, what benefit do they have from their labor
When one prays and another curses, whose voice will God heed
He who washes himself after touching the dead, and then touches him again, what was the benefit of his washing
Similarly, a man who fasts for his sins, and then does the same again, what was the benefit of his humbling himself? Who will heed his prayer
#35
Whoever observes the law multiplies oblations
It is a salutary sacrifice to attend to the commandments and to withdraw from all iniquity
And to depart from injustice is to offer a propitiatory sacrifice for injustices and a supplication for sins
Whoever gives thanks, offers a gift of fine flour, and whoever acts with mercy, offers a sacrifice
To withdraw from iniquity is well-pleasing to the Lord. And to withdraw from injustice is a supplication for sins
You should not appear empty before the sight of the Lord
For all these things are to be done because of the commandment of God
The oblation of the just fattens the altar, and is a fragrance of sweetness in the sight of the Most High
The sacrifice of the just is acceptable, and the Lord will never forget the memorial of it
Render glory to God with a good heart. And you should not reduce the first-fruits of your hands
With every gift, have a cheerful countenance, and sanctify your tithes with exultation
Give to the Most High according to his gifts to you, and act with a good eye toward the creations of your hands
For the Lord gives recompense, and he will repay you seven times as much
Do not be willing to offer corrupt gifts. For he will not accept them
And do not be willing to consider an unjust sacrifice. For the Lord is the judge, and with him there is no favoritism toward anyone
The Lord will not accept favoritism against the poor, but he will heed the prayer of one who has been harmed
He will not despise the prayers of the orphan, nor of the widow, if she utters a lamenting complaint
Do a widow's tears not run down her cheek? And will her outcry not cause their downfall
For from her cheek, her tears ascend even to heaven. And the Lord, the One who listens, will not take delight in them
Whoever adores God with joy will be accepted, and his prayer will reach even to the clouds
The prayer of one who humbles himself will pierce the clouds. And it will not be consoled until it draws near; and it will not withdraw until the Most High beholds
And the Lord will not delay, and he will judge for those who are just, and he will accomplish judgment. And the Almighty will not have patience with them, so that he may crush their back
And he will repay vengeance to the Gentiles, until he has taken away the multitude of the arrogant, and broken the scepters of the iniquitous
until he has rendered to men according to their deeds, and according to the works of Adam, and according to his presumption
until he has judged the judgment of his people. And he will delight the just with his mercy
The mercy of God is beautiful in the time of tribulation, like a rain cloud in the time of drought
#36
O God of all, take pity on us, and look with favor on us, and show us the light of your compassion
And send your fear upon the Gentiles, who have not sought you, so that they may acknowledge that there is no God except you, and so that they may declare your great deeds
Lift up your hand over unbelieving nations, so that they may see your power
For just as, in their sight, you have been sanctified in us, so also, in our sight, you will be magnified in them
So may they know you, as we also have known you. For there is no God apart from you, O Lord
Renew your signs, and work new wonders
Glorify your hand and your right arm
Stir up your fury, and pour out your wrath
Take away our adversary, and afflict our enemy
Hasten the time, and remember the end, so that they may declare your miracles
Let those who escape be devoured by the wrath of fire. And let those who harass your people find perdition
Crush the head of the leaders of the enemies, for they say: "There is no other beside us.
Gather together all the tribes of Jacob, so that they may acknowledge that there is no God except you, and so that they may declare your great deeds. And you will inherit them, as from the beginning
Take pity on your people, over whom your name has been invoked, and on Israel, whom you have treated as your firstborn
Take pity on Jerusalem, the city of your sanctification, the city of your rest
Fill Zion with your ineffable words, and fill your people with your glory
Give testimony to those who have been your creations from the beginning, and lift up the prophecies which the former prophets spoke in your name
Give a reward to those who endure for you, so that your prophets may be found to be faithful. And heed the prayers of your servants
in accord with the blessing of Aaron over your people. And direct us in the way of justice, and let all who inhabit the earth know that you are God, the Beholder of all ages
The belly can devour any food, yet one meal is better than another
The palate tests the meat of wild animals, and the understanding heart tests false words
A corrupt heart will cause grief, and a man of experience will resist it
A woman can receive any male, yet one daughter is better than another
The beauty of a wife cheers the face of her husband, and rises above his desire, above all the desires of man
If she offers healing words, then she both comforts and shows mercy; and so her husband is not like other men
He who holds to a good wife establishes a possession. She is a helper in agreement with him, and she is a pillar of rest
Where there is no hedge, a possession will be trampled. And where there is no wife, he will mourn her absence
Who will trust one who has no nest, and who conceals himself wherever his course may take him, like a well-equipped robber passing from city to city
#37
Every friend will say: "I also am a close friend." But there is a friend who is a friend in name only. Is this not a grief even unto death
But a companion and friend may turn into an enemy
O wicked presumption! From what were you created that you would cover the dry land with your malice and deceitfulness
A companion may rejoice with his friend in good times, but in a time of tribulation, he will be an adversary
There is a companion who commiserates with a friend for the sake of the stomach, but he will shield himself from the enemy
You should not forget your friend in your soul, and you should not be unmindful of him in your wealth
Do not choose to consult with someone who waits in ambush for you. And hide your counsel from those who rival you
Every counselor offers advice, but some are counselors only for themselves
Guard your soul from a counselor. And know beforehand what his interests are. For he will form thoughts from his own soul
Otherwise, he may set a signpost in the ground, and he may say to you
"Your own way is good." But then he will stand at a distance to see what befalls you
Do not discuss holiness with an irreligious man, nor justice with one who is unjust. You should not speak with a woman about her who is a rival, nor with a coward about war, nor with a merchant about exaggeration, nor with a buyer about selling, nor with a spiteful man about giving thanks
