Ecclesiasticus — Chapter 6

a freind that is turnedroemnitie: and there is a freind that wil difclofe hatred, and reproches.ro, And there is a treind companion at the table,and he wil not abide in the day of neceffi- tie.11.A freind if he continue ftedfaft,fhal beto thee as an equal , and in them vf thy houshold fhat deale confidently : 12. it he humble himf{cif againft thee,and hide himfelf from thy face, thou fhalr haue treindthippe of one accord for good,13.Be feperated from thine enemies,& take heede of thy freinds,14.A faithful freind, is 2 {trong prorectid: and he that hath found him,hath found a treafure,1y.To a faythful freind there is no com- parifon, and thereisno poy fe of geld an filuer able to counteruaile the goodnes of his fidelitie.16.A faythful freind, is the medecine of lie & im- mortalitie:& they that feare our Lord , fhal finde him.17, He that feareth God,fhal likewife haue good freindflitp : becaufe according to him fhal his freind be.18,Sone;fr6 t yomhreceine dodtrine,and eué to thy hoare hairesthou fhale finde wifdom.rg.As he that plowcth , andthat foweth, gocto her, and expeét her pood fruits, 20,-For inher worke thou-fhalt la- bour a litle,and fhalt quickly eate of her generation.21,How exceeding tharpe is wifdom to the vnlearned men,and the vnwife wil not continue in her,22,As the vertue of a ftone fhe shalbe a probation in them , and they wil not ftay to cafther forth,23.For (b)the wifdom of doGrine is ac- cording to her name,and she isnot manifeft to manie, but to whé sheis know é,she continueeth eué to the fight of God, 24.Hearemy fonne,and take counfel of vaderftanding, and caft not away my counfel,25.Thruft G 1: thy Teb.9. Pf 142 Ecet.7. ECCLESIASTICVS 38 thy foote into her fetters, and thy necke into her cheynes.26.Put vnder thy fhoulder, and carie her,and be not wearieof her bands. 2 7, With al thy minde goeto her , and with al thy ftrength keepe her wiayes, 28, Search her out,and fhe fhal be made manifeft rothee, and hauing ob- teyned her, forfake her not:2 9,For in the later end thou fhalt finde reft in her, and fhe fhal be turned ynto dele€tation, 30, And her fetrers fhal be to thee fora protection of ftrength, and foundation of power, & her cheynes for a ftole of glorie : 31, For the beautie of life isin her, and her bands are a healthful bynding.32.Thou fhalt puton her a ftole of glorie, and as a crowne of gratulation thou fhalr fet her ypon thee, 33. Sonne, if thou attend to me, thou fhalt learne: and ifthou wilt applie thy minde, thou fhalt be wife. 34. Ifthou wilt incline thine eare ; thou fhalt receiue do¢trine ; andifthou loue to heare, thou fhalt be wife, 35, Stand in the multitude of wife ancients, and be ioyned to their wifdom from thy hart, thatthou maift heare al the narration of God , andthe prayfe may not efcape thee.36, And if thou fee a wife man, watch after him , and let thy foote weare the fteps of his doores, 27, Hauethy cogitation in the precepts of God, and in his commandements inc ft of al be dayly con- uerfant : and he wil giuethee hart, and the defire of wifdom fhal be giuen thee, Crarv VILL Flye from al evil shings, 4. as ambition , préfumptien , (candul ; pufillanrmisie, Lying; and babling. 16. Husbandrie of the frownd, dea good wife, and good ferwants are to be cherished, 2 § Keepe children imdifcipline.39 Honor pait:, and elders, 36, co pistic the poore, 0. Memorie of the last tiamgs preferuct): from finne, . tem OF (#) noreuils, andthey thal not apprehend Bk thee, 2. Depart from the wicked , & euil inal fayte fremther.3. Sonne, fow not euils in thé furrowes of ) iuftice, & thou fhaltsiot reape them fevenfold, 4, Secke not ofthe lord chiefe principalitic , nor of the Je King the chayre.of honour, maw, before God, becaufe he isthe knower of the Kart: SS and beforethe King defire not to feeme wife, 6, () Seeke not to be made aiudge, vnles thou be able by power to breake iniquities : left perhaps thou fearethe face of the mightie, and put a inthyne equitie. 