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The (First) Book of Baruch

Edits, corrections and cross references by The Firmament

The Book of Baruch is contained in a group of books called Apocrypha (hidden or secret), which were once in the canonical Bible between the old and new testaments. In order to distinguish it from the other books accredited to Baruch (second, third and fourth Baruch) this book is sometimes referred to as First Baruch. Although the earliest known manuscripts of Baruch are in Greek, linguistic features of the first parts of Baruch (1:1–3:8) have been proposed as indicating a translation from Aramaic or Hebrew. As the first verse states, this is the book of Baruch ben Neriah, Jeremiah’s well-known scribe, writing from Babylon during the captivity.

Chapter 1

Baruch 1:1 “And these are the words of the book that Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, the son of Zedekiah, the son of Hasadiah, the son of Hilkiah, wrote in Babylon,”
Baruch 1:2 “In the fifth year, on the seventh day of the month, at the time when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burned it with fire.”
Baruch 1:3 “And Baruch read the words of this book in the hearing of Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, in the hearing of all the people who came to hear the book read,”
Baruch 1:4 “And in the hearing of the nobles, and the princes, and in the hearing of the elders, and in the hearing of all the people, small and great in fact, of all who lived in Babylon, by the River Sud.”
Baruch 1:5 “Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord;”
Baruch 1:6 “And they raised money, each one giving what he could,”
Baruch 1:7 “And they sent it to Jerusalem, to Jehoiakim the high priest, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, and to the priests, and to all the people that were found with him in Jerusalem,”
Baruch 1:8 “When he took the plate of the house of the Lord that had been carried away from the temple, to return it to the land of Judah, the silver dishes which Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, had made,”
Baruch 1:9 “After Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried off Jeconiah and the officers and captives and nobles and the common people from Jerusalem, and taken him to Babylon.”
Baruch 1:10 “And they said, “Here we send you money, to buy with the money burnt offerings and sin offerings and incense and prepare a grain offering, and offer them upon the altar of the Lord our God,”
Baruch 1:11 “And pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and for the life of Belshazzar his son, that their days may be like the days of heaven, upon the earth.”
Baruch 1:12 “And the Lord will give us strength, and he will give sight to our eyes, and we will live under the shadow of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and under the shadow of Belshazzar his son, and we will serve them for a long time and find favor in their sight.”
Baruch 1:13 “Pray for us to the Lord our God, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, and to this day the anger of the Lord and his wrath have not turned away from us.”
Baruch 1:14 “So read this scroll, which we send to you, to make your confession in the house of the Lord, on festival days and on days of assembly.”
Baruch 1:15 “And you shall say, Uprightness belongs to the Lord our God, but confusion of face, as on this day, befits us, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem,”
Baruch 1:16 “And our kings and our officials, and our priests and our prophets, and our forefathers;”
Baruch 1:17 “For we have sinned before the Lord,”
Baruch 1:18 “And disobeyed him, and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, so as to follow the commands of the Lord which he set before us.”
Baruch 1:19 “From the day when the Lord brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt, until today, we have been disobedient to the Lord our God, and we have been neglectful, in not obeying his voice.”
Baruch 1:20 “And misfortunes have attended us, and the curse has come upon us which the Lord agreed upon with Moses his servant, on the day when he brought our forefathers out of the land of Egypt, to give us a land that ran with milk and honey, as they have this day.”
Baruch 1:21 “And we did not obey the voice of the Lord our God, expressed in all the words of the prophets whom he sent to us,”
Baruch 1:22 “But we followed each one the design of his own wicked heart so as to serve other gods, and do what was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God.”

Chapter 2

Baruch 2:1 “So the Lord made good his word which he uttered against us, and against our judges who judged Israel, and against our kings and against our officials and against the men of Israel and Judah.”
Baruch 2:2 “Nowhere under heaven have such calamities occurred as he has brought upon Jerusalem, as it was written in the Law of Moses,”
Baruch 2:3 “So that one of us ate the flesh of his son, and another of us ate the flesh of his daughter.”
Baruch 2:4 “He has made us subject to all the kingdoms around us, to be a reproach and a desolation among all the peoples about us, where the Lord has scattered them.”
Baruch 2:5 “They were brought low and not raised up, because we had sinned against the Lord our God, in not obeying his voice.”
Baruch 2:6 “Uprightness belongs to the Lord our God, but confusion of face befits us and our forefathers, as it does this day.”
Baruch 2:7 “All the calamities with which the Lord threatened us have overtaken us.”
Baruch 2:8 “Yet we have not besought the Lord by turning away, each of us, from the designs of his wicked heart.”
Baruch 2:9 “And the Lord has watched for these calamities and has brought them upon us, for the Lord is upright in all his doings which he has commanded us to imitate.”
Baruch 2:10 “Yet we have not obeyed his voice and followed the Lord’s commands, which he has set before us.”
Baruch 2:11 “And now, Lord God of Israel, who brought your people out of Egypt with a strong hand and with portents and wonders, and with great power and an uplifted arm, and made yourself such a name as yours is today,”
Baruch 2:12 “We have sinned, we have been ungodly, we have done wrong, Lord our God, in the face of all your ordinances.”
Baruch 2:13 “Let your anger be turned away from us, for few of us are left, among the heathen, where you have scattered us.”
Baruch 2:14 “Listen, Lord, to our prayer and our petition, and for your sake deliver us, and grant us favor in the eyes of those who have led us into captivity,”
Baruch 2:15 “So that the whole earth may know that you are the Lord our God, for Israel and his descendants are called by your name.”
Baruch 2:16 “Lord, look down from your holy dwelling, and think about us. Turn your ear to us, Lord, and hear us;”
Baruch 2:17 “Open your eyes and see; for the dead, who are in Hades, whose breath has been taken from their bodies, cannot ascribe glory and uprightness to the Lord,”
Baruch 2:18 “But the soul that grieves greatly, that goes about bent over and sick, with failing sight, the soul that hungers will ascribe glory and uprightness to you, Lord.”
Baruch 2:19 “For it is not for the upright acts of our forefathers and of our kings that we present our prayer for pity before you, O Lord our God.”
Baruch 2:20 “For you have inflicted your anger and your wrath upon us, just as you promised through your servants the prophets to do, when you said,”
Baruch 2:21 “Thus says the Lord: Bow your shoulders and work for the king of Babylon, and stay in the land which I gave to your forefathers.”
Baruch 2:22 “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, and serve the king of Babylon,”
Baruch 2:23 “I will put an end to the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of bridegroom and the voice of bride, in the towns of Judah and in Jerusalem, and the whole country will become untrodden and uninhabited.”
Baruch 2:24 “But we did not obey your voice and serve the king of Babylon, and you made good your words that you had spoken through your servants the prophets, that the bones of our kings and the bones of our forefathers should be taken out of their places,”
Baruch 2:25 “And behold they are thrown out to the heat by day and to the frost by night; and they perished in great misery, by famine and the sword and pestilence.”
Baruch 2:26 “And the house that was called by your name you have laid waste, as it is to be seen this day, because of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah.”
Baruch 2:27 “Yet you have dealt with us, O Lord our God, with all your forbearance and all your great compassion,”
Baruch 2:28 “As you promised through your servant Moses to do, when you commanded him to write the Law before the sins of Israel, and said,”
Baruch 2:29 “Unless you obey my voice, this great buzzing multitude will surely turn into a small number among the heathen where I will scatter them.”
Baruch 2:30 “For I know that they will not listen to me, for they are a stiff-necked people. But in the land to which they are carried away they will come to remember themselves,”
Baruch 2:31 “And they will know that I am the Lord their God, for I will give them an heart and ears to hear,”
Baruch 2:32 “And they will praise me in the land to which they are carried away, and they will remember my name,”
Baruch 2:33 “And they will turn from their obstinacy and their wicked doings, for they will remember what befell their forefathers who sinned in the sight of the Lord.”
Baruch 2:34 “Then I will restore them to the land that I swore to give to their forefathers, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and they will possess it; and I will multiply them, and they will not be despised.”
Baruch 2:35 “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I shall be their God and they shall be my people. And I will never again remove my people Israel from the land which I have given them.”

Chapter 3

Baruch 3:1 “O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, the soul in anguish and the wearied spirit cry out to you.
Baruch 3:2 “Listen, Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned in your sight.”
Baruch 3:3 “For you abide forever, and we perish forever.”
Baruch 3:4 “O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, hear the prayer of the dead in Israel, and of the sons of those who sinned in your sight, who did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, so that calamities have pursued us.”
Baruch 3:5 “Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers, but remember your power and your name at this time,”
Baruch 3:6 “For you are the Lord our God, and we will praise you, O Lord.”
Baruch 3:7 “For you have put your fear into our hearts for this reason, that we should call upon your name, and we will praise you in our exile, for we have put out of our hearts all the iniquity of our forefathers, who sinned in your sight.”
Baruch 3:8 “Here we are today in exile, where you have scattered us, to be reproached and cursed and condemned for all the iniquities of our forefathers who rebelled against the Lord our God.”
Baruch 3:9 “Hear the commandments of life, O Israel; Listen, and learn wisdom.”
Baruch 3:10 “Why is it, Israel, that you are in the land of your enemies, that you have grown old in a strange land, that you have been polluted with the dead?,”
Baruch 3:11 “That you are counted among those in Hades?”
Baruch 3:12 “You have forsaken the spring of wisdom.”
Baruch 3:13 “If you had walked in the way of God, you would have lived in peace forever.”
Baruch 3:14 “Learn where wisdom is, where strength is, where understanding is, so that you may at the same time learn where length of days and life are, where there is light for the eyes, and peace.”
Baruch 3:15 “Who can find her location?, and who can get into her storehouses?”
Baruch 3:16 “Where are the rulers of the heathen, and those who master the beasts of the earth,”
Baruch 3:17 “Who have their sport with the wild birds, and lay up silver and gold, in which men trust, and have property without end;”
Baruch 3:18 “Who work in silver with anxious care, and whose works defy investigation?”
Baruch 3:19 “They have vanished and gone to Hades, and others have taken their places.”
Baruch 3:20 “A younger generation has seen light, and settled on the earth, but they have not learned the way to knowledge,”
Baruch 3:21 “Nor understood its paths, nor laid hold of it. Their sons have strayed far out of their way;”
Baruch 3:22 “It was never heard of in Canaan, or seen in Teman;”
Baruch 3:23 “The sons of Hagar, who seek for understanding on the earth, the merchants of Merran and Teman, the story-tellers and the searchers for understanding have not found the way to wisdom, or remembered its paths.”
Baruch 3:24 “O Israel, how great is the house of God! And how vast the region that he possesses!”
Baruch 3:25 “It is great, it has no end; It is immeasurably high.”
Baruch 3:26 “There were born the giants, famous of old, tall in stature, expert in war.”
Baruch 3:27 “God did not choose them or give them the way of knowledge.”
Baruch 3:28 “So they perished, because they had no understanding; They perished through their own foolishness.”
Baruch 3:29 “Who ever went up to heaven and got her, and brought her down from the clouds?”
Baruch 3:30 “Who ever crossed the sea and found her, and will buy her with fine gold?”
Baruch 3:31 “No one knows the way to her, Or concerns himself with the path to her.”
Baruch 3:32 “But he who knows all things knows her, he has discovered her through his understanding. He who created the earth forever has filled it with four-footed creatures;”
Baruch 3:33 “He who sends forth the light, and it goes; He called it, and it obeyed him in fear.”
Baruch 3:34 “The stars shone in their watches, and were glad; He called them, and they said, “Here we are!” They shone with gladness for him who made them.”
Baruch 3:35 “He is our God, no other can be compared with him!”
Baruch 3:36 “He found out the whole way to knowledge, and has given it to Jacob his servant and to Israel, whom he loved.”
Baruch 3:37 “After that, she appeared on the earth and mingled with men.”

Chapter 4

Baruch 4:1 “This is the book of the commandments of God, and the Law, that will endure forever. All those who hold fast to it will live, but those who forsake it will die.”
Baruch 4:2 “Come back, Jacob, and take hold of it; approach the radiance from her light.”
Baruch 4:3 “Do not give your glory to another, and your benefits to an alien people.”
Baruch 4:4 “Blessed are we, Israel, because we know the things that please God.”
Baruch 4:5 “Have no fear, my people, for the memorial of Israel;”
Baruch 4:6 “You have been sold to the heathen, not to be destroyed, but because you had angered God, you were handed over to your adversaries.”
Baruch 4:7 “For you provoked him who made you by sacrificing to demons, and not to God.”
Baruch 4:8 “You forgot the everlasting God, who had brought you up, and you grieved Jerusalem, that had reared you,”
Baruch 4:9 “For she saw the anger that has come upon you from God, and said, “Listen, you women who live in Zion, God has brought great sorrow upon me.”
Baruch 4:10 “For I have witnessed the capture of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting has brought upon them.”
Baruch 4:11 “For I nursed them in gladness, but I have sent them away with weeping and sorrow.”
Baruch 4:12 “Let no one exult over a widow like me, forsaken by so many; I have been left desolate because of the sins of my children, because they turned away from the Law of God.”
Baruch 4:13 “But they would not learn his ordinances, or walk in the ways of God’s commands, or follow the paths of correction in his uprightness.”
Baruch 4:14 “Let the women who live in Zion come, and remember the taking captive of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting has brought upon them.”
Baruch 4:15 “For he brought a nation from far away against them a ruthless nation of strange speech who had no respect for an old man and no pity for a child,”
Baruch 4:16 “And they led the widow’s beloved sons away, and left the lonely woman bereft of her daughters.”
Baruch 4:17 “But how can I help you?”
Baruch 4:18 “For he who has brought these calamities upon you will deliver you from the hands of your enemies.”
Baruch 4:19 “Go, my children, go, for I am left desolate.”
Baruch 4:20 “I have taken off the clothing of peace, and put on the sackcloth of my supplication; I will cry out to the Everlasting all my days.”
Baruch 4:21 “Have courage, my children, cry out to God, and he will save you from subjection, from the hands of your enemies;”
Baruch 4:22 “For I have set on the Everlasting my hope that he will save you, and joy has come to me from the Holy One for the mercy which will soon come to you, from your everlasting Savior.”
Baruch 4:23 “For I sent you out with sorrow and weeping, but God will give you back to me with joy and gladness forever.”
Baruch 4:24 “For just as the neighbors of Zion have seen your captivity, so they will soon see your deliverance come from our God, which will come upon you with the great glory and splendor of the Everlasting.”
Baruch 4:25 “My children, endure patiently the anger that has come upon you from God, for your enemy has overtaken you; but you will soon witness his destruction, and put your feet upon their necks.”
Baruch 4:26 “My delicate ones have traveled rough roads, they have been taken away like a flock carried off by enemies.”
Baruch 4:27 “Have courage, my children, and cry out to God, for you will be remembered by him who brought this upon you.”
Baruch 4:28 “For as the thought once came to you to go astray from God, you must return and seek him with tenfold fervor.”
Baruch 4:29 “For he who has brought these calamities upon you, will bring you everlasting joy with your deliverance.”
Baruch 4:30 “Take courage, Jerusalem, for he who named you will comfort you.”
Baruch 4:31 “Those who did you harm and rejoiced at your fall will be miserable;”
Baruch 4:32 “The towns which enslaved your children will be miserable, she who received your sons will be miserable.”
Baruch 4:33 “For as she rejoiced at your fall, and was glad of your ruin, so she shall be grieved at her own desolation.”
Baruch 4:34 “And I will take away her exultation in her great population, and her boasting will be turned to sorrow.”
Baruch 4:35 “For from the Everlasting, fire will descend upon her for many days, and she will be a habitation of demons for a long time.”
Baruch 4:36 “Look away eastward, Jerusalem, and see the gladness that is coming to you from God.”
Baruch 4:37 “See, your sons are coming, whom you sent away, they are coming, gathered from east to west, at the command of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.”

Chapter 5

Baruch 5:1 “Take off the clothes of your sorrow and your harsh treatment, Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty of the glory that is from God.”
Baruch 5:2 “Put on the cloak of the uprightness that is from God, put on your head the headdress of the glory of the Everlasting.
Baruch 5:3 “For God will show your splendor to all that is under heaven.”
Baruch 5:4 “For your name will forever be called by God The Peace of Uprightness and the Glory of Godliness.”
Baruch 5:5 “Arise, Jerusalem, and stand upon the height, and look away to the east, and see your children gathered from the setting of the sun to its rising, at the command of the Holy One, rejoicing that God has remembered them.”
Baruch 5:6 “For they went forth from you being led away on foot by their enemies, but God will bring them to you exalted with glory, as children of the kingdom.”
Baruch 5:7 “For God has ordained that every high mountain and the banks of long continuance shall be cast down, and the valleys filled up to make level ground, so that Israel may go safely, to the glory of God.”
Baruch 5:8 “And the woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Israel, at God’s command,”
Baruch 5:9 “For God will lead Israel with joy, by the light of his glory, with the mercy and uprightness that come from him.”

The (First) Book of Baruch Read More »

The Wisdom of Sirach -or- Ecclesiasticus

Edits, corrections and cross references by The Firmament

The Wisdom of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus, is contained in a group of books called Apocrypha (hidden or secret), which were once in the canonical Bible between the old and new testaments. This book is in a class called “Wisdom Literature” due to its frequent reference to wisdom. See Chapter 24 for an extended discourse on the relationship between Wisdom, personified as Sophia, and God.


Chapter 1

Sir 1:1 “All Wisdom comes from the Lord, and remains with him forever.”
Sir 1:2 “The sand of the seas, and the drops of rain, and the days of eternity; who can count them?”
Sir 1:3 “The height of the heavens, and the breadth of the earth, and the deep, and wisdom; who can track them out?”
Sir 1:4 “Wisdom was created before them all, and sound intelligence from eternity.”
Sir 1:5 “The Word of God most high is the fountain of wisdom; and her ways are everlasting commandments.”
Sir 1:6 “To whom has the source of wisdom been revealed? And who knows her devices?”
Sir 1:7 “[Unto whom has the knowledge of wisdom been made manifest? and who has understood her experience?]”
Sir 1:8 “There is but one who is wise, and greatly to be feared, the Lord seated upon his throne;”
Sir 1:9 “The Lord himself created her; He saw her and counted her, and poured her out upon all he made;”
Sir 1:10 “Upon all mankind, as he chose to bestow her; But he supplied her liberally to those who loved him.”
Sir 1:11 “To fear the Lord is a glory and a ground of exultation, a joy, and a crown of ecstasy.”
Sir 1:12 “To fear the Lord delights the heart, and brings gladness and joy and long life.”
Sir 1:13 “The man who fears the Lord will have a happy end, and be blessed in the day of his death.”
Sir 1:14 “To fear the Lord is the source of wisdom, and she was created with the faithful in the womb.”
Sir 1:15 “She has built her nest among men as a foundation from eternity, and among their posterity she will be held in trust.”
Sir 1:16 “To fear the Lord is to be satisfied with wisdom, for she intoxicates them with her fruits.”
Sir 1:17 “She will fill all their houses with desirable things, and their storehouses with her produce;”
Sir 1:18 “To fear the Lord is a crown of wisdom, making peace and healing health flourish; which are both gifts of God, and it enlarges their rejoicing that love Him.”
Sir 1:19 “He rained down understanding and sound knowledge, and increased the glory of those who possessed her.”
Sir 1:20 “To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom, and her branches are long life.”
Sir 1:21 “The fear of the Lord drives away sins, and where it is present, it turns away wrath.”
Sir 1:22 “Unrighteous anger can never be excused, for the weight of a man’s anger shall be his destruction.”
Sir 1:23 “A patient man will control himself for a while, and afterward joy will break out.”
Sir 1:24 “He will repress his words for a time, and the lips of many will tell of his understanding.”
Sir 1:25 “The parables of knowledge are in the treasures of wisdom: but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.”
Sir 1:26 “If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord will supply you with her liberally.”
Sir 1:27 “For to fear the Lord is wisdom and education, And faith and meekness win his approval.”
Sir 1:28 “Do not disobey the fear of the Lord, and do not approach it with a divided heart.”
Sir 1:29 “Do not be a hypocrite in the mouths of men, and take heed to your own lips.”
Sir 1:30 “Do not exalt yourself, or you may fall, and bring disgrace upon yourself; and the Lord will reveal your secrets and prostrate you before all the congregation, because you did not come to the fear of the Lord, but your heart was full of deceit.”

Chapter 2

Sir 2:1 “My child, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself to be tried.”
Sir 2:2 “Set your heart right and constantly endure, and do not make haste in time of trouble.”
Sir 2:3 “Hold fast to him, and do not forsake him, so that you may be honored when your life ends.”
Sir 2:4 “Whatever happens to you, take cheerfully, and be patient in humiliating vicissitudes.”
Sir 2:5 “For gold is tried in the fire, and men who are approved must be tested in the furnace of humiliation (adversity).”
Sir 2:6 “Have faith in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight, and put your hope in him.”
Sir 2:7 “You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy, and do not turn aside, or you will fall.”
Sir 2:8 “You who fear the Lord, have faith in him, and you will not lose your reward.”
Sir 2:9 “You who fear the Lord, hope for his blessings, And for everlasting joy and mercy.”
Sir 2:10 “Look at the generations of antiquity and see, Who that put his trust in the Lord was ever put to shame? Or who that continued to fear him was ever forsaken? Or who that called upon him was overlooked by him?”
Sir 2:11 “For the Lord is merciful and has pity, and forgives sins and delivers in times of affliction.”
Sir 2:12 “Woe be to cowardly hearts and palsied hands! And for a sinner who follows two paths!”
Sir 2:13 “Woe be to a faint heart, for it does not believe; therefore it will not be protected.”
Sir 2:14 “Woe be to you, who have lost your steadfastness! What will you do when the Lord visits you?”
Sir 2:15 “Those who fear the Lord will not disobey his word, and those who love him will keep his ways.”
Sir 2:16 “Those who fear the Lord will seek his favor, and those who love him will be filled with the Law.”
Sir 2:17 “Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and will humble their souls before him.”
Sir 2:18 ““Let us fall into the Lord’s hands, and not into the hands of men.” For as his majesty is, so is his mercy also.”

Chapter 3

Sir 3:1 “Listen to me, your father, children, and act in such a way that you may be preserved.”
Sir 3:2 “For the Lord has glorified the father above his children, and he has established the rights of the mother over her sons.”
Sir 3:3 “He who honors his father atones for his sins,”
Sir 3:4 “And he who shows his mother honor is like a man who lays up treasure.”
Sir 3:5 “He who honors his father will be gladdened by his own children, and will be heard on the day that he prays.”
Sir 3:6 “He who shows his father honor will have a long life, and he who listens to the Lord will be a comfort to his mother,”
Sir 3:7 “He that fears the Lord will honor his father, and will serve his parents as his masters.”
Sir 3:8 “Honor your father in word and deed, so that his blessing may attend you.”
Sir 3:9 “For a father’s blessing establishes the houses of his children, but a mother’s curse uproots their foundations.”
Sir 3:10 “Do not glorify yourself by dishonoring your father, for your father’s disgrace is no glory to you.”
Sir 3:11 “For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a neglected mother is a reproach to her children.”
Sir 3:12 “My child, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him, as long as he lives.”
Sir 3:13 “If his understanding fails, be considerate, and do not humiliate him, when you are in all your strength.”
Sir 3:14 “Charity given to a father will not be forgotten, and will build you up a further atonement for your sins.”
Sir 3:15 “When you are in trouble, you will be remembered; Like frost in sunshine your sins will melt away.”
Sir 3:16 “He who deserts his father is like a blasphemer, and he who angers his mother is cursed by the Lord.”
Sir 3:17 “My child, carry on your business in humility, and you will be loved by men whom God accepts.”
Sir 3:18 “The greater you are, the more you must practice humility, and you will find favor with the Lord.”
Sir 3:19 “Many are in high places, and of renown; but mysteries are revealed to the meek.”
Sir 3:20 “For the Lord’s power is great, and he is glorified by the humble-minded.”
Sir 3:21 “Do not seek for what is too hard for you, and do not investigate what is beyond your strength;”
Sir 3:22 “Think of the commands that have been given you, for you have no need of the things that are hidden.”
Sir 3:23 “Do not waste your labor on what is superfluous to your work, for things beyond man’s understanding have been shown to you.”
Sir 3:24 “For many have been led astray by their imagination, and a wicked fancy has made their minds slip.”
Sir 3:25 “Without eyes you shall want light, do not profess the knowledge, therefore, that you do not have.”
Sir 3:26 “It will go hard with an obstinate heart at the end, and the man who loves danger will perish through it.”
Sir 3:27 “An obstinate heart will be loaded with troubles, and the irreligious man will add one sin to another.”
Sir 3:28 “There is no cure for the misfortune of the proud, for a wicked plant has taken root in him.”
Sir 3:29 “An intelligent man’s mind can understand a proverb; and a wise man desires a listening ear.”
Sir 3:30 “As water will quench a blazing fire, so alms will atone for sin.”
Sir 3:31 “He who returns favors is remembered afterward, and when he totters, he will find a support.”

Chapter 4

Sir 4:1 “My child, do not defraud the poor man of his living, and do not make the eyes of the needy wait.”
Sir 4:2 “Do not pain a hungry heart, and do not anger a man who is in want.”
Sir 4:3 “Do not increase the troubles of a mind that is incensed, and do not put off giving to a man who is in need.”
Sir 4:4 “Do not refuse a suppliant in his trouble, and do not avert your face from the poor.”
Sir 4:5 “Do not turn your eyes away from the needy, and do not give anyone cause to curse you,”
Sir 4:6 “For if he curses you in the bitterness of his spirit, his creator will hear his prayer.”
Sir 4:7 “Make yourself beloved in the congregation, and bow your head to a great personage;”
Sir 4:8 “Listen to what a poor man has to say, and give him a peaceful and gentle answer.”
Sir 4:9 “Rescue a man who is being wronged from the hand of the oppressor, and do not be faint-hearted about giving your judgment.”
Sir 4:10 “Be like a father to the fatherless, and take the place of a husband to their mother. Then you will be like a son of the Most High, and he will show you more than a mother’s love.”
Sir 4:11 “Wisdom exalts her sons, and lays hold of those who seek her.”
Sir 4:12 “Whoever loves her loves life, and those who seek her early will be filled with joy.”
Sir 4:13 “Whoever holds her fast will inherit glory; The Lord will bless every house she enters.”
Sir 4:14 “Those who serve her serve the Holy One, and the Lord loves those who love her.”
Sir 4:15 “Whoever obeys her will judge the heathen, And whoever attends to her will dwell in security.”
Sir 4:16 “If he trusts in her, he will possess her, and his descendants will retain possession of her.”
Sir 4:17 “For at first she will go with him in crooked ways, she will bring fear and cowardice upon him, and torment him with her discipline, until she can trust in his soul, and test him with her judgments.”
Sir 4:18 “Then she will return the straight way back to him again, and make him glad, and reveal her secrets to him.”
Sir 4:19 “If he wanders off, she will forsake him, and hand him over to his own ruin.”
Sir 4:20 “Watch your opportunity and guard against evil, and do not have to feel shame for your soul.”
Sir 4:21 “For there is a shame that brings sin, and there is a shame that is glory and favor.”
Sir 4:22 “Show regard for no one at the expense of your soul, and respect no one, to your own downfall.”
Sir 4:23 “Do not refrain from speaking when it is needed; and hide not your wisdom in her beauty.”
Sir 4:24 “For wisdom is known through speech, and instruction through the spoken word.”
Sir 4:25 “Do not contradict the truth, but feel shame for your want of education.”
Sir 4:26 “Do not be ashamed to confess your sins, and do not try to force back the current of a river.”
Sir 4:27 “Do not make yourself an underling to a foolish man, neither accept the person of the mighty.”
Sir 4:28 “Contend for the truth to the death, and the Lord will fight for you.”
Sir 4:29 “Do not be hasty in speech, or slothful and slack in action.”
Sir 4:30 “Do not be like a lion at home, and unreasonable with your servants.”
Sir 4:31 “Do not stretch your hand out to receive, But close it when you should repay.”

Chapter 5

Sir 5:1 “Do not set your heart on your money, and do not say, “It is enough for me.”
Sir 5:2 “Do not follow your soul and your strength and pursue the desires of your heart.”
Sir 5:3 “Do not say, “Who can have power over me?” For the Lord will certainly take vengeance on your pride.”
Sir 5:4 “Do not say, “I sinned, and what happened to me?” For the Lord is long-suffering, he will in no way let you go.”
Sir 5:5 “As for atonement, do not be without fear to add one sin to another,”
Sir 5:6 “And do not say, “His mercy is great, He will make atonement for the multitude of my sins.” For mercy and wrath are both with him, and his anger will rest upon sinners.”
Sir 5:7 “Do not put off turning to the Lord, and do not postpone it from day to day; for the Lord’s wrath will suddenly come forth, and in the time of vengeance you will perish.”
Sir 5:8 “Do not set your heart on unrighteous gain, for it will be of no benefit to you in the time of misfortune.”
Sir 5:9 “Do not winnow in every wind, and do not follow every path; that is what the deceitful sinner does.”
Sir 5:10 “Be steadfast in your understanding, and let what you say be one.”
Sir 5:11 “Be quick to hear, let your life be sincere, and make your reply with patience.”
Sir 5:12 “If you possess understanding, answer your neighbor, but if you do not have it, keep your hand over your mouth!”
Sir 5:13 “Both glory and disgrace come from speaking, and a man’s tongue is his downfall.”
Sir 5:14 “Do not be known as a whisperer, and do not set an ambush with your tongue, for shame rests upon the thief, and evil condemnation on the double-tongued.”
Sir 5:15 “Do not be ignorant in great matters or in small.”

Chapter 6

Sir 6:1 “And do not prove an enemy instead of a friend; for an evil name incurs disgrace and reproach; so does a sinner who is double tongued.
Sir 6:2 “Do not exalt yourself in your soul’s designs, so that your soul may not be torn in pieces like a bull;”
Sir 6:3 “If you eat up your leaves, you will destroy your fruit, and leave yourself like a dried-up tree.”
Sir 6:4 “A wicked heart will destroy its possessor, and fill his enemies with malignant joy.”
Sir 6:5 “Sweet speech makes many friends, and a polite tongue multiplies courtesy.”
Sir 6:6 “Let those who are at peace with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand.”
Sir 6:7 “If you make a friend, make one only after testing him, and do not be in a hurry to confide in him.”
Sir 6:8 “There are friends who are so when it suits their convenience, who will not stand by you when you are in trouble.”
Sir 6:9 “And there are friends who turn into enemies, and reveal quarrels to your discredit.”
Sir 6:10 “And there are friends who will sit at your table, but will not stand by you when you are in trouble.”
Sir 6:11 “They will make themselves at home, as long as you are prosperous, and will give orders to your servants;”
Sir 6:12 “If you come down in the world, they will take sides against you, and hide themselves from your presence.”
Sir 6:13 “Separate yourself from your enemies, and beware of your friends.”
Sir 6:14 “A faithful friend is a strong protection; A man who has found one has found a treasure.”
Sir 6:15 “A faithful friend is beyond price, and his value cannot be weighed.”
Sir 6:16 “A faithful friend is a life-giving medicine, and those who fear the Lord will find it.”
Sir 6:17 “The man who fears the Lord will make genuine friendships, for to him his neighbor is like himself.”
Sir 6:18 “My child, from your youth up cultivate education, and you will keep on finding wisdom until you are gray.”
Sir 6:19 “Approach her like a man who plows and sows, and wait for her abundant crops (fruit). For in cultivating her, you will toil but little, and soon you will eat her produce.”
Sir 6:20 “She seems very harsh, to the undisciplined, and a thoughtless man cannot abide her.”
Sir 6:21 “She will rest on him like a great stone to test him, and he will not delay to throw her off,”
Sir 6:22 “For wisdom is what her name implies, and to most men she is invisible.”
Sir 6:23 “Listen, my child, and accept my opinion, and do not refuse my advice.”
Sir 6:24 “Put your feet into her fetters, and your neck into her collar.”
Sir 6:25 “Put your shoulder under her and carry her, and do not weary of her chains;”
Sir 6:26 “Come to her with all your heart, and follow her ways with all your might.”
Sir 6:27 “Inquire and search, and she will be made known to you; and when you have grasped her, do not let her go.”
Sir 6:28 “For at the last you will find the rest she gives, and you will find her turning into gladness.”
Sir 6:29 “Her fetters will become your strong defense, and her collars a splendid robe.”
Sir 6:30 “She wears gold ornaments, and her chains are purple thread;”
Sir 6:31 “You will put her on like a splendid robe, and put her on your head like a victor’s wreath.”
Sir 6:32 “My child, if you wish, you can be educated, and if you devote yourself to it, you can become prudent.”
Sir 6:33 “If you love to hear, you will receive, and if you listen, you will be wise.”
Sir 6:34 “Take your stand in the throng of elders; Which of them is wise? Attach yourself to him.”
Sir 6:35 “Be willing to listen to every godly discourse, and do not let any wise proverbs escape you.”
Sir 6:36 “If you see a man of understanding, go to him early, and let your feet wear out his doorstep.”
Sir 6:37 “Think about the statutes of the Lord, and constantly meditate on his commandments. He will strengthen your mind, and the wisdom you desire will be given you.”