nor with the impious about piety, nor with the dishonest about honesty, nor with the field worker about other kinds of work
nor with a worker hired for a year about the end of the year, nor with a lazy servant about great works. You should pay no heed to these persons in any matter of counsel
But be continually with a holy man, with anyone whom you know to observe the fear of God
whose soul is in agreement with your own soul, and who, when you falter in the dark, will share your sorrows
And establish a heart of good counsel within yourself. For there is nothing of greater usefulness to you than this
At any time, the soul of a holy man declares more truths than seven vigilant watchmen sitting in a high place
But concerning all things, pray to the Most High, so that he may direct your way in truth
In all your works, let a true word precede you, with steadfast counsel before every deed
A wicked word can change the heart. From the heart four kinds of things arise: good and evil, life and death. And the tongue is continually their ruler. There is a man who is an astute teacher of many, and yet this is useless to his own soul
A man of experience has taught many, and this is pleasant to his own soul
Whoever speaks mere rhetoric is hateful; he will be deceived in every matter
Grace is not given to him from the Lord. For he has been deprived of all wisdom
There is a wise man who is wise within his own soul, and the fruit of his understanding is praiseworthy
A wise man instructs his own people, and the fruit of his understanding is faithful
A wise man will be filled with blessings, and those who see will praise him
The life of a man is in the number of his days. But the days of Israel are innumerable
A wise man will inherit honor among the people, and his name will live in eternity
Son, test your own mind in your life, and if it is lacking, you should not give it authority
For not all things are fitting for all persons, and not every kind of thing is agreeable to every soul
Do not choose to be eager during any feast, and you should not act with excess toward any food
For in excessive eating there will be infirmity, and gluttony will continue even unto illness
By excessive drinking, many have passed away. But he who abstains will add to his life
#38
Honor the physician because of necessity, and because the Most High created him
For all healing is from God, and so he will receive gifts from the King
The expertise of the physician will lift up his head, and in the sight of great men, he will be praised
The Most High has created medicines from the earth, and a prudent man will not abhor them
Was not bitter water made sweet with wood
The benefits of these things is recognized by men, and the Most High has given this knowledge to men, so that he may be honored in his wonders
By these things, he will cure or mitigate their suffering, and the pharmacist will make soothing ointments, and he will form healing medicines, and there will be no end to his works
For the peace of God is upon the surface of the earth
Son, in your infirmity, you should not neglect yourself, but pray to the Lord, and he will cure you
Turn away from sin, and direct your hands, and cleanse your heart from every offense
Give a sweet offering, and a memorial of fine flour, and fatten your oblation, but also give a place to the physician
For the Lord created him. And so, do not let him depart from you, for his works are necessary
For there is a time when you may fall into their hands
Truly, they will beseech the Lord, so that he may direct their treatments and cures, for the sake of their way of life
He who sins in the sight of the One who made him will fall into the hands of the physician
Son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to weep, as if you had suffered dreadfully. And according to judgment, cover his body, and you should not neglect his burial
And though you will sink down into bitterness, bear his mourning for one day, and then be consoled in your sadness
And carry out his mourning, according to his merit, for one or two days because of this loss
Yet sadness hastens death and overwhelms strength, and the sorrow of the heart bows down the neck
When one is taken away, sorrow remains. But the resources of a destitute man is found in his heart
You should not give your heart over to sadness, but push it away from you. And remember the very end
Do not be willing to forget this; for there is no turning back. Otherwise, it will not benefit you, and you will cause great harm to yourself
Call to mind my judgment. For so shall it be for you also. Yesterday is mine, and today is yours
When the deceased is at rest, let his memory rest also. And console him at the departure of his spirit
The wisdom of a scribe is found in his time of leisure. So whoever has less to do will gain wisdom
With what wisdom will someone be filled who holds the plow, and who boasts of the cattle prod that drives the oxen forward, and who is occupied in these labors, and whose only conversation is about the offspring of bulls
He will give his mind over to the plowing of furrows, and his vigilance to the fattening of the cows
Similarly, every craftsman and artisan, who crafts in the night as well as in the day, who sculpts graven seals, and who, by his diligence, varies the image, will give his mind over to the likeness of the image. And he will complete the work by his vigilance
The blacksmith, sitting by his anvil and considering a work of iron, is similar. The steam from the fire singes his flesh, and he struggles against the heat of the furnace
The voice of the hammer is ever in his ears, and his eye is upon the pattern of the ironwork
He gives his heart to the completion of his work, and his vigilance adorns it to perfection
The potter, sitting at his work and turning the wheel with his feet, is similar. He has settled into a continual concern for his work, and there is a rhythm in all that he does
He forms the clay with his arm, and he bends his strength over his feet
He will give his heart over to the completion of the glazing, and his vigilance to the cleansing of the furnace
All these persons trust in their own hands, and each one is wise in his own art
Without these persons, a city is not built
But they will neither inhabit nor walk around in the city. And they will not go across to the church
They will not sit upon the seats of judges, and they will not understand a decree of judgment. And they will not make clear discipline and judgment, and they will not be found to understand parables
But they will strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer will be in their artistic works, applying their soul, and searching the law of the Most High
#39
A wise man will seek the wisdom of all the ancients, and he will be occupied in the prophets
He will preserve the words of renowned men, and he will enter with them into the subtleties of parables
He will search for the hidden meanings of proverbs, and he will become familiar with the mysteries of parables