7, Sinne not againtft the multitude of a Citic, fcanda chentt thy “Elfinto the people,8.nor binde together double finnes: ¥orneither in one fhalt thou be free ir6 punifhmét.g, Be not faynt-harted i minde:10, defpife nottopray , andto give almes.11, Say not; In Py ne of my guifts God wil haue refpect , and when I offer to God Lie 3 5- luftifie not thy-felf f ring the godlic before the learned thar are lefic ver- cuous : The vnlearned rife Kfayth he ) and take the King- o dom of hea- Juen , and we with our lear- ning without hart,loe how we tumble in the durt. di, 8. e.8.Confef. (2) Wiratfoeuer} ame foweth 4. [that he shak ireape,and the ° Wicked shal - eate the frnits ofbisowne iworkes. ( >) Great pru- ft dence and for- titudearere quired in al ludges fj pir ritual and rem-} ooral. “ tc) Inhel are owo panish- ments thre ouriing, and the Worine of conference iVEXINY the ook, x both are eternal. : ! 4 t ! 4 y j t t { i { i (4) Workesof miercie are alfo’ jprofitableto ithe dead’, as prayer , almes, and facrifice for foules in purgatoric. fe) Amoftef- pecial prefer- matiue from finne, 384 THE BOOK OF God moft high, he wil receiue my guifts, 12, Lau gh nota manto fcorne in the bizternes of his foule : for there is that humbleth and exalteth, God the ouerfeer of al. 13, Plowe not lie againft thy brother : neither doe thoulikewife againit thy freind, 14,. Be not willing to make anv lie: for the cu{tome therof is not good,15, Be not ful of. wordsina multitude of ancients, and(¢) iterare not a word in thy {peach, 16. Hate not laborious workes, and hufbandrie created ofthe Higheft, 17, Count not thy {elie in the multitude of men without difcipline. 18, Be mindeful of Wrath, becaufe ic wil not flacke,19. Humble thy fpirit very much: becaufe the vengeance of the fleii of the impious, is tyre and the worme, 20, Doe not preuaricare againitthy freind differing money, nor defpife thy deareft. brother for gold,.21, Depart nor froma wife and good woman, which thou haft gotten in the feare of our Lord : forthe grace of her baihtulnes is aboue gold, 22, Hurt not the feruant that worketh in truth , nor the hyred man that giueth his foule, 23, Leca wife feruant be beloued of thee as thy foule, defraude him not of libertie, nor leaue him needie, 24. Haft. tnou cattel ? looke welto.them : and ifthey be profitable , let them con- tinue with thee, 25. Haft thou children ? initruct chem ,.& bowe them c<comtheir childhood, 26, Haftrhou daughters ? keepe their bodie, and thew not thy countenace merrie cowards them,27.Beltow thy daughter, . and thou fhalt doe a great worke, and giue herto a wife man, 28. It thoa haue av it@'according te thy foulc, caft her not off: and to her thacis haceful commit not thy felf With thy whole hart 29, honour thy father, and torget nor the gronings of thy mother:30, remember thar thou hadft not been borne but by them: andrecompence them, as they al to thee,27- Inal thy foule feare our Lord, and fanctihe his Priefts, 32. With al thy ttrength Joue him that made thee:& forfake.not his minifters,33. Honour God with al thy foule,and honour the Priefts,and purge thy felf with the armes,34, Giuethem the portion , as itis commanded thee, of the firft fruits and purgation ; and of thy negligence purge thy felf. with few,

Manie preferre learning before pietie, which S. Augustin reproueth, preferring the godlie before the learned that are lesse vertuous.