Chapter 7

Sir 7:1 “Do no evil, and evil will not overtake you.”
Sir 7:2 “Avoid what is wrong, and it will turn away from you.”
Sir 7:3 “My son, do not sow among the furrows of iniquity, and you will not reap them sevenfold.”
Sir 7:4 “Do not ask the Lord for pre-eminence, or the king for a seat of honor.”
Sir 7:5 “Do not justify yourself in the sight of the Lord, or show off your wisdom before the king;”
Sir 7:6 “Do not seek to be made a judge, or you may not be able to put down wrongdoing; or you may show partiality to a man of influence, and put a stumbling block in the way of your own uprightness.”
Sir 7:7 “Do not sin against the multitude of the city, and do not throw yourself down in the throng.”
Sir 7:8 “Do not repeat a sin, for with even one offense you are not innocent.”
Sir 7:9 “Do not say, “God will consider the number of my offerings, and when I sacrifice to the Most High God, he will accept it.”
Sir 7:10 “Do not be discouraged about your prayers, and do not fail to give alms.”
Sir 7:11 “Do not laugh at a man when he is in bitterness of spirit; for there is one who can humble and can exalt!”
Sir 7:12 “Do not sow a lie against your brother, or do such a thing to your friend.”
Sir 7:13 “Do not consent to utter any lie, for the practice of it is not beneficial.”
Sir 7:14 “Do not indulge in idle talk in the throng of elders, and do not repeat yourself when you pray.”
Sir 7:15 “Do not hate hard work, or farming, which was created by the Most High.”
Sir 7:16 “Do not be counted in the crowd of sinners; remember that wrath will not delay.”
Sir 7:17 “Humble your heart exceedingly, For fire and worms are the punishment of the ungodly.”
Sir 7:18 “Do not exchange a friend for an advantage, or a real brother for the gold of Ophir.”
Sir 7:19 “Do not fail a wise, good wife, for her favor is worth more than gold.”
Sir 7:20 “Do not ill-treat a servant who does his work faithfully, or a hired man who is devoting his life to you.”
Sir 7:21 “Let your soul love an intelligent servant; do not defraud him of his freedom.”
Sir 7:22 “If you have cattle, look after them, and if they are profitable to you, keep them.”
Sir 7:23 “If you have children, discipline them, and from their youth up bend their necks.”
Sir 7:24 “If you have daughters, look after their persons, and do not look too favorably upon them.”
Sir 7:25 “If you give your daughter in marriage, you will have done a great thing, but bestow her on a man of understanding.”
Sir 7:26 “If you have a wife after your own heart, do not cast her out, but do not trust yourself to one whom you hate (a light woman).”
Sir 7:27 “Honor your father with your whole heart, and do not forget the pangs of your mother.”
Sir 7:28 “Remember that it was of them you were born, and how can you requite them for what they have done for you?”
Sir 7:29 “Honor the Lord with all your soul, and revere his priests.”
Sir 7:30 “Love him who made you with all your strength, and do not forsake his ministers.”
Sir 7:31 “Fear the Lord and honor the priest, and give him his portion, as you were commanded, The firstfruits, and the sin offering, and the gift of the shoulders, and the sacrifice of consecration, and the firstfruits of holy things.”
Sir 7:32 “Stretch out your hand to the poor also, that your blessing may be accomplished.”
Sir 7:33 “A present pleases every man alive, and in the case of the dead, do not withhold your kindness.”
Sir 7:34 “Do not be wanting to those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn.”
Sir 7:35 “Do not hesitate to visit a man who is sick, for you will be loved for such acts.”
Sir 7:36 “In all that you say remember your end, and you will never commit a sin.”

Chapter 8

Sir 8:1 “Do not quarrel with a powerful man, or you may fall into his hands.”
Sir 8:2 “Do not contend with a rich man, or he may outweigh you. Gold has been the destruction of many, and perverted the minds of kings.”
Sir 8:3 “Do not quarrel with a garrulous man, and do not add fuel to the fire.”
Sir 8:4 “Do not make sport of an uneducated man, or you may dishonor your own forefathers.”
Sir 8:5 “Do not reproach a man when he turns from his sin; remember that we are all liable to punishment.”
Sir 8:6 “Do not treat a man with disrespect when he is old, for some of us are growing old.”
Sir 8:7 “Do not exult over a man who is dead; remember that we are all going to die.”
Sir 8:8 “Do not neglect the discourse of wise men, but busy yourself with their proverbs; For from them you will gain instruction, and learn to serve great men.”
Sir 8:9 “Do not miss the discourse of old men, for they learned it from their fathers; for from them you will gain understanding, and learn to return an answer in your time of need.”
Sir 8:10 “Do not kindle the coals of a sinner, or you may be burned with the flame of his fire.”
Sir 8:11 “Do not start up before an insolent man, so that he may not lie in ambush for what you say.”
Sir 8:12 “Do not lend to a man who is stronger than you, or if you do, act as though you had lost it.”
Sir 8:13 “Do not give surety beyond your means, and if you give surety, regard it as something you will have to pay.”
Sir 8:14 “Do not go to law with a judge; for in view of his dignity they will decide for him.”
Sir 8:15 “Do not travel with a reckless man, so that he may not overburden you; for he will do just as he pleases, and you will perish through his folly.”
Sir 8:16 “Do not have a fight with a hot-tempered man, and do not travel across the desert with him, for bloodshed is as nothing in his eyes, and where there is no help, he will strike you down.”
Sir 8:17 “Do not take counsel with a fool, for he will not be able to keep the matter secret.”
Sir 8:18 “Do not do a secret thing before a stranger, for you do not know what he will bring forth.”
Sir 8:19 “Do not open your heart to every man, and do not accept a favor from him.”

Chapter 9

Sir 9:1 “Do not be jealous about the wife of your bosom, and do not teach her an evil lesson, to your own hurt.”
Sir 9:2 “Do not give your soul to a woman, so that she will trample on your strength.”
Sir 9:3 “Do not meet a prostitute, or you may fall into her snares.”
Sir 9:4 “Do not associate with a woman singer, or you may be caught by her wiles.”
Sir 9:5 “Do not look closely at a girl, or you may be entrapped in penalties on her account.”
Sir 9:6 “Do not give your soul to prostitutes (harlots), so that you may not lose your inheritance.”
Sir 9:7 “Do not look around in the streets of the city, and do not wander about the unfrequented parts of it.”
Sir 9:8 “Avert your eyes from a beautiful woman, and do not look closely at beauty that belongs to someone else, for many have been led astray by a woman’s beauty, and love is kindled by it like a fire.”
Sir 9:9 “Do not ever sit at table with a married woman, and do not feast and drink with her, or your heart may turn away to her, and you may slip into spiritual ruin.”
Sir 9:10 “Do not forsake an old friend, for a new one is not equal to him; a new friend is new wine; when it grows old, you will enjoy drinking it.”
Sir 9:11 “Do not envy the glory of a sinner; for you do not know what disaster awaits him.”
Sir 9:12 “Delight not in the thing that the ungodly have pleasure in, but remember they shall not go unpunished unto their grave.”
Sir 9:13 “Keep far from a man who has the power of life and death, and you will have no suspicion of the fear of death. If you do approach him, do not offend him, so that he may not take away your life. Understand that you are striding along among traps, and walking on the city battlements.”
Sir 9:14 “As far as you can, guess at your neighbor, and take counsel with those who are wise.”
Sir 9:15 “Let your discussion be with men of understanding, and all your discourse about the Law of the Most High.”
Sir 9:16 “Make upright men your companions at table, and your exultation be over the fear of the Lord.”
Sir 9:17 “It is for the skill of the craftsmen that a piece of work is commended, and a ruler of the people must be wise in what he says.”
Sir 9:18 “A talkative man is dreaded in his city, and a man who is rash in speech is hated.”

Chapter 10

Sir 10:1 “A wise judge will instruct his people, and the rule of a man of understanding is well ordered.”
Sir 10:2 “Like the judge of a people are his officers, and like the governor of a city are all who live in it.”
Sir 10:3 “An uneducated (unwise) king ruins his people, but a city becomes populous through the understanding of its rulers.”
Sir 10:4 “Authority over the earth is in the hands of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one who will serve his purpose.”
Sir 10:5 “A man’s prosperity is in the hands of the Lord, and he makes his glory rest on the person of the scribe.”
Sir 10:6 “Do not get angry with your neighbor for any misdeed, and do not gain your end by acts of violence.”
Sir 10:7 “Pride is detested in the sight of the Lord and of men, and injustice is wrong in the sight of both.”
Sir 10:8 “Sovereignty passes from one nation to another because of injustice and violence and greed for money.”
Sir 10:9 “Why are dust and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man, for such a one sets his own soul for sale, for while a man is still alive, his bowels decay.”
Sir 10:10 “The physician cuts off a long illness; and he that is a king today, shall die tomorrow.”
Sir 10:11 “For when a man dies, reptiles, animals, and worms become his portion (inheritance).”
Sir 10:12 “A man begins to be proud when he departs from the Lord, and his heart forsakes his Creator.”
Sir 10:13 “For pride begins with sin, and the man who clings to it will rain down abominations. For this reason, the Lord brings unheard-of calamities upon them, and overturns them utterly.”
Sir 10:14 “The Lord tears down the thrones of rulers, and seats the humble-minded (meek) in their places.”
Sir 10:15 “The Lord plucks up nations by the roots, and plants the lowly in their places.”
Sir 10:16 “The Lord overturns heathen countries, and destroys them down to the foundations of the earth.”
Sir 10:17 “He takes some of them away, and destroys them, and makes the memory of them cease from the earth.”
Sir 10:18 “Pride was not created for men, nor fierce anger for those who are born of women.”
Sir 10:19 “They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honorable plant. They that regard not the law are a dishonorable seed, they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed.”
Sir 10:20 “Among his brothers, their leader is honored, and those who fear the Lord are honored in his eyes.”
Sir 10:21 “The fear of the Lord goes before the obtaining of authority, but roughness and pride is the losing thereof.”
Sir 10:22 “Rich, and distinguished, and poor alike, their glory is the fear of the Lord.”
Sir 10:23 “It is not right to slight a poor man who has understanding, and it is not proper to honor a sinful man.”
Sir 10:24 “Prince, judge, and ruler are honored, but none of them is greater than the man who fears the Lord.”
Sir 10:25 “Free men will wait on a wise servant, and the intelligent man will not object.”
Sir 10:26 “Do not parade your wisdom when you are at work, and do not commend yourself when you are in need;”
Sir 10:27 “It is better to work and have plenty of everything, than to go about commending yourself but in want of bread.”
Sir 10:28 “My child, glorify your soul with meekness, and show it such honor as it deserves.”
Sir 10:29 “Who can justify a man who sins against his own soul? And who can honor a man who disgraces his own life?”
Sir 10:30 “A poor man is honored for his knowledge, and a rich man is honored for his wealth.”
Sir 10:31 “If a man is honored in poverty, how much more will he be in wealth? And if a man is dishonored when he is rich, how much more will he be when he is poor?”

Chapter 11

Sir 11:1 “The wisdom of a humble person will lift up his head, and make him sit among the great.”
Sir 11:2 “Do not praise a man for his good looks, and do not detest a man for his appearance.”
Sir 11:3 “The bee is one of the smallest of winged creatures, but what she produces is the greatest of sweets.”
Sir 11:4 “Do not boast of the clothes you wear, and do not be uplifted when you are honored, for the works of the Lord are marvelous, and his doings are hidden from men,”
Sir 11:5 “Many sovereigns have had to sit on the ground, while a man who was never thought of has assumed the diadem.”
Sir 11:6 “Many rulers have been utterly disgraced, and men of renown have been delivered into the hands of others.”
Sir 11:7 “Do not find fault before you investigate, first understand, and then rebuke.”
Sir 11:8 “Do not answer before you hear, and do not interrupt in the middle of what is being said.”
Sir 11:9 “Do not quarrel about a matter that does not concern you, and when sinners judge, do not sit in council with them.”
Sir 11:10 “My child, do not busy yourself about many things. if you multiply your activities, you will not be held guiltless, and if you pursue, you will not overtake, and you will not escape by running away.”
Sir 11:11 “One man toils and labors and hurries, and is all the worse off.”
Sir 11:12 “Another is slow, and needs help, lacks strength and has plenty of poverty, yet the eyes of the Lord look favorably on him, and he lifts him up out of his low position.”
Sir 11:13 “And lifts up his head, and many wonder at him.”
Sir 11:14 “Good and evil, life and death, poverty and wealth, are from the Lord,”
Sir 11:15 “Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord; love, and the way of good works are from him.”
Sir 11:16 “Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein.”
Sir 11:17 “What the Lord gives stays by the godly, and what he approves will always prosper.”
Sir 11:18 “One man grows rich by carefulness and greed, and this will be his reward:”
Sir 11:19 “When he says, “Now I can rest, and enjoy my goods,” He does not know when the time will come When he will die and leave them to others.”
Sir 11:20 “Stand by your agreement, and attend to it, and grow old in your work.”
Sir 11:21 “Do not wonder at the doings of the sinner, but trust in the Lord and stick to your work. For it is easy in the Lord’s eyes swiftly and suddenly to make a poor man rich.”
Sir 11:22 “The blessing of the Lord rests on the wages of the godly; and he quickly makes his blessing flourish.”
Sir 11:23 “Do not say, “What do I need, and from this time on what can benefit me?”
Sir 11:24 “Do not say, “I have enough, and from this time on how can I be injured?”
Sir 11:25 “In prosperity one forgets misfortune, and in the day of affliction, there is no more remembrance of prosperity.”
Sir 11:26 “For it is easy in the Lord’s sight when a man dies to repay him according to his ways.”
Sir 11:27 “An hour of hardship makes one forget enjoyment, and when a man dies, what he has done is disclosed.”
Sir 11:28 “Count no one happy before his death, for a man will be known by his children.”
Sir 11:29 “Do not bring any and every man to your home, for a treacherous man has many wiles.”
Sir 11:30 “A proud man’s heart is like a partridge in a cage, and like a spy he looks for your downfall;”
Sir 11:31 “For he tries to entrap you, turning good into evil, and he finds fault with your favorite things (worthy of praise).”
Sir 11:32 “A spark of fire kindles a whole heap of coals, and a sinful man lies in wait for blood.”
Sir 11:33 “Beware of an evil-doer, for he contrives wickedness, or he will bring blame on you forever.”
Sir 11:34 “If you entertain a stranger, he will disturb and torment you, and he will estrange you from your home.”

Chapter 12

Sir 12:1 “If you do a kindness, know to whom you are doing it, and you will be thanked for your good deeds.”
Sir 12:2 “If you do a kindness to a godly man, you will be repaid, if not by him, yet by the Most High.”
Sir 12:3 “The man who persists in evil will not prosper, nor the man who will not give alms.”
Sir 12:4 “Give to the godly man, and do not help the sinner;”
Sir 12:5 “Do kindnesses to the humble-minded, and do not give to the ungodly; hold back his bread, and do not give it to him, so that he may not come to control you with it; for you will experience twice as much evil for all the good you do him.”
Sir 12:6 “For the Most High hates sinners, and will take vengeance on the ungodly, and keep them against the mighty day of their punishment.”
Sir 12:7 “Give to the good man, and do not help the sinner.”
Sir 12:8 “A friend cannot be proved in prosperity, nor an enemy concealed in adversity.”
Sir 12:9 “When a man prospers, his enemies are grieved, and when he is unfortunate, even his friend separates from him.”
Sir 12:10 “Never trust your enemy, for his wickedness is like bronze that rusts;”
Sir 12:11 “Even if he acts humbly, and goes about bent over, look out for yourself, and be on your guard against him. You must be to him like a man who wipes a mirror clean, and you must make sure that it is not all covered with rust.”
Sir 12:12 “Do not place him at your side, or he may overthrow you and take your place. Do not seat him at your right hand, or he may try to get your seat, And you may at last learn the truth of what I say, and be stung by my words.”
Sir 12:13 “Who pities a snake-charmer when he is bitten, or all those who have to do with wild animals?”
Sir 12:14 “In the same way, who will pity a man who approaches a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins?”
Sir 12:15 “He will stay with you for a while, but if you fall, he will not hold out.”
Sir 12:16 “An enemy will speak sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he will plan to throw you into a pit. An enemy will shed tears with his eyes, but if he gets a chance, he cannot get blood enough.”
Sir 12:17 “If misfortune overtakes you, you will find him there before you, and while he is pretending to help you, he will trip you up.”
Sir 12:18 “He will shake his head, and clap his hands, And whisper a great deal, and change his expression toward you.”

Chapter 13

Sir 13:1 “The man who touches pitch will get his hands dirty, and the man who associates with a proud person will become like him.”
Sir 13:2 “Do not lift a load that is too heavy for you, and do not associate with a man stronger or richer than you are. What relation can an earthen pot have with a kettle? The kettle knocks against it, and it is broken in pieces.”
Sir 13:3 “When a rich man does a wrong, he adds a threat; when a poor man suffers a wrong, he must beg pardon.”
Sir 13:4 “If you can be useful, he makes you work for him, and if you are in want, he abandons you.”
Sir 13:5 “As long as you have anything, he will live with you, and will strip you bare, but he will feel no distress.”
Sir 13:6 “If he needs you, he will deceive you, and smile upon you, and raise your hopes. He will speak you fair and say, “Is there anything you need?”
Sir 13:7 “He will shame you by his food, until he has impoverished you again and again, and finally he will mock you. Afterward when he sees you he will pass you by, and shake his head at you.”
Sir 13:8 “Take care not to be misled, and humbled through your own folly.”
Sir 13:9 “When a leading (mighty) man invites you, be retiring, and he will invite you all the more.”
Sir 13:10 “Do not press upon him, or you may be pushed away; But do not stand too far off, or you may be forgotten.”
Sir 13:11 “Do not aim to speak to him as an equal, but do not believe all he says; For he will test you with much conversation, and will examine you with a smile.
Sir 13:12 “He who does not keep to himself what is said to him is unmerciful; and will not hesitate to hurt and to bind.”
Sir 13:13 “Keep them to yourself, and take great care, for you are walking with your own downfall; when you hear these things, awake in your sleep.”
Sir 13:14 “Love the Lord all your life, and call upon him for your salvation.”
Sir 13:15 “Every creature loves its like, and every man loves his neighbor.”
Sir 13:16 “All living beings gather with their own kind, and a man associates with another like himself.”
Sir 13:17 “What companionship can a wolf have with a lamb? Just as much as a sinner with a godly man.”
Sir 13:18 “What peace can there be between a hyena and a dog? and what peace between a rich man and a poor one?”
Sir 13:19 “Wild asses are the prey of lions in the wilderness, just as the poor are pasture for the rich.”
Sir 13:20 “Humility is detestable to the proud, just as a poor man is detestable to a rich one.”
Sir 13:21 “When a rich man is shaken, he is steadied by his friends, but when a poor man falls down, his friends push him away.”
Sir 13:22 “When a rich man falls, there are many to help him; He tells secrets, and they justify him. When a humble man falls, they add reproaches. He speaks with understanding, but no place is made for him.
Sir 13:23 “When a rich man speaks, everyone keeps silent, and they extol what he says to the clouds. When a poor man speaks, they say, “Who is that?” And if he stumbles, they will help to throw him down.”
Sir 13:24 “Wealth is good if it carries with it no sin, and poverty is called evil by the ungodly.”
Sir 13:25 “A man’s disposition affects his appearance, both for good and for evil; a merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.”
Sir 13:26 “And a cheerful face is a sign of a happy heart, but it takes painstaking thought to compose proverbs!”

Chapter 14

Sir 14:1 “How happy is the man who makes no slip with his mouth, and is not stabbed with sorrow for his sins!”
Sir 14:2 “Happy is the man whose heart does not condemn him, and who has not given up hope.”
Sir 14:3 “Wealth does not become a niggardly man, and what use is money to an envious man?”
Sir 14:4 “The man who withholds from himself amasses for others, and others will enjoy his goods.”
Sir 14:5 “If a man is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? For he will not take any pleasure in his own money.”
Sir 14:6 “There is nobody worse than the man who is grudging to himself, and that is the penalty of his wickedness.”
Sir 14:7 “If he does any good, he does it through forgetfulness, and shows his wickedness in the end.”
Sir 14:8 “He is a wicked man who has an envious eye, turning away his face, and pretending not to see human souls.”
Sir 14:9 “A covetous man’s eye is never satisfied with what he gets, and wicked injustice dries up the heart.”
Sir 14:10 “An evil eye begrudges bread, and is in want of it at his own table.”
Sir 14:11 “My child, if you have any means, provide well for yourself, and make suitable offerings to the Lord.”
Sir 14:12 “Remember that death will not delay, and the agreement of Hades has not been shown to you.”
Sir 14:13 “Treat your friend well before you die, and reach out and give to him as much as your strength permits.”
Sir 14:14 “Do not miss your time of prosperity, and do not let the good fortune that you desire escape you.”
Sir 14:15 “Will you not leave the fruit of your labors to someone else, and the result of your toil to be cast lots for?”
Sir 14:16 “Give and take, and sanctify your soul, for there is no looking for luxury in Hades.”
Sir 14:17 “Human life grows old like a cloak, for from the beginning the decree has read, “You will surely die.”
Sir 14:18 “Like the thick leaves on a flourishing tree, which drops some and puts forth others, are the generations of flesh and blood; One dies, and another is born;”
Sir 14:19 “Everything made will decay and disappear, and the man who has made it will depart with it.”
Sir 14:20 “Happy (blessed) is the man who meditates on good things in wisdom, who reasons of holy things with his understanding;”
Sir 14:21 “Who considers her ways in his mind (heart), shall also have understanding of her secrets;”
Sir 14:22 “(Go after her like a hunter And lie in wait by her ways!)”
Sir 14:23 “Who peers in at her windows, and listens at her doorways;”
Sir 14:24 “Who lodges close to her house, and fastens his pegs in her walls;”
Sir 14:25 “Who pitches his tent close beside her, and finds comfortable lodgings;”
Sir 14:26 “Who puts his children under her shelter, and spends the night under her branches;”
Sir 14:27 “He will be sheltered by her from the heat, and will lodge in her splendors.”

Chapter 15

Sir 15:1 “The man who fears the Lord will do this, and he who masters the Law will win her.
Sir 15:2 “She will meet him like a mother, and receive him like a bride.”
Sir 15:3 “She will feed him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of wisdom to drink;”
Sir 15:4 “He will lean on her, and not fall, and will rely on her, and not be disappointed.”
Sir 15:5 “She will exalt him above his neighbors, and open his mouth in the midst of the assembly;”
Sir 15:6 “He will find joy and a crown of gladness, and possess eternal renown.”
Sir 15:7 “Men with no understanding will not win her, and sinners will not see her.”
Sir 15:8 “She is far from pride, and liars give no heed to her.”
Sir 15:9 “Praise is not becoming on the lips of a sinner, for it was not sent him from the Lord.”
Sir 15:10 “For praise must be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will make it prosper.”
Sir 15:11 “Do not say, “It was because of the Lord that I fell away,” for he will not do things that he hates.”
Sir 15:12 “Do not say, “It was he that led me astray,” for he has no need of a sinner.”
Sir 15:13 “The Lord hates anything abominable; and it is not loved by those who fear him.”
Sir 15:14 “It was he who made man in the beginning, and left him in the hands of his own decision;”
Sir 15:15 “If you will, you can keep the commandments, and acting faithfully rests on your own good pleasure.”
Sir 15:16 “He has set fire and water before you; stretch out your hand for whichever you wish.”
Sir 15:17 “Life and death are before a man, and whichever he chooses will be given him.”
Sir 15:18 “For the wisdom of the Lord is great; He is mighty in strength, and beholds all things.”
Sir 15:19 “His eyes rest on those who fear him, and he knows everything man does.”
Sir 15:20 “He has not commanded anyone to be ungodly, and he has given no one permission to sin.”

Chapter 16

Sir 16:1 “Do not desire a multitude of unprofitable children, nor delight in ungodly sons.”
Sir 16:2 “If they multiply, do not rejoice in them, unless the fear of the Lord is with them.
Sir 16:3 “Do not put your trust in their lives, and do not rely on their number; for one that is just is better than a thousand, and to die childless than to have children that are ungodly.”
Sir 16:4 “For from one man of understanding, a city will be peopled (replenished), but the kindred of the wicked shall speedily become desolate.”
Sir 16:5 “Many such things my eyes have seen, and mightier things than these my ears have heard.”
Sir 16:6 “In a gathering of sinners a fire is kindled, and in a disobedient nation wrath burns.”
Sir 16:7 “He did not forgive the giants of old, who rebelled in the strength of their foolishness.”
Sir 16:8 “He did not spare the people among whom Lot was living, whom he detested for their pride.”
Sir 16:9 “He did not have mercy on the doomed nation (people of perdition), who were dispossessed for their sins;”
Sir 16:10 “Or on the six hundred thousand men on foot, who gathered against him in their obstinacy.”
Sir 16:11 “Why, if there is one stiff-necked man, it is a wonder if he goes unpunished; For both mercy and wrath are with him, He is mighty in forgiveness, and yet pours out his wrath;”
Sir 16:12 “Great as is his mercy, so great is his correction also; He will judge a man by his doings.”
Sir 16:13 “A sinner will not escape with his booty, and the steadfastness of the godly man will not be disappointed.”
Sir 16:14 “He will make room for all mercy, yet what every man receives will be governed by what he has done.”
Sir 16:15 “The Lord hardened Pharaoh, that he should not know him, that his powerful works might be known to the world.”
Sir 16:16 “His mercy is manifest to every creature, and he has separated his light from the darkness with an adamant.”
Sir 16:17 “Do not say, “I will be hidden from the Lord, and on high who will remember me? Among so many people I will not be noticed, and what is my soul in a boundless creation?”
Sir 16:18 “Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens, the abyss and the earth, and all that is therein shall shake when he inspects (visits) them;”
Sir 16:19 “Yes, the mountains and the foundations of the earth shake and tremble when he looks at them.”
Sir 16:20 “No mind can think about them, and who can grasp his ways?”
Sir 16:21 “There are hurricanes which no man sees, and the most of his doings are done in secret.”
Sir 16:22 “Who can declare his upright deeds? Or who can endure them? For his covenant is far from me, and the trial of all things is in the end.”
Sir 16:23 “A man who is wanting in understanding thinks upon vain things, and a senseless, misguided man has these foolish thoughts.”
Sir 16:24 “Listen to me, my child, and receive instruction, and apply your mind (heart) to what I say;”
Sir 16:25 “I will disclose instruction by weight, and declare knowledge with exactness.”
Sir 16:26 “When the Lord created his works in the beginning, after he made them, he fixed their several divisions.”
Sir 16:27 “He organized his works in a system forever, and their divisions for all their generations. They do not grow hungry or tired, and they do not stop working.”
Sir 16:28 “None of them crowds his neighbor aside, and they never disobey his command.”
Sir 16:29 “After that, the Lord looked at the earth, and filled it with his blessings.”
Sir 16:30 “He covered the face of it with every living creature, and to it they return.”

Chapter 17

Sir 17:1 “The Lord created man out of the ground, and made him return to it again.”
Sir 17:2 “He set a limit to the number of their days, and gave them dominion over what was on the earth.”
Sir 17:3 “He clothed them with strength like his own, and made them in his own image.”
Sir 17:4 “He put fear of them in every living creature, and made them masters of the wild animals and birds.”
Sir 17:6 “He gave them reason and speech and sight, hearing, and a mind for thought.”
Sir 17:7 “He filled them with the knowledge of understanding, and showed them good and evil.”
Sir 17:8 “He put his eyesight in their minds to show them the majesty of his works,”
Sir 17:9 “So that they would praise his holy name and declare the majesty of his works with understanding.”
Sir 17:10 “And the elect shall praise his holy name.”
Sir 17:11 “He gave them knowledge also, and gave them a law of life as an inheritance.”
Sir 17:12 “He made an everlasting covenant with them, and showed them his decrees (judgments).”
Sir 17:13 “Their eyes saw his glorious majesty, and their ears heard the glory of his voice.”
Sir 17:14 “He said to them, “Beware all unrighteousness”, and he gave everyone of them commands concerning his neighbor.”
Sir 17:15 “Their ways are always before him; they cannot be hidden from his eyes.”
Sir 17:16 “Every man from his youth is given to evil; neither could they make to themselves fleshy hearts for stony.”
Sir 17:17 “For every nation he appointed a ruler, but Israel is the Lord’s own portion.”
Sir 17:18 “Whom, being his firstborn, he nourishes with discipline, and giving him the light of his love does not forsake him.”
Sir 17:19 “All their doings are as clear as the sun before him, and his eyes rest continually upon their ways.”
Sir 17:20 “Their iniquities are not hidden from him, and all their sins are before the Lord.”
Sir 17:21 “But the Lord being gracious, and knowing his workmanship, neither left nor forsook them, but spared them.”
Sir 17:22 “A man’s alms are like a signet with him, and a man’s liberality he will preserve like the apple of his eye, and give repentance to his sons and daughters.”
Sir 17:23 “Afterward he will rise up and requite them, and pay back their recompense upon their heads.”
Sir 17:24 “But to those who repent he has given a way to return, and he comforted those that failed in patience.”
Sir 17:25 “Turn to the Lord, and forsake your sins; offer a prayer before him, and lessen your offense.”
Sir 17:26 “Draw near to the Most High, and turn away from iniquity, for He will lead you out of darkness into the light of health, and hate bitterly what He abhors.”
Sir 17:27 “Who will praise the Most High in Hades, compared with those who give him thanks while they still live?”
Sir 17:28 “Thanksgiving from the dead perishes as though he were not; It is the man who is alive and well that should praise the Lord.”
Sir 17:29 “How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness for those who turn to him!”
Sir 17:30 “For everything cannot exist in men, for man is not immortal.”
Sir 17:31 “What is brighter than the sun? Yet it is eclipsed; So flesh and blood devise evil.”
Sir 17:32 “He looks after the power of the very height of heaven, but all men are only dust and ashes.”

Chapter 18

Sir 18:1 “He who lives forever has created all things alike;
Sir 18:2 “The Lord only is righteous, and there is none other but he.”
Sir 18:3 “Who governs the world with the palm of his hand, and all things obey his will: for he is the King of all, by his power dividing holy things among them from profane.”
Sir 18:4 “To whom has he given power to declare his works? and who can track out his mighty deeds?”
Sir 18:5 “Who can compute the power of his majesty? And who can in addition detail his mercies?”
Sir 18:6 “It is not possible to take from them or to add to them, Or to track out the wonders of the Lord.”
Sir 18:7 “Where man ends, he begins, and when man stops, will he be perplexed?”
Sir 18:8 “What is man, and of what use is he? What is the good of him, and what is the evil?”
Sir 18:9 “The length of a man’s days is great at a hundred years,”
Sir 18:10 “Like a drop of water from the sea, or a grain of sand, so are a thousand years to the days of eternity.”
Sir 18:11 “Therefore the Lord has been patient with them, and he has poured out his mercy upon them.”
Sir 18:12 “He sees and recognizes that their end is evil, so he increases his forgiveness.”
Sir 18:13 “A man has mercy on his neighbor, but the mercy of the Lord is for all mankind, Reproving and training and teaching them, and bringing them back as a shepherd does his flock.”
Sir 18:14 “On those who accept (receive) his training (discipline) he has mercy, and on those who eagerly seek his decrees (judgments).”
Sir 18:15 “My child, do not spoil your good deeds, or when you make any gift cause pain by what you say.”
Sir 18:16 “Does not the dew assuage the scorching heat? So a word is more potent than a gift.”
Sir 18:17 “Why, is not a word better than a gift? Both mark the gracious man;”
Sir 18:18 “A fool ungraciously abuses people, and a present from a grudging man makes one cry his eyes out.”
Sir 18:19 “Learn before you speak, and take care of yourself before you get sick;”
Sir 18:20 “Examine yourself before you are judged, and at the time of visitation you will find forgiveness.”
Sir 18:21 “Humble yourself before you fall sick, and when you would sin, show repentance instead.”
Sir 18:22 “Let nothing prevent you from paying your vow in due time, and do not wait till you die to be justified.”
Sir 18:23 “Prepare yourself before you make a vow, and do not be like a man who tests the Lord.”
Sir 18:24 “Think of his wrath in later days, and the time of vengeance, when he turns away his face.”
Sir 18:25 “Remember the time of famine in the time of plenty, poverty and want in the days of wealth.”
Sir 18:26 “Between morning and evening the situation changes, and it all passes swiftly in the sight of the Lord.”
Sir 18:27 “A wise man is always reverent, and in days of sin he is careful not to offend; but a fool will not observe time.”
Sir 18:28 “Every man of understanding recognizes wisdom, and will thank the man who finds her.”
Sir 18:29 “Men skilled in the use of words compose cleverly themselves, and pour forth apt proverbs.”
Sir 18:30 “Do not follow your impulses, but restrain your longings.”
Sir 18:31 “If you give assent to the impulse of your heart, it will make you a laughingstock to your enemies that malign you.”
Sir 18:32 “Do not indulge in too much luxury, do not be tied to its expense.”
Sir 18:33 “Do not be impoverished from feasting on borrowed money when you have nothing in your purse, for you shall lie in wait for your own life, and be talked on.”