He will minister in the midst of great men, and he will appear in the sight of the foremost leader
He will pass through the land of foreign nations. For he will test good and evil among men
At first light, he will offer his heart with watchfulness to the Lord who made him, and he will pray in the sight of the Most High
He will open his mouth in prayer, and he will make supplication for his offenses
For if the great Lord is willing, he will fill him with the Spirit of understanding
And he will send forth the eloquence of his wisdom like rain showers, and in his prayer, he will confess to the Lord
And he will direct his counsel and his discipline, and he will meditate on his mysteries
He will make the discipline of his doctrine clear, and he will glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord
Many persons will together praise his wisdom, and it will never be abolished, for all ages
The memory of him will not fade away, and his name will be sought from generation to generation
The peoples will declare his wisdom, and the Church will announce his praise
While he remains, he leaves behind a name greater than a thousand, and when he will rest, it will be to his benefit
I will meditate further, so that I may explain. For I have been filled with a passion
In a voice, he says: Listen to me, divine fruits. You shall bear fruit, like roses planted beside streams of waters
You shall have a sweet fragrance, like the cedars of Lebanon
Blossom with flowers, like the lily, and diffuse a fragrance, and sprout leaves in grace, and give praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works
Give magnificence to his name, and confess to him with the voice of your lips and with the canticles of your mouth and with stringed instruments. And in so praising him, you will confess
All the works of the Lord are very good
At his word, the waters stood still, as if piled together. And at the words of his mouth, the waters were contained, as if in basins of water
For it is made pleasing by his precept, and there is no decrease in his salvation
The works of all flesh are in his sight, and there is nothing hidden from his eyes
His gaze is from eternity to eternity, and nothing is a wonder in his sight
Let it not be said: "What is this?" or, "What is that?" For all things will be sought in their time
His blessing has overflowed like a river
In the same way that a flood inundates the dry land, so also will his wrath inherit the peoples that have not sought him
In the same way that he turned the waters into dry land, and made the earth dry, and just as his ways have been directed for their journey, so also will sinners stumble before his wrath
From the beginning, good things were created for those who are good, and similarly, good and evil things are for those who are wicked
The principal things necessary for the life of men are: water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and flour for bread, and honey, and the grape cluster, and oil, and clothing
All these things will be used for good by those who are holy, but they will be turned to evil use by the impious and by sinners
There are spirits that have been created for vengeance, and they strengthen their torments by their fury
In the time of the consummation, they will pour forth their strength. And they will appease the fury of the One who made them
Fire, hail, famine, and death: all these were created for vengeance
The teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the spear: all these take vengeance upon the impious, unto utter destruction
At his command, they will feast. And they will be prepared upon the earth until they are needed. And in their time, they will not ignore his word
For this reason, from the beginning, I was strengthened, and I have meditated, and I have considered, and I have put these things in writing
All the works of the Lord are good, and he will provide for each work in its own hour
Let it not be said: "This is worse than that." For all things will be tested in their time
And now, with the whole heart and mouth, give praise to him, and bless the name of the Lord
#40
A great occupation was created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their departure from their mother's womb, even until the day of their burial into the mother of all
their thoughts, and the fears of their heart, their imagined expectations, and the day of their end
from him who sits upon a glorious throne, even to him who is humbled in earth and ashes
from him who wears hyacinth and bears a crown, even to him who is covered with rough linen: wrath, envy, tumult, restlessness, and the fear of death, continual anger and contention
And in the time of rest upon his bed, the sleep of the night changes his knowledge
There is little or no rest, and sleep is taken from him, as if on a day of keeping watch
He is disturbed by a vision of his heart, as if he had escaped in a day of warfare. In the time of his salvation, he rose up and wondered that there was no fear
This is so with all flesh, from man even to cattle, but upon sinners it is seven times as great
Add to this: death, bloodshed, contention, and the spear, oppression, famine, and affliction, and scourges
All these things have been created because of iniquity, and it is due to iniquity that the great flood was made
All things that are of the earth shall return to the earth, and all waters shall return to the sea
All bribery and iniquity will be wiped away, but faith shall stand forever
The substance of the unjust will dry up like a river, and will pass away with a noise like loud thunder in a rainstorm
When he opens his hands, he will rejoice. So will transgressors pass away at the consummation
The descendents of the impious will not produce many branches, for they may be compared to dirty roots at the edge of a rock
The weeds, which grow above every water and beside the banks of the river, will be uprooted before all the grass
Grace is like a paradise of blessings, and mercy continues for eternity
The life of a worker, when content with what is sufficient, will become sweet, and in it you will find a treasure
Sons, and the building of a city, will establish a name, but an immaculate wife will be ranked above these things
Wine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above them both
The flute and the psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant word is above them both
Your eye desires elegance and beauty, but verdant fields are above these things
A friend and a companion meet one another in time, but above them both is a wife with her husband
Brothers are a help in time of tribulation, but mercy will liberate, more so than they will
Gold and silver provide a firm position for the feet, but well-spoken counsel is above them both
Ability and strength lift up the heart, but the fear of the Lord is above these things
There is no loss in the fear of the Lord, and it has no need to ask for assistance
The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessings, and they have covered it above all glory
Son, in your lifetime you should not be indigent, for it is better to die than to be destitute