Chapter 19

Sir 19:1 “A workman who is a drunkard will never get rich; and the man who despises little things will gradually fail;”
Sir 19:2 “Wine and women make men of understanding stand aloof; and the man who is devoted to prostitutes is reckless.”
Sir 19:3 “Worms and decay will eventually possess him, and the rash soul will be destroyed.”
Sir 19:4 “The man who trusts people quickly is light-minded; and he who sins offends against his own soul.”
Sir 19:5 “The man who takes pleasure in wickedness will be condemned, and he who resists pleasures crowns his life.”
Sir 19:6 “He that can rule his tongue shall life without strife, and he that hates babbling will have less evil.”
Sir 19:7 “If you never repeat what you are told, you will fare none the worse.”
Sir 19:8 “Whether it be friend or foe, talk not of other men’s lives, and if you can without offense, reveal them not.”
Sir 19:10 “For someone has heard you and watched you, and when the time comes he will hate you.”
Sir 19:11 “If you hear something said, let it die with you, Have courage, it will not make you burst!”
Sir 19:12 “A fool to express a thought suffers such pangs as a woman in childbirth suffers to bear a child.”
Sir 19:13 “Like an arrow sticking in the flesh of the thigh is a word in the heart of a fool.”
Sir 19:14 “Question a friend; perhaps he did not do it; or if he did, so that he will not do it again.”
Sir 19:15 “Question your neighbor; perhaps he did not say it; or if he did, so that he may not repeat it.”
Sir 19:16 “Question a friend, for often there is slander, and you must not believe everything that is said.”
Sir 19:17 “A man may make a slip without intending to, who has not sinned with his tongue?”
Sir 19:18 “Question your neighbor before you threaten him, and not being angry, give place to the Law of the Most High.”
Sir 19:20 “The fear of the Lord is the sum of wisdom, and in all wisdom the Law is fulfilled, and the knowledge of his omnipotence.”
Sir 19:21 “If a servant say to his master, I will not do as it pleases you, though afterward he do it, he angers him that nourishes him.”
Sir 19:22 “The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom, and where the counsel of sinners is, there is no understanding.”
Sir 19:23 “There is a cunning that is detestable, and there is a foolish man who is deficient in wisdom.”
Sir 19:24 “A man who is inferior in understanding but fears God is better than one who abounds in prudence (wisdom) but transgresses the Law of the Most High.”
Sir 19:25 “There is an exquisite subtlety and the same is unjust, and there is a man who acts crookedly to gain a judgment, and there is a wise man that justifies in judgment.”
Sir 19:26 “There is a wicked man that bends down his head sadly, but inwardly is full of deceit.”
Sir 19:27 “He covers his face, and pretends to be deaf, but when no one is looking, he will take advantage of you.”
Sir 19:28 “And though for lack of power he may be prevented from sinning, if he finds an opportunity, he will do you harm.”
Sir 19:29 “A man is known by his appearance, and an intelligent man can be told by the expression of his face.”
Sir 19:30 “A man’s clothes and a broad smile, and the way he walks tell what he is.”

Chapter 20

Sir 20:1 “There is a rebuke that is uncalled for, and a time when the man who keeps silent is wise.”
Sir 20:2 “How much better it is to reprove someone than to be angry secretly, for the man who confesses his fault will be preserved from hurt.”
Sir 20:3 “How good it is, when you are reproved, to show repentance! For so shall you escape willful sin.”
Sir 20:4 “Like the lust of a eunuch to deflower a virgin, so is the man who would execute judgment by violence.”
Sir 20:5 “One man keeps silence and is considered wise; while another is hated for his loquacity (much babbling).
Sir 20:6 “One man keeps silence because he has nothing to say; and another keeps silence because he knows it is the time for it.”
Sir 20:7 “A wise man will keep silence till his time comes, but a babbler and a fool miss the fitting time.”
Sir 20:8 “The man who talks excessively is detested, and he who takes it on himself to speak is hated.”
Sir 20:9 “There is a sinner that has good success in evil things, and there is a gain that turns to loss.”
Sir 20:10 “There is a gift that will not profit you, and there is a gift whose recompense is double.”
Sir 20:11 “There are humiliations for the sake of gaining glory, and there are men who rise from low conditions.”
Sir 20:12 “One man buys much for little, and yet pays for it sevenfold.”
Sir 20:13 “A man who speaks wisely makes himself beloved; but the pleasant speeches of fools are thrown away.”
Sir 20:14 “The gift of a fool will do you no good when you have it, neither yet of the envious for his necessity, for he looks to receive many things for one.”
Sir 20:15 “He gives little, and finds a great deal of fault, and opens his mouth like a town-crier. He will lend today and ask it back tomorrow; such a man is to be hated by God and man.”
Sir 20:16 “The fool says, “I have no friends, I get no thanks for all my good deeds, and they that eat my bread speak evil of me.”
Sir 20:17 “How many will laugh at him, and how often! for he doesn’t know what it is to have, and it is all unto him as if he had it not.”
Sir 20:18 “A slip on the ground is better than a slip of the tongue; so the fall of the wicked will come quickly.”
Sir 20:19 “A disagreeable man and an unseasonable story – they will both be constantly on the lips of the uneducated.”
Sir 20:20 “A proverb on the lips of a fool will be refused, for he will not speak it in due season.”
Sir 20:21 “One man is kept from sinning through poverty, so his conscience does not prick him when he goes to rest.”
Sir 20:22 “Another loses his own life from sheer embarrassment, and by accepting of persons, he overthrows himself.”
Sir 20:23 “Another out of embarrassment makes promises to his friend, and so makes him his enemy for nothing.”
Sir 20:24 “A lie is a bad blot in a man; it is continually found on the lips of the ignorant.”
Sir 20:25 “A thief is better than a habitual liar, but they are both doomed to destruction.”
Sir 20:26 “The disposition of a liar is dishonorable, and his shame attends him continually.”
Sir 20:27 “A wise man promotes himself to honor with his words, and a man of understanding will please great men.”
Sir 20:28 “The man who cultivates the soil makes his heap high, and the man who pleases great men shall get pardon for iniquity.”
Sir 20:29 “Gifts and presents can blind the eyes of wise men, and avert reproofs like a muzzle on the mouth.”
Sir 20:30 “Hidden wisdom and concealed treasure – what is the use of either of them?”
Sir 20:31 “A man who conceals his folly is better than a man who conceals his wisdom.”
Sir 20:32 “Necessary patience in seeking the Lord is better than he that leads his life without a guide.”

Chapter 21

Sir 21:1 “My child, if you have sinned, do not do it again, and ask pardon for your former sins.”
Sir 21:2 “Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent; for if you approach it, it will bite you. Its teeth are as lion’s teeth, and destroy the souls of men.”
Sir 21:3 “All iniquity is like a two-edged sword; and the wounds from it cannot be healed.”
Sir 21:4 “Terror and violence lay waste riches; so the house of a proud man will be laid waste.”
Sir 21:5 “The prayer from a poor man’s mouth reaches to the ears of God, and his judgment comes speedily.”
Sir 21:6 “A man who hates reproof is walking in the sinner’s steps, but he who fears the Lord will turn to him in his heart.”
Sir 21:7 “A man who is mighty in tongue is known afar off, but a man of understanding knows when he slips.”
Sir 21:8 “The man who builds his house with other men’s money is like one who gathers stones for (the tomb of his burial) winter.”
Sir 21:9 “An assembly of wicked men is like tow wrapped together; for their end is a blazing fire to destroy them.”
Sir 21:10 “The way of sinners is made smooth with stones, but at the end of it is the pit of Hades.”
Sir 21:11 “The man who keeps the Law of the Lord gets understanding thereof, and the perfection of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.”
Sir 21:12 “The man who is not wise will not be instructed, but there is a wisdom that spreads bitterness.”
Sir 21:13 “A wise man’s knowledge abounds like a flood, and his counsel is like a living spring.”
Sir 21:14 “The heart of a fool is like a broken vessel; it will hold no knowledge as long as he lives.”
Sir 21:15 “If a man of understanding hears a wise saying, he commends it, and adds to it; but as soon as one of no understanding hears it, it displeases him, and he throws it behind his back.”
Sir 21:16 “The discourse of a fool is like a burden on a journey; but grace is found on the lips of a man of understanding.”
Sir 21:17 “The utterance of a wise man will be asked for in an assembly, and what he says they will think over in their minds (heart).”
Sir 21:18 “To a fool wisdom is like a ruined house, and the knowledge of a man without understanding is words that will not bear investigation.”
Sir 21:19 “To the foolish man, instruction is fetters on his feet; and handcuffs on his right hand.”
Sir 21:20 “A fool raises his voice when he laughs, but a wise man will hardly even smile quietly.”
Sir 21:21 “To a wise man instruction is like a gold ornament, and like a bracelet on his right arm.”
Sir 21:22 “The foot of a fool is quick to enter his [neighbor’s] house, but a man of experience waits respectfully before it.”
Sir 21:23 “A senseless person (fool) peeps into a house through the door, but a cultivated (well nurtured) man stands outside.”
Sir 21:24 “It is stupidity (the rudeness) in a man to listen at a door; but a wise man would overwhelmed with disgrace.”
Sir 21:25 “The lips of talkers will be telling such things which do not pertain to them, but the words of sensible men are weighed in the balance.”
Sir 21:26 “The minds (hearts) of fools are in their mouths, but the mouth of wise men is their mind (hearts).”
Sir 21:27 “When an ungodly man curses his adversary (Satan), he curses his own soul.”
Sir 21:28 “A whisperer pollutes (defiles) his own soul, and will be hated wherever he dwells.”

Chapter 22

Sir 22:1 “A slothful man is like a filthy stone, and everybody hisses at his disgrace.”
Sir 22:2 “A slothful man is like the filth of a dunghill; anyone who picks it up shakes out his hand.”
Sir 22:3 “It is a disgrace to be the father of an ignorant son, and to have a [foolish] daughter is a disadvantage.”
Sir 22:4 “A wise daughter will bring an inheritance to her husband, but one who brings disgrace is a grief to her father.”
Sir 22:5 “She who is bold disgraces her father and her husband, and will be despised by both.”
Sir 22:6 “Unseasonable talk is music in a time of mourning; but blows and discipline in wisdom are always in order.”
Sir 22:7 “The man who teaches a fool is gluing a potsherd together, or rousing a sleeper out of a deep sleep.”
Sir 22:8 “The man who lectures to a fool lectures to one who is dozing, and at the conclusion he will say, “What was it?”
Sir 22:9 “If children live honestly, and have wherewithal, they shall cover the baseness of their parents.”
Sir 22:10 “But children, being haughty, through disdain, and want of nurture do stain the nobility of their kindred.”
Sir 22:11 “Weep for one who is dead, for light has failed him; and weep over a fool, for understanding has failed him. Weep less bitterly over the dead, for he has gone to rest; but the fool’s life is worse than death.”
Sir 22:12 “The mourning for the dead lasts seven days, but that for a fool or an ungodly man lasts all the days of his life.”
Sir 22:13 “Do not talk much with a senseless man, or go to see a man of no understanding; Beware of him, or you may have trouble, and do not be defiled with his fooleries. Avoid him, and you will find rest, and you will not be wearied by his senselessness.”
Sir 22:14 “What is heavier than lead? What can you call it but a fool?”
Sir 22:15 “Sand and salt and a lump of iron are easier to bear than a man without understanding.”
Sir 22:16 “A wooden girder fastened in a building is not loosened by an earthquake; So a mind established on well-considered thought will not be afraid at any time.”
Sir 22:17 “A mind (heart) fixed on understanding thought is like a plaster ornament on a smooth wall.”
Sir 22:18 “Fences set up in the air will not stand against the wind; So a cowardly heart with foolish thoughts will not stand against any fear.”
Sir 22:19 “The man who pricks the eye makes tears fall, and the man who pricks the heart makes it show feeling (her knowledge).”
Sir 22:20 “The man who throws a stone at the birds scares them away, and the man who abuses a friend destroys a friendship.”
Sir 22:21 “Even if you draw the sword against your friend, do not despair, for there is a way to repent;”
Sir 22:22 “If you open your mouth against your friend, do not be afraid, for there is such a thing as reconciliation; But when it comes to abuse and arrogance and telling a secret and a treacherous blow, at such treatment any friend will take to flight.”
Sir 22:23 “Be faithful to your neighbor in his poverty, so that when he prospers you may rejoice with him. Stand by him in time of trouble, so that you may share his inheritance with him, for the mean estate is not always to be contemned; nor the rich that is foolish to be had in admiration.”
Sir 22:24 “The vapor and smoke from the furnace precede the fire; so abuse precedes bloodshed.”
Sir 22:25 “I will not shrink from giving shelter to a friend, and I will not hide myself from him,”
Sir 22:26 “And if misfortune overtakes me on his account, everyone who hears of it will beware of him.”
Sir 22:27 “Who will set a guard over my mouth, and put a seal of wisdom upon my lips, so that I may not fall because of them, and my tongue may not destroy me?”

Chapter 23

Sir 23:1 “O Lord, Father and Master of my life, do not abandon me to their designs; do not let me fall because of them.”
Sir 23:2 “Who will set scourges over my mind? and the discipline of wisdom over my heart? so that they may not spare me for my errors of ignorance, and it may not pass over my sins.”
Sir 23:3 “So that my acts of ignorance may not become numerous, and my sins multiply, and I fall before my adversaries, And my enemy rejoice over me, whose hope is far from your mercy.”
Sir 23:4 “O Lord, Father and God of my life, do not give me roving eyes, and avert evil desire from me;”
Sir 23:5 “Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and you shall hold him up that is desirous always to serve you.”
Sir 23:6 “Let not the greediness of the belly nor the lust of the flesh take hold of me, and give not over me, your servant, to a impudent mind.”
Sir 23:7 “Listen, my children, to the discipline of the mouth, for he who observes it will not be taken captive.”
Sir 23:8 “It is through his lips that the sinner is caught, and the abusive and the proud are tripped up by them.”
Sir 23:9 “Do not accustom your mouth to an oath, and do not form the habit of uttering the name of the Holy One;”
Sir 23:10 “For just as a servant who is constantly being beaten does not lack the marks of a blow, so the man who constantly swears and utters the Name cannot be absolved from sin.”
Sir 23:11 “A man who swears a great deal will be filled with iniquity, and the plague will never leave his house; if he offends, his sin rests upon him, and if he disregards it, he sins doubly; and if he has sworn needlessly, he is not justified, for his house will be filled with misery.”
Sir 23:12 “There is a way of speaking that may be compared with death; God grant that it be not found in the heritage of Jacob. for all this will be far from the godly, and they will not wallow in sin.”
Sir 23:13 “Do not accustom your mouth to foul rudeness, for that is sinful speech.”
Sir 23:14 “Remember your father and mother, when you sit in council with the great, or you may forget yourself in their presence, and seem like a fool through the habit you have so that you will wish you had never been born, and curse the day of your birth.”
Sir 23:15 “A man who forms the habit of abusive speech will never be educated as long as he lives.”
Sir 23:16 “There are two kinds of men that multiply sins, and a third that incurs wrath: A spirit (mind) hot as a burning fire, it cannot be quenched until it is consumed; One who is a fornicator in the body of his flesh, he will not stop until the fire burns him up;”
Sir 23:17 “All bread is sweet to a whoremonger, he will not tire until he dies;”
Sir 23:18 “A man that breaks wedlock, and says to himself, “Who can see me? Darkness is around me, and the walls hide me, so no one can see me; what risk do I run? The Most High will not remember my sins.”
Sir 23:19 “The eyes of men are his only fear, and he does not know that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, surveying all the ways of men, and observe the secret places.”
Sir 23:20 “All things were known to him before they were created, so was it also after they were completed.”
Sir 23:21 “Such a man will be punished in the streets of the city, and caught where he least suspects it.”
Sir 23:22 “It is so also with a wife who leaves her husband, and provides an heir by a stranger.”
Sir 23:23 “For, first, she disobeys the law of the Most High, and, second, she wrongs her husband, and, third, she played the whore in adultery, and provides children by a stranger.”
Sir 23:24 “She will be brought before the assembly, and her sin will be visited upon her children.
Sir 23:25 “Her children will not take root, and her branches will not bear fruit.”
Sir 23:26 “She will leave her memory for a curse, and her reproach will not be blotted out.”
Sir 23:27 “And those who are left behind will know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord, and nothing more pleasant (sweeter) than observing the Lord’s commandments.”
Sir 23:28 “It is great glory to follow the Lord, and to be received by him is long life.”

Chapter 24

Sir 24:1 “Wisdom is her own recommendation, and exults in the midst of her people.”
Sir 24:2 “She opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High, and in the presence of his might she utters her boast:”
Sir 24:3 “I issued from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist (cloud).”
Sir 24:4 “I lived on the heights, and my throne was in the pillar of cloud.”
Sir 24:5 “I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and I walked in the depth of the abyss.”
Sir 24:6 “I owned the waves of the sea and the whole earth and every people and nation.”
Sir 24:7 “Among all these I sought a resting-place; In whose inheritance should I lodge?”
Sir 24:8 “Then the Creator of all gave me his command; and he who created me made my tabernacle to rest, And said, ‘Pitch your tent in Jacob, and find your inheritance in Israel.’“
Sir 24:9 “He created me from the beginning, before the world, and I shall never cease.”
Sir 24:10 “I ministered before him in the holy tabernacle, and so I was established in Zion.”
Sir 24:11 “He made me rest likewise in the beloved city, and I had authority over Jerusalem.”
Sir 24:12 “I took root in the glorified people, in the portion of the Lord, and of his inheritance.”
Sir 24:13 “I was exalted like a cedar in the Lebanon, or a cypress in the mountains of Hermon;”
Sir 24:14 “I was exalted like a palm tree in Engadi, or like the rose bushes in Jericho; Like a fine olive tree in the field; I was exalted like a plane tree by the water.”
Sir 24:15 “I gave forth a perfume like cinnamon and camel’s thorn (aspalathus), and I spread fragrance like choice myrrh; like galbanum, onycha, and stacte, and like the smoke of frankincense in the tabernacle.”
Sir 24:16 “I stretched out my branches like a terebinths, my branches were glorious, graceful branches.”
Sir 24:17 “I made grace grow like a vine, and my blossoms are the fruit of honor and riches.”
Sir 24:18 “I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope; I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.”
Sir 24:19 “Come to me, you who desire me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.”
Sir 24:20 “For the memory of me is sweeter than honey, and the possession of me, than the honeycomb.”
Sir 24:21 “Those who eat me will cease to be hungry, and those who drink me will cease to be thirsty.”
Sir 24:22 “He who obeys me will not be put to shame, and those who work with me will commit no sin.”
Sir 24:23 “All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God, The Law which Moses ordained for us as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob;”
Sir 24:24 “Faint not to be strong in the Lord, that he may confirm you, cleave to him, for the Lord Almighty is God alone, and beside him there is no Savior.”
Sir 24:25 “He fills men with his wisdom, as the Pishon, and as the Tigris in the time of the new fruits.”
Sir 24:26 “He makes the understanding to abound like the Euphrates, and as the Jordan in harvest time.”
Sir 24:27 “Which makes instruction shine forth like light, like the Gihon in the days of the vintage.”
Sir 24:28 “Just as the first man did not know her perfectly, the last one will not track her out.”
Sir 24:29 “For her thinking is fuller than the sea, and her counsel than the great deep.”
Sir 24:30 “I came out like a canal from the river, and like a watercourse in a garden.”
Sir 24:31 “I said, “I will water my garden, and drench my flower bed.” And behold, my canal became a river, and my river became a sea.”
Sir 24:32 “I will again make instruction dawn like the daybreak, and make it shine forth afar.”
Sir 24:33 “I will pour out teaching again as prophecy, and leave it behind for endless generations.”
Sir 24:34 “Observe that I have not labored for myself only, but for all who seek her out.”

Chapter 25

Sir 25:1 “In three things I show my beauty and stand up in beauty before the Lord and men; Unity of brethren, the love of neighbors, and a men and a wife that agree together.”
Sir 25:2 “But three kinds of men my soul hates, and I am greatly angered at their existence: A poor man who is proud, and a rich man who lies, and an old man who is an adulterer and lacks understanding.”
Sir 25:3 “If you have not gathered in your youth, how can you find anything in your old age?”
Sir 25:4 “How beautiful judgment is for hoary hair, and the knowledge of what to advise for the elderly!”
Sir 25:5 “How beautiful is the wisdom of old men, and consideration and counsel in men of distinction.”
Sir 25:6 “Rich experience is the crown of old men, and their boast is the fear of the Lord.”
Sir 25:7 “Nine things I have thought of and considered happy, and I can mention a tenth with my tongue: A man who is happy in his children; one who lives to see his enemies fall;”
Sir 25:8 “Blessed is the man who lives with a wife of understanding; and the one who does not slip with his tongue; and the one who is not a slave to his inferior;”
Sir 25:9 “Blessed is the man who finds good sense; and the one who discourses to the ears of men who listen;”
Sir 25:10 “How great the man is who finds wisdom; but there is no one greater than the man who fears the Lord.”
Sir 25:11 “But the love of the Lord surpasses everything for illumination, to what can the man who possesses it be compared?”
Sir 25:12 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of his love, and faith is the beginning of cleaving to him.”
Sir 25:13 “Any wound but a wounded heart! And any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman!”
Sir 25:14 “Any calamity but a calamity brought about by those who hate you; And any vengeance but the vengeance of your enemies!”
Sir 25:15 “There is no head higher than a snake’s head, and no anger greater than an enemy’s.”
Sir 25:16 “I had rather keep house with a lion and a serpent than keep house with a wicked woman.”
Sir 25:17 “A woman’s wickedness changes her looks, and darkens her face like a bear;”
Sir 25:18 “Her husband sits at table among his neighbors, and involuntarily groans bitterly.”
Sir 25:19 “Any malice is small to a woman’s malice; may the lot of the sinner befall her!”
Sir 25:20 “Like a sandy climb to an old man’s feet so is a talkative wife to a quiet man.”
Sir 25:21 “Do not fall down before a woman’s beauty, and do not greatly desire her for a wife.”
Sir 25:22 “A woman, if she supports her husband, is full of anger and impudence and much reproach.”
Sir 25:23 “A wicked woman abates courage, makes a heavy countenance and a wounded heart. A woman who will not comfort her husband in distress, makes palsied hands and paralyzed knees.”
Sir 25:24 “Sin began with a woman, and because of her we all die.”
Sir 25:25 “Do not give water an outlet, nor a wicked woman freedom to speak.”
Sir 25:26 “If she does not act as you would have her, cut her off from your person, give her a bill of divorcement, and let her go.”

Chapter 26

Sir 26:1 “Happy is the man who has a good wife! The number of his days is doubled.”
Sir 26:2 “A noble wife gladdens her husband, and he lives out his years in peace.”
Sir 26:3 “A good wife is good fortune; she falls to the lot of those who fear the Lord,”
Sir 26:4 “Whether rich or poor, if he has a good heart toward the Lord, he shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful face.”
Sir 26:5 “There are three things my heart is afraid of, and a for a fourth that I fear: The slander of a city, and the gathering of a mob, and a false accusation – these are all worse than death.”
Sir 26:6 “It is heartache and sorrow when one woman that is jealous over another woman, and a scourge of the tongue which communicates with all.”
Sir 26:7 “A wicked woman is a chafing ox-yoke; taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion.”
Sir 26:8 “A drunken woman and a gad about causes great anger, and does not even cover up her own shame.”
Sir 26:9 “The whoredom of a woman is revealed by her haughty looks, and by her eyelids.”
Sir 26:10 “Keep a close watch over a headstrong daughter, for if she is allowed her liberty, she may take advantage of it.”
Sir 26:11 “Keep watch over a roving eye, and do not be surprised if it offends against you.”
Sir 26:12 “She will open her mouth, like a thirsty traveler who opens his mouth and drinks of any water that is near, she will sit down before every tent peg, and open her quiver to every arrow.”
Sir 26:13 “The grace of a wife delights her husband, and her knowledge fattens his bones.”
Sir 26:14 “A silent and loving woman is a gift from the Lord, and there is nothing worth as much as a mind well instructed.”
Sir 26:15 “A modest wife is blessing after blessing, and a self controlled spirit no scales can weigh.”
Sir 26:16 “Like the sun rising on the Lord’s loftiest heights, is the beauty of a good woman as she keeps her house in order.”
Sir 26:17 “Like a lamp shining on the holy lampstand, is a beautiful face on a good figure.”
Sir 26:18 “Like gold pillars on silver bases are beautiful feet with a constant heart.”
Sir 26:19 “My son, keep the flower of your age sound, and give not your strength to strangers.”
Sir 26:20 “When you have gotten a fruitful possession through all the field, sow it with your own seed, trusting in the goodness of your stock.”
Sir 26:21 “So your race which you leave shall be magnified, having the confidence of their good descent.”
Sir 26:22 “An harlot shall be accounted as spittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband.” (Magdalene means ‘tower’ in Hebrew and Greek)
Sir 26:23 “A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man, but a godly woman is given to him that fears the Lord.”
Sir 26:24 “A dishonest woman contemned shame, but an honest woman will reverence her husband.”
Sir 26:25 “A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog, but she that is shamefaced will fear the Lord.”
Sir 26:26 “A woman that honors her husband shall be judged wise of all, but she that dishonors him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all.”
Sir 26:27 “A loud crying woman and a scold shall be sought out to drive away the enemies.”
Sir 26:28 “Over two things my heart is grieved, and over a third anger overcomes me: A soldier in poverty and want, men of understanding who are treated like dirt, and the man who turns back from uprightness to sin – The Lord will prepare a sword for him!”
Sir 26:29 “A merchant can hardly keep himself from doing wrong, and a storekeeper cannot be acquitted of sin.”

Chapter 27

Sir 27:1 “Many sin for the sake of gain, and the man who is intent on increasing what he has, has to shut his eyes.”
Sir 27:2 “As a nail will stick fast between the joinings of the stones, so does sin stick close between buying and selling.”
Sir 27:3 “Unless a man earnestly holds on to the fear of the Lord, his house will soon be overturned.”
Sir 27:4 “When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains in it; so, the filth of a man in his talk.”
Sir 27:5 “The furnace tests the potter’s dishes, and the test of a man is in his reasoning.”
Sir 27:6 “Its fruit shows how a tree has been cultivated; so does the expression of the thought of a man’s mind.”
Sir 27:7 “Do not praise a man before you hear him reason, for that is the way men are tested.”
Sir 27:8 “If you pursue what is right, you will overtake it, and put it on like a splendid robe.”
Sir 27:9 “Birds roost with their own kind, and truth comes back to those who practice it.”
Sir 27:10 “The lion lies in wait for his prey, and so does sin for those who work iniquity.”
Sir 27:11 “The discourse of a godly man is always wise, but the foolish man changes like the moon.”
Sir 27:12 “Among unintelligent people watch your opportunity to leave, but among thoughtful people stay on.”
Sir 27:13 “The discourse of fools is offensive, and their laughter is wanton sinfulness.”
Sir 27:14 “A profane man’s talk makes your hair stand on end, and their quarreling makes you stop your ears.”
Sir 27:15 “When arrogant men quarrel, there is bloodshed, and their abuse of one another is dreadful to hear.”
Sir 27:16 “The man who tells secrets destroys confidence, and will not find a friend to his mind.”
Sir 27:17 “If you love your friend, keep faith with him, but if you tell his secrets, do not pursue him.”
Sir 27:18 “For as a man destroys his enemies, so have you lost the love of your neighbor.”
Sir 27:19 “And as you let a bird out of your hand, you have let your neighbor go, and you will not catch him again.”
Sir 27:20 “Do not go after him, for he is far away, and has made his escape like a gazelle from a trap.”
Sir 27:21 “For you can bind up a wound, and be reconciled after abuse, but for the man who tells secrets there is no hope.
Sir 27:22 “A man who winks his eye plots mischief, and no one can keep it from him.”
Sir 27:23 “Face to face with you he speaks sweetly, and will show respect for what you say; But afterward he will twist his lips, and make a stumbling block of your words.”
Sir 27:24 “I have hated many things, but found nothing like him, and the Lord hates him too.”
Sir 27:25 “The man who throws a stone into the air is throwing it on his own head, and a deceitful stroke shall make wounds.”
Sir 27:26 “The man who digs a hole will fall into it, and the man who sets a trap will be caught in it.”
Sir 27:27 “If a man does wicked things, they will fall on him, and he will not know where they come from.”
Sir 27:28 “Mockery and abuse are from the proud and arrogant men, but vengeance lies in wait for them like a lion.”
Sir 27:29 “Those who enjoy the downfall of the godly will be caught in a trap, and pain will consume them before they die.”
Sir 27:30 “Wrath and anger are also detestable, and the sinful man clings to them.”

Chapter 28

Sir 28:1 “The man who takes vengeance will have vengeance taken on him by the Lord, and he will keep close watch of his sins.”
Sir 28:2 “Forgive your neighbor his wrongdoing; then your sins will be forgiven when you pray.”
Sir 28:3 “Shall one man bear hatred against another, and yet ask healing from the Lord?”
Sir 28:4 “Does he have no mercy on a man like himself, and yet pray for his own sins?”
Sir 28:5 “If he, though he is flesh and blood, nourishes hatred, who will atone for his sins?”
Sir 28:6 “Remember your end and give up your enmity; think of death and destruction, and stand by the commandments.”
Sir 28:7 “Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor; Think of the covenant of the Most High, and overlook men’s ignorance.”
Sir 28:8 “Keep from quarreling, and you will reduce your sins, for a furious man kindles quarrels.”
Sir 28:9 “A sinful man creates dissension among friends, and arouses enmity among those who are at peace.”
Sir 28:10 “The more fuel, the more the fire will burn, and the more obstinate the quarrel, the more it will burn. The stronger a man is, the greater is his anger, and the richer he is, the haughtier will his wrath be.”
Sir 28:11 “A hurried dispute kindles a fire, and a hasty quarrel means bloodshed.”
Sir 28:12 “If you blow on a spark, it will blaze, and if you spit on it, it will be put out; and both of these come out of your mouth.”
Sir 28:13 “Curse the whisperer and the deceitful man; for he has destroyed many who were at peace.”
Sir 28:14 “A backbiting tongue has stirred many up, and driven them from nation to nation; it has torn down strongly fortified cities, and overthrown the houses of the great.”
Sir 28:15 “A backbiting tongue has driven out noble women, and robbed them of the fruit of their labors.”
Sir 28:16 “The man who listens to it will find no rest, and will not live in peace.”
Sir 28:17 “The blow of a whip leaves a bruise, but the blow of a tongue breaks the bones.”
Sir 28:18 “Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.”
Sir 28:19 “Happy is the man who is protected from it, who does not feel its anger (venom), who does not bear its yoke, and is not bound with its chains.”
Sir 28:20 “For its yoke is an iron yoke, and its chains are brazen chains;”
Sir 28:21 “Its death is a cruel death, and Hades is better than it.”
Sir 28:22 “It will not control godly men, and they will not be burned in its fire.”
Sir 28:23 “Those who forsake the Lord will fall into it, and it will burn at them and not be put out; it will be sent upon them like a lion, and ravage them like a leopard.”
Sir 28:24 “Look that you hedge your property in with thorns, and shut up your silver and gold,”
Sir 28:25 “Make balances and scales to weigh your words, and make a barred door for your mouth.”
Sir 28:26 “Take heed not to make a slip with it, or you will fall before someone lying in wait for you.”

Chapter 29

Sir 29:1 “The man who shows mercy will lend to his neighbor, and the man who takes him by the hand keeps the commandments.”
Sir 29:2 “Lend to your neighbor when he is in need, and pay your neighbor back again in due season.”
Sir 29:3 “Keep your word and keep faith with him, and you will always find the thing that is necessary for you.”
Sir 29:4 “Many consider a loan as a windfall, and bring trouble on those who help them.”
Sir 29:5 “A man will kiss another man’s hands until he gets it; and speak humbly about his neighbor’s money; but when payment is due, he extends the time, and answers indifferently, and finds fault about the time of payment.”
Sir 29:6 “If he prevails, he will hardly get half of it, and he will consider that a windfall. If he does not, the other has defrauded him of his money, and needlessly made him his enemy; He will pay him with curses and abuse, and repay him with insults instead of honor.”
Sir 29:7 “Many refuse to lend, not from their wickedness, but they are afraid of being needlessly defrauded.”
Sir 29:8 “But be patient with a poor man, and delay not to show him mercy.”
Sir 29:9 “For the commandment’s sake help the needy man, and, in view of his need, do not send him away unsatisfied.”
Sir 29:10 “Lose your money for the sake of a brother or a friend, and do not let it rust to ruin under a stone.”
Sir 29:11 “Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and it will be more profitable to you than gold.”
Sir 29:12 “Store up alms in your storerooms, and it will deliver you from all harm.”
Sir 29:13 “Better than a mighty shield and a ponderous spear, it will fight for you against your enemy.”
Sir 29:14 “A good man will go surety for his neighbor, but the man who has lost his sense of shame will abandon him.”
Sir 29:15 “Do not forget the favor your surety has done you, for he has put himself in your place, and given his life for you.”
Sir 29:16 “A sinner will disregard the service done him by his surety,”
Sir 29:17 “And an ungrateful man will forsake the man who saved him.”
Sir 29:18 “Suretyship has ruined many prosperous men, and shaken them like an ocean wave. It has driven influential men out of their houses, and made them wander among foreign nations.”
Sir 29:19 “A wicked man transgressing the commandments of the Lord shall fall into suretyship, and the man who pursues other men’s business for gain falls into lawsuits.”
Sir 29:20 “Help your neighbor to the best of your ability, but take heed that you do not fall.”
Sir 29:21 “The basis of life is water and bread and clothing, and a house to cover one’s nakedness.”
Sir 29:22 “The life of a poor man under a shelter of logs is better than splendid fare in someone else’s house.”
Sir 29:23 “Be contented with much or little, and you will not hear the reproach of being a stranger.”
Sir 29:24 “It is a miserable life to go from house to house; and where you are a stranger, you cannot open your mouth.”
Sir 29:25 “If you entertain others and give them drink, you will have no thanks, and besides that you will have bitter things to hear:”
Sir 29:26 ““Come in, stranger, set the table, and if you have anything with you, let me have it to eat.”
Sir 29:27 “Get out, stranger, here is somebody more important; My brother has come to be my guest, I need my house.”
Sir 29:28 “These things are trying to a man of understanding, the reproach of a household and the abuse of a creditor.”

Chapter 30

Sir 30:1 “The man who loves his son causes him often to feel the rod, so that he may be glad at the end.”
Sir 30:2 “The man who disciplines his son will profit by him, and boast of him among his acquaintances;”
Sir 30:3 “The man who teaches his son will make his enemy jealous, and exult over him before his friends.”
Sir 30:4 “When his father dies, it is as though he were not dead, for he leaves behind him one like himself.”
Sir 30:5 “In his lifetime he sees him and rejoices, and in death he does not grieve.”
Sir 30:6 “He has left one to avenge him upon his enemies, and to repay the kindness of his friends.”
Sir 30:7 “The man who spoils his son will have to bind up his wounds, and his heart will tremble at every cry.”
Sir 30:8 “An unbroken horse turns out stubborn, and a son left to himself grows up headstrong.”
Sir 30:9 “If you pamper your child, he will make you afraid; play with him, and he will grieve you;”
Sir 30:10 “Do not laugh with him, so that you may not have to mourn with him, and gnash your teeth over him at last.”
Sir 30:11 “Do not allow him liberty in his youth, and wink not at his follies.”
Sir 30:12 “Bow down his neck while he is a child, so that he will not become stubborn and disobey you.”
Sir 30:13 “Discipline your son and take pains with him, so that he will not distress you with his bad behavior.”
Sir 30:14 “A poor man who is well and has a strong constitution is better off than a rich man who is afflicted in body.”
Sir 30:15 “Health and a good constitution are better than any amount of gold, and a strong body than untold riches.”
Sir 30:16 “There is no greater wealth than health of body, and there is no greater happiness than gladness of heart.”
Sir 30:17 “Death is better than a wretched life, and eternal rest than continual sickness.”
Sir 30:18 “Good things spread out before a mouth that is closed are like piles of food laid on a grave.”
Sir 30:19 “What good is an offering of fruit to an idol? It can neither eat nor smell; that is the way with a man who is afflicted by the Lord:”
Sir 30:20 “He sees things with his eyes and groans like a eunuch embracing a girl and sighs!”
Sir 30:21 “Do not give yourself up to sorrow, and do not afflict yourself in your own counsel.”
Sir 30:22 “Gladness of heart is a man’s life, and exultant joy prolongs his days.”
Sir 30:23 “Be kind to yourself and comfort your heart, and put sorrow far from you; For sorrow has destroyed many, and there is no profit in it.”
Sir 30:24 “Envy and anger shorten a man’s days, and worry brings on old age before its time.”
Sir 30:25 “A heart that is cheerful and good will pay attention to the food he eats.”

Chapter 31

Sir 31:1 “Anxiety about wealth makes a man waste away; and his worry about it drives away his sleep.”
Sir 31:2 “Wakefulness and worry banish drowsiness as a serious illness dispels sleep.”
Sir 31:3 “A rich man toils to amass money, and when he stops to rest, he enjoys luxury;”
Sir 31:4 “A poor man toils for the want of a livelihood, and if he stops to rest, he finds himself still in want.”
Sir 31:5 “The man who loves gold cannot be called upright, and the man who pursues profits will be led astray by them.”
Sir 31:6 “Many have been brought to their downfall because of gold and have been brought face to face with ruin.”
Sir 31:7 “It is a stumbling block to those who are possessed by it, and every foolish man is taken captive by it.”
Sir 31:8 “Happy is the rich man who is found blameless, and does not go after gold;”
Sir 31:9 “Who is he? – that we may congratulate him, for he has worked wonders among his people.”
Sir 31:10 “Who has been tested by it and found perfect? He has a right to boast. Who has been able to transgress and has not transgressed, and to do wrong and has not done it?”
Sir 31:11 “His prosperity will be lasting, and the congregation will declare his alms.”
Sir 31:12 “Do you sit at a great table? Do not gulp at it, and do not say, “How much there is on it!”
Sir 31:13 “Remember that an envious eye is wrong. What has been created that is more wicked than the eye? That is why it sheds tears on every occasion.”
Sir 31:14 “Do not reach out your hand wherever it looks, and do not crowd your neighbor in the dish;”
Sir 31:15 “Judge of your neighbor by yourself, and be thoughtful in everything.”
Sir 31:16 “Eat, as it becomes a man, what is served to you, do not devour your food, or you will be detested.”
Sir 31:17 “Be the first to leave off for good manners’ sake, and do not be greedy, or you will give offense.”
Sir 31:18 “Even though you are seated in a large company, do not be the first to help yourself.”
Sir 31:19 “How adequate a little is for a well-bred man! He does not have to gasp upon his bed!”
Sir 31:20 “Healthy sleep results from moderation in eating; One gets up in the morning, in good spirits. The distress of sleeplessness and indigestion and colic attend the greedy man.”
Sir 31:21 “If you are compelled to eat, get up in the middle of the meal and stop eating.”
Sir 31:22 “Listen to me, my child, and do not disregard me, and in the end you will find my words true: Be industrious in all your work, and no disease will overtake you.”
Sir 31:23 “The man who is generous with his bread men’s lips will bless, and their testimony to his goodness can be relied on.”
Sir 31:24 “The town will grumble at the man who is grudging with his bread, and their testimony to his niggardliness is correct.”
Sir 31:25 “Do not play the man about wine, for wine has been the ruin of many.”
Sir 31:26 “The furnace proves the steel’s temper by dipping it; So wine tests hearts when proud men quarrel.”
Sir 31:27 “Wine is like life to men, if you drink it in moderation; What life has a man who is without wine? For it was created to give gladness to men.”
Sir 31:28 “An exhilaration to the heart and gladness to the soul is wine, drunk in the proper season and in sufficient quantity;”
Sir 31:29 “Bitterness to the soul is much drinking of wine amidst irritation and conflict.”
Sir 31:30 “Drunkenness increases the anger of a foolish man to his injury, reducing his strength and causing wounds.”
Sir 31:31 “Do not rebuke your neighbor at a banquet, and do not despise him in his mirth. Do not say a reproachful word to him, and do not press him with urging [to drink].”

Chapter 32

Sir 32:1 “If you be made the master of a feast, do not lift yourself up; but be among them as one of the rest, take diligent care for them, and then take your seat;”
Sir 32:2 “When you have performed your duties, take your place, so that you may rejoice on their account, and be crowned for your well ordering of the feast.”
Sir 32:3 “Speak, elder, for that is your part, with sound understanding, and do not interfere with the music.”
Sir 32:4 “When there is to be entertainment, do not talk volubly, and do not philosophize when it is inopportune.”
Sir 32:5 “A carbuncle signet in a gold setting is a musical concert at a banquet.”
Sir 32:6 “An emerald signet richly set in gold is the melody of music with the taste of wine.”
Sir 32:7 “Speak, young man, if you are obliged to, and only if you are asked repeatedly.”
Sir 32:8 “Speak concisely; say much in few words; Be as a man who knows more than he says.”
Sir 32:9 “When among great men do not act like an equal; and when another man is speaking, do not talk much.”
Sir 32:10 “The lightning hastens before the thunder, and approval opens the way for a modest man.”
Sir 32:11 “Leave in good season and do not bring up the rear; Hurry home and do not linger.”
Sir 32:12 “Amuse yourself there, and do what you please, but do not sin through proud speech.”
Sir 32:13 “For all these things bless your Maker, who makes you drink his blessings till you are satisfied.”
Sir 32:14 “The man who fears the Lord will accept his discipline, and those who rise early to seek him will gain his approval.”
Sir 32:15 “The man who pursues the Law will get his fill of it, but the hypocrite will be tripped up by it.”
Sir 32:16 “Those who fear the Lord will discern his judgment, and will kindle upright acts like the light.”
Sir 32:17 “A sinful man will not be reproved, but will find a legal decision to his liking.
Sir 32:18 “A man of counsel will be considerate; but a strange or proud man will not cower with fear, even when of himself he has done without counsel;”
Sir 32:19 “Do nothing without consideration; and when you do a thing, do not change your mind.”
Sir 32:20 “Do not walk in a path full of obstacles, and do not stumble over stony ground.”
Sir 32:21 “Do not trust an untried way,”
Sir 32:22 “And guard against your own children.”
Sir 32:23 “In every act have faith in yourself, for that is the keeping of the commandments.”
Sir 32:24 “The man who has faith in the Law heeds the commandments, and the man who trusts in the Lord will not fail.”

Chapter 33

Sir 33:1 “No evil will befall the man who fears the Lord, but in trial he will deliver him again and again.”
Sir 33:2 “A wise man will not hate the Law, but the man who is hypocritical about it is like a ship in a storm.”
Sir 33:3 “A man of understanding will trust in the Law, and the Law is faithful to him, as an oracle.”
Sir 33:4 “Prepare what you have to say, and then you will be listened to: Knit your instruction together and give your answer.”
Sir 33:5 “The heart of a fool is a wagon wheel; and his thought is like a turning axle.”
Sir 33:6 “A stallion is like a mocking friend; he neighs under everyone who mounts him.”
Sir 33:7 “Why is one day better than another, when the light of every day in the year is from the sun?”
Sir 33:8 “By the Lord’s knowledge they have been separated, and he has made the various seasons and festivals.”
Sir 33:9 “Some of them he has exalted and made sacred, and some he has made ordinary days.”
Sir 33:10 “All men are from the ground, lo and Adam was created out of earth.”
Sir 33:11 “In the wealth of his knowledge the Lord has distinguished them, and made their ways different.”
Sir 33:12 “Some of them he has blessed and exalted, and some he has made holy and brought near himself. Some of them he has cursed and humbled, and thrown down from their position.”
Sir 33:13 “Like clay in the hand of the potter – for all his ways are guided by his good pleasure – So men are in the hand of their Creator, to be fashioned as he decides.”
Sir 33:14 “As good is the opposite of evil, and life the opposite of death, So the sinner is the opposite of the godly man.”
Sir 33:15 “So look upon all the works of the Most High, in pairs, one the opposite of the other.”
Sir 33:16 “I was the last to wake up, like one who gleans after the grape-gatherers; by the blessing of the Lord I profited, and like a grape-gatherer I filled my winepress.”
Sir 33:17 “Observe that I have not labored for myself only, But for all who seek instruction.”
Sir 33:18 “Hear me, you leaders of the people, and you rulers of the assembly, listen to me.”
Sir 33:19 “To a son or a wife, to a brother or a friend, do not give power over yourself as long as you live, and do not give your money to someone else, so that you may not change your mind and have to ask for it.”
Sir 33:20 “As long as you live and have breath in your body, do not sell yourself to anybody.”
Sir 33:21 “For it is better that your children should ask from you, than that you should look to the clean hands of your sons.”
Sir 33:22 “In all that you do retain control, so that you will not put any stain upon your reputation.”
Sir 33:23 “When the days of your life reach their end, at the time of your death distribute your property.”
Sir 33:24 “Fodder and a stick and loads for an ass, bread and discipline and work for a servant.”
Sir 33:25 “Put your slave to work, and you will have rest; leave his hands idle, and he will seek his liberty.
Sir 33:26 “The yoke and the strap will bend his neck, and racks and tortures are for a servant who is a wrong-doer.”
Sir 33:27 “Put him to work, so that he will not be idle, for idleness teaches much evil.”
Sir 33:28 “Set him such work as is suited to him, and if he does not obey, load him with fetters.”
Sir 33:29 “But do not be overbearing to anybody, and do not do anything without consideration.”
Sir 33:30 “If you have a servant, regard him as yourself, Because you have bought him with blood.”
Sir 33:31 “If you have a servant, treat him like a brother, For you need him as you do your own life. If you ill-treat him, and he leaves and runs away, where will you look for him?”

Chapter 34

Sir 34:1 “Vain and delusive are the hopes of a man of no understanding, and dreams give wings to fools!”
Sir 34:2 “Like a man who catches at a shadow, and chases the wind, is the man who is absorbed in dreams.”
Sir 34:3 “A vision of dreams is this against that, the likeness of one face before another.”
Sir 34:4 “From an unclean thing what can be clean? And from something false what can be true?”
Sir 34:5 “Divinations and omens and dreams are folly, And fancies of the mind like those of a woman in travail.”
Sir 34:6 “Unless they are sent from the Most High as a warning, do not pay any attention to them,”
Sir 34:7 “For dreams have deceived many, and setting their hopes on them has led to their downfall.”
Sir 34:8 “The Law must be observed without any such falsehoods, and wisdom finds perfection in truthful lips.”
Sir 34:9 “A well-taught man knows a great deal, and a man of experience will discourse with understanding.”
Sir 34:10 “The man who has not been tested knows little, lo but the man who has wandered far gains great ingenuity.”
Sir 34:11 “I have seen much in my travels, and I understand more than I can describe;”
Sir 34:12 “I have often been in danger of death, but I have been saved by these qualities.”
Sir 34:13 “The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live, for their hope is in him who can save them.”
Sir 34:14 “The man who fears the Lord will have no dread, and will not be afraid, for he is his hope.”
Sir 34:15 “Happy is the soul of the man who fears the Lord! Whom does he regard? And who is his support?”
Sir 34:16 “The eyes of the Lord rest on those who love him, a mighty shield, a strong support, a shelter from the hot wind and the noonday heat, a guard against stumbling and a defense against falling.”
Sir 34:17 “He lifts up the soul and gives light to the eyes, and bestows healing, life, and blessing.”
Sir 34:18 “If a man offers a sacrifice that was wrongfully obtained, it is blemished, and the gifts of sinful men are not acceptable.”
Sir 34:19 “The Most High is not pleased with the offerings of ungodly men, and a man cannot atone for his sins with a great number of sacrifices.”
Sir 34:20 “The man who offers a sacrifice from the property of the poor does as one who kills a son before his father’s eyes.”
Sir 34:21 “Scanty fare is the living of the poor; the man who deprives them of it is a murderous man.”
Sir 34:22 “The man who takes away his neighbor’s living murders him, and the man who deprives a hired man of his wages is guilty of bloodshed.”
Sir 34:23 “One man builds and another tears down; What do they gain but toil?”
Sir 34:24 “One man prays and another curses; which one’s voice will the Lord listen to?”
Sir 34:25 “If a man washes himself after touching a corpse and then touches it again, what good has his bath done him?”
Sir 34:26 “That is the way with a man who fasts for his sins, and goes and does the same things over. Who will listen to his prayer? And what has he gained by humiliating himself?”

Chapter 35

Sir 35:1 “The man who keeps the Law will make many offerings; He who gives heed to the commandments will offer a thanksgiving sacrifice,
Sir 35:2 “The man who returns a kindness will offer a meal offering, and the man who gives alms will offer the sacrifice of praise.”
Sir 35:3 “Avoiding wickedness wins the Lord’s approval, and avoiding wrongdoing is atonement.”
Sir 35:4 “Do not appear before the Lord empty.”
Sir 35:5 “For all these things must be done because they are commanded.”
Sir 35:6 “The offering of an upright man enriches the altar, and the sweet savor reaches the Most High.”
Sir 35:7 “The sacrifice of an upright man is acceptable, and the memory of it will not be forgotten.”
Sir 35:8 “Glorify the Lord with a generous eye, and do not diminish the first fruits of your hands.”
Sir 35:9 “In all your giving show a joyful face, and dedicate your tithes with gladness.”
Sir 35:10 “Give to the Most High as he has given to you, with a generous eye, and as your hand has found.”
Sir 35:11 “For the Lord is one who repays, and he will repay you seven times over.”
Sir 35:12 “Do not try to bribe him, for he will not accept it, and do not rely on an ill-gotten sacrifice; For the Lord is a judge, and there is no partiality with him.”
Sir 35:13 “He will show no partiality against the poor, but he will listen to the prayer of the oppressed.”
Sir 35:14 “He will not disregard the supplication of the orphan, or the widow, if she pours out her story.”
Sir 35:15 “Do not the widow’s tears run down her cheeks, while she utters her complaint against the man who has caused them to fall?”
Sir 35:16 “The man who serves God with good will is welcomed, and his prayer reaches to the clouds.”
Sir 35:17 “The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and until it reaches God, he will not be comforted. He will not leave off until the Most High considers him, and does justice to the upright, and passes judgment.”
Sir 35:18 “And the Lord will not delay, or be slow about them, until he crushes the loins of the unmerciful, and takes vengeance on the heathen; Until he destroys the multitude of the insolent, and breaks the scepters of the unrighteous;”
Sir 35:19 “Until he repays a man for his doings, and repays men’s deeds according to their thoughts; Until he judges the case of his people, and makes them glad with his mercy.”
Sir 35:20 “Mercy is as beautiful in a time of trouble as rain clouds in a time of drought.”

Chapter 36

Sir 36:1 “Have mercy upon us, Lord God of all, and look upon us,”
Sir 36:2 “And cast fear of you upon all the heathen.”
Sir 36:3 “Raise your hand against strange peoples, and let them see your might.”
Sir 36:4 “As you have been sanctified before them, in us, may you be magnified before us, in them;”
Sir 36:5 “And let them know, as we have known, that there is no god, Lord, but you.”
Sir 36:6 “Show signs again, and show other wonders, Make your hand and your right arm glorious.”
Sir 36:7 “Arouse your anger and pour out your wrath, destroy the adversary and wipe out the enemy.”
Sir 36:8 “Hasten the time and remember your oath (covenant); And let them relate your mighty acts.”
Sir 36:9 “Let him that would save himself be consumed in furious fire, and let those who oppress your people meet destruction.”
Sir 36:10 “Crush the heads of the enemy’s rulers, who say, “There is no one but ourselves!”
Sir 36:11 “Gather all the tribes of Jacob, and give them their inheritance, as it was of old.”
Sir 36:12 “Have mercy, Lord, on the people that has borne your name, and on Israel, whom you have named your firstborn.”
Sir 36:13 “Have pity on the city of your sanctuary, Jerusalem, the place where you rest.”
Sir 36:14 “Fill Zion with the celebration of your goodness, and your people with your glory.”
Sir 36:15 “Bear witness to those whom you created in the beginning, and fulfil the prophecies made in your name.”
Sir 36:16 “Give those who wait for you their reward, and let men trust in your prophets.”
Sir 36:17 “Hear, Lord, the prayer of your servants, according to Aaron’s blessing on your people, that all the people on the earth may know that you are the Lord, the eternal God.”
Sir 36:18 “The stomach will eat any food, yet one food is better than another.
Sir 36:19 “As the mouth tastes the meat of game, an intelligent mind detects false words.”
Sir 36:20 “A perverse mind causes pain, but an experienced man will pay him back.”
Sir 36:21 “A woman can receive any man, yet one girl surpasses another.”
Sir 36:22 “A woman’s beauty gladdens one’s countenance, and exceeds every desire man has.”
Sir 36:23 “If mercy, meekness, and comfort are on her lips, her husband is not like the sons of men.”
Sir 36:24 “The man who gets a wife enters upon a possession, a helper like himself, and a pillar of support.”
Sir 36:25 “Where there is no hedge (wall), a piece of property will be plundered, and where there is no wife, a man will wander about and groan.”
Sir 36:26 “For who will trust an active robber who bounds from one city to another? So who will trust a man who has no nest, and spends the night wherever evening overtakes him?”

Chapter 37

Sir 37:1 “Every friend will say, “I am your friend”; but sometimes a friend is a friend only in name.”
Sir 37:2 “Is it not a sorrow like that of death itself when a companion and friend turns into an enemy?”
Sir 37:3 “O wicked thought! Why were you shaped to cover the earth with deceit?”
Sir 37:4 “There are companions who rejoice in their friends’ happiness, but when trouble comes, are against them.”
Sir 37:5 “There are companions who labor with a friend for their stomach’s sake, who will take up the shield in the face of war.”
Sir 37:6 “Do not forget your friend in your heart, and do not be unmindful of him in your wealth.”
Sir 37:7 “Every adviser praises good counsel, but some give advice in their own interests.”
Sir 37:8 “Be on your guard against advisers and first find out what is for their advantage – For they will take thought for themselves Or they will cast the lot against you,”
Sir 37:9 “And say to you, “Your way is good,” and will stand over against you to see what will happen to you.”
Sir 37:10 “Do not consult with the man who looks suspiciously at you, and conceal your purpose from those who are jealous of you;”
Sir 37:11 “Neither consult with a woman about her rival, nor with a coward about a war; nor with a merchant about business, nor with a buyer about selling; With an envious man about gratitude, nor with a merciless man about kindness; With an idler about any piece of work, nor with a man hired by the year about finishing his work; With a lazy servant about a large undertaking; Do not look to these for any advice.”
Sir 37:12 “But stay all the time with a godly man, who you know keeps the commandments; Whose heart (mind) is at one with your heart (mind), and who will sorrow with you if you fail.”
Sir 37:13 “And hold fast the counsel of your own mind, for you have nothing more to be depended on than it.”
Sir 37:14 “For a man’s soul is sometimes wont to bring him news better than seven watchmen sitting high on a watchtower.”
Sir 37:15 “And, above all this, entreat the Most High to direct your way in truth.”
Sir 37:16 “Every undertaking begins with reason, and consideration precedes every work.”
Sir 37:17 “The countenance is a sign of changing of the mind.”
Sir 37:18 “If we trace the changes of the mind, four parts appear, good and evil, life and death; but it is the tongue that continually rules them.”
Sir 37:19 “A man may be shrewd and the instructor of many, and yet be unprofitable to himself.”
Sir 37:20 “There is one that shows wisdom in words, and is hated; he shall be destitute of all food.”
Sir 37:21 “For grace has not been given him by the Lord, because he has been deprived of all wisdom.”
Sir 37:22 “A man may be wise to himself, and the products of his understanding may be trustworthy on his lips;”
Sir 37:23 “A wise man will instruct his own people, and the products of his understanding will be trustworthy;”
Sir 37:24 “A wise man will be satisfied with blessing, and all who see him will call him happy.”
Sir 37:25 “The days of the life of man may be numbered, but the days of Israel are innumerable.”
Sir 37:26 “The wise man will obtain the trust of his people, and his name will live forever.”
Sir 37:27 “My child, test your soul while you live, and see what is evil for it, and do not give it that.”
Sir 37:28 “For not everything is good for everyone, and not everybody enjoys everything.”
Sir 37:29 “Do not be insatiable about any luxury, and do not be carried away with food,”
Sir 37:30 “For sickness comes with excessive eating, and greediness leads to severe illness.”
Sir 37:31 “Many have died of greediness, but the man who guards against it prolongs his life.”

Chapter 38

Sir 38:1 “Show the physician due honor in view of your need of him, for the Lord has created him;”
Sir 38:2 “Healing comes from the Most High, and he will receive presents from the king.”
Sir 38:3 “The skill of the physician exalts him, and he is admired among the great.”
Sir 38:4 “The Lord has created medicines out of the earth, and a sensible man will not refuse them.”
Sir 38:5 “Was not water made sweet by wood, so that its strength might be shown?”
Sir 38:6 “And he has given men knowledge so that he might be glorified for his wonderful works.”
Sir 38:7 “With them he heals [men] and takes away their pain,”
Sir 38:8 “The druggist makes a mixture of them. His works will never end, and from him peace spreads over the face of the earth.”
Sir 38:9 “My child, do not be negligent when you are sick, but pray to the Lord, and he will make you whole.”
Sir 38:10 “Renounce wrongdoing and make your hands do right, and cleanse your heart from every sin,”
Sir 38:11 “Offer a fragrant offering and a memorial sacrifice of fine flour, and make your offering rich, as though you were no longer to live,”
Sir 38:12 “And leave room for the physician, for the Lord has created him, and he must not desert you, for you need him.”
Sir 38:13 “There is a time when your welfare depends upon them,”
Sir 38:14 “For they too will pray the Lord to guide them to bringing relief and effecting a cure and restoration to health.”
Sir 38:15 “As for the man who sins in the sight of his Maker, may he fall into the hands of the physician!”
Sir 38:16 “My child, for the dead let your tears fall, and like one who is suffering terribly begin your lament. Wrap his body up fittingly, and do not neglect his burial.”
Sir 38:17 “Weep bitterly and wail passionately and show your grief as he may deserve, for one day or perhaps two, to avert criticism; Then be comforted for your sorrow.”
Sir 38:18 “For death comes of sorrow, and sorrow of heart prostrates one’s strength.”
Sir 38:19 “In misfortune grief will continue, and the life of the poor saddens the heart.”
Sir 38:20 “But do not resign your heart to grief; Dismiss it, but remember your end,”
Sir 38:21 “Do not forget it, for he will not come back; you cannot help him, and you will harm yourself;”
Sir 38:22 “Remember my judgment, for yours will be like it; mine today, and yours tomorrow!”
Sir 38:23 “When the dead is at rest, let his memory rest, and be comforted for him when his spirit departs.”
Sir 38:24 “A learned man attains wisdom through the opportunities of leisure, and the man who has little business to do shall become wise.”
Sir 38:25 “How can the man who holds the plow become wise, who glories in handling the ox-goad? Who drives oxen, and guides them at their work, and whose discourse is of bulls?”
Sir 38:26 “He sets his mind on turning his furrows, and his anxiety is about fodder for heifers.”
Sir 38:27 “It is so with every craftsman and builder, who keeps at work at night as well as by day. Some cut carved seals, and elaborate variety of design; Another puts his mind on painting a likeness (counterfeit imagery), and is anxious to complete his work.”
Sir 38:28 “It is so with the smith sitting by his anvil, and expert in working in iron; The smoke of the fire reduces his flesh, and he exerts himself in the heat of the furnace. He bends his ear to the sound of the hammer, and his eyes are on the pattern of the implement. He puts his mind on completing his work, and he is anxious to finish preparing it, and watches to polish it perfectly.”.
Sir 38:29 “It is so with the potter, as he sits at his work, and turns the wheel with his foot; He is constantly careful about his work, and all his manufacture is by measure;”
Sir 38:30 “He will shape the clay with his arm, and bend its strength with his feet; He puts his mind on finishing the glazing, and he is anxious to make his furnace clean.”
Sir 38:31 “All these rely on their hands; and each one is skilful in his own work;”
Sir 38:32 “Without them, no city can be inhabited, and men will not live in one or go about in it.”
Sir 38:33 “But they are not sought for to advise the people, and in the public assembly they do not excel. They do not sit on the judge’s seat, and they do not think about the decision of lawsuits; They do not utter instruction or judgment, and they are not found using proverbs.”
Sir 38:34 “Yet they support the fabric of the world, and their prayer is in the practice of their trade.”

Chapter 39

Sir 39:1 “It is not so with the man who applies himself, and studies the Law of the Most High. He searches out the wisdom of all the ancients, and busies himself with prophecies;”
Sir 39:2 “He observes the discourse of famous men, and where subtle parables are, he will be there also.”
Sir 39:3 “He searches out the hidden meaning of proverbs, And acquaints himself with the obscurities of figures (dark parables).”
Sir 39:4 “He will serve among great men, and appear before rulers. He will travel through the lands of strange peoples, and test what is good and what is evil among men.”
Sir 39:5 “He will devote himself to going early to the Lord his Maker, and will make his entreaty before the Most High. He will open his mouth in prayer, and make entreaty for his sins.”
Sir 39:6 “If the great Lord pleases, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding, he will pour out his wise sayings, and give thanks to the Lord in prayer;”
Sir 39:7 “He will direct his counsel and knowledge, and study his secrets.”
Sir 39:8 “He will reveal instruction in his teaching, and will glory in the Law of the covenant of the Lord.”
Sir 39:9 “Many will praise his understanding, and it will never be blotted out. His memory will not disappear, and his name will live for endless generations.”
Sir 39:10 “Nations will repeat his wisdom, and the congregation will utter his praise.”
Sir 39:11 “If he lives long, he will leave a greater name than a thousand, and if he goes to rest, his fame is enough for him.”
Sir 39:12 “I have reflected further, and I will utter it, and I am full as the full moon.”
Sir 39:13 “Listen to me, you holy sons, and bud like a rose that grows by a watercourse;”
Sir 39:14 “And give a sweet savor like a frankincense tree, and blossom like a lily. Give forth an odor and sing a song of praise, bless the Lord for all his works.”
Sir 39:15 “Magnify his name, and confess him with praise, with songs on your lips and with lyres, and this is what you are to say in your thanksgiving:”
Sir 39:16 “The works of the Lord are all extremely good, and every command of his will be obeyed in its proper season.”
Sir 39:17 “No one can say “What does this mean? Why is that?” for in his good time they will all be searched out, At his command the waters stood in a heap, and the reservoirs of water at the word he uttered.”
Sir 39:18 “At his order all that he pleases is done, and there is no one who can interfere with his saving power.”
Sir 39:19 “The doings of all mankind are before him, and it is not possible to be hidden from his eyes.”
Sir 39:20 “From everlasting to everlasting he beholds them, and nothing is marvelous to him.”
Sir 39:21 “No one can say, “What does this mean? Why is that?” For everything has been created for their use.”
Sir 39:22 “His blessing covers the land like a river, and saturates the dry land like a flood.”
Sir 39:23 “As he turns fresh water into salt water, so the heathen will experience his wrath.”
Sir 39:24 “To his people his ways are straight, just as they are stumbling blocks to the disobedient.”
Sir 39:25 “From the beginning good things have been created for the good, just as evils have been created for sinners.”
Sir 39:26 “The elements necessary for man’s life Are water and fire and iron and salt, And wheat flour and milk and honey, The blood of the grape, and olive oil and clothing.”
Sir 39:27 “All these things prove good to the godly, just as they turn into evils for the sinful.”
Sir 39:28 “There are winds which have been created for vengeance, and when he is angry, they make their scourges strong; When the consummation comes, they will pour out their strength, and calm the anger of their Creator.”
Sir 39:29 “Fire and hail and famine and death, these have all been created for vengeance.”
Sir 39:30 “The teeth of wild animals, and scorpions and vipers, and the sword that drives the ungodly to destruction.”
Sir 39:31 “They will rejoice when he commands, and be made ready on the earth for their functions. And they will not disobey his word, at their proper times.”
Sir 39:32 “Therefore from the beginning I have become assured, and have reached this conclusion and left it in writing:”
Sir 39:33 “The works of the Lord are all good, and will supply every need when it arises,”
Sir 39:34 “And no one can say, “This is worse than that,” for they will all prove good in their season.”
Sir 39:35 “So now sing praise with all your heart and voice, and bless the name of the Lord.”

Chapter 40

Sir 40:1 “Much travail is appointed for every man, and a heavy yoke rests on the sons of Adam, from the day they come out of their mother’s womb until the day when they return to the mother of us all.”
Sir 40:2 “Their perplexities and anxiety of mind, their apprehension, and the day of their end! trouble their thoughts and cause fear of heart.”
Sir 40:3 “From the man who sits on his splendid throne to the one who is abased in dust and ashes,”
Sir 40:4 “From the man who wears purple and a crown, to the one who is clad in coarse linen,”
Sir 40:5 “There is wrath and envy and trouble and perplexity And fear of death and anger and strife, and when a man rests upon his bed, his sleep at night confuses his knowledge.”
Sir 40:6 “He gets little or no rest, and afterward in his sleep, he is like a watchman on duty, bewildered by the vision of his mind like a man who has escaped from the front of battle.”
Sir 40:7 “In the moment of his extremity he wakes up, and wonders that his fear came to nothing.”
Sir 40:8 “It is so with all flesh, man and beast; and with sinners seven times more;”
Sir 40:9 “Death and bloodshed and strife and sword, misfortunes, famine and affliction, tribulation and plague;”
Sir 40:10 “All these were created for the wicked, and because of them the flood came.”
Sir 40:11 “All that comes from the earth returns to the earth, and what comes from the waters turns back to the sea.”
Sir 40:12 “All bribery and injustice will be blotted out, but good faith will stand forever.”
Sir 40:13 “The property of unrighteous men will dry up like a river, and explode like a clap of thunder in a rain.”
Sir 40:14 “As surely as an open-handed man is glad, transgressors will utterly fail.”
Sir 40:15 “The children of the ungodly will not put forth many branches; they are unclean roots on a precipitous rock.”
Sir 40:16 “Sedge by any water or riverbank will be plucked up before any grass.”
Sir 40:17 “Bountifulness is as a most fruitful garden, and mercifulness endures forever.”
Sir 40:18 “The life of a self-supporting man or of a workman is made sweet, but a man who finds a treasure is better off than both of them.
Sir 40:19 “Children or the building of a city perpetuate a man’s name, but an irreproachable wife is counted better than both of them.”
Sir 40:20 “Wine and music delight the heart, but the love of wisdom is better than both of them.”
Sir 40:21 “The flute and the lute make sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is better than both of them.”
Sir 40:22 “The eye desires grace and beauty, but more than both of them the springing grain.”
Sir 40:23 “A friend and a comrade meet opportunely, but a wife with her husband is better than both of them.”
Sir 40:24 “Brothers and help are for a time of trouble, But alms is a better deliverer than both of them.”
Sir 40:25 “Gold and silver make a man stand firm, but good counsel is more approved than both of them.”
Sir 40:26 “Money and vigor elate the mind, but the fear of the Lord is better than both of them. Where is no flaw in the fear of the Lord, and with it there is no need to seek for help.”
Sir 40:27 “The fear of the Lord is like a fruitful garden, and covers a man better than any glory.”
Sir 40:28 “My child, do not lead a beggar’s life; it is better to die than to beg.”
Sir 40:29 “When a man looks to another man’s table, his existence cannot be considered life. He pollutes his soul with another man’s food, but a man who is intelligent and well-instructed will beware of it.”
Sir 40:30 “In a shameless man’s mouth begging is sweet, but it kindles a fire in his heart.”