The life of him who looks to another man's table should not be thought of as a way of life. For he feeds his life with another man's food
But a disciplined and well-taught man will take care of himself
Scarcity will seem sweet to the mouth of the imprudent, but a fire will burn in his belly
#41
O death, how bitter is the memory of you: to a man who has peace in his substance
to a quiet man, and to him whose ways are directed properly in all things, and who still has the strength to take nourishment
O death, your judgment is good to the indigent man, and to him whose strength has diminished
who is failing due to old age, and who is anxious about all things, and to the unbelieving man who has lost patience
Do not choose to dread the judgment of death. Remember the things that occurred before you, and the things that will occur after you. This judgment is from the Lord upon all flesh
And what will happen to you is well-pleasing to the Most High, whether in ten, or one hundred, or one thousand years
For death is no indictment of life
The sons of sinners, and those who pass their time in the manner of the houses of the impious, become sons of abominations
The inheritance of the sons of sinners will perish, and continual disgrace will be with their offspring
The sons of an impious father will complain, for they are in disgrace because of him
Woe to you, impious men, who have abandoned the law of the Most High Lord
And when you are born, you will be born into a curse; and when you die, your portion will be in a curse
All things that are from the earth shall return to the earth. Similarly, the impious will proceed from a curse unto perdition
The grieving of men is in their body, but the name of the impious will be wiped away
Have concern for your good name. For this will continue with you, more so than a thousand precious and great treasures
A good life has its number of days, but a good name will continue forever
Sons, practice discipline peacefully. For what use is there in either concealed wisdom, or undiscovered treasure
Better is the man who hides his foolishness than the man who hides his wisdom
Yet truly, have respect for these things which proceed from my mouth
For it is not good to observe every reverence. And all things do not please all persons in their beliefs
Have shame of these things: of fornication before father and mother, and of a lie before the first leader and the powerful
of a crime before a ruler or a judge, of iniquity before a congregation or a people
of injustice before a companion or a friend, and of the place in which you live
of theft, and of the truth before God, and of the covenant, of reclining to eat bread, and of deceitfulness in giving or receiving
of silence before those who greet you, of looking upon a woman of fornication, and of averting your face from a relative
You should not avert your face from your neighbor, nor should you take away a portion and not restore it
You should not stare at another man's wife, and nor pursue his handmaid, nor approach her bed
Avoid reproachful speeches before friends, and when you give, you should not place blame
#42
You should not repeat a claim heard from the revealing of a hidden word. And then, truly, you will be without shame, and you will find favor in the sight of all men. You should not accept the reputation of someone, so that you would sin, nor should you be confounded in any of the following things
in the law of the Most High and his covenant, or by giving a judgment to justify the impious
in a word among companions and fellow travelers, or by distributing the inheritance of friends
in the fairness of scales and weights, or in acquiring much or little
by the corruption of buying and negotiating, or in the ample discipline of children, or in causing the side of a wicked servant to bleed
A seal is good over a wicked wife
Where there are many hands, seal and deliver all things by number and weight; and truly, give and receive everything in writing
You should not have shame in correcting the senseless, the foolish, and those youths who would judge their elders. And so shall you be well-instructed in all things and well-approved in the sight of all the living
The vigilance of a father for his daughter is hidden, and his concern for her takes away his sleep. For perhaps, in her adolescence, she might be brought into adulthood. Or when she lives with her husband, she might become hateful
In her virginity, she might be defiled, and then she may be found to be pregnant in her father's house. Or perhaps, when she lives with her husband, she might stray, or at least become barren
Keep a close watch over a self-indulgent daughter. Otherwise, at some time, she might bring you into disgrace before your enemies, and into disrepute in the city, and into reproach among the people, and so she may confound you before the multitude of the people
She should not choose to gaze upon the beauty of every man, and she should not choose to spend her time in the midst of married women
For a moth goes forth from garments, and iniquity over a man goes forth from a woman
Yet iniquity over a man is better for her than if a married woman, seeking to benefit her, instead leads her into confusion and disgrace
And now, I will remember the works of the Lord, and I will announce what I have seen. The words of the Lord are in his works
The sun illuminates and considers all things, and its work shows the fullness of the glory of the Lord
Has not the Lord caused the holy ones to describe all his miracles, which the all-powerful Lord has firmly established in his glory
He has examined the abyss and the hearts of men. And he has considered their astuteness
For the Lord comprehends all knowledge, and he has gazed upon the signs of the times: announcing the things of the past, as well as the things of the future, and revealing the traces of hidden things
No thought passes by him unnoticed, and no word can conceal itself from him
He has adorned the magnificent works of his wisdom. He is before eternity and even unto eternity. And nothing can be added
and nothing can be taken away. And he has no need of any counselor
O how desirable are all his works! And all that we consider is but a spark
All these works exist, and they remain in the present age, and they all obey him in every purpose
All things are two-fold, one facing another, and he has not made anything to be lacking
He has confirmed each thing as good. And who would tire of beholding his glory
#43
The firmament on high is his beauty; it is the beauty of heaven in a vision of glory
The sun, at its appearance, announces its journey; it is an instrument of wonder, a work of the Most High
At midday, it scorches the earth. And in the presence of its heat, who would be able to endure? It is like the custodian of a furnace in its works of heat
In three ways, the sun acts: scorching the mountains, emitting fiery rays, and shining with its beams that can blind the eyes
Great is the Lord who made it, and at his word, it hurries on its journey
And the moon, in all its phases, serves to mark the seasons and to be a sign of the times
From the moon is the sign of a feast day; it is a light which diminishes at its consummation