Chapter 41

Sir 41:1 “O death, how bitter is the remembrance of you to a man at peace among his possessions, to a man who is free from distractions and prosperous in everything, and is still vigorous enough to enjoy his food!”
Sir 41:2 “O death, your sentence is good for a needy man of failing strength, in extreme old age, and distracted about everything; who is contrary, and has lost his patience.”
Sir 41:3 “Do not fear the sentence of death; remember those who went before you and those who come after. This is the sentence of the Lord upon all flesh and blood.
Sir 41:4 “And how can you refuse what is the will of the Most High? Whether you lived ten or a hundred or a thousand years, there is no inquisition in Hades.
Sir 41:5 “The children of sinners are detestable children, and live in the circles of the ungodly.”
Sir 41:6 “The possessions of the children of sinners will be lost, and perpetual reproach will follow their posterity.”
Sir 41:7 “His children will blame an ungodly father because they are reproached on his account.”
Sir 41:8 “Woe be to you, ungodly men, who have forsaken the law of the Most High God! for if you increase, it shall be to your destruction.”
Sir 41:9 “When you are born, you are born to a curse, and when you die, a curse will be your lot.”
Sir 41:10 “Everything that springs from the earth will go back to the earth; Just as surely the ungodly go from a curse to destruction.”
Sir 41:11 “Men grieve about their bodies, but the name of sinners is not good and will be blotted out.”
Sir 41:12 “Take heed about your name, for you retain it longer than a thousand great stores of gold.”
Sir 41:13 “The days of a good life are numbered, but a good name lasts forever.”
Sir 41:14 “Children, maintain instruction and be at peace; concealed wisdom and invisible treasure, what is the use of either?”
Sir 41:15 “A man who hides his folly is better than a man who hides his wisdom.”
Sir 41:16 “Therefore regard what I say; for not every kind of shame is it well to maintain, and not everything is approved in good faith by all.”
Sir 41:17 “Be ashamed of whoredom before father and mother, and of lie before a prince and a ruler,”
Sir 41:18 “Of a judge and a magistrate, for an offense, And of an assembly and the people, for iniquity, of the partner and a friend, for unjust dealing,”
Sir 41:19 “And of the place where you are living, for theft; Respect the truth of God and his covenant, Be ashamed to lean on your elbow at table; to be contemptuous about giving back what you have.”
Sir 41:20 “And to keep silent before those who greet you; to look at a woman who is a harlot,”
Sir 41:21 “And to turn your face away from a relative; to take someone’s portion or present, and to stare at a married woman;”
Sir 41:22 “To meddle with another man’s maid, (and do not stand over her bed); To utter words of abuse before friends (and after you make a gift do not add abuse);”
Sir 41:23 “To repeat what you have heard, and to tell things that are secret.”
Sir 41:24 “Then you will be really modest, and win the approval of everyone.”

Chapter 42

Sir 42:1 “Do not be ashamed of these things, and do not show partiality, so as to sin:”
Sir 42:2 “Of the Law of the Most High and his covenant, and of Judgment, to punish the ungodly;”
Sir 42:3 “Of having a reckoning with a partner and fellow travelers, and of a present from what is inherited by your companions;
Sir 42:4 “Of the accuracy of scales and weights, and of the acquisition of much or little;”
Sir 42:5 “Of profit from dealing with merchants, and of the careful training of children; and of staining the side of a bad servant with blood.”
Sir 42:6 “It is well to put a seal on a wicked wife, and where there are many hands, lock things up.”
Sir 42:7 “Whatever you hand over, let it be by number and weight; and in giving and receiving, let everything be in writing.”
Sir 42:8 “Do not be ashamed to instruct the senseless and foolish, or an aged man who is charged with immorality. Then you will be really instructed, and approved in the eyes of every man alive.”
Sir 42:9 “A daughter is a secret cause of sleeplessness to her father, and his concern for her robs him of his rest; In her youth, for fear she will pass her prime, And when she is married, for fear she will be hated;”
Sir 42:10 “When she is a girl, for fear she will be profaned, and be with child in her father’s house; When she has a husband, for fear she will transgress; And when she is married, for fear she will be childless.”
Sir 42:11 “Keep a close watch over a headstrong daughter, for fear she will fill your enemies with malignant joy, and make you the talk of the town and notorious among the people, and disgrace you before the multitude.”
Sir 42:12 “Do not look at anybody for her beauty, and do not sit among women,”
Sir 42:13 “For as a moth comes out of clothing, a woman’s wickedness comes from a woman.”
Sir 42:14 “A man’s wickedness is better than a beneficent woman, a woman that disgraces you shamefully.”
Sir 42:15 “I will call to mind the doings of the Lord, and recount the things that I have seen. By the commands of the Lord his works are done;”
Sir 42:16 “The light-giving sun looks down on everything, and his work is full of the glory of the Lord.”
Sir 42:17 “He has not permitted the saints of the Lord to recount all his wonders, which the Lord, the Almighty, has firmly established, so that the universe might stand fast through his glory.”
Sir 42:18 “He searches out the great deep and the human mind, and he understands their crafty designs; For the Most High possesses all knowledge, and looks upon the portent of eternity,”
Sir 42:19 “And declares the things that are past and the things that are to come, and uncovers the tracks of hidden things.”
Sir 42:20 “No thought escapes him, not one word is hidden from him.”
Sir 42:21 “He has ordained the majesty of his wisdom, for he is from everlasting to everlasting. It cannot be increased or diminished, and he has no need of any counselor.”
Sir 42:22 “How much to be desired are all his works, and how sparkling they are to see.”
Sir 42:23 “All these things live and last forever, with all their functions, and they are all obedient.”
Sir 42:24 “They are all in pairs, one facing another, not one of them is missing.”
Sir 42:25 “One confirms the good of the other, and who can have too much of beholding his glory?”

Chapter 43

Sir 43:1 “The glory of the height is the firmament in its purity, the sight of the heavens with the spectacle of their splendor.”
Sir 43:2 “The sun, when he appears, making proclamation as he goes forth, is a wonderful instrument, the work of the Most High;
Sir 43:3 “At noonday he dries up the country, and who can withstand his burning heat?”
Sir 43:4 “A man who blows a furnace works in the midst of heat, but the sun three times as much, burning up the mountains. He breathes out fiery vapors, and shoots forth his beams, blinding men’s eyes.”
Sir 43:5 “Great is the Lord who made him, at whose command he hurries on his course.”
Sir 43:6 “The moon, too, he places in its position at its season, to mark times and be an everlasting sign;”
Sir 43:7 “The moon gives the sign for the festival, a light that wanes after reaching the full.”
Sir 43:8 “The month is named after him; he increases marvelously as he changes, an instrument of the hosts on high, shining in the firmament of the heavens.”
Sir 43:9 “The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, a system giving light in the highest places of the Lord.”
Sir 43:10 “At the command of the Holy One they take their places as he decrees, and they will not fail in their watches.”
Sir 43:11 “See the rainbow, and bless him who made it surpassingly beautiful in its brightness.”
Sir 43:12 “It curves over the heaven in a glorious circle, the hands of the Most High have stretched it out,”
Sir 43:13 “By his command he brings the hurrying snow, and makes swift the lightnings of his judgment;”
Sir 43:14 “Because of it, the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.”
Sir 43:15 “In his majesty he makes the clouds thick, and the hailstones are broken in pieces.”
Sir 43:16 “When he appears, the mountains shake. At his wish the south wind blows.”
Sir 43:17 “His voice in the thunder rebukes the earth; so do the hurricane from the north and the whirlwind. He sprinkles the snow like birds fluttering down it comes down like locusts settling;”
Sir 43:18 “The eye is amazed at the beauty of its whiteness, and the mind is astonished at its raining.”
Sir 43:19 “He pours hoarfrost over the earth like salt, and, when it freezes, it becomes points of thorns.”
Sir 43:20 “The cold north wind blows and the ice freezes on the water; It lodges on every pool of water, and the water puts it on like a breastplate.”
Sir 43:21 “It consumes the mountains and burns up the wilderness, and shrivels the green herbage like fire,”
Sir 43:22 “A mist coming quickly heals everything; the dew falling refreshes things after the heat.”
Sir 43:23 “By his counsel he has stilled the deep, and planted islands in it.”
Sir 43:24 “Those who sail the sea tell of its danger, and we wonder at what we hear with our ears.”
Sir 43:25 “There are strange and wonderful works in it, a variety of kinds of beasts and whales created.”
Sir 43:26 “Because of him his messenger prospers on his way, and through his command all things consist.”
Sir 43:27 “We may say more, but we will not reach the end and the conclusion of what we have to say is: He is the whole.”
Sir 43:28 “Where can we find strength to glorify him? For he is greater than all his works.”
Sir 43:29 “The Lord is awesome and exceedingly great, and his power is wonderful.
Sir 43:30 “Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can, for even then he will surpass it when you exalt him put forth all your strength; Do not grow weary, for you will not reach the end.”
Sir 43:31 “Who has ever seen him, so that he can describe him? And who can tell his greatness as it really is?”
Sir 43:32 “Many things greater than these still remain hidden, for we have seen but few of his works.”
Sir 43:33 “For the Lord has made all things, and he has given wisdom to the godly.”

Chapter 44

Sir 44:1 “Let us now praise distinguished men, our forefathers before us.”
Sir 44:2 “They are a great glory to the Lord who created them; they show his majesty from the beginning.”
Sir 44:3 “Men who exercised authority in their reigns, and were renowned for their might! They gave their counsel with understanding, and brought men tidings through their prophecy.”
Sir 44:4 “Leaders of the people in deliberation and understanding, men of learning for the people, wise in their words of instruction;”
Sir 44:5 “Composers of musical airs, authors of poems in writing;”
Sir 44:6 “Rich men, endowed with strength, who lived in peace upon their lands.”
Sir 44:7 “All these were honored in their generation, and were a glory in their day.”
Sir 44:8 “There are some of them who have left a name, so that men declare their praise;”
Sir 44:9 “And there are some who have no memorial, And have perished as though they had not lived, and have become as though they had not been, with their children after them.”
Sir 44:10 “Yet these were merciful men, and their uprightness has not been forgotten.”
Sir 44:11 “With their descendants it will remain, and their children are within the covenant.”
Sir 44:12 “Their descendants stand fast, and their children also for their sakes;”
Sir 44:13 “Their posterity will endure forever, and their glory will not be blotted out.”
Sir 44:14 “Their bodies are buried in peace, but their name lives to all generations.”
Sir 44:15 “Peoples will recite their wisdom, and the congregation declare their praise!”
Sir 44:16 “Enoch pleased the Lord and was taken up from the earth, an example of repentance for all generations.”
Sir 44:17 “Noah was found perfect and upright; In the time of God’s anger he was taken in exchange [for the world]. On his account a remnant was left to the earth (therefore he was left as a remnant unto the earth) when the flood occurred.”
Sir 44:18 “An everlasting covenant was made with him, that all life should never be blotted out by a flood.”
Sir 44:19 “Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one has been found equal to him in glory.”
Sir 44:20 “He observed the Law of the Most High, and entered into a covenant with him. He certified the agreement in his flesh, and when he was tested, he proved faithful.”
Sir 44:21 “For that reason he assured him with an oath that nations would be blessed through his posterity, and that he would make him as numerous as the dust of the earth, and would raise his posterity as high as the stars, and that they should possess from sea to sea, and from the river to the end of the earth.”
Sir 44:22 “He guaranteed it to Isaac also in like manner, because of his father Abraham. The blessing of all mankind and the covenant.”
Sir 44:23 “He made to rest upon the head of Jacob. He acknowledged him with his blessings, and gave them to him as his inheritance. And he divided his portions, and distributed them among twelve tribes.”

Chapter 45

Sir 45:1 “From his posterity he brought a man of mercy, who found favor in the sight of all mankind, and was beloved by God and man, Moses, whose memory is blessed.”
Sir 45:2 “He made him equal to his holy ones in glory, and made him great in the fears of his enemies.”
Sir 45:3 “By his words he brought wonders to pass; he made him glorious in the sight of kings. He gave him commands for his people, and showed him part of his glory.”
Sir 45:4 “Through faithfulness and meekness he sanctified him; He chose him out of all mankind.”
Sir 45:5 “He made him hear his voice; He brought him into the thick darkness, and gave him his commandments face to face, The law of life and knowledge, that he may teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his decrees.”
Sir 45:6 “He exalted Aaron, a holy man like him, who was his brother, from the tribe of Levi.”
Sir 45:7 “He made with him an everlasting covenant, and gave him the priesthood of the people. He blessed him with stateliness, and put on him a splendid robe;”
Sir 45:8 “He clothed him with glorious perfection, and strengthened him with garments of authority, the drawers, the robe, and the apron.”
Sir 45:9 “And he surrounded him with pomegranates, with very many gold bells all around to ring out as he walked, to make their sound heard in the temple, for a memorial to remind the children of his people;”
Sir 45:10 “With a holy garment, with gold and violet and purple, a work of embroidery; With the oracle of judgment, the decider of truth (with Urim and Thummim).”
Sir 45:11 “With twisted scarlet, the work of an artist; With precious stones, engraved like signets in a setting of gold, the work of an engraver, for a reminder, in carved letters, giving the number of the tribes of Israel;”
Sir 45:12 “With a gold crown upon his mitre/turban, engraved like a signet with “Sacredness”; a glorious distinction, a work of might, the desire of the eyes, richly adorned.”
Sir 45:13 “Before him, there never were such beautiful things, no stranger will ever put them on, but his children alone and their posterity forever.”
Sir 45:14 “His sacrifices will be wholly consumed twice every day perpetually.”
Sir 45:15 “Moses filled his hands, and anointed him with sacred oil; It became an everlasting covenant with him and his posterity all the days of heaven, to minister to him and act as priest and bless the people in his name.”
Sir 45:16 “He chose him out of all the living to offer sacrifices to the Lord, incense and a sweet savor for a memorial sacrifice, to make atonement for your people.”
Sir 45:17 “In his commandments he gave him authority over the agreements about judgments, to teach Jacob the decrees and to enlighten Israel with his law.”
Sir 45:18 “Strangers conspired against him, and envied him in the desert; The men with Dathan and Abiram, and the company of Korah, in their wrath and anger.”
Sir 45:19 “The Lord saw it and was not pleased, and they were destroyed by his fierce anger; He executed signs upon them, to devour them with his blazing fire.”
Sir 45:20 “And he increased Aaron’s glory, and gave him his inheritance; he apportioned to him the very first of the firstfruits; He prepared the Presentation Bread in abundance,”
Sir 45:21 “For they are to eat the sacrifices of the Lord, which he gave to him and his posterity.”
Sir 45:22 “But he has no share in the land of the people, and he has no portion among the people, for the Lord himself is your portion and your inheritance.”
Sir 45:23 “Phineas, the son of Eleazar, is the third in glory, for he was zealous for the fear of the Lord, and stood fast, when the people turned away, In the goodness and eagerness of his soul, and made atonement for Israel.”
Sir 45:24 “Therefore an agreement of peace was established with him, that he should be the leader of the saints and of his people, that he and his posterity should possess the dignity of the priesthood forever.”
Sir 45:25 “According to the covenant that was made with David, the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah; As the king’s inheritance passes only from son to son, so the inheritance of Aaron is for his posterity.”
Sir 45:26 “May he give you wisdom of mind to judge his people with uprightness so that their prosperity may not come to an end, but their glory may last through all their generations.”

Chapter 46

Sir 46:1 “Joshua, the son of Nun, was mighty in war, and the successor of Moses in prophesying, who according to his name was made great for saving the elect of God, and taking vengeance on the enemies that rose up against them, so that he might give Israel their inheritance.”
Sir 46:2 “How glorious he was when he lifted up his hands, and pointed his sword against the cities!”
Sir 46:3 “Before him who ever stood so fast? For he carried on the wars of the Lord.”
Sir 46:4 “Was not the sun stayed by his hand, and one day increased to two?”
Sir 46:5 “He called on the Most High Ruler, when his enemies pressed upon him on all sides, and the great Lord heard him.”
Sir 46:6 “And with hailstones of mighty power he made war burst upon that nation, and at the descent (of Beth-horon) he destroyed his opponents, so that the heathen might recognize his armor, and know that he fought in the sight of the Lord.”
Sir 46:7 “In the days of Moses also this champion did a work of mercy, he and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, in that they withstood the congregation, and restrained the people from sin, and quieted their wicked grumbling.”
Sir 46:8 “These two alone were preserved out of six hundred thousand people on foot to bring them into their heritage, to a land running with milk and honey.”
Sir 46:9 “And the Lord gave Caleb strength, and it remained with him until he was old, so that he climbed upon the high places of the land, and his posterity obtained it for an heritage.”
Sir 46:10 “So that all the sons of Israel might see that it is good to follow after the Lord.”
Sir 46:11 “The judges too, everyone by name, all whose hearts did not fall into idolatry, and who did not turn away from the Lord, may their memory be blessed!”
Sir 46:12 “May their bones revive where they lie, and the name of them be transmitted to the descendants of their renown.”
Sir 46:13 “There was Samuel, beloved by his Lord; A prophet of the Lord, he established the kingdom, and anointed princes over his people.”
Sir 46:14 “By the Law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the Lord showed regard for Jacob.”
Sir 46:15 “By his faithfulness he was proved a prophet, and he was known to be trustworthy through the words of his vision.”
Sir 46:16 “And he called upon the Mighty Lord, when his enemies pressed him on every side, and he offered him a suckling lamb;”
Sir 46:17 “Then the Lord thundered from heaven, and made his voice heard with a loud noise,”
Sir 46:18 “And he wiped out the rulers of the Tyrians and all the princes of the Philistines.”
Sir 46:19 “And before his long sleep, he called them to witness, before the Lord and his anointed, “From no man have I taken his property, even as much as a pair of shoes.” And no one accused him.”
Sir 46:20 “Even after he fell asleep he prophesied, and showed the king his end, and lifted his voice out of the earth in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people.”

Chapter 47

Sir 47:1 “After him Nathan arose, to prophesy in the days of David.”
Sir 47:2 “Just as the fat is separated from the offering, David was separated from the Israelites.”
Sir 47:3 “He played with lions as though they were kids, and with bears as though they were lambs of the flock.”
Sir 47:4 “In his youth did he not kill a giant, and relieve the people of reproach, when he lifted his hand with a stone in the sling, and brought down the boasting of Goliath?”
Sir 47:5 “For he called on the Lord, the Most High, and he gave strength to his right hand to slay a mighty warrior, and to exalt the strength (horn) of his people.”
Sir 47:6 “So they lauded him for his ten thousands, and praised him for the blessings of the Lord, when the glorious diadem was brought to him.”
Sir 47:7 “For he wiped out his enemies on every side, and annihilated his adversaries the Philistines, he crushed their strength, unto this day.”
Sir 47:8 “Over all that he did he gave thanks to the Holy One, the Most High, with words of praise. He sang praise with his whole heart, and he loved his Maker.”
Sir 47:9 “He placed singers before the altar, to make sweet melody with their voices.”
Sir 47:10 “He gave dignity to the festivals, and set the seasons in order throughout the year, while they praised God’s holy name, and the sanctuary rang with it from early morning.”
Sir 47:11 “The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his strength (horn) forever, and gave him the covenant of kings, and a glorious throne in Israel.”
Sir 47:12 “After him arose his wise son, who lived in wide borders because of him;”
Sir 47:13 “Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God gave him rest on every side, so that he might erect a house in his name, and provide a sanctuary forever.”
Sir 47:14 “How wise you became in your youth, and how full of understanding, like a river!”
Sir 47:15 “Your soul covered the earth, and you filled it with puzzling proverbs.”
Sir 47:16 “Your name reached distant islands, and you were loved for your peaceful sway.”
Sir 47:17 “For your songs and proverbs and parables, and your interpretations, the countries wondered at you.”
Sir 47:18 “Through the name of the Lord God, Who is called the God of Israel, you gathered gold like tin, and accumulated silver like lead.”
Sir 47:19 “You laid your flanks beside women, and were brought into subjection by your body.”
Sir 47:20 “You brought a stain upon your fame, and polluted your posterity, so that you brought wrath upon your children, and they were grieved at your folly.”
Sir 47:21 “So that the sovereignty was divided, and a disobedient kingdom arose out of Ephraim.”
Sir 47:22 “But the Lord will not forsake his mercy, and he will not prove false to any of his words, nor will he blot out the descendants of his chosen, nor destroy the posterity of him who loved him. For he gave Jacob a remnant, and David a root sprung from him.”
Sir 47:23 So Solomon rested with his forefathers, and left behind him one of his own children, “The people’s folly,” a man wanting in understanding, Rehoboam, who by his counsel made the people revolt. And there was Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, and showed Ephraim a sinful way.”
Sir 47:24 “Their sins became so exceedingly many that they dislodged them from their land.”
Sir 47:25 “For they sought out every kind of wickedness, until vengeance should come upon them.”

Chapter 48

Sir 48:1 “Then the prophet Elijah arose like fire, and his word burned like a torch;”
Sir 48:2 “He brought a famine upon them, and made them few by his zeal,”
Sir 48:3 “By the word of the Lord he shut up heaven; In the same way, he brought down fire three times.”
Sir 48:4 “How glorified you were, Elijah, in your wonderful acts, and who can glory like you?”
Sir 48:5 “You who raised one who was dead, from death, and from Hades, by the word of the Most High.”
Sir 48:6 “Who brought kings down to destruction, and distinguished men from their beds.”
Sir 48:7 “Who heard rebukes at Sinai, and judgments of vengeance at Horeb;”
Sir 48:8 “Who anointed kings to exact retribution, and prophets to succeed him;”
Sir 48:9 “Who were taken up in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses;”
Sir 48:10 “Who, it is written, is to come in rebuke at the appointed time, to quit anger before it becomes wrath, to turn the heart of the father to his son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.”
Sir 48:11 “Happy are those who saw you, and those who fell asleep in love; for we will surely live.”
Sir 48:12 “When Elijah was sheltered by the whirlwind, Elisha was filled with his spirit. In all his days he was not shaken by any ruler and no one overmastered him.”
Sir 48:13 “Nothing was too wonderful for him, and when he had fallen asleep, his body prophesied.”
Sir 48:14 “In his life he did signs, and after his death he worked wonders.”
Sir 48:15 “For all this the people did not repent, and did not forsake their sins, until they were carried away captive from their land, and scattered over all the earth. Yet, there remained a people very few in number, and a ruler in the house of David.”
Sir 48:16 “Some of them did what was right, and some of them sinned more and more.”
Sir 48:17 “Hezekiah fortified his city, and brought water into the midst of it; He dug the sheer rock with iron, and built wells for water.”
Sir 48:18 “In his days Sennacherib came up, and sent the commander, and departed. And he raised his hand against Zion, and uttered great boasts in his arrogance;”
Sir 48:19 “Then their hearts and hands were shaken, and they suffered like women in travail.”
Sir 48:20 “Then they called upon the Lord, who is merciful, spreading out their hands to him, and the Holy One heard them speedily from heaven, and delivered them by the hand of Isaiah.”
Sir 48:21 “He struck the camp of the Assyrians, and his angel wiped them out.”
Sir 48:22 “For Hezekiah did what pleased the Lord, and was strong in the ways of his forefather David, which the prophet Isaiah commanded, who was great and faithful in his prophetic vision.
Sir 48:23 “In his days the sun went back, and prolonged the life of the king.”
Sir 48:24 “Through the spirit of might he foresaw the future, and comforted those who mourned in Zion.”
Sir 48:25 “He revealed the things that were to be, forever, and the hidden things, before they came to pass.”

Chapter 49

Sir 49:1 “The memory of Josiah is like a blending of incense carefully prepared by the perfumer; everyone finds it sweet as honey to the taste, and like music at a banquet.”
Sir 49:2 “He succeeded in converting the people, and abolished the wicked abominations.”
Sir 49:3 “He made his heart right with the Lord, in the days of wicked men he established the worship of God.”
Sir 49:4 “All, except David and Hezekiah and Josiah, sinned greatly, for they forsook the Law of the Most High, even the kings of Judah failed utterly.”
Sir 49:5 “Therefore, he gave their strength to others, and their glory to a foreign nation.”
Sir 49:6 “They set fire to the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made her streets desolate, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah;”
Sir 49:7 “For they had misused him; though he was consecrated before his birth to be a prophet, to root up and injure and ruin, likewise to build and to plant.”
Sir 49:8 “It was Ezekiel who saw the glorious vision, which he showed him upon the chariot borne by the winged creatures (cherubim).”
Sir 49:9 “For he remembers his enemies with rain, and to do good to those who make their paths straight.”
Sir 49:10 “And may the bones of the Twelve Prophets revive out of their place, for they comforted Jacob, and delivered them with their confident hope.”
Sir 49:11 “How shall we magnify Zerubbabel? For he was like a signet on the right hand;”
Sir 49:12 “So was Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, for they in their days rebuilt the house, and raised a temple holy to the Lord, prepared for everlasting glory.”
Sir 49:13 “And among the elect was Nehemiah, whose renown is great, for he raised up for us the walls which had fallen, and set up barred gates, and rebuilt our houses.”
Sir 49:14 “No one was ever created on earth like Enoch, for he was taken up from the earth;
Sir 49:15 “Nor was a man ever born like Joseph, the leader of his brothers, the support of the people; and his bones were cared for.”
Sir 49:16 “Shem and Seth were greatly honored above other men, but above every living thing was Adam in his creation.”

Chapter 50

Sir 50:1 “It was Simon, the son of Onias, the great priest, who in his lifetime repaired the house, and in his days strengthened the sanctuary.”
Sir 50:2 “He laid the foundation for the height of the double wall, the lofty substructure for the temple inclosure.”
Sir 50:3 “In his days a water cistern was hewed out, a reservoir in circumference like the sea,”
Sir 50:4 “He took thought for his people to keep them from calamity, and fortified the city against siege.”
Sir 50:5 “How glorious he was, surrounded by the people, as he came out of the sanctuary!”
Sir 50:6 “Like the morning star among the clouds, like the moon when it is full;”
Sir 50:7 “Like the sun shining forth upon the sanctuary of the Most High; like the rainbow, showing itself among glorious clouds,”
Sir 50:8 “Like roses in the days of firstfruits, like lilies by a spring of water, like a sprig of frankincense, on summer days,”
Sir 50:9 “Like fire and incense in the censer, like a dish of beaten gold, adorned with all kinds of precious stones;”
Sir 50:10 “Like an olive putting forth its fruit, and like a cypress towering among the clouds.”
Sir 50:11 “When he assumed his glorious robe, and put on glorious perfection, and when he went up to the holy altar, he made the court of the sanctuary glorious.”
Sir 50:12 “And when he received the portions from the hands of the priests, as he stood by the hearth of the altar, with his brothers like a wreath about him, he was like a young cedar on Lebanon, and they surrounded him like the trunks of palm trees.”
Sir 50:13 “All the descendants of Aaron in their splendor, with the Lord’s offering in their hands, before the whole assembly of Israel;”
Sir 50:14 “And when he finished the service at the altars, to adorn the offering of the Most High, the Almighty,”
Sir 50:15 “He stretched out his hand to the cup, and poured out some of the blood of the grape; He poured it out at the foot of the altar, a fragrant odor unto the Most High, the King of All.”
Sir 50:16 “Then the descendants of Aaron shouted; they sounded the trumpets of beaten work; they made a great sound heard, for a reminder, before the Most High.”
Sir 50:17 “Then all the people made haste together, and fell upon their faces on the ground, to worship their Lord, the Almighty, the Most High.”
Sir 50:18 “The singers too praised him with their voices; They made sweet music in the fullest volume.
Sir 50:19 “And the people entreated the Lord Most High, with prayer before him who is merciful, until the worship of the Lord should be finished, and they completed his service.”
Sir 50:20 “Then he came down and lifted his hands over the whole assembly of the descendants of Israel, to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to exult in his name.”
Sir 50:21 “And they prostrated themselves a second time, to receive the blessing from the Most High.”
Sir 50:22 “Now bless the God of all, who in every way does great things; who exalts our days from our birth, and deals with us according to his mercy.”
Sir 50:23 “May he give us gladness of heart, and may there be peace in our days in Israel, and through the days of eternity.”
Sir 50:24 “May he intrust his mercy to us, and let him deliver us in our days (at his time).”
Sir 50:25 “With two nations my soul is vexed, and the third is no nation;”
Sir 50:26 “They who live on the mountain of Samaria, they that dwell among the Philistines, and the foolish people that live in Shechem.”
Sir 50:27 “Instruction in understanding and knowledge has Jeshua, son of Sirach, son of Eleazar, of Jerusalem, written in this book, who poured forth wisdom from his mind.”
Sir 50:28 “Happy is he who concerns himself with these things, and he that lays them up in his mind will become wise.”
Sir 50:29 “For if he does them, he will be strong for all things, for the light of the Lord is his path, who gives wisdom to the godly. Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen, Amen.”

Chapter 51

Sir 51:1 “I will give thanks to you, Lord and King, and praise you as God my Savior. I give thanks to your name.”
Sir 51:2 “For you have been my protector and helper, and have delivered my body from destruction, and from the snare of a slanderous tongue. from lips that utter lies, and before those who stood by, you were my helper.”
Sir 51:3 “And delivered me, in the greatness of your mercy and of your name, from the gnashing of teeth when I was about to be devoured, from the hand of those who sought my life, from the numerous troubles that I had.”
Sir 51:4 “From choking fire all around me, and from the midst of a flame which I had not kindled,”
Sir 51:5 “From the depth of the heart of Hades, and from the unclean tongue and the lying speech.”
Sir 51:6 “An unrighteous tongue uttered slander to the king; my soul drew nigh to death, and my life was near to Hades beneath;”
Sir 51:7 “They surrounded me on every side, and there was no one to help me; I looked for the help of men, and there was none.”
Sir 51:8 “Then I remembered your mercy, Lord, and your work which has been from of old, for you deliver those who wait for you, and save them from the hand of their enemies.”
Sir 51:9 “And I sent up my supplication from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.”
Sir 51:10 “I besought the Lord, the father of my lord, not to forsake me in my days of trouble, at the time when there is no help against the proud.”
Sir 51:11 “I said, “I will praise your name continually, and praise you with thanksgiving.” And my prayer was heard.”
Sir 51:12 “For you saved me from destruction, and delivered me from my emergency. Therefore I will give thanks to you and praise you, and bless the name of the Lord.”
Sir 51:13 “When I was very young, before I went on my wanderings, I sought wisdom expressly in my prayer;”
Sir 51:14 “In front of the temple I asked for her, and I will search for her unto the end.”
Sir 51:15 “From her flower as from her ripening grape, my heart delighted in her. My foot trod in uprightness; from my youth I followed her steps.”
Sir 51:16 “I bowed my ear a little and received her, and found much instruction for myself.”
Sir 51:17 “I made progress in her; and to him who gave me wisdom I will give glory.”
Sir 51:18 “For I resolved to practice her, and I was zealous for the good, and I shall not be disappointed.”
Sir 51:19 “My soul grappled with her, and in the fulfillment of the Law I was very strict. I spread out my hands to heaven above, and lamented my ignorance of her.”
Sir 51:20 “I directed my soul to her, and I found her in pureness. I gained my purpose with her from the beginning; therefore I will not be forsaken.”
Sir 51:21 “My heart was stirred to seek her; therefore I obtained a good possession.”
Sir 51:22 “The Lord gave me the power to speak as my reward, and I will praise him with it.”
Sir 51:23 “Come to me, you who are untaught, and pass the night in the house of instruction.”
Sir 51:24 “Why do you say you are wanting in these things, and that your souls are very thirsty?”
Sir 51:25 “I opened my mouth and said, “Get her for yourselves without money,”
Sir 51:26 “Put your neck under her yoke, and let your soul receive instruction. She is to be found close by.”
Sir 51:27 “See with your own eyes that I have worked but little, and yet found myself much repose.”
Sir 51:28 “Get some instruction with a great sum in silver, and you will gain much gold with it.”
Sir 51:29 “Let your soul delight in his mercy and be not ashamed of his praise.”
Sir 51:30 “Finish your work in time, And in his own time he will give you your reward.”

The Wisdom of Sirach -or- Ecclesiasticus Read More »

The First Book of Esdras

Edits, corrections and cross references by The Firmament

First and second Esdras are contained in a group of books called Apocrypha (hidden or secret), which were once in the canonical Bible between the old and new testaments. In the Septuagint, where Ezra and Nehemiah are called First and Second Esdras, this book is referred to as Third Esdras. Frequently, it is given the more descriptive title of the Greek Ezra because, originally written in Aramaic or Hebrew, it survives today only in Greek. It traces portions of Israel’s history from 621 BC to 444 BC.


Chapter 1

1 Esd 1:1 “When Josiah celebrated the passover festival in Jerusalem to his Lord, he sacrificed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month,”
1 Esd 1:2 “Placing the priests in their divisions, clad in their vestments, in the temple of the Lord.”
1 Esd 1:3 “And he ordered the Levites, the temple slaves of Israel, to consecrate themselves to the Lord, when they put the holy chest of the Lord in the house of the Lord, which Solomon the king, the son of David, had built;”
1 Esd 1:4 “And he said, “You will not have to carry it on your shoulders any more; so now worship the Lord your God, and serve his people, Israel, and prepare yourselves by your families and kindreds,”
1 Esd 1:5 “As David, king of Israel, wrote, and with all the magnificence of Solomon his son; and take your places in the temple, according to your ancestral groups as Levites before your brothers, the Israelites,”
1 Esd 1:6 “In proper order, and sacrifice the Passover, and get the sacrifices ready for your brothers, and observe the Passover, in accordance with the Lord’s command which was given to Moses.”
1 Esd 1:7 “And Josiah gave the people that were present thirty thousand lambs and kids, and three thousand calves; these were given out of the king’s revenues, as he promised, to the people and the priests and Levites.”
1 Esd 1:8 “And Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the rulers of the temple, gave the priests for the Passover two thousand, six hundred sheep and three hundred calves.”
1 Esd 1:9 “And Jeconiah and Shemaiah and Nathanael, his brother, and Asabiah and Ochiel and Joram, colonels of regiments, gave the Levites for the Passover five thousand sheep and seven hundred calves.”
1 Esd 1:10 “And it was done; the priests and Levites, with the unleavened bread, stood in proper order, according to their kindreds.”
1 Esd 1:11 “And their family divisions, before the people, to make the offering to the Lord, as it is prescribed in the book of Moses; this they did in the morning.”
1 Esd 1:12 “They roasted the Passover with fire in the proper way, and boiled the sacrifices in caldrons and basins, with savory odors,”
1 Esd 1:13 “And set them before all the people. Afterward they prepared some for themselves and their brothers the priests, the sons of Aaron;”
1 Esd 1:14 “For the priests were offering the fat until night, so the Levites prepared meat for themselves and for their brothers the priests, the sons of Aaron.”
1 Esd 1:15 “The sacred musicians, too, the sons of Asaph, were in their places, according to the regulations of David, with Asaph and Zechariah and Eddinus, who were of the king’s circle,”
1 Esd 1:16 “And the doorkeepers stood at each door. No one needed to interrupt his duties for the day, for their brothers, the Levites, prepared meat for them.”
1 Esd 1:17 “So the things that had to do with the Lord’s sacrifices were carried out that day, in celebrating the Passover,”
1 Esd 1:18 “And offering the sacrifices on the altar of the Lord, as King Josiah commanded.”
1 Esd 1:19 “So the Israelites who were present at that time observed the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.”
1 Esd 1:20 “No such Passover had been celebrated in Israel since the times of the prophet Samuel,”
1 Esd 1:21 “And none of the kings of Israel had celebrated such a Passover as Josiah and the priests and the Levites and the Jews celebrated with all the Israelites that were present in their dwellings in Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 1:22 “It was in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah that this Passover was observed.”
1 Esd 1:23 “And the doings of Josiah were upright in the Lord’s sight, for his heart was full of piety.”
1 Esd 1:24 “And the events of his times have been recorded in the past about those who sinned and acted wickedly toward the Lord, beyond any other nation or kingdom, and how they grieved him keenly, so that the words of the Lord rose up to condemn Israel.”
1 Esd 1:25 “After all these doings of Josiah, it happened that Pharaoh, king of Egypt, came to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to encounter him.”
1 Esd 1:26 “And the king of Egypt sent word to him, saying, “What do you want of me, King of Judah?”
1 Esd 1:27 “I was not sent against you by the Lord God, for my war is on the Euphrates. And now the Lord is with me! The Lord is with me, urging me on; depart and do not oppose the Lord.”
1 Esd 1:28 “But Josiah would not turn back to his chariot, but tried to fight with him, disregarding the words of Jeremiah the prophet, spoken by the mouth of the Lord,”
1 Esd 1:29 “And joined battle with him in the plain of Megiddo, and the leaders fought against King Josiah.”
1 Esd 1:30 “And the king said to his servants, “Take me away from the battle, for I am very sick.” And his servants immediately took him out of the fray.”
1 Esd 1:31 “And he got into his second chariot, and was taken back to Jerusalem, and departed this life, and was buried in the tomb of his forefathers.”
1 Esd 1:32 “And they grieved for Josiah all over Judah, and Jeremiah the prophet lamented for Josiah, and the principal men, with the women, have mourned him to this day; and it was ordained that this should always be done, throughout all the nation of Israel.”
1 Esd 1:33 “This is recorded in the scroll of the histories of the kings of Judah; and every one of the deeds of Josiah, and his splendor, and his understanding of the Law of the Lord, and what he had done before, and these present deeds, are told in the scroll of the kings of Israel and Judah.”
1 Esd 1:34 “And the men of the nation took Jeconiah, the son of Josiah, and made him king, to succeed Josiah his father, when he was twenty-three years old.”
1 Esd 1:35 “And he reigned three months in Judah and Jerusalem. Then the king of Egypt deposed him from reigning in Jerusalem,”
1 Esd 1:36 “And he assessed the nation a hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.”
1 Esd 1:37 “And the king of Egypt appointed Jehoiakim, his brother, king of Judah and Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 1:38 “And Jehoiakim put the nobles in prison and seized his brother Zarius and brought him back from Egypt.”
1 Esd 1:39 “Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king of Judah and Jerusalem, and he did what was wrong in the sight of the Lord.”
1 Esd 1:40 “And Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came against him, and put him in chains of brass and took him to Babylon.”
1 Esd 1:41 “And Nebuchadnezzar took some of the sacred dishes of the Lord and carried them off and set them up in his temple in Babylon.”
1 Esd 1:42 “But the stories about him and his uncleanness and his impious behavior are written in the chronicles of the kings.”
1 Esd 1:43 “And Jehoiachin, his son, became king in his stead; for when he was made king, he was eighteen years old,”
1 Esd 1:44 “And he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and did what was wrong in the sight of the Lord.”
1 Esd 1:45 “And a year later, Nebuchadnezzar sent and removed him to Babylon, with the sacred dishes of the Lord,”
1 Esd 1:46 “And appointed Zedekiah king of Judah and Jerusalem, when Zedekiah was twenty-one years old. And he reigned eleven years.”
1 Esd 1:47 “And he did what was wrong in the sight of the Lord, and disregarded the words that were spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, from the mouth of the Lord.”
1 Esd 1:48 “And although King Nebuchadnezzar had made him swear by the name of the Lord, he broke his oath and rebelled, and he hardened his neck and his heart and transgressed the laws of the Lord, the God of Israel.”
1 Esd 1:49 “And the leaders of the people and of the priests did many impious acts and surpassed in lawlessness all the unclean acts of all the heathen, and polluted the temple of the Lord that had been consecrated in Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 1:50 “And the God so of their forefathers sent by his messenger to call them back, for he would have spared them and his dwelling;”
1 Esd 1:51 “But they mocked his messengers, and whenever the Lord spoke to them, they made sport of his prophets,”
1 Esd 1:52 “Until he grew angry with his people because of their ungodliness and ordered the kings of the Chaldeans to be brought against them.”
1 Esd 1:53 “These killed their young men with the sword around their holy temple, and did not spare youth or maiden, old man or child, for he delivered them all into their hands.”
1 Esd 1:54 “And all the sacred dishes of the Lord, great and small, and the chests of the Lord, and the royal treasures they took, and carried them off to Babylon.”
1 Esd 1:55 “And they burned the house of the Lord, and tore down the walls of Jerusalem, and burned down their towers,”
1 Esd 1:56 “And completely ruined all her glories. And those who survived the sword he removed to Babylon.”
1 Esd 1:57 “And they were his servants and those of his children, until the Persians began to reign; to fulfil what the Lard said by the mouth of Jeremiah,”
1 Esd 1:58 “Until the land enjoys its sabbaths, all the time of her desolation she shall keep the sabbath, until the lapse of seventy years.”

Chapter 2

1 Esd 2:1 “In the first year that Cyrus reigned over Persia, to fulfil what the Lord said by the mouth of Jeremiah,”
1 Esd 2:2 “The Lord stirred the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia, and he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it in writing saying,”
1 Esd 2:3 “Thus speaks Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord of Israel, the Lord Most High, has made me king of the world,”
1 Esd 2:4 “And directed me to build him a house in Jerusalem, in Judah.”
1 Esd 2:5 “So if anyone of you is of his people, his Lord be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, in Judah, and build the house of the Lord of Israel; he is the Lord who lives in Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 2:6 “So let a man’s neighbors, who live in each place, help him with gold and silver,”
1 Esd 2:7 “With presents, with horses and cattle, beside the other things added as vows for the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 2:8 “Then the heads of families of the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin arose, and the priests and the Levites, and all whose hearts the Lord had stirred to go up to build the house in Jerusalem for the Lord.”
1 Esd 2:9 “And their neighbors helped them with everything, with silver and gold, with horses and cattle, and a great many vows from many whose hearts were stirred.”
1 Esd 2:10 “And King Cyrus brought out the sacred dishes of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from Jerusalem, and deposited in the temple of his idols;”
1 Esd 2:11 “But Cyrus, king of Persia, brought them out, and delivered them to his treasurer Mithridates,”
1 Esd 2:12 “And they were turned over by him to Sheshbazzar, the governor of Judah.”
1 Esd 2:13 “And this was the number of them: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censers, thirty gold bowls, two thousand, four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other dishes.”
1 Esd 2:14 “So all the dishes, gold and silver, five thousand, four hundred and sixty-nine,”
1 Esd 2:15 “Were taken and carried back by Sheshbazzar, along with those who had been in captivity, from Babylon to Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 2:16 “But in the times of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithridates, Tabeel, Rehum, the recorder, and Shimshai, the scribe, and the others associated with them, living in Samaria and other places, wrote him the following letter, against those who lived in Judah and Jerusalem:”
1 Esd 2:17 “To King Artaxerxes our lord, your servants Rehum, the recorder, and Shimshai, the scribe, and the other judges of their court in Coelesyria and Phoenicia;”
1 Esd 2:18 “Now be it known to our lord the king, that the Jews who have come up to us from you have reached Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city and repairing its bazaars and walls and laying the foundations of a temple.”
1 Esd 2:19 “Now if this city is rebuilt and its walls completed, they will not submit to paying tribute, but will even resist the kings.”
1 Esd 2:20 “And since the matter of the temple is now under way, we think it right not to neglect such a matter,”
1 Esd 2:21 “But to address our lord the king, so that, if you approve, a search may be made in the records of your forefathers;”
1 Esd 2:22 “For you will find in their chronicles what is written about them, and you will learn that this city was rebellious, troublesome to kings and towns,”
1 Esd 2:23 “And that the Jews were rebels and organizers of warfare in it from ancient times; that was why the city was laid waste.”
1 Esd 2:24 “We now therefore inform you, lord king, that if this city is rebuilt, and its walls restored, you will no longer have a way of access to Coelesyria and Phoenicia.”
1 Esd 2:25 “Then the king wrote in reply to Rehum, the recorder, and Shimshai, the scribe, and their associates, who lived in Samaria, Syria, and Phoenicia, as follows:”
1 Esd 2:26 “I have read the letter which you sent me. I accordingly ordered search to be made, and it was found that this city from ancient times used to rebel against the kings,”
1 Esd 2:27 “And the people created revolts and wars in it, and that stern and powerful kings ruled in Jerusalem, and took tribute from Coelesyria and Phoenicia.”
1 Esd 2:28 “Therefore I have now given orders to prevent these men from rebuilding the city, and to take measures that nothing further be done,”
1 Esd 2:29 “And that these wicked undertakings go no farther, to the annoyance of the kings.”
1 Esd 2:30 “When the message of King Artaxerxes was read, Rehum and Shimshai, the scribe, and their associates proceeded in haste to Jerusalem, with horsemen and a crowd of troops and began to hinder the builders; so the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem was suspended until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.”

Chapter 3

1 Esd 3:1 “Now King Darius made a great banquet for all his subjects, and all his domestics, and all the nobles of Media and Persia,”
1 Esd 3:2 “And all the viceroys and provincial and district governors under his sway, in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia.”
1 Esd 3:3 “And they ate and drank, and when they were satisfied, they went home, but Darius the king went to his bedroom, and fell asleep, and then awoke.”
1 Esd 3:4 “Then the three young men of his bodyguard, who kept guard over the person of the king, said to one another,”
1 Esd 3:5 “Let us each say what one thing is strongest, and Darius the king will give rich presents and great honors to the one whose words seem the wisest,”
1 Esd 3:6 “And have him dressed in purple, and drink from gold plate, and sleep on a gold bed, and give him a chariot with gold bridles, and a linen headdress, and a necklace around his neck,”
1 Esd 3:7 “And because of his wisdom he shall sit next to Darius, and be called Darius’ kinsman.”
1 Esd 3:8 “Then they each wrote his own answer and put his seal on it, and put them under the pillow of King Darius,”
1 Esd 3:9 “And said, “When the king wakes up, they will give him the writing, and the one whose choice the king and the three princes of Persia judge the wisest, shall be considered the victor in what he has written.”
1 Esd 3:10 “The first wrote, “Wine is strongest.”
1 Esd 3:11 “The second wrote, “The king is strongest.”
1 Esd 3:12 “The third wrote, “Women are strongest, but truth prevails over everything.”
1 Esd 3:13 “So when the king awoke, they took the writing and gave it to him and he read it.”
1 Esd 3:14 “Then he sent and summoned all the nobles of Persia and Media, and the governors and officers and magistrates and officials,”
1 Esd 3:15 “And he took his seat in the council chamber, and what was written was read before them.”
1 Esd 3:16 “And he said, “Summon the young men, and let them show their reasons.” And they were summoned, and came in.”
1 Esd 3:17 “And they said to them, “Explain to us about what you have written.” So the first one, who had told of the strength of wine, began:”
1 Esd 3:18 “And he said, “Gentlemen, how supremely strong wine is! It leads the minds of all who drink it astray.”
1 Esd 3:19 “It makes the mind of the king and the mind of the fatherless child alike; the mind of the menial and the freeman, of the poor and the rich.”
1 Esd 3:20 “It turns every thought to mirth and merrymaking, and forgets all grief and debt.”
1 Esd 3:21 “It makes all hearts rich, and forgets kings and governors, and makes everybody talk in thousands.” (talents)
1 Esd 3:22 “And when they drink, they forget to be friendly to friends and brothers, and very soon they draw their swords.”
1 Esd 3:23 “And when they recover from their wine, they cannot remember what they have done.”
1 Esd 3:24 “Gentlemen, is not wine supremely strong, since it forces them to act so?” When he had said this, he stopped.”

Chapter 4

1 Esd 4:1 “Then the second, who had told of the king’s might, began to speak:”
1 Esd 4:2 “Gentlemen, are not men strongest, because they control land and sea, and all that is in them?”
1 Esd 4:3 “But the king is supremely strong, and is lord and master of them, and every command he gives them they obey.”
1 Esd 4:4 “If he orders them to make war on one another, they do so; and if he sends them out against the enemy, they go, and surmount mountains, walls, and towers.”
1 Esd 4:5 “They kill and are killed, but they do not disobey the king’s command. And if they are victorious, they bring everything to the king, the spoils they take and all the rest.”
1 Esd 4:6 “And those who do not go to war or fight, but till the soil, again, when they sow and reap, bring it to the king, and they compel one another to pay taxes to the king.”
1 Esd 4:7 “He is only one man; but if he orders them to kill, they kill; if he orders them to release, they release;”
1 Esd 4:8 “If he orders them to strike down, they strike; if he orders them to lay waste, they lay waste; if he orders them to build, they build;”
1 Esd 4:9 “If he orders them to cut down, they cut down; if he orders them to plant, they plant.”
1 Esd 4:10 “So all his people and his troops obey him. Besides, he reclines at table, he eats and drinks and sleeps,”
1 Esd 4:11 “And they keep watch about him, and they cannot any of them go away and look after his own affairs, or disobey him at all.”
1 Esd 4:12 “Gentlemen, how can the king not be strongest, when he is so obeyed?” And he stopped.”
1 Esd 4:13 “Then the third, who had spoken of women and of truth – his name was Zerubbabel – began to speak:”
1 Esd 4:14 “Gentlemen, is not the king great, and are not men many, and is not wine strong? Who is it then that rules over them and masters them? Is it not women?”
1 Esd 4:15 “Women have borne the king and all the people, who are lords of sea and land;”
1 Esd 4:16 “From them they are sprung, and they brought them up, to plant the vineyards, from which the wine comes.”
1 Esd 4:17 “They make men’s clothes, they make men’s splendor, and men cannot exist without women.”
1 Esd 4:18 “Why, if men amass gold and silver, and everything of beauty, and then see one woman remarkable for looks and beauty,”
1 Esd 4:19 “They let all these things go, and gape at her, and stare at her with open mouths, and would all rather have her than gold or silver or any thing of beauty.”
1 Esd 4:20 “A man will leave his own father, who brought him up, and his own country, and be united to his wife.”
1 Esd 4:21 “With his wife he ends his days, and remembers neither his father nor his mother nor his country.”
1 Esd 4:22 “Hence you must recognize that women rule over men. Do you not toil and labor, and bring it all and give it to your wives?”
1 Esd 4:23 “A man takes his sword and goes out on expeditions to rob and steal, and to sail the sea and the rivers;”
1 Esd 4:24 “He faces the lion and walks in the darkness, and when he steals and robs and plunders, he brings it back to the woman he loves.”
1 Esd 4:25 “So a man loves his wife better than his father or mother.”
1 Esd 4:26 “Many have lost their heads completely for the sake of women, and become slaves for their sakes.”
1 Esd 4:27 “Many have perished, or failed, or sinned for the sake of women.”
1 Esd 4:28 “Now do you not believe me? Is not the king great in his power? Do not all lands fear even to touch him?”
1 Esd 4:29 “Yet I have seen him with Apame, the king’s concubine, the daughter of the noble Bartacus, sitting at the king’s right hand,”
1 Esd 4:30 “And taking the crown from the king’s head, and putting it on her own, and she slapped the king with her left hand.”
1 Esd 4:31 “At this the king stared at her open-mouthed. If she smiled at him, he laughed; if she grew angry at him, he flattered her, so that she might be reconciled to him again.”
1 Esd 4:32 “Gentlemen, how can women not be mighty, when they act like that?”
1 Esd 4:33 “Then the king and the nobles looked at one another; and he began to speak about truth:”
1 Esd 4:34 “Gentlemen, are not women mighty? The earth is vast, and heaven is high, and the sun is swift in his course, for he circles about the heavens and hastens back to his own starting-point in a single day.”
1 Esd 4:35 “Is he not great who does these things? So truth is great, and mightier than all other things.”
1 Esd 4:36 “The whole earth calls upon truth, and heaven blesses her; all his works quake and tremble, there is no wrongdoing with him.”
1 Esd 4:37 “Wine is not upright, the king is not upright, women are not upright, all the sons of men are not upright, and all their doings, all such things, are not upright; there is no truth in them, and through their unrighteousness they will perish.”
1 Esd 4:38 “But truth endures and is strong forever, and lives and reigns forever and ever.”
1 Esd 4:39 “There is no partiality or preference with her, but she does what is right, rather than all that is wrong and wicked. All men approve her doings,”
1 Esd 4:40 “And there is no injustice in her judgment. To her belongs power and the royal dignity and authority and majesty in all the ages; blessed be the God of truth!”
1 Esd 4:41 “When he stopped speaking, all the people shouted and said, “Truth is great and supremely strong.”
1 Esd 4:42 “Then the king said to him, “Ask whatever you please, beyond what is written here, and we will give it to you, since you have been found the wisest. You shall sit next to me, and be called my kinsman,”
1 Esd 4:43 “Then he said to the king, “Remember the vow that you made, the day you succeeded to your throne, to rebuild Jerusalem,”
1 Esd 4:44 “And send back all the dishes taken from Jerusalem, which Cyrus set aside, when he vowed to destroy Babylon, and to send them back there.”
1 Esd 4:45 “And you vowed to rebuild the house, which the Edomites burned, when Jerusalem had been laid waste by the Chaldeans.”
1 Esd 4:46 “So now, my lord the king, this is what I ask and request of you, and this is the princely liberality to come from you: I beg you to carry out the vow that you vowed with your own lips to the King of Heaven that you would carry out.”
1 Esd 4:47 “Then Darius, the king, got up and kissed him, and he wrote letters for him to all his managers and magistrates and officers and governors, to escort him in safety with all who were going up with him to rebuild Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 4:48 “And he wrote letters to all the magistrates in Coelesyria and Phoenicia and to those in the Lebanon, to bring cedar timbers from the Lebanon to Jerusalem and that they should help him to rebuild the city.”
1 Esd 4:49 “And he wrote in the interest of all the Jews who were going up from his kingdom to Judah, to secure their freedom, that no noble or governor or magistrate or manager should forcibly enter their doors,”
1 Esd 4:50 “And that all the country which they were to occupy they should possess free from tribute; and that the Edomites should give up the Jewish villages which they controlled,”
1 Esd 4:51 “And that twenty talents a year should be given for the rebuilding of the temple, until it was completed,”
1 Esd 4:52 “And ten talents a year besides, to provide burnt offerings to be offered daily upon the altar, in accordance with the command they had to offer seventeen,”
1 Esd 4:53 “And that all who came up from Babylonia to rebuild the city should have their freedom, they and their children and all the priests who came up.”
1 Esd 4:54 “He wrote providing their expenses also, and the priestly vestments in which they officiate.”
1 Esd 4:55 “And he wrote that the Levites’ expenses should be provided until the day when the house should be finished and Jerusalem rebuilt.”
1 Esd 4:56 “And he wrote that lots of land and wages should be given to all who guarded the city.”
1 Esd 4:57 “And he sent back all the dishes from Babylon, which Cyrus had set aside; and all that Cyrus had ordered done he commanded them to do and to send back to Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 4:58 “When the young man went out, he lifted his face to heaven toward Jerusalem, and praised the King of Heaven,”
1 Esd 4:59 “Saying, “From you comes victory, from you comes wisdom; to you belongs glory, and I am your servant.”
1 Esd 4:60 “Blessed are you, who have given me wisdom; I praise you, Lord of my forefathers.”
1 Esd 4:61 “And he took the letters and went to Babylon, and reported it to all his brothers.”
1 Esd 4:62 “And they blessed the God of their forefathers, because he had given them relief and liberty,”
1 Esd 4:63 “To go up and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple which was called by his name; and they banqueted with music and gladness for seven days.”

Chapter 5

1 Esd 5:1 “After this the heads of families were chosen to go up, according to their clans, with their wives and sons and daughters, and their male and female slaves, and their cattle.”
1 Esd 5:2 “And Darius sent with them a thousand horsemen, to escort them back to Jerusalem in peace, with music of drums and flutes,”
1 Esd 5:3 “(For all their brothers made merry); he made them go up with them.”
1 Esd 5:4 “These are the names of the men who went up, by their families within their tribes, for their priestly office:”
1 Esd 5:5 “Of the priests, the sons of Phineas, the son of Aaron; Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, the son of Seraiah, and Joakim, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, of the house of David, of the line of Phares, of the tribe of Judah,”
1 Esd 5:6 “Who uttered wise sayings before Darius, the king of Persia, in the second year of his reign, in the month of Nisan, the first month.”
1 Esd 5:7 “These are those from Judah who went up after their sojourn in captivity, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had removed to Babylon,”
1 Esd 5:8 “And who returned to Jerusalem and the rest of Judah, each one to his own town, going with Zerubbabel and Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Resaiah, Bigvai, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Reeliah, Rehum, and Baanah, their leaders; the numbers of those of the nation, and their leaders:”
1 Esd 5:9 “The descendants of Parosh, two thousand, one hundred and seventy-two; of the descendants of Shephatiah, four hundred and seventy-two;”
1 Esd 5:10 “The descendants of Arah, seven hundred and fifty six;”
1 Esd 5:11 “The descendants of Pahathmoab, of the descendants of Jeshua and Toab, two thousand, eight hundred and twelve;”
1 Esd 5:12 “The descendants of Elam, one thousand, two hundred and fifty-four; the descendants of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five; the descendants of Chorbe, seven hundred and five; the descendants of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight;”
1 Esd 5:13 “The descendants of Bebai, six hundred and twenty three; the descendants of Azgad, one thousand, three hundred and twenty-two;”
1 Esd 5:14 “The descendants of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty seven; the descendants of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-six; the descendants of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four;”
1 Esd 5:15 “The descendants of Ater, the son of Hezekiah, ninety-two; the descendants of Kilan and Azetas, sixty-seven; the descendants of Azuru, four hundred and thirty-two;”
1 Esd 5:16 “The descendants of Annias, one hundred and one; the descendants of Arom: the descendants of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three; the descendants of Jorah, one hundred and twelve;”
1 Esd 5:17 “The descendants of Baiterus, three thousand and five; the descendants of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three;”
1 Esd 5:18 “The men of Netophah, fifty-five; the men of Anathoth, one hundred and fifty-eight; the men of Bethasmoth, forty two;”
1 Esd 5:19 “The men of Kirjathjearim, twenty-five; the men of Chephirah and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three;”
1 Esd 5:20 “The Chadiasans and Ammidians, four hundred and twenty-two; the men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one;”
1 Esd 5:21 “The men of Michmash, one hundred and twenty-two; the men of Bethel-Ai, fifty-two; the descendants of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six;”
1 Esd 5:22 “The descendants of the other Elam and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five; the descendants of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five;”
1 Esd 5:23 “The descendants of Senaah, three thousand, three hundred and thirty.”
1 Esd 5:24 “Of the priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, among the descendants of Anasib, nine hundred and seventy-two; the descendants of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two;”
1 Esd 5:25 “The descendants of Pashhur, one thousand, two hundred and forty-seven; the descendants of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.”
1 Esd 5:26 “Of the Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel and Bannas and Sudias, seventy-four;”
1 Esd 5:27 “Of the sacred singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight; of the doorkeepers:”
1 Esd 5:28 “The descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Tolman, the descend-ants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai – in all, one hundred and thirty-nine.”
1 Esd 5:29 “Of the temple slaves: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah,”
1 Esd 5:30 “The descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Uthai, the descendants of Ketab, the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shamlai, the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Cathua, the descendants of Gahar,”
1 Esd 5:31 “The descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Chezib, the descendants of Gazzan, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Hasrah, the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of the Meunites, the descendants of Nephisim, the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Asur, the descendants of Pharakim,”
1 Esd 5:32 “The descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Cutha, the descendants of Charea, the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.”
1 Esd 5:33 “Of the descendants of Solomon’s servants: the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, the descendants of Jaalah, the descendants of Lozon, the descendants of Giddel,”
1 Esd 5:34 “The descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-hazza-baim, the descendants of Sarothie, the descendants of Masiah, the descendants of Gas, the descendants of Addus, the descendants of Subas, the descendants of Apherra, the descendants of Barodis, the descendants of Shaphat, the descendants of Ami.”
1 Esd 5:35 “In all, the temple slaves and the descendants of the servants of Solomon were three hundred and seventy-two.”
1 Esd 5:36 “These are those who went up from Telmelah and Telharsha, under the leadership of Cherub, Adan, and Immer,”
1 Esd 5:37 “But were not able to show by their families or lineage that they belonged to Israel: the descendants of Delaiah the descendant of Tobiah, the descendants of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two.”
1 Esd 5:38 “And of those of the priests who had assumed the priesthood but were not found registered: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Jaddus who married Agia, one of the daughters of Barzillai and was called by his name.”
1 Esd 5:39 “And when the ancestry of these men was looked for in the register, and could not be found, they were excluded from officiating as priests.”
1 Esd 5:40 “And Nehemiah and the governor told them not to share in the consecrated things until a high priest should appear clothed in the Manifestation and the Truth. (Urim and Thummim)”
1 Esd 5:41 “In all, there were: of Israel, over twelve years of age, besides male and female slaves, forty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty;”
1 Esd 5:42 “Of their male and female slaves, seven thousand, three hundred and thirty-seven; of musicians and singers, two hundred and forty-five.”
1 Esd 5:43 “There were four hundred and thirty-five camels, and seven thousand and thirty-six horses, two hundred and forty-five mules, and five thousand, five hundred and twenty-five asses.”
1 Esd 5:44 “And some of the principal heads of families, when they reached the temple of God in Jerusalem, vowed that they would erect the house in its old place, to the best of their ability,”
1 Esd 5:45 “And that they would give to the sacred building fund a thousand minas in gold and five thousand minas in silver, and a hundred priest’s garments.”
1 Esd 5:46 “So the priests and the Levites and some of the people settled in Jerusalem and the country, and the sacred singers and the doorkeepers and all Israel settled in their villages.”
1 Esd 5:47 “When the seventh month came, and the Israelites were all at home, they gathered as one man in the square in front of the first gate toward the east.”
1 Esd 5:48 “And Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, and his brothers took their places and prepared the altar of the God of Israel,”
1 Esd 5:49 “In order to offer on it burnt offerings, as is directed in the book of Moses, the man of God.”
1 Esd 5:50 “And they were joined by some of the other peoples of the land, and they erected the altar in its place; for though they had been hostile to them, all the people in the land supported them, and brought sacrifices at the proper times, and the morning and evening burnt offerings for the Lord,”
1 Esd 5:51 “And they kept the Camping Out festival, as it is prescribed in the Law, and they brought sacrifices every day, when it was proper,”
1 Esd 5:52 “And besides these the regular offerings and sacrifices on sabbaths and new moons and all the sacred festival days.”
1 Esd 5:53 “And all who had made voluntary gifts to God began to offer sacrifices to God, beginning with the new moon of the seventh month, though the temple of God was not yet rebuilt.”
1 Esd 5:54 “And they paid money to the masons and carpenters,”
1 Esd 5:55 “And gave food and drink and carts to the Sidonians and Tyrians, to bring cedar timbers from the Lebanon and convey them in rafts to the harbor of Joppa, as Cyrus, the king of Persia, had commanded them in writing.”
1 Esd 5:56 “In the second year Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, came to the temple of God in Jerusalem, and in the second month he began with Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and their brothers, and the Levitical priests and all who had come back from the exile to Jerusalem,”
1 Esd 5:57 “And they laid the foundation of the temple of God on the new moon of the second month, in the second year, after they came to Judah and Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 5:58 “And they appointed the Levites who were over twenty years old to have charge of the work of the Lord. And Jeshua rose up and his sons and his brothers and Kadmiel his brother and the sons of Jeshua Emadabun and the sons of Joda, the son of Iliadun, with their sons and brothers all the Levites, as one man pressing forward the work on the house of God. And the builders built the sanctuary of the Lord,”
1 Esd 5:59 “And the priests stood in their robes, with musical instruments and trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with their cymbals,”
1 Esd 5:60 “Praising the Lord and blessing him, according to the directions of David, king of Israel,”
1 Esd 5:61 “And they sang loudly, giving thanks to the Lord, with hymns, because all Israel enjoys his goodness and his glory forever.”
1 Esd 5:62 “And all the people sounded trumpets and gave a great shout, praising the Lord for the erection of the house of the Lord.”
1 Esd 5:63 “And some of the Levitical priests and the older men among the heads of their families, who had seen the house that preceded this one, came to the building of this house with outcries and loud lamentation,”
1 Esd 5:64 “While many came with trumpets and a great shout of joy,”
1 Esd 5:65 “So that the people could not hear the trumpets on account of the lamentation, for the multitude sounded the trumpets loudly, so that it was heard a long way off.”
1 Esd 5:66 “And when the enemies of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin heard it, they came to find out what the sound of the trumpets meant.”
1 Esd 5:67 “And they learned that those who had returned from captivity were building the sanctuary for the Lord, the God of Israel,”
1 Esd 5:68 “And they went to Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the heads of families, and said to them “We will help you build,”
1 Esd 5:69 “For we, like you, obey your Lord, and have sacrificed to him from the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
1 Esd 5:70 “Then Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the heads of families of Israel said to them, “It is not for you and us to build the house for the Lord our God,”
1 Esd 5:71 “For we will build it by ourselves for the Lord of Israel, as Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”
1 Esd 5:72 “But the heathen of the land pressed upon those who were in Judea, and, blockading them, hindered them from building,”
1 Esd 5:73 “And by making plots and stirring up the people and uprisings they prevented the completion of the building all the lifetime of King Cyrus. So they were kept from building for two years, until the reign of Darius.”