A month is named according to its phases, increasing wonderfully at its culmination
It is an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven
The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord illuminates the world from on high
At the words of the Holy One, they stand for judgment, and they will never fail in their vigilance
Consider the rainbow, and bless the One who made it; it is very beautiful in its splendor
It encompasses the heavens with the circle of its glory; the hands of the Most High made it appear
By his order, he hastens the snow, and he spurs on the lightning to express his judgment
In like manner, his storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds
By his greatness, he has positioned the clouds, and the hailstones have been broken
At his glance, the mountains will be shaken, and by his will, the south wind will blow
The voice of his thunder will reverberate through the earth, by a storm from the north, and by a gathering of the whirlwind
And like the birds landing in a flock upon the earth, he sends down the snow; and its descent is like the arrival of a swarm of locusts
The eye is in wonder at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart is astonished at its falling
He will pour out frost like salt upon the earth. And when it freezes, it will become like the tops of thistles
The cold north wind blows, and the water freezes into crystals; it will rest upon every gathering of water, and it will clothe the water like a breastplate
And it will devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and extinguish the greenery, like a fire
Relief for all is in the hurried arrival of a cloud. And the lowly dew will arrive to meet the heat and overpower it
At his word, the wind grows quiet, and by his thought, he appeases the abyss, for the Lord has planted islands in it
Let those who navigate the sea describe its perils. And when we have heard it with our ears, we will wonder
There are illustrious and wondrous works: the various kinds of wild animals, and all manner of cattle, and the great creatures of the sea
Through him, the end of their journey is confirmed, and by his word, all things fit together
We can say much, and yet still lack for words. But the consummation of our words is this: He is in all things
What would we be able to do to glorify him? For the Almighty himself is above all his own works
The Lord is terrible, and exceedingly great, and his power is wonderful
Glorify the Lord as much as you are able, yet still he will far exceed this. For his magnificence is beyond wonder
Bless the Lord and exalt him, as much as you are able. But he is beyond all praise
When you exalt him, use all your ability, and do not cease in this labor. For you can never comprehend him
Who will see him and explain? And who will magnify him, as he is from the beginning
There are many things, hidden from us, which are greater than these things. For we have seen but a few of his works
But the Lord has made all things, and he has given wisdom to those who act with piety
#44
Let us praise the men of glory, and our ancestors in their generation
The Lord has wrought great glory, by his own magnificence, from ancient times
There are those who rule with their authority, men of great virtue, who are gifted with prudence. There are those who announce among the prophets, with the dignity of prophets
And there are those who rule over the present generation, by the virtue of prudence, with very holy words for the people
There are those who, by their skill, compose musical themes, so as to set the verses of Scripture to music
There are men rich in virtue, who make a study of beauty, who live in peacefulness in their houses
All these obtained glory in their generations, and they had praise in their days
They left behind a name for those who were born of them, so that their praises might be described
But for some of them, there is no memorial. They have passed away as if they had never existed; and they have become as if they had never been born, and their sons along with them
But these were men of mercy, whose pious deeds have not failed
Good things continue with their offspring
Their descendents are a holy inheritance, and their offspring stand firm in the covenants
And because of them, their sons remain even unto eternity. Their offspring and their glory will not be forsaken
Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives on, from generation to generation
Let the people declare their wisdom, and let the Church announce their praise
Enoch pleased God, and he was transferred to Paradise, so that he might offer repentance to the nations
Noah was found to be perfect and just, and so, in the time of wrath, he was made a reconciliation
As a result, there was a remnant left for the earth, when the great flood was made
The covenants of the world were placed with him, so that all flesh would not be wiped away by the great flood
Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one was found to be like him in glory. He observed the law of the Most High, and he formed a covenant with him
In his flesh, he caused the covenant to stand, and when tested, he was found to be faithful
Therefore, by an oath, he gave glory to him among his people, so as to increase him like the dust of the earth
and to exalt his offspring like the stars, and to give an inheritance to them from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth
And he acted in like manner toward Isaac, because of his father Abraham
The Lord gave the blessing of all the nations to him, and he confirmed his covenant upon the head of Jacob
He acknowledged him in his blessings, and he gave an inheritance to him, and he distributed to him the portion of the twelve tribes
And he preserved for him men of mercy, who were found to have grace before the eyes of all flesh
#45
Moses was beloved by God and men. The remembrance of him is a blessing
He made him like the holy ones in glory, and he magnified him by the fear of his enemies, and he appeased great portents by his words
He glorified him in the sight of kings, and he gave commandments to him in the sight of his people, and he revealed his glory to him
He made him holy by his faith and meekness, and he chose him from among all flesh
For he heard him and his voice, and he led him into a cloud
And he gave him precepts in his presence, with a law of life and discipline, so as to teach Jacob his covenant and Israel his judgments
He exalted his brother Aaron and those who were similar to him from the tribe of Levi
He established an eternal covenant with him, and he gave him the priesthood of the people, and he caused him to be blessed in glory
And he encircled him with a glorious belt, and he clothed him with a robe of glory, and he crowned him with virtuous attire
He placed upon him a garment to the feet, and pants, and an ephod, and he wrapped him all around with many little bells of gold
so that there would be a sound at his arrival, and so as to make a noise that would be heard in the temple, as a memorial for the sons of his people
He provided him with a holy robe of gold and hyacinth and purple, a woven work for a wise man of judgment and truth
a work of twisted scarlet, the work of an artist, with precious stones, cut and set in gold, and engraved by the work of a jeweler, as a memorial according to the number of the tribes of Israel
He provided him with a crown of gold upon his headdress, on which was written a symbol of holiness, a mark of honor. This was a work of virtue and a delight to the eyes in its beauty
Prior to him, there was no one of such beauty, even from the beginning
No foreigner was ever clothed with these things, but only his sons and his descendents alone, for all time
His sacrifices were consumed by fire daily
Moses filled his hands and anointed him with holy oil
An eternal covenant was made, with him and with his offspring, like the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and to give praise and to glorify his people, in his name
He chose him from among all living men to offer to God sacrifice, incense, and a pleasing fragrance, as a memorial of appeasement on behalf of his people
And he gave him authority by his precepts, in the covenants of his judgments, to teach Jacob his testimonies, and to give light by his law to Israel
Then strangers stood up against him, and, because of envy, the men who were with Dathan and Abiram surrounded him in the desert, along with the congregation of Korah, in their anger
The Lord God saw this, and it did not please him, and so they were consumed by the force of his  anger
He wrought great portents among them, and he consumed them with a flame of fire
And he added glory to Aaron, and he gave him an inheritance, and he allotted to him the first-fruits of the earth
He prepared for them the finest bread unto fullness. And they shall also eat from the sacrifices of the Lord, which he gave to him and to his offspring
And yet he will not have an inheritance among the people of the land, and he has no portion among the people. For the Lord himself is his portion and his inheritance
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, is third in glory, by imitating him in the fear of the Lord
And he stood up against the shamefulness of the people. By the goodness and responsiveness of his soul, he appeased God on behalf of Israel
For this reason, he made him a covenant of peace, a leader of the sanctuary and of his people, so that the dignity of the priesthood would remain with him and with his offspring unto eternity
And he made a covenant with king David, the son of Jesse from the tribe of Judah, an inheritance for him and for his offspring, so that he might provide wisdom for our hearts, so as to judge his people in justice, lest their good things be abolished. And he caused their glory within their nation to be everlasting
#46
Joshua, the son of Nun, was valiant in warfare; he was the successor of Moses among the prophets. He was great in accord with his name
very great in the saving the elect of God. He fought against the insurgent enemies, so that he might obtain the inheritance for Israel
What great glory he secured, by lifting up his hands and throwing his spears against the cities
Who before him has stood so firmly? For the Lord himself led forward the enemies
Was not the sun halted by his wrath, and one day made as if two
He called upon the Most High Power, when the enemies assailed him on every side. And the great and holy God answered him with hailstones of exceedingly great force
He made a violent assault against a hostile nation, and at his descent, he destroyed his adversaries
so that the nations would acknowledge his power: that it is not easy to fight against God. And he followed the Almighty
And in the days of Moses, he accomplished a work of mercy. He and Caleb, the son of Jephuneh, stood against the enemy, and forbid the people from sin, and broke their wicked murmuring
And these two, having been appointed, were freed from peril, from foot soldiers numbering six hundred thousand, so as to lead them into their inheritance, into a land flowing with milk and honey
And the Lord gave strength to Caleb also, and his strength remained even in his old age, so that he ascended to the high places of the land, and his offspring obtained it as an inheritance
This was so that all the sons of Israel would see that it is good to obey the holy God
Then there were the judges, each one called by name, whose heart was not corrupted. They did not turn away from the Lord
so that their memory might be blessed, and their bones might spring forth from their place
and their name might remain forever, continuing in their sons, holy men of glory
Samuel, prophet of the Lord, beloved by the Lord his God, established a new government, and he anointed leaders over his people
By the law of the Lord, he judged the congregation, and the God of Jacob saw it, and so, by his fidelity, he was proven to be a prophet
And he was known to be faithful in his words. For he saw the God of light
And when fighting against the enemies, who stood against him on every side, he called upon the name of the Almighty Lord, with an offering of an inviolate lamb
And the Lord thundered from heaven, and with a great noise, he made his voice to be heard
And he crushed the leaders of the Tyrians, and all the commanders of the Philistines
And before the time of the end of his life in the world, he offered testimony in the sight of the Lord and of his Christ, that he had not taken a bribe from any flesh, not even so much as a shoe, and that no man made an accusation against him
And after this, he slept. And he made known to the king and revealed to him the end of his life. And he lifted up his voice from the earth in prophecy, to abolish the impiety of the people
#47
After these things, Nathan the prophet arose, in the days of David
And just as fat is separated from meat, so was David separated from the sons of Israel
He played with lions, as if with lambs, and he acted similarly with bears, as if they were lambs of the flock, in his youth
Did he not kill the giant, and take away the reproach from his people
By lifting up his hand, with a stone in a sling, he threw down the boasting of Goliath
For he called upon the Almighty Lord, and he swore with his right hand to take away the mighty man of war, and to exalt the horn of his people
So he glorified him amid ten thousand, and he praised him with the blessings of the Lord, by offering him a crown of glory
For he crushed the enemies on every side, and he eradicated his adversaries, the Philistines, even to this day. He broke their horn, even for all time
In all his works, he gave thanks to the Holy One, to the Most High, with words of glory
With all his heart, he praised the Lord and he loved God, who made him and who gave him power against his enemies
And he appointed singers to stand opposite the altar, and by their voices he provided sweet music
And he provided beauty for the celebrations, and he gave order to the times, even until the end of his life, so that they would praise the holy name of the Lord, and magnify the sanctity of God, from early morning