Chapter 6

1 Esd 6:1 “But in the second year of the reign of Darius, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judea and Jerusalem, prophesying to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.”
1 Esd 6:2 “Then Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, got up and began to build the house of the Lord that was in Jerusalem, while the prophets of the Lord joined them and helped them.”
1 Esd 6:3 “At that very time there came to them Sisinnes, the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabuzanes and their companions, and said to them,”
1 Esd 6:4 “By whose orders are you building this house, and completing this roof and all these other things? And who are the builders who are carrying this out?”
1 Esd 6:5 “Still the elders of the Jews were shown favor, for the Lord had regard for the captives,”
1 Esd 6:6 “And they were not prevented from building until Darius was informed about them and orders were issued.”
1 Esd 6:7 “This is the copy of a letter which Sisinnes, the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabuzanes and their companions wrote and sent to Darius: “Greetings to King Darius.”
1 Esd 6:8 “Let it all be known to our lord the king that when we went to the country of Judea and entered the city of Jerusalem, we found the elders of the Jews, who had been in captivity,”
1 Esd 6:9 “Building in the city of Jerusalem a great, new house for the Lord, of costly hewn stone, with timbers set in the walls,”
1 Esd 6:10 “And we found this work proceeding with haste, and the undertaking prospering in their hands, and being completed with all glory and diligence.”
1 Esd 6:11 “Then we inquired of these elders and said, “At whose command are you building this house, and laying the foundations of these works?”
1 Esd 6:12 “Then in order to inform you and write to you, we inquired of them what men were the leaders, and asked them for a list of the names of those who were taking the lead.”
1 Esd 6:13 “And they answered and said, “We are servants of the Lord who created the heaven and the earth.”
1 Esd 6:14 “And the house was built many years ago by a king of Israel who was great and strong, and was finished.”
1 Esd 6:15 “And when our forefathers sinned against the heavenly Lord of Israel and provoked him, he delivered them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the king of the Chaldeans;”
1 Esd 6:16 “And they tore the house down and burned it, and carried the people away as captives to Babylon.”
1 Esd 6:17 “But in the first year of the reign of Cyrus over Babylonia, Cyrus the king wrote an order that this house be rebuilt.”
1 Esd 6:18 “And the sacred dishes of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from the house at Jerusalem, and set up in his own sanctuary, Cyrus the king brought forth again from the sanctuary in Babylon, and they were given to Zerubbabel and Sheshbazzar, the governor,”
1 Esd 6:19 “And he was instructed to carry all these dishes back and put them back in the sanctuary in Jerusalem, and that this sanctuary of the Lord should be rebuilt on the same spot.”
1 Esd 6:20 “Then this Sheshbazzar, after coming here, laid the foundations of the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, and although it has been under construction from then until now it has not reached completion.”
1 Esd 6:21 “Now therefore, if it meets your approval, O king, let search be made in the royal archives of our lord the king in Babylon,”
1 Esd 6:22 “And if it is found that the building of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was done with the consent of Cyrus the king, and it meets the approval of our lord the king, let him give us orders about this.”
1 Esd 6:23 “Then King Darius ordered a search to be made in the royal archives that were deposited in Babylon. And in the castle of Ecbatana, in the land of Media, was found a roll in which this was recorded:”
1 Esd 6:24 “In the first year of the reign of Cyrus, King Cyrus ordered the rebuilding of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, where they sacrifice with perpetual fire;”
1 Esd 6:25 “The height of it to be sixty cubits, the width sixty cubits, with three courses of hewn stone and a course of new native timber, and the cost to be provided from the house of Cyrus the king;”
1 Esd 6:26 “And that the sacred dishes of the house of the Lord, of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar carried away from the house in Jerusalem and removed to Babylon, be restored to the house in Jerusalem to be placed where they were.”
1 Esd 6:27 “And he further ordered that Sisinnes, the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabuzanes and their companions and the local governors appointed in Syria and Phoenicia should take care to let the place alone, and to permit Zerubbabel, the servant of the Lord and governor of Judea, and the elders of the Jews, to build the house of the Lord in its old place.”
1 Esd 6:28 “And I command that it be completely built and that they seek earnestly to help the returned captives of Judea, until the house of the Lord is finished;”
1 Esd 6:29 “And that a grant from the tribute of Coelesyria and Phoenicia be particularly given these men for sacrifices to the Lord, that is, to Zerubbabel, the governor, for bulls and rams and lambs,”
1 Esd 6:30 “And likewise wheat and salt and wine and oil, regularly every year, without objection, as the priests in Jerusalem indicate they are daily used,”
1 Esd 6:31 “So that libations may be offered to the Most High God for the king and his children, and that they may pray for their lives.”
1 Esd 6:32 “And he commanded further that, if any transgressed or disregarded any of the things said above or added below, a beam should be taken from his house and he should be hung on it, and his property be taken for the king.”
1 Esd 6:33 “Therefore may the Lord, whose name is called upon there, destroy any king and nation that shall stretch out their hands to hinder or damage that house of the Lord in Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 6:34 “I, King Darius, have decreed that it be done in exactly this way.”

Chapter 7

1 Esd 7:1 “Then Sisinnes, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabuzanes and their companions, obeying the orders of Darius the king,”
1 Esd 7:2 “Looked after the holy work very attentively, assisting the elders of the Jews and the governors of the temple.”
1 Esd 7:3 “And the holy work progressed, while the prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied;”
1 Esd 7:4 “And they completed it at the command of the Lord, the God of Israel; and with the consent of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia,”
1 Esd 7:5 “The holy house was finished by the twenty-third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of King Darius.”
1 Esd 7:6 “And the Israelites and the priests and the rest of the returned exiles who had joined them did according to what was in the book of Moses.”
1 Esd 7:7 “And they offered at the dedication of the temple of the Lord a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs,”
1 Esd 7:8 “And twelve he-goats for the sin of all Israel, to correspond to the number of the twelve princes of the tribes of Israel;”
1 Esd 7:9 “And the priests and the Levites stood robed, by tribes, in charge of the service of the Lord God of Israel in accordance with the book of Moses, and the doorkeepers stood at each gate.”
1 Esd 7:10 “And the Israelites who had returned from exile held the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, for the priests and the Levites had been purified together,”
1 Esd 7:11 “But all the returned exiles had not been purified, for the Levites had all been purified together,”
1 Esd 7:12 “So they sacrificed the Passover for all the returned exiles and their brothers the priests and themselves.”
1 Esd 7:13 “And the Israelites who had returned from exile, all who had separated themselves from the accursed doings of the heathen of the land and sought the Lord, ate it.”
1 Esd 7:14 “And they observed the festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days, rejoicing before the Lord,”
1 Esd 7:15 “Because he had changed the attitude of the king of Assyria toward them, so as to strengthen their hands for the service of the Lord, the God of Israel.”

Chapter 8

1 Esd 8:1 “Afterward, in the reign of Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, there came Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum,”
1 Esd 8:2 “The son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phineas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the chief priest.”
1 Esd 8:3 “This Ezra came up from Babylon as a scribe, skilled in the law of Moses, which was given by the God of Israel,”
1 Esd 8:4 “And the king showed him honor, for he found favor before him in all that he asked.”
1 Esd 8:5 “And there came with him to Jerusalem some of the Israelites and the priests and Levites and holy singers and doorkeepers and temple slaves,”
1 Esd 8:6 “In the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes, in the fifth month (that was the king’s seventh year); for they left Babylon on the new moon of the first month, and they reached Jerusalem on the new moon of the fifth month, so prosperous a journey had the Lord given them for his sake.”
1 Esd 8:7 “For Ezra possessed great knowledge, so that he neglected nothing that was in the Law of the Lord or the commandments, but taught all Israel all the statutes and ordinances.”
1 Esd 8:8 “Now the written commission came from Artaxerxes, the king, to Ezra, the priest and reader of the Law of the Lord, and the following is a copy of it:”
1 Esd 8:9 “King Artaxerxes sends greeting to Ezra, the priest and reader of the Law of the Lord.”
1 Esd 8:10 “As I have taken a friendly attitude, I have given orders that those of the Jewish nation who wish to do so, and of the priests and Levites and of the others in our realm shall, if they choose to, go to Jerusalem with you.”
1 Esd 8:11 “So let all who think of doing so, set out with you, as I and the seven friends and counselors have decided,”
1 Esd 8:12 “To look into matters in Judea and Jerusalem, in accordance with what is in the Law of the Lord,”
1 Esd 8:13 “And to carry to the Lord of Israel in Jerusalem the gifts that I and the friends have promised; and that all the gold and silver that can be found in the country of Babylonia for the Lord in Jerusalem,”
1 Esd 8:14 “With what has been given by the nation for the temple of their Lord at Jerusalem be collected, both gold and silver for bulls and rams and lambs and the things incident to them,”
1 Esd 8:15 “So as to offer offerings upon the altar of their Lord that is in Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 8:16 “And all that you with your brothers wish to do with gold and silver carry out, according to the will of your God,”
1 Esd 8:17 “And deliver the sacred dishes of the Lord that have been given you for the use of the temple of your God that is in Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 8:18 “And anything else that occurs to you as necessary for the temple of your God, you are to give from the royal treasury;”
1 Esd 8:19 “And I, Artaxerxes the king, have commanded the treasurers of Syria and Phoenicia that whatever Ezra, the priest and reader of the Law of the Most High God, sends for, they shall take care to give him,”
1 Esd 8:20 “Up to a hundred talents of silver, and likewise up to a hundred measures (fifteen hundred bushels) of wheat and a hundred measures (a thousand gallons) of wine and salt in abundance;”
1 Esd 8:21 “And let everything prescribed in the Law of God be scrupulously performed to the Most High God, so that wrath may not come upon the realm of the king and his sons.”
1 Esd 8:22 “You are also instructed to lay no tribute or any other tax upon any priests or Levites or sacred singers or porters or temple slaves or persons employed in this temple, and that no one has authority to lay any such tax upon them.”
1 Esd 8:23 “And you, Ezra, must appoint justices and judges to judge all through Syria and Phoenicia all who know the Law of your God; and those who do not know it you must teach.”
1 Esd 8:24 “And all who transgress the Law of your God and of the king will be suitably punished, either with death, or by some other punishment, a fine or imprisonment.”
1 Esd 8:25 “Blessed be the only Lord, who put this into the king’s heart, to glorify his house in Jerusalem,”
1 Esd 8:26 “And gave me honor in the sight of the king and his counselors and all his friends and grandees.”
1 Esd 8:27 “So I was encouraged by the help of the Lord, my God, and I gathered men from Israel to go up with me.”
1 Esd 8:28 “These are the principal men, by their families and their groups, who came up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:”
1 Esd 8:29 “Of the descendants of Phineas, Gershom; of the descendants of Ithamar, Gamael; of the descendants of David, Hattush, the son of Shecaniah;”
1 Esd 8:30 “Of the descendants of Parosh (Pharez), Zechariah, and with him a hundred and fifty men enrolled;”
1 Esd 8:31 “Of the descendants of Pahath-moab, Eliohenai, the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred men;”
1 Esd 8:32 “Of the descendants of Zattu, Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred men; of the descendants of Adin, Obed, the son of Jonathan, and with him two hundred and fifty men;”
1 Esd 8:33 “Of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah, the son of Gotholiah, and with him seventy men;”
1 Esd 8:34 “Of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zeraiah, the son of Michael, and with him seventy men;”
1 Esd 8:35 “Of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah, the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and twelve men;”
1 Esd 8:36 “Of the descendants of Bani, Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and sixty men;”
1 Esd 8:37 “Of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah, the son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight men;”
1 Esd 8:38 “Of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan, the son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten men;”
1 Esd 8:39 “Of the descendants of Adonikam, those who came last, and these were their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them seventy men;”
1 Esd 8:40 “And of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai, the son of Istalcurus, and with him seventy men.”
1 Esd 8:41 “So I assembled them at the river called Theras, and we camped there for three days, and I observed them.”
1 Esd 8:42 “And when I found none of the descendants of the priests or of the Levites there,”
1 Esd 8:43 “I sent to Eleazar and Iduel and Maasmas”
1 Esd 8:44 “And Elnathan and Shemaiah and Jarib, Nathan, Elnathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders and intelligent men,”
1 Esd 8:45 “And I told them to go to Iddo, who was in command at the place of the treasury,”
1 Esd 8:46 “And ordered them to tell Iddo and his kinsmen and the treasurers at that place to send us men to serve as priests in the house of our Lord.”
1 Esd 8:47 “And by the mighty hand of our Lord they brought us competent men of the descendants of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, Sherebiah and his sons and his kinsmen, eighteen in all;”
1 Esd 8:48 “And Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah, his brother, of the descendants of Hananiah, and his sons, making twenty men;”
1 Esd 8:49 “And of the temple slaves, whom David and the princes had given to work for the Levites, two hundred and twenty temple slaves; their names were all listed.”
1 Esd 8:50 “Then I proclaimed a fast there for the young men before our Lord, to seek from him a safe journey for us and our children and our cattle that were with us.”
1 Esd 8:51 “For I was ashamed to ask the king for foot soldiers and cavalry and an escort to make us safe from those who opposed us;”
1 Esd 8:52 “For we had told the king, “The power of our Lord will be with those who seek him, and will give them every support.”
1 Esd 8:53 “And we prayed to our Lord again about these things, and we found him merciful.”
1 Esd 8:54 “Then I set apart twelve men of the chiefs of the priests, Sherebiah and Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen with them,”
1 Esd 8:55 “And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the sacred dishes, of the house of our Lord, which the king himself and his counselors and the grandees of all Israel had given.”
1 Esd 8:56 “And I weighed and turned over to them six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver dishes to the value of a hundred talents, and a hundred talents of gold,”
1 Esd 8:57 “And twenty gold bowls, and twelve bronze dishes of fine bronze that glittered like gold.”
1 Esd 8:58 “And I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord and the dishes are holy, and the silver and gold are a gift to the Lord, the Lord of our forefathers.”
1 Esd 8:59 “Be watchful and guard them until you deliver them to the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and to the heads of the families of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of our Lord.”
1 Esd 8:60 “And the priests and the Levites took the silver and the gold and the dishes which had been in Jerusalem, and carried them into the temple of the Lord.”
1 Esd 8:61 “And we set out from the river Theras on the twelfth day of the first month, and entered Jerusalem, because the mighty hand of our Lord was upon us, and he saved us from every enemy on the way, and we reached Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 8:62 “And when our third day there came, the silver and gold were weighed and turned over in the house of our Lord to Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the priest,”
1 Esd 8:63 “Who had with him Eleazar, the son of Phineas, and they had with them Jozabad, the son of Jeshua, and Moeth, the son of Binnui, the Levites; it was all counted and weighed,”
1 Esd 8:64 “And the total weight of it was immediately recorded.”
1 Esd 8:65 “And those who had come back from captivity offered as sacrifices to the Lord, the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams,”
1 Esd 8:66 “Seventy-two lambs, twelve he-goats for a thank offering-all as a sacrifice to the Lord.”
1 Esd 8:67 “And they delivered the king’s orders to the royal treasurers and to the governors of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, and they showed honor to the people and the temple of the Lord.”
1 Esd 8:68 “When this was accomplished, the principal men came to me and said,”
1 Esd 8:69 “The people of Israel and the leaders and the priests and the Levites have not separated from the alien heathen of the land and the impurities of them, the Canaanites and Hittites and Perizzites and Jebusites and Moabites and Egyptians and Idumaeans,”
1 Esd 8:70 “For they and their sons have married their daughters, and the holy race has been mixed with the alien heathen of the land, and from the beginning of this matter, the princes and nobles have shared in this iniquity.”
1 Esd 8:71 “As soon as I heard this, I tore open my clothes and my sacred mantle, and pulled out some of my hair and beard, and sat down gloomy and grieved.”
1 Esd 8:72 “And all who were moved at the word of the Lord of Israel gathered about me, as grieved over this iniquity, and I sat grief-stricken until the evening sacrifice.”
1 Esd 8:73 “Then I got up from my fast with my clothes and my sacred mantle torn, and I knelt down and stretched out my hands to the Lord,”
1 Esd 8:74 “And said, “Lord, I am ashamed, I am abashed before you.”
1 Esd 8:75 “For from the times of our forefathers, our sins have risen higher than our heads,”
1 Esd 8:76 “And our mistakes have mounted up to heaven, and we have been involved in grievous sin, even to this day.”
1 Esd 8:77 “And because of our sins and those of our forefathers, we have been delivered with our brothers and our kings and our priests to the kings of the earth, to be slain and taken captive and plundered, in shame, unto this day.”
1 Esd 8:78 “And yet how great has been your mercy to us, Lord, that a root and a name should be left to us in the place of your sanctuary,”
1 Esd 8:79 “And that a light has been disclosed to us in the house of our Lord, and that food is given us in the time of our bondage.”
1 Esd 8:80 “Even in our bondage we have not been forsaken by our Lord, but he has brought us into favor with the kings of Persia, so that they have given us food,”
1 Esd 8:81 “And glorified the temple of our Lord, and raised Zion up from its desolation, to give us a stronghold in Judea and Jerusalem.”
1 Esd 8:82 “And now, Lord, what can we say, when we have these things? For we have disobeyed your commands, which you gave through your servants the prophets, when you said,”
1 Esd 8:83 “The land which you enter to possess is a land that has been polluted with the pollution of the aliens of the land, and they have filled it with their impurity.”
1 Esd 8:84 “So now you must not marry your daughters to their sons, and you must not take their daughters for your sons;”
1 Esd 8:85 “And you must not seek ever to have peace with them, so that you may grow strong and eat the good things of the land, and bequeath it to your descendants forever.”
1 Esd 8:86 “And all that has happened to us has happened because of our wicked deeds and our great sins. For you, Lord, have lightened our sins,”
1 Esd 8:87 “And have given us such a root as this, but we have turned back again, to transgress your law, to mingle with the impurity of the heathen of the land.”
1 Esd 8:88 “Are you not angry enough with us to destroy us, until there is left no root or stock or name of ours?”
1 Esd 8:89 “Lord of Israel, you are true; for we are left, a root, today.”
1 Esd 8:90 “Now here we are before you, in all our iniquity, for in view of it we cannot any longer stand before you.”
1 Esd 8:91 “Now while Ezra was praying and making his confession, lying on the ground before the temple weeping, there gathered about him an immense throng from Jerusalem, men, women, and children, for there was great lamentation among the multitude.”
1 Esd 8:92 “And Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the Israelites, called out and said to Ezra, “We have sinned against the Lord, and have married foreign women from the heathen of the land, yet there is still hope for Israel.”
1 Esd 8:93 “Let us make oath to the Lord about this, that we will expel all our wives who are of foreign origin, with their children,”
1 Esd 8:94 “As you and all who obey the Law of the Lord decide.”
1 Esd 8:95 “Get up and take action, for it is your business, and we will support you in taking vigorous action.”
1 Esd 8:96 “Then Ezra got up, and made the chiefs of the priests and Levites of all Israel swear to do this, and they swore to it.”

Chapter 9

1 Esd 9:1 “Then Ezra got up from the court of the temple, and went to the priestly chamber of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib,”
1 Esd 9:2 “And spent the night, and he would not eat bread or drink water, but mourned over the great iniquity of the multitude.”
1 Esd 9:3 “And a proclamation was made all over Judea and Jerusalem to all who had returned from the captivity that they should gather in Jerusalem;”
1 Esd 9:4 “And if anyone failed to meet there within two or three days in accordance with the decision of the ruling elders, his cattle should be confiscated, and he should be excluded from the multitude of those who had returned from exile.”
1 Esd 9:5 “And the men of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin gathered in three days at Jerusalem (it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month),”
1 Esd 9:6 “And all the multitude sat in the square before the temple, trembling because of the winter weather.”
1 Esd 9:7 “And Ezra got up and said to them, “You have broken the Law, and have married foreign women, to increase Israel’s sins.”
1 Esd 9:8 “Now make your confession and give glory to the Lord God of our forefathers,”
1 Esd 9:9 “And do his will, and separate from the heathen of the land and from the foreign women.”
1 Esd 9:10 “Then all the multitude shouted and said in a loud voice, “We will do as you say.”
1 Esd 9:11 “But the crowd is great and it is wintertime, and we are not able to stand out-of-doors, and cannot do so, and this is not a thing we can do in a day or two, for we have sinned too much in this matter.”
1 Esd 9:12 “So let the princes of the people remain, and let all those in our settlements that have foreign wives come at the times appointed,”
1 Esd 9:13 “With the elders and judges of each place, until we free ourselves from the Lord’s wrath over this matter.”
1 Esd 9:14 “Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, undertook the matter on these terms, and Meshullam and Levi and Shabbethai sat with them as judges.”
1 Esd 9:15 “And the returned exiles acted in accordance with all this.”
1 Esd 9:16 “And Ezra the priest picked out for himself the leading men of their families, all of them by name, and on the new moon of the tenth month they held a sitting to inquire into the matter.”
1 Esd 9:17 “And the case of the men who had foreign wives was brought to an end by the new moon of the first month.”
1 Esd 9:18 “And among the priests the ones who presented themselves who were found to have foreign wives were:”
1 Esd 9:19 “Of the descendants of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah and Eleazar and Jarib and Jodan;”
1 Esd 9:20 “They pledged themselves to cast off their wives, and gave rams in atonement for their mistake.”
1 Esd 9:21 “And of the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah and Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Jehiel and Azariah.”
1 Esd 9:22 “And of the descendants of Pashur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, and Nathanael, Gedaliah, and Elasah.”
1 Esd 9:23 “And of the Levites: Jozabad and Shimei and Kelaiah, who was Kelita, and Pethahiah and Judah and Jonah.”
1 Esd 9:24 “And of the sacred singers: Eliashib and Zaccur.”
1 Esd 9:25 “Of the porters: Shallum and Telem.”
1 Esd 9:26 “Of Israel: of the descendants of Parosh, Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Asibias, and Benaiah;”
1 Esd 9:27 “Of the descendants of Elam. Mattaniah and Zechariah, Jehiel and Abdi, and Jeremoth and Elijah.”
1 Esd 9:28 “And of the descendants of Zattu, Elioenai, Eliashib, Othoniah, Jeremoth, and Zabad and Zerdaiah.”
1 Esd 9:29 “And of the descendants of Bebai, Jehohanan and Hananiah and Zabbai and Emathis;”
1 Esd 9:30 “And of the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal and Jeremoth.”
1 Esd 9:31 “And of the descendants of Addi: Naathus and Moossias, Laccunus and Naidus, and Bescaspasmys and Sesthel, and Balnuus and Manasseas.”
1 Esd 9:32 “And of the descendants of Annan: Elionas and Asaias and Melchias and Sabbaias and Simon Chosamaeus.”
1 Esd 9:33 “And of the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai and Mattattah and Zabad and Eliphelet and Manasseh and Shimei.”
1 Esd 9:34 “And of the descendants of Bani: Jeremai, Maadai, Amram, Joel, Mamdai and Bedeiah and Vaniah, Carabasion and Eliashib and Machnadebai, Eliasis, Binnui, Elialis, Shimei, Shelemiah, Nethaniah. And of the descendants of Ezora: Shashai, Azarel, Azael, Shemaiah, Amariah, Joseph.”
1 Esd 9:35 “And of the descendants of Nebo: Mattithiah, Zabad, Iddo, Joel, Benaiah.”
1 Esd 9:36 “These had all married foreign women, and they cast them off with their children.”
1 Esd 9:37 “So the priests and the Levites and the men of Israel settled in Jerusalem and in the country. On the new moon of the seventh month, when the Israelites were in their communities,”
1 Esd 9:38 “The whole multitude gathered under a common impulse in the square before the east gate of the temple,”
1 Esd 9:39 “And told Ezra, the high priest and reader, to bring the Law of Moses, which had been given him by the Lord, the God of Israel.”
1 Esd 9:40 “And Ezra, the high priest, brought the Law for all the multitude, men and women, and all the priests to hear, on the new moon of the seventh month.”
1 Esd 9:41 “And he read aloud in the square before the gate of the temple from morning till noon, in the presence of both men and women, and the whole multitude gave attention to the Law.”
1 Esd 9:42 “And Ezra, the priest and reader of the Law, stood in the wooden pulpit which had been prepared,”
1 Esd 9:43 “And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baalsamus, at his right,”
1 Esd 9:44 “And at his left, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah.”
1 Esd 9:45 “Then Ezra took up the book of the Law before the multitude, for he was seated in a conspicuous place before them all,”
1 Esd 9:46 “And when he opened the Law, they all stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the Most High God, the God of Hosts, the Almighty,”
1 Esd 9:47 “And all the multitude shouted “Amen.” And they lifted up their hands and fell on the ground, and worshipped the Lord.”
1 Esd 9:48 “Jeshua and Anniuth and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Masseiah and Kelita, Azariah and Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, taught the Law of the Lord, and read the Law of the Lord to the multitude, putting life into the reading.”
1 Esd 9:49 “Then the governor said to Ezra, the high priest and reader, and to the Levites who were teaching the multitude, to all,”
1 Esd 9:50 “This day is sacred to the Lord” (and they were all weeping as they heard the Law).”
1 Esd 9:51 “So go and eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions to those who have none,”
1 Esd 9:52 “For the day is sacred to the Lord. Do not mourn, for the Lord will honor you.”
1 Esd 9:53 “And the Levites commanded all the people, saying, “This day is sacred; do not mourn.”
1 Esd 9:54 “And they all went off to eat and drink and enjoy themselves, and to give portions to those who had none, and to hold a great celebration, For they understood the words which they had been taught, and for which they had come together.”

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Crazy Mind

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The Wisdom of Solomon

Edits, corrections and cross references by The Firmament

The Wisdom of Solomon, also known as the Book of Wisdom, is contained in a group of books called Apocrypha (hidden or secret), which were once in the canonical Bible between the old and new testaments. This book is in a class called “Wisdom Literature” due to its frequent reference to wisdom. Here’s a taste: “Wisdom is the breath (Spirit) and power of God and a pure emanation of His Almighty glory.” 7:24-25


Chapter 1

Wis 1:1 “Love uprightness, you who judge the land, think of the Lord with goodness, and seek him with sincerity of heart.”
Wis 1:2 “For he is found by those who do not try him, and is manifested to those who do not disbelieve him.”
Wis 1:3 “For crooked reasonings separate from God, and when his power is tested, it exposes fools.”
Wis 1:4 “For wisdom cannot enter a deceitful soul, or live in a body in debt to sin.”
Wis 1:5 “For the holy spirit of instruction will flee from deceit, and will rise and leave at unwise reasoning and be put to confusion at the approach of wrong.”
Wis 1:6 “For wisdom is a kindly spirit, and will not acquit a blasphemer of what he says, For God is a witness of his heart, and a truthful observer of his mind, and a hearer of his tongue.”
Wis 1:7 “For the spirit of the Lord fills the world, and that which embraces all things knows all that is said.”
Wis 1:8 “Therefore no one who utters what is wrong will go unobserved, nor will justice, in its investigation, pass him by.”
Wis 1:9 “For there will be an inquiry into the designs of the ungodly, and the sound of his words will reach the Lord, to convict him of his transgressions.”
Wis 1:10 “For a jealous ear hears everything, and the sound of grumbling is not hidden.”
Wis 1:11 “So beware of useless grumbling, and spare your tongue from slander; For no secret word goes for naught, and a lying mouth destroys the soul.”
Wis 1:12 “Do not invite death by the error of your life, or incur destruction by the work of your hands;”
Wis 1:13 “For God did not make death, and he does not enjoy the destruction of the living.”
Wis 1:14 “For he created everything to exist, and the generative forces of the world are wholesome, and there is no poisonous drug in them, and the kingdom of Hades is not on earth.”
Wis 1:15 “For uprightness is immortal.”
Wis 1:16 “But ungodly men by their acts and words have summoned him, They thought him their friend, and softened, and made an agreement with him, for they are fit to belong to his party.”

Chapter 2

Wis 2:1 “For they did not reason soundly, but said to themselves, “Our life is short and miserable, and there is no cure when man comes to his end, and no one has been known to return from Hades.”
Wis 2:2 “For we were born at a venture, and hereafter we shall be as though we had never existed, because the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark in the beating of our hearts;”
Wis 2:3 “When it is quenched, the body will turn to ashes, and the spirit will dissolve like empty air.”
Wis 2:4 “And in time our name will be forgotten, and no one will remember what we have done, and our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud, and be scattered like mist pursued by the sun’s rays and overcome by its heat.”
Wis 2:5 “For our life is a fleeting shadow, and there is no way to recall our end, For it is sealed up and no one can bring it back.”
Wis 2:6 “So come, let us enjoy the good things that exist, and eagerly make use of the creation as we did in our youth.”
Wis 2:7 “Let us have our fill of costly wine and perfumes, and let us not miss the spring flowers.”
Wis 2:8 “Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither;”
Wis 2:9 “Let none of us miss his share in our revelry; everywhere let us leave the signs of our gladness; For this is our portion and this our lot.”
Wis 2:10 “Let us oppress the upright poor; Let us not spare the widow, or respect the venerable gray head of the aged.”
Wis 2:11 “But let our strength be our law of uprightness, for weakness is proved useless.”
Wis 2:12 “Let us lie in wait for the upright, for he inconveniences us and opposes our doings, and reproaches us with our transgressions of the Law, and charges us with sins against what we have been taught.”
Wis 2:13 “He professes to possess knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord;”
Wis 2:14 “We have found him a reproof of our thoughts, he is wearisome to us even to see,”
Wis 2:15 “For his life is not like others, and his ways are strange.”
Wis 2:16 “He considers us counterfeit, and avoids our ways as unclean. He calls the end of the upright happy, and boasts that God is his father.”
Wis 2:17 “Let us see whether what he says is true, and let us test what will happen at his departure.”
Wis 2:18 “For if the upright man is a son of God, he will help him, and save him from the hands of his adversaries.”
Wis 2:19 “Let us test him with insults and torture, so that we may learn his patience, and prove his forbearance.”
Wis 2:20 “Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for he will be watched over, from what he says!”
Wis 2:21 “So they reasoned, but they went astray, For their wickedness blinded them,”
Wis 2:22 “And they did not know God’s secrets, or hope for the reward of holiness, Or recognize the prize of blameless souls.”
Wis 2:23 “For God created man for immortality, and made him the image of his own eternity,”
Wis 2:24 “But through the devil’s envy death came into the world, and those who belong to his party experience it.”

Chapter 3

Wis 3:1 “But the souls of the upright are in the hand of God, and no torment can reach them.”
Wis 3:2 “In the eyes of foolish people they seemed to die, and their decease was thought an affliction,”
Wis 3:3 “And their departure from us their ruin, But they are at peace.”
Wis 3:4 “For though in the sight of men they are punished, their hope is full of immortality,”
Wis 3:5 “And after being disciplined a little, they will be shown great kindness. For God has tried them, and found them worthy of himself.”
Wis 3:6 “He has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them like the sacrifice of a whole burnt offering.”
Wis 3:7 “They will shine out, when He visits them, and spread like sparks among the stubble.”
Wis 3:8 “They will judge nations and rule peoples, and the Lord will reign over them forever.”
Wis 3:9 “Those who trust in Him will understand the truth, and those who are faithful will cling to Him in love, for His chosen will find favor and mercy.”
Wis 3:10 “But the ungodly will be punished according to their reasonings, for they disregarded what was right and turned away from the Lord,”
Wis 3:11 “For the man who makes light of wisdom and instruction is wretched, and there is nothing in their hope, and their labors are unprofitable, and what they do is useless.”
Wis 3:12 “Their wives are silly, and their children bad;”
Wis 3:13 “There is a curse on their birth (offspring), for happy is the barren woman who is undefiled, who has not experienced a sinful union; she will have fruit when God examines men’s souls.”
Wis 3:14 “And happy is the eunuch who has not transgressed the Law with his hand, nor imagined wicked things against the Lord, for special favor shall be shown him for his, and a more delightful share in the Lord’s sanctuary.”
Wis 3:15 “For good work brings renown, and the root of understanding is unerring.”
Wis 3:16 “But the children of adulterers will not grow up, and the offspring of an illicit union will disappear.”
Wis 3:17 “For if they are long-lived, they will be thought of no account, and at the last, their old age will be unhonored.”
Wis 3:18 “If they die early, they will have no hope or comfort on the day of decision.”
Wis 3:19 “For the fate of an unrighteous generation is hard.”

Chapter 4

Wis 4:1 “It is better to be childless but virtuous, for in the memory of virtue there is immortality, for it is recognized by both God and men; when it is present, men imitate it,”
Wis 4:2 “And they long for it when it is gone, and it marches in triumph, wearing a wreath forever, victorious in the contest for prizes that are undefiled.”
Wis 4:3 “But the numerous brood of the ungodly will be unprofitable, and with its base-born slips will not strike its roots deep, or establish a secure foundation.”
Wis 4:4 “For though it flourishes with branches for a while, it stands insecurely and will be shaken by the wind, and uprooted by the force of the winds; the twigs will be broken off before they are grown,”
Wis 4:5 “And their fruit will be useless, not ripe enough to eat, and good for nothing.”
Wis 4:6 “For children born of unlawful slumbers will be witnesses to their parents’ guilt when they are examined.”
Wis 4:7 “But an upright man, if he dies before his time, will be at rest,”
Wis 4:8 “For an honored old age does not depend on length of time, and is not measured by the number of one’s years,”
Wis 4:9 “But understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is old age.”
Wis 4:10 “Because he pleased God well, he was loved by him, and while living among sinners he was taken up.”
Wis 4:11 “He was caught up, so that wickedness might not alter his understanding, or guile deceive his soul.”
Wis 4:12 “For the spell of wickedness obscures what is good, and the instability of desire perverts the innocent mind.”
Wis 4:13 “Being perfected in a little while, he has fulfilled long years,”
Wis 4:14 “For his soul pleased the Lord; Therefore he hurried from the midst of wickedness. The people saw, yet did not perceive or take such a thing to heart,”
Wis 4:15 “For favor and mercy are with His chosen, and He watches over his elect.”
Wis 4:16 “But an upright man who has fallen asleep will condemn the ungodly who are still alive, and youth that is soon perfected, the great age of the unrighteous.”
Wis 4:17 “For they see the wise man’s end, and do not perceive what the Lord’s purpose about him was, and for what he kept him safe;”
Wis 4:18 “They see, and make light of him; but the Lord will laugh them to scorn; and afterward they will become a dishonored corpse, and be insulted among the dead forever;”
Wis 4:19 “He will burst them open, dumb and swollen, and will shake them from their foundations, and they will be utterly dried up, and they will suffer anguish, and the memory of them will perish.”
Wis 4:20 “They will come like cowards at the reckoning-up of their sins, and their transgressions will convict them to their face.”