The Lord purged his sins, and he exalted his horn forever. And he gave him the covenant of the kingdom, and a throne of glory in Israel
After him, an understanding son rose up. And by means of him, he cast down all the power of the enemies
Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God subjected all his enemies to him, so that he might build a house in his name, and prepare a sanctuary for all time. O how well-taught you were in your youth
And you were filled with wisdom like a river, and your mind exposed the world
And you explained mysteries by means of parables. Your name became known to far off islands, and you were beloved for your peace
The earth was in wonder over your canticles, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations
and over the name of the Lord God, who is known as the God of Israel
You gathered gold like copper, and you multiplied silver like lead
But you bent your thigh to women, and you were held by the power of your body
You brought a stain upon your glory, and you profaned your seed, so as to bring wrath upon your children, and to incite your foolishness
so that you would cause the kingdom to be divided, and an obstinate kingdom to rule from Ephraim
But God will not abandon his mercy, nor will he corrupt or abolish his own works. And he will not perish the stock of the descendents of his elect. And he will not destroy the offspring of him who loves the Lord
Therefore, he left behind a remnant for Jacob and for David, from the same stock
And Solomon had his end with his fathers
And he left behind himself some of his offspring, as the folly of the nation
both Rehoboam, who had little prudence,  and who turned away the people by his counsel
and Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, and who provided a way of sin to Ephraim. And their sins were multiplied exceedingly
They thoroughly turned them away from their own land
And they sought every kind of wickedness, even until punishment overwhelmed them, and freed them from every kind of sin
#48
And the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, and his word burned like a torch
He brought a famine upon them, and those who provoked him in their envy became few. For they could not bear the precepts of the Lord
By the word of the Lord, he closed the heavens, and he brought down fire from heaven three times
In this way, Elijah was magnified in his wondrous works. So who can say that he is similar to you in glory
He raised up a dead man from the grave, from the fate of death, by the word of the Lord God
He threw down kings unto perdition, and he easily shattered their power and boasting from his bed
He heeded the judgment at Sinai, and the judgments of punishment at Horeb
He anointed kings unto repentance, and he chose the prophets who would follow after him
He was received into a whirlwind of fire, into a swift chariot with fiery horses
He is written in the judgments of the times, so as to lessen the wrath of the Lord, to reconcile the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob
Blessed are those who saw you, and who were adorned with your friendship
For we live only in our life, and after death, our name will not be the same
Certainly, Elijah was covered by the whirlwind, and his spirit was completed in Elisha. In his days, he was not fearful of the ruler, and no power defeated him
No word overwhelmed him, and after death, his body prophesied
In his life, he gave great portents, and in death, he wrought miracles
In all these things, the people did not repent, and they did not withdraw from their sins, even until they were cast out of their land, and were dispersed throughout all the earth
And there was left behind a people very few in number, but with a leader in the house of David
Some of these did what pleased God. But others committed many sins
Hezekiah fortified his city, and he brought water into its midst, and he dug into rock with iron, and he built a well for water
In his days, Sennacherib rose up, and he sent Rabshakeh, and he lifted up his hand against them, and he extended his hand against Zion, and he became arrogant in his power
Then their hearts and hands shook. And they were in pain, like women giving birth
And they called upon the merciful Lord. And they spread their hands and lifted them up to heaven. And the holy Lord God quickly heeded their voice
He was not mindful of their sins, and he did not give them over to their enemies. Instead, he purified them by the hand of Isaiah, the holy prophet
He threw down the army of the Assyrians, and the Angel of the Lord crushed them
For Hezekiah did what pleased God, and he went with fortitude in the way of David his father, just as he had been commanded by Isaiah, a prophet great and faithful in the sight of God
In his days, the sun went backwards, and he added to the king's life
With a great spirit he saw the final things. And he consoled the mourners in Zion
He revealed the future, even the distant future, and hidden things before they occurred
#49
The memory of Josiah is like a blend of  fragrances composed by the work of a perfumer
His remembrance will be sweet like honey in every mouth, and like music at a banquet of wine
He was divinely directed for the repentance of the nation, and he took away the abominations of impiety
And he guided his heart toward the Lord. And during the days of sinners, he strengthened piety
Other than David, and Hezekiah, and Josiah, everyone committed sin
For the kings of Judah abandoned the law of the Most High, and they held contempt for the fear of God
For they gave their kingdom to foreigners, and their glory to a strange people
They set fire to the chosen city of sanctity, and they made its streets desolate, in accord with the hand of Jeremiah
For they treated him wickedly, though he was consecrated as a prophet from his mother's womb: to overthrow, and to root out, and to destroy, and also to rebuild and to renew
It was Ezekiel who saw a vision of glory, which was revealed to him with the chariot of the Cherubim
For it called to mind the enemies under the figure of rain, to do good to those who have revealed the upright ways
And may the bones of the twelve prophets spring up from their place. For they strengthened Jacob, and they redeemed themselves with a virtuous faith
How will we magnify Zerubbabel? For he, too, was like a signet on the right hand
So also was Jesus, the son of Jozadak, who in their days built the house, and raised up a holy temple to the Lord, as a preparation for everlasting glory
And may Nehemiah be remembered for a long time. He raised up for us the walls that had been torn down. And he made firm the gates and the bars. He raised up our houses
No one has been born upon the earth like Enoch. And he was also taken up from the earth
And there was no one like Joseph, who was a man born to be foremost among his brothers, the firmament of his clan, a guide to his brethren, the mainstay of his people
And his bones were visited, and after death, they prophesied
Shem and Seth obtained glory among men. And above every soul, at the very beginning, was Adam
#50
Simon, the high priest, son of Onias: in his life, he propped up the house, and in his days, he strengthened the temple
Even the height of the temple was established by him: the double building and the high walls of the temple
In his days, waters flowed out from the wells, and these were full beyond measure, like the sea
He cared for his nation, and he freed it from perdition
He prevailed, so as to enlarge the city. And he obtained glory by his behavior among the people. And he enlarged the entrance of the house and of the atrium
He shined in his days like the morning star through the midst of a cloud, and like the full moon
And he shined forth in the temple of God in this manner: like the sun when it shines brightly
and like a rainbow shining amid clouds of glory, and like flowering roses in the days of spring, and like lilies along the water's edge, and like sweet smelling frankincense in the days of summer
like a fire shining brightly, and like frankincense burning within a fire
like a vessel of solid gold, adorned with every precious stone
like an olive tree producing buds, and like a cypress tree lifting itself on high, when he received the robe of glory and was vested with the consummation of virtue
He gave glory to the vestment of sanctity, when he ascended to the holy altar
Then, when he received the portions from the hands of the priests, he himself stood next to the altar. And around him was the crown of his brethren, like a cedar planted on a mountain of Lebanon
And they stood around him like palm branches, and all were sons of Aaron in their glory
Then the oblation of the Lord was in their hands, in the sight of the entire synagogue of Israel. And completing his service at the altar, so as to magnify the offering to the Most High King
he extended his hand to make a libation, and he offered from the blood of the grape
At the base of the altar, he poured out a divine fragrance to the Most High Prince
Then the sons of Aaron shouted; they sounded finely-made trumpets, and they made a great noise, as a memorial in the sight of God
Then all the people at once hurried forward, and they fell to the ground on their faces, to adore the Lord their God, and to offer prayers to Almighty God Most High
And the singers of Psalms raised their voices, and a full sweet sound increased in the great house
And the people petitioned the Most High Lord in prayer, even until the honor of the Lord was completed, and they finished offering their gifts
Then, descending, he extended his hands over the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, to give glory to God from his lips, and to glory in his name
And he repeated his prayer, wanting to reveal the virtue of God
And now, pray to the God of all, who has accomplished great things over all the earth, who has increased our days from our mother's womb, and who has acted toward us in accord with his mercy
May he give us joyfulness in heart, and may there be peace in our days, in Israel for unending days
so that Israel may trust the mercy of God to be with us, in order to free us in his days
Two nations my soul hates, and a third, which I hate, is not a nation
those who sit upon mount Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people who live at Shechem
Jesus, the son of Sirach, of Jerusalem, who renewed wisdom from his heart, wrote the doctrine of wisdom and discipline in this book
Blessed is he who lives by these good things. Whoever places these things in his heart will be ever wise
For if he does these things, he will prevail in all things. For the light of God is upon his footsteps
#51
The prayer of Jesus, the son of Sirach: I will confess to you, O Lord and King, and I will give praise to you, O God my Saviour
I will acknowledge your name. For you have been my Helper and Protector
And you have freed my body from perdition, from the snare of the iniquitous tongue, and from the lips of those who forge lies. And you have been my Helper in the sight of those who stood nearby
And you have freed me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name: from those who roared and prepared to devour
from the hands of those who sought my life, and from the gates of tribulation that surrounded me
from the oppression of the flames that surrounded me, and so I was not burned in the midst of the fire
from the depths of the bowels of hell, and from the defiled tongue, and from lying words, from an iniquitous king, and from an unjust tongue
My soul shall praise the Lord, even unto death
For my life was drawing near to hell below
And they surrounded me on every side. And there was no one who would help me. I looked around for the assistance of men, and there was none
Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your works, which are from the very beginning
For you rescue those who persevere for you, O Lord, and you free them from the hands of the Gentiles
You exalted my habitation upon the earth, and I made supplication that death would pass away
I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, so that he would not abandon me in the day of my tribulation, nor in the time of arrogance without assistance
I will praise your name unceasingly, and I will praise it with thanksgiving, for my prayer was heeded
And you freed me from perdition, and you rescued me from the time of iniquity
Because of this, I will give thanks and praise to you, and I will bless the name of the Lord
When I was still young, before I wandered astray, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer
I asked for her before the temple, and even to the very end, I will inquire after her. And she flourished like a newly-ripened grape
My heart rejoiced in her. My feet walked in the right path. From my youth, I pursued her
I bent my ear a little and accepted her
I found much wisdom within myself, and I benefited greatly by her
I will give glory to him who gives wisdom to me
For I have decided that I should act according to wisdom. I have been zealous for what is good, and so I will not be confounded
My soul has struggled for wisdom, and in doing so, I have been confirmed
I extended my hands on high, and I mourned my ignorance of her
I directed my soul toward her, and I found her within knowledge
From the beginning, I held my heart to wisdom. Because of this, I will not be forsaken
My stomach was stirred up while seeking her. Because of her, I will hold a good possession
The Lord has given me a tongue as my reward, and I will praise him with it
Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and gather yourselves into the house of discipline
Why are you reluctant? And what do you have to say about these things? Your souls are exceedingly thirsty
I have opened my mouth, and I have spoken. Buy wisdom for yourselves without silver
and subject your neck to her yoke, and let your soul accept her discipline. For she is close enough to be found
See with your own eyes how I have labored only a little, and have found much rest for myself
Take up discipline, as if it were a great sum of money, and possess an abundance of gold in her
Let your soul rejoice in his mercy. For you will not be confounded by his praise
Accomplish your work before the time. And he will give you your reward in his time