Chapter 5

Wis 5:1 “Then the upright man will stand with great boldness face to face with his oppressors and with those who set his labors at nought.”
Wis 5:2 “They will be dreadfully dismayed at the sight, and amazed at the unexpectedness of his deliverance.”
Wis 5:3 “They will talk to themselves in repentance, and in their distress of mind they will groan and say, “This is the man we fools once laughed at, and made a byword of reproach.”
Wis 5:4 “We thought his life was madness, and his end dishonored.”
Wis 5:5 “How did he come to be reckoned among the sons of God, and why is his lot among the saints?”
Wis 5:6 “Then we must have wandered from the true way, and the light of uprightness did not light us, and the sun did not rise upon us.”
Wis 5:7 “We wearied ourselves in the way of lawlessness and destruction, and traveled through trackless deserts, but we did not recognize the Lord’s road.”
Wis 5:8 “What good did our arrogance do us? and what have wealth and ostentation done for us?”
Wis 5:9 “They have all passed away like a shadow, and like a messenger running by;”
Wis 5:10 “Like a ship crossing the billowing water, and when it is gone there is no track to be found or path of its keel in the waves;”
Wis 5:11 “Or as when a bird flies through the air, it leaves no sign of its passage; The light air, whipped by the beat of its wings, and torn apart by the force of its speed, is traversed as its wings move, and afterward no sign of its passage is found there.”
Wis 5:12 “Or as when an arrow is shot at a mark, the air is pierced and immediately returns to itself, so that its course is unknown;”
Wis 5:13 “So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be, and had no sign of virtue to show, but were consumed in our wickedness.”
Wis 5:14 “For the ungodly man’s hope is like chaff carried by the wind, and like hoarfrost driven away by a storm, it is dissipated like smoke before the wind, and passes by like the memory of a stranger who stays but a night.”
Wis 5:15 “But the upright live forever, and their reward is with the Lord, and the Most High takes care of them.”
Wis 5:16 “Therefore they will receive the glorious kingdom, and the beautiful diadem from the Lord’s hand, for He will cover them with His right hand, and shield them with His arm.”
Wis 5:17 “He will take His jealousy for his armor, and will make creation his weapons to repulse his foes.”
Wis 5:18 “He will put on uprightness for a corselet (breastplate), and wear unfeigned justice for a helmet.”
Wis 5:19 “He will take holiness for an invincible shield,”
Wis 5:20 “And sharpen His stern anger for a sword; and with Him the world (creation) will go to war against the mad-men.”
Wis 5:21 “Well-aimed flashes of lightning will fly, and will leap to the mark from the clouds, as from a well-bent bow,”
Wis 5:22 “And from a catapult hailstones full of wrath will be hurled. The water of the sea will be angry with them, and the rivers will roll relentlessly over them.”
Wis 5:23 “A mighty wind will oppose them, and winnow them like a tempest. And lawlessness will lay waste the whole earth, and wrongdoing overturn the thrones of princes (the mighty).”

Chapter 6

Wis 6:1 “Listen therefore, kings, and understand: learn this, judges of the end of the earth;”
Wis 6:2 “Pay attention, rulers of the people, who boast of multitudes of nations;”
Wis 6:3 “For your dominion was given you from the Lord, and your sovereignty from the Most High; He will examine your works and inquire into your plans;”
Wis 6:4 “For though you are servants of his kingdom, you have not judged rightly, or kept the Law, or followed the will of God.”
Wis 6:5 “He will come upon you terribly and swiftly, for a stern judgment overtakes those in high places.”
Wis 6:6 “For the humblest man may be forgiven through mercy, but the mighty will be mightily tested,”
Wis 6:7 “For the Lord of all will show no partiality, and will not respect greatness, for it was he who made small and great, and he takes thought for all alike,”
Wis 6:8 “But a rigorous inquiry is in store for the powerful.”
Wis 6:9 “My words are addressed to you, therefore, you monarchs, so that you may learn wisdom and not go astray;”
Wis 6:10 “For those who observe holy things in holiness will be made holy, and those who are taught them will have a defense to offer;”
Wis 6:11 “So desire my words, long for them, and you will be instructed.”
Wis 6:12 “Wisdom is bright and unfading, and she is easily seen by those who love her, and found by those who search for her.”
Wis 6:13 “She forestalls those who desire her, by making herself known first.”
Wis 6:14 “The man who rises early to seek her will not have to toil, for he will find her sitting at his gates.”
Wis 6:15 “For to think of her is the highest understanding, and the man who is vigilant for her sake will soon be free from care.”
Wis 6:16 “For she goes about in search of those who are worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought.”
Wis 6:17 “For the truest beginning of her is the desire for instruction, and concern for instruction is love of her,”
Wis 6:18 “And love for her is the observance of her laws, and adherence to her laws is assurance of immortality,”
Wis 6:19 “And immortality brings men near to God;”
Wis 6:20 “So the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.”
Wis 6:21 “If therefore you take pleasure in thrones and scepters, monarchs of the people, honor wisdom, so that you may reign forever.”
Wis 6:22 “But what wisdom is and how she came to be, I will declare, and I will not hide these secrets from you, but I will trace her out from the beginning of creation, and make the knowledge of her clear, and I will not pass by the truth;”
Wis 6:23 “I will not travel with futile envy, for it cannot associate with wisdom.”
Wis 6:24 “The multitude of the wise is the salvation of the world, and a prudent king is the stability of his people.”
Wis 6:25 “So be instructed by my words and you will be benefited.”

Chapter 7

Wis 7:1 “I too am a mortal man, like all men, and a descendant of that first-formed man, who sprang from the earth;”
Wis 7:2 “And I was shaped into flesh in my mother’s womb, solidified in blood in ten months from man’s seed and the pleasure of marriage.”
Wis 7:3 “And when I was born I breathed in the common air, and fell on the kindred earth, giving the same first cry as all the rest.”
Wis 7:4 “I was carefully wrapped up and nursed,”
Wis 7:5 “For no king has any other beginning of existence;”
Wis 7:6 “But all men have one entrance upon life, and the same way of leaving it.”
Wis 7:7 “Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called (upon God), and the spirit of wisdom came to me.”
Wis 7:8 “I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I thought wealth of no account compared with her.”
Wis 7:9 “I did not think a priceless stone her equal, for all the gold, in her presence, is just a little sand, and silver is no better than mud, before her.”
Wis 7:10 “I loved her more than health and good looks, and I preferred her even to light, and her radiance is unceasing.”
Wis 7:11 “But all blessings came to me along with her, and uncounted wealth is in her hands.”
Wis 7:12 “And I rejoiced over them all, because wisdom ruled them, for I did not know that she was their mother.”
Wis 7:13 “I learned honestly, and I share ungrudgingly, I will not hide her wealth away,”
Wis 7:14 “For it is an unfailing treasure for men, and those who get it make friends with God, being commended to him by the gifts that come from her discipline.”
Wis 7:15 “May God grant to me to speak properly, and to have thoughts worthy of what he has given; for it is he that guides wisdom and directs the wise.”
Wis 7:16 “For in his hand are we and our words, all understanding and knowledge of trades.”
Wis 7:17 “For it is he that has given me unerring knowledge of what is, to know the constitution of the world and the working of the elements;”
Wis 7:18 “The beginning and end and middle of periods of time, the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons,”
Wis 7:19 “The cycles of the years and the positions of the stars,”
Wis 7:20 “The natures of animals, and the dispositions of wild beasts, the powers of spirits and the designs of men, the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots;”
Wis 7:21 “All that was secret or manifest I learned,”
Wis 7:22 “For wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me, for there is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, undefiled, distinct, beyond harm, loving the good, keen,”
Wis 7:23 “Unhindered, beneficent, philanthropic, firm, sure, free from care, all-powerful, all-seeing, and interpenetrating all spirits that are intelligent, pure, and most subtle.”
Wis 7:24 “For wisdom is more mobile than any motion, and she penetrates and permeates everything because she is so pure;”
Wis 7:25 “For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of his Almighty glory; therefore nothing defiled can enter into her.”
Wis 7:26 “For she is a reflection of the everlasting light, and a spotless mirror of the activity of God. And a likeness (image) of his goodness.”
Wis 7:27 “Though she is one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she makes everything new; and passing into holy souls, generation after generation, she makes them friends of God, and prophets.”
Wis 7:28 “For God loves nothing but the man who lives with wisdom.”
Wis 7:29 “For she is fairer than the sun, or any group of stars; Compared with light, she is found superior;”
Wis 7:30 “For night succeeds to it, but evil cannot overpower wisdom.”

Chapter 8

Wis 8:1 “For she reaches in strength from one end of the earth to the other, and conducts everything well.”
Wis 8:2 “I loved her and sought after her from my youth up, and I undertook to make her my bride, and I fell in love with her beauty.”
Wis 8:3 “She glorifies her high birth in living with God, for the Lord of all loves her.”
Wis 8:4 “For she is initiated into the knowledge of God, and is a searcher of his works.”
Wis 8:5 “But if the possession of wealth is to be desired in life, what is richer than wisdom, which operates everything?”
Wis 8:6 “And if understanding works, who in all the world is a greater craftsman than she?”
Wis 8:7 “And if a man loves uprightness, her labors are virtues; for she teaches self-control and understanding, uprightness and courage; nothing in life is more useful to men than these.”
Wis 8:8 “But if a man longs for much experience, she knows antiquity and can forecast the future, she understands the tricks of language and the solving of riddles; She knows the meaning of signs and portents, and the outcomes of seasons and periods.”
Wis 8:9 “So I decided to bring her to live with me, knowing that she would give me good counsel, and encouragement in cares and grief.”
Wis 8:10 “Because of her I will have glory among the multitude, and honor with the elders, though I am young;”
Wis 8:11 “I will be found keen in judgment, and I will be admired in the presence of monarchs.”
Wis 8:12 “When I am silent, they will wait for me to speak, and when I speak, they will pay attention, and if I talk at some length, they will put their hands over their mouths.”
Wis 8:13 “Because of her, I will have immortality, and leave an everlasting memory to those who come after me.”
Wis 8:14 “I will govern peoples, and nations will be subject to me.”
Wis 8:15 “Dread sovereigns (tyrants) will be frightened when they hear of me; among the people I will appear good and in war brave.”
Wis 8:16 “When I enter my house, I will find rest with her, for intercourse with her has no bitterness, and living with her no grief, but gladness and joy.”
Wis 8:17 “When I considered these things with myself, and reflected in my mind that in kinship with wisdom there is immortality,”
Wis 8:18 “And in her friendship there is pure delight, and unfailing wealth in the labors of her hands, and understanding in the experience of her company, and glory in sharing in her words, I went about seeking how to win her for myself.”
Wis 8:19 “I was a well-formed child, and a good soul fell to me,”
Wis 8:20 “Or rather, I was good and entered an undefiled body.”
Wis 8:21 “But I perceived that I could not win her unless God gave her to me (And this too came of understanding, to know from whom the favor came). I appealed to the Lord and besought him, and said with all my heart:”

Chapter 9

Wis 9:1 “God of my forefathers and merciful Lord, Who created all things by Your Word,”
Wis 9:2 “And by your wisdom formed man to rule over the creatures you had made,”
Wis 9:3 “And manage the world in holiness and uprightness, and pass judgment in rectitude of soul,”
Wis 9:4 “Give me the wisdom that sits by your throne, and do not reject me as unfit to be one of your servants (children).”
Wis 9:5 “For I am your servant, the son of your handmaid, a man weak and short-lived, and inferior in my understanding of judgment;”
Wis 9:6 “For even if one among the sons of men is perfect, if the wisdom that comes from you is lacking, he will count for nothing.”
Wis 9:7 “You have chosen me out to be king of your people, and to be judge of your sons and daughters;”
Wis 9:8 “You told me to build a sanctuary on your holy mountain, and an altar in the city where you dwell, a copy of the holy tent which you prepared in the beginning;”
Wis 9:9 “And with you is wisdom, which knows your works, and was present when you made the world, and understands what is pleasing in your sight, and what is in accord with your commands.”
Wis 9:10 “Send her forth from the holy heavens and dispatch her from your glorious throne, to be with me and toil, and so that I may know what is pleasing to you.”
Wis 9:11 “For she knows and understands all things, and she will guide me with good sense in my actions, and will guard me with her splendor.”
Wis 9:12 “Then my doings will be acceptable, and I will judge your people uprightly, and be worthy of the throne of my father.”
Wis 9:13 “For what man can know the counsel of God, or who can decide what the Lord wills?”
Wis 9:14 “For the calculations of mortals are timid, and our designs are likely to fail,”
Wis 9:15 “For a perishable body weighs down the soul, and its earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind.”
Wis 9:16 “We can hardly guess at things upon the earth, and we have hard work finding the things that are just at hand, but who has tracked out the things in heaven?”
Wis 9:17 “And who has learned your counsel unless you gave him wisdom, and sent your holy spirit from on high?”
Wis 9:18 “So the paths of those who were on the earth were straightened, and men were taught the things that please you, and were saved by wisdom.”

Chapter 10

Wis 10:1 “It was she that protected the first-formed father of the world, in his loneliness, after his creation, and rescued him from his transgression,”
Wis 10:2 “And gave him strength to master all things.”
Wis 10:3 “And when an unrighteous man abandoned her in his anger, he perished in his fratricidal rage.”
Wis 10:4 “When the earth was deluged because of him, wisdom again saved the upright man, steering him with a cheap piece of wood.”
Wis 10:5 “It was she that when the nations were confused, in their wicked conspiracy, recognized the upright man, and preserved him blameless before God, and kept him steadfast against having pity on his child.”
Wis 10:6 “When the ungodly were perishing, she saved an upright man, who fled from the fire that descended on the Five Towns;”
Wis 10:7 “To their wickedness a smoking waste still bears lasting witness, As do trees that bear fruit that never ripens, and a pillar of salt that stands as a memorial of an unbelieving soul.”
Wis 10:8 “For because they passed wisdom by, they were not only made incapable of recognizing what was good, but also left behind them to the world a memorial of their folly, so that their faults could not pass unnoticed.”
Wis 10:9 “But wisdom delivered those who served her from their troubles.
Wis 10:10 “An upright man, who was a fugitive from a brother’s wrath, she guided in straight paths; she showed him God’s kingdom, and gave him knowledge of holy things; she made him prosper in his toils and increased the fruit of his labors;”
Wis 10:11 “When those who oppressed him were covetous, she stood by him, and made him rich.”
Wis 10:12 “She protected him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those who lay in wait for him, and decided his hard contest in his favor, so that he should know that godliness is stronger than anything.”
Wis 10:13 “When an upright man was sold, she did not abandon him, but delivered him from sin; she went down into the pit with him,”
Wis 10:14 “And she did not leave him in prison, until she brought him the scepter of a kingdom, and power over those who lorded it over him; She showed that they were false who had blamed him, and she gave him everlasting honor.”
Wis 10:15 “She delivered from a nation of oppressors a holy people and a blameless race;”
Wis 10:16 “She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood awe-inspiring kings with portents and signs;”
Wis 10:17 “She paid to holy men a reward for their toils, she guided them along a wonderful way, and became a shelter for them in the daytime, and a flame of stars at night.”
Wis 10:18 “She brought them over the Red Sea, and led them through deep waters.”
Wis 10:19 “But their enemies she overwhelmed (drowned), and cast them up from the bottom of the deep.”
Wis 10:20 “Therefore the upright despoiled the ungodly, and they sang, Lord, of your holy name, and praised with one accord your defending hand.”
Wis 10:21 “For wisdom opens the mouth of the dumb, and makes the tongues of babes speak plainly.”

Chapter 11

Wis 11:1 “She made their doings prosper by means of a holy prophet.”
Wis 11:2 “They traveled through an uninhabited desert, and pitched their tents in trackless places.”
Wis 11:3 “They withstood their enemies and repulsed their foes.”
Wis 11:4 “They grew thirsty and called upon you, and water was given them out of a rocky cliff, and a cure for their thirst out of the hard stone.”
Wis 11:5 “For the means by which their enemies were punished benefited them in their time of need.”
Wis 11:6 “Instead of the fountain of an ever flowing river, stirred up with filthy blood,”
Wis 11:7 “As a rebuke for the decree to kill the babes, you gave them plenty of water, in a way unlooked for,”
Wis 11:8 “Showing through their thirst at that time how you punished their adversaries.”
Wis 11:9 “For when they were tried, although they were only disciplined (chastised) in mercy, they learned how the ungodly were tormented, when they were judged in wrath.”
Wis 11:10 “For these you tested like a father, warning them, but those you examined like a stern king, condemning them.”
Wis 11:11 “Whether absent or present, they were harassed alike;”
Wis 11:12 “For a double grief seized them, and groaning over the memory of the past.”
Wis 11:13 “For when they heard that through their punishments the others were benefited, they felt it was the Lord.”
Wis 11:14 “For the man who had long before been cast forth and exposed (at the casting out of the infants), and whom they had rejected with scorn, as events resulted, they admired, when they felt thirst in a different way from the upright.”
Wis 11:15 “But for the foolish fancies of their unrighteousness, misled (deceived) by which they worshiped unreasoning reptiles and worthless vermin, You sent a multitude of unreasoning creatures upon them to punish them,”
Wis 11:16 “So that they should know that a man is punished by the things through which he sins.”
Wis 11:17 “For your all-powerful hand, which created the world out of formless matter, did not lack means to send upon them a multitude of bears, or bold lions,”
Wis 11:18 “Newly created wild animals, unknown before, and full of rage, either puffing out a fiery breath, or scattering a roar of smoke, or flashing dreadful sparks from their eyes,”
Wis 11:19 “Which could not only have destroyed them utterly by the harm they did, but have made them die of fright at the very sight of them.”
Wis 11:20 “Why, without these, they might have been felled by a single breath, being pursued by justice, and scattered by the breath of your power. But you ordered everything by measure and number and weight.”
Wis 11:21 “For it is always yours to have great strength, and who can withstand the might of your arm?”
Wis 11:22 “For in your sight the whole world is like what turns the scale in a balance, and like drop of dew that comes down on the earth in the morning.”
Wis 11:23 “But you have mercy on all men, because you can do all things, and you overlook men’s sins to lead them to repent,”
Wis 11:24 “For you love all things that exist, and abhor none of the things that you have made; for you would never have formed anything if you hated it.”
Wis 11:25 “And how could anything have endured, if you had not willed it, or what had not been called forth by you have been preserved?”
Wis 11:26 “But you spare all, because they are yours, Lord, lover of life,”

Chapter 12

Wis 12:1 “For your imperishable spirit is in all things.”
Wis 12:2 “Therefore you correct (chasten) little by little those who go astray, and you admonish them by reminding them of the things through which they sin; so that they may escape from their wickedness and believe in you, Lord.”
Wis 12:3 “(For it was thy will to destroy by the hands of our fathers) those who long ago inhabited your holy land.”
Wis 12:4 “You hated for acting most hatefully, practicing enchantments (witchcrafts) and unholy rites,”
Wis 12:5 “Merciless killing of children, and cannibal feasting on (devourers of) human flesh and blood.”
Wis 12:6 “Initiates (priests) from the midst of a pagan brotherhood (idolatrous crew), and parents who were murderers of helpless lives, You determined to destroy by the hands of our forefathers,”
Wis 12:7 “So that the land which you prized above all others might receive a worthy colony of God’s children.”
Wis 12:8 “But even these, as being men, you spared, and you sent wasps as forerunners of your host, to destroy them little by little.”
Wis 12:9 “Not that you were unable to make the upright defeat the ungodly in battle, or to destroy them at one blow with terrible wild animals or a stern command,”
Wis 12:10 “But in judging them little by little you gave them opportunity to repent, for you were not ignorant that their origin was evil, and their wickedness inborn, and that their manner of thought would never change.”
Wis 12:11 “For they were a race accursed from the beginning, and it was not through fear of any man that you left them unpunished for their sins.”
Wis 12:12 “For who can say, “What have you done?” Or who can oppose your judgment? And who can accuse you of the destruction of the nations which you made? Or who will come to stand before you as the avenger of unrighteous men?”
Wis 12:13 “For neither is there any God but you, who care for all men, to show that you do not judge unrighteously,”
Wis 12:14 “Nor will any king or monarch be able to face you about those whom you have punished.”
Wis 12:15 “But since you are upright, you conduct all things uprightly, considering it inconsistent with your power to condemn the man who does not deserve to be punished.”
Wis 12:16 “For your strength is the beginning of uprightness and the fact that you are Lord of all makes you spare all.”
Wis 12:17 “For when men disbelieve in the perfection of your power, you display your strength, and in the case of those that know, you rebuke their rashness.”
Wis 12:18 “But you, being master of your strength, judge us with fairness and govern us with great forbearance. For the power is at your command, whenever you wish it.”
Wis 12:19 “By such deeds you taught your people that the upright man must be humane (merciful), and you made your sons be of good hope, because you give repentance for sins,”
Wis 12:20 “For if you punished with such care and indulgence those who were the enemies of your servants, and deserved death, giving them time and opportunity to escape from their wickedness,”
Wis 12:21 “With what exactness you have judged your sons, to whose forefathers you gave oaths and agreements promising them good!”
Wis 12:22 “So when you discipline (chasten) us, you flog our enemies ten thousand fold, so that when we judge we may reflect on your goodness, and when we are judged we may look for mercy.”
Wis 12:23 “Therefore you tormented through their own abominable practices those who lived wickedly, in a life of folly,”
Wis 12:24 “For they went astray far beyond the ways of error, accepting as gods the lowest and basest of animals (beasts), being deceived like foolish babies.”
Wis 12:25 “Therefore you sent your judgment in mockery of them, as though to unreasoning children.”
Wis 12:26 “But those who cannot be admonished by mockeries of correction, will experience a judgment worthy of God.”
Wis 12:27 “For because through what they suffered they became indignant at those whom they considered gods, being punished by means of them, they saw and recognized as the true God him whom they had before refused to know. Therefore the very height of condemnation overtook them.”

Chapter 13

Wis 13:1 “For all men are foolish (vain) by nature, and had no perception of God, and from the good things that were visible they had not the power to know him who is, nor through paying attention to his works did they recognize the workman,”
Wis 13:2 “But either fire, or wind, or swift air, or the circle of the stars, or rushing water, or the heavenly luminaries, the rulers of the world, they considered gods.”
Wis 13:3 “And if through delight in their beauty they supposed that these were gods, let them know how far superior is the Lord of these, for the originator of beauty created them;”
Wis 13:4 “But if it was through awe at their power and operation, let them conclude from them how much mightier he who formed them is.”
Wis 13:5 “For from the greatness and beauty of what is created, the originator of them is correspondingly perceived.”
Wis 13:6 “But yet little blame attaches to these men, for perhaps they just go astray in their search for God and their desire to find him;”
Wis 13:7 “For living among his works they search and believe the testimony of their sight, that what they see is beautiful.”
Wis 13:8 “But again, even they are not to be excused;”
Wis 13:9 “For if they had power to know so much that they could try to make out the world, why did they not sooner find the Lord of all this?”
Wis 13:10 “For they are miserable, and their hopes are set on the dead, who have called the works of men’s hands gods, gold and silver, the subject of art, and likenesses of animals (beasts), or useless stone, worked by some ancient hand.”
Wis 13:11 “But if some carpenter saws down a tree he can handle, and skillfully strips off all its bark, and shaping it nicely makes a dish suited to the uses of life,”
Wis 13:12 “And burns the chips of his work to prepare his food, and eats his fill;”
Wis 13:13 “But the worst of them, which is good for nothing, crooked piece, full of knots, he takes and carves to occupy his spare time, and shapes it with understanding skill, he makes it a copy of a human form,”
Wis 13:14 “Or makes it like some common animal (beast), smearing it with vermilion, and painting its surface red, and coating every blemish in it;”
Wis 13:15 “And making an abode for it worthy of it, he fixes it on the wall, and fastens it with iron.”
Wis 13:16 “So he plans for it, so that it will not fall down, for he knows that it cannot help itself; for it is only an image and needs help.”
Wis 13:17 “But he prays to it about his property and his marriage and his children, and is not ashamed to speak to a lifeless thing,”
Wis 13:18 “And appeals to something that is weak, for health, and asks something that is dead, for life, and supplicates what is itself utterly inexperienced, for aid, and something that cannot even take a step, about a journey,”
Wis 13:19 “And he asks strength for gain and business and success in what he undertakes from something whose hands are most feeble.”

Chapter 14

Wis 14:1 “Again, a man setting out on a voyage, and about to travel over wild waves, calls upon a piece of wood more unsound than the ship that carries him.”
Wis 14:2 “For it was designed through the desire for gain, and wisdom was the craftsman that built it.”
Wis 14:3 “And Your providence, Father, pilots it, for You give a way even in the sea, and a safe path through the waves,”
Wis 14:4 “Showing that You can save from anything, so that even without skill a man may go to sea.”
Wis 14:5 “But it is Your will that the works of your wisdom should not be idle; Therefore men trust their lives to even the smallest plank, and cross the flood on a raft and get safely over.”
Wis 14:6 “For in the beginning, when the haughty giants perished, the hope of the world took refuge on a raft, and steered by Your hand left to the world a generating seed.”
Wis 14:7 “For blessed is wood through which uprightness comes,”
Wis 14:8 “But what is made with hands is accursed, along with the man who made it, because he shaped it, and what was perishable was called a god.”
Wis 14:9 “For the ungodly man and his ungodliness are equally hateful to God.”
Wis 14:10 “For what is done must be punished with the man who did it.”
Wis 14:11 “Therefore there will be an examination of the idols of the heathen, for although part of God’s creation, they became an abomination, and snares to the souls of men, and a trap for the feet of the foolish.”
Wis 14:12 “For the devising of idols is the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them is the corruption of life.”
Wis 14:13 “For they did not exist from the beginning, and they will not last forever;”
Wis 14:14 “For through the vanity of men they came into the world, and therefore a speedy end for them was designed.”
Wis 14:15 “For a father afflicted with untimely grief, made a likeness of his child, that had been quickly taken from him, and presently honored as a god him who was once a dead man, and handed down to his subjects mysteries and rites.”
Wis 14:16 “Then the ungodly practice, strengthened by time, came to be observed as law, and by the orders of monarchs carved images were worshiped.”
Wis 14:17 “And when men could not honor them in their presence, because they lived far away, they imagined how they looked, far away, and made a visible image of the king they honored. So as by their zeal to flatter the absent one as though he were present.”
Wis 14:18 “But the ambition of the artist stimulated, even those who did not know the subject to intensified worship;
Wis 14:19 “For he, perhaps wishing to gratify someone in authority, elaborated the likeness by his art into greater beauty;”
Wis 14:20 “And the multitude, attracted by the charm of his workmanship, now regarded as an object of worship the one whom they had recently honored as a man.”
Wis 14:21 “And this was an occasion to deceive the world, because men in bondage to misfortune or royal authority, clothed stick and stones with the Name that cannot be shared with others.”
Wis 14:22 “And then it was not enough for them to go astray about the knowledge of God, but though living in a great war of ignorance, they call such evils peace.”
Wis 14:23 “For neither while they murder children in their rites nor celebrate secret mysteries, nor hold frenzied revels with alien laws,”
Wis 14:24 “Do they keep their lives or marriages pure, but one man waylays another and kills him, or grieves him by adultery.”
Wis 14:25 “And it is all a confusion of blood and murder, theft and fraud, depravity, faithlessness, discord, perjury,”
Wis 14:26 “Clamor at the good men, forgetfulness of favors, defilement of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness.”
Wis 14:27 “For the worship of the unspeakable idols is the beginning, and cause, and end of every evil.”
Wis 14:28 “For they either rejoice in madness, or prophesy falsely, or live unrighteously, or readily forswear themselves.”
Wis 14:29 “For since they believe in lifeless idols, they do not expect to be harmed for swearing wickedly.”
Wis 14:30 “But justice will overtake them for both matters, because they thought wickedly of God and gave heed to idols, and because they swore unrighteously to deceive, in disregard of holiness.”
Wis 14:31 “For it is not the power of the gods men swear by, but the penalty of those who sin that always pursues the transgression of the unrighteous.”

Chapter 15

Wis 15:1 “But you, our God, are kind and true, You are longsuffering, and govern everything in mercy.”
Wis 15:2 “For even if we sin, we are yours, and know your might; But we will not sin, for we know that we are accounted yours.”
Wis 15:3 “For to know you is perfect uprightness, and to recognize your might is the root of immortality.”
Wis 15:4 “For no artful device of men has led us astray, nor the fruitless labor of scene-painters, a figure smeared with varied colors,”
Wis 15:5 “The appearance of which leads to desire in fools, and they long for the form of a dead image, that has no breath.”
Wis 15:6 “Lovers of evil and deserving of such hopes are those who make them and those who feel desire for them and those who worship them.”
Wis 15:7 “For a potter, molding the soft earth, laboriously shapes each object for our use; Why, from the same clay he forms dishes to serve clean purposes, and those of the opposite kind, all alike; But of what use shall be made of either, the potter is the judge.”
Wis 15:8 “And with misdirected toil he shapes a futile god out of the same clay, and having himself shortly before sprung from the earth, after a little while goes to that from which he was taken, when he is called upon to return the soul that was lent him.”
Wis 15:9 “But he is concerned, not because he will grow tired, nor because his life is short, but he competes with gold and silversmiths, and copies those who mold brass, and thinks it a glory that he can form counterfeits.”
Wis 15:10 “His heart is ashes, and his hope cheaper than dirt, and his life more worthless than clay,”
Wis 15:11 “For he has not recognized the one who formed him, and inspired him with an active soul, and breathed into him the breath of life.”
Wis 15:12 “But they consider our existence play, and life a lucrative fair, for they say, one must make money any way one can, even by evil.”
Wis 15:13 “For this man knows better than all others that he sins, producing from earthy material fragile dishes and carved images.”
Wis 15:14 “But most foolish, and more wretched than a baby’s soul, are all those enemies of your people, who oppress them.”
Wis 15:15 “For they consider all the idols of the heathen gods, which neither have eyes to see with, nor noses to inhale the air, nor ears to hear with, nor fingers on their hands to feel with, and their feet are of no use to walk on.”
Wis 15:16 “For a man made them, and one whose own spirit is borrowed formed them; for no man can form a god like himself;”
Wis 15:17 “For mortal as he is, what he makes with his lawless hands is dead; for he is better than the things he worships, for of the two, he has life, but they never had it.”
Wis 15:18 “Why, they worship even the most hateful beasts; for by comparison, they are worse than the animals in their lack of intelligence.”
Wis 15:19 “Nor are they in their appearance as animals so beautiful as to be desired, but they have escaped both the praise of God and his blessing.”

Chapter 16

Wis 16:1 “Therefore they were punished as they deserved, by similar beasts, and tormented with a multitude of vermin.”
Wis 16:2 “And instead of this punishment, you benefited your own people, and to satisfy the desire of their appetite, you prepared meat with a strange taste, even quails for food,”
Wis 16:3 “So that those others, when they desired food, because of the hideousness of the things sent among them, should lose even the smallest appetite; While these, after being in want for a little while, should partake of something with a strange taste.”
Wis 16:4 “For it was necessary that an unescapable penury should come upon those others for their tyrannical behavior, but these should only be shown how their enemies were tormented.”
Wis 16:5 “For when the terrible fury of wild animals came upon them, and they were perishing by the bites of wriggling snakes, your wrath did not continue to the uttermost,”
Wis 16:6 “But they were troubled for a little while to admonish them, for they had a token of preservation to remind them of the commandment of your law;”
Wis 16:7 “For the one who turned toward it was saved not because of what he saw, but because of you, who are the preserver of all.”
Wis 16:8 “And by this you persuaded our enemies that you are the one who delivers from every evil.”
Wis 16:9 “For they were killed by the bites of locusts and flies, and no cure was found for their life, for they deserved to be punished by such means.”
Wis 16:10 “But not even the teeth of venomous serpents could overcome your sons, for your mercy came to help them and healed them.”
Wis 16:11 “For it was to remind them of your oracles that they were stung, and they were quickly delivered, to keep them from falling into deep forgetfulness and becoming sundered from your kindness.”
Wis 16:12 “For it was no plant or plaster that cured them, but Your Word, Lord, that heals all men.”
Wis 16:13 “For you have power over life and death, and you take men down to the gates of Hades and bring them up again.”
Wis 16:14 “A man may kill in his wickedness, but the spirit once it is gone out he cannot bring back, nor can he release the imprisoned soul.”
Wis 16:15 “But it is impossible to escape your hand,”
Wis 16:16 “For ungodly men, refusing to know you, were flogged with the strength of your arm, pursued by unusual rains and hailstorms and relentless showers, and utterly consumed by fire.”
Wis 16:17 “For, strangest of all, on the water, which quenches everything, the fire had the greater effect, for the universe is the champion of the upright;”
Wis 16:18 “For now the flame was quieted, so that it should not burn up the beasts sent against the ungodly. But that they, when they saw it, might recognize that they were pursued by the judgment of God;”
Wis 16:19 “And again it blazed up in the midst of the water, with more than fiery power, to destroy the products of an unrighteous land.”
Wis 16:20 “Instead of these you gave your people angels’ food, and untiringly supplied them with bread from heaven, ready to eat, strong in all enjoyment and suited to every taste;”
Wis 16:21 “For your support manifested your sweetness toward your children, and the bread, responding to the desire of the man that took it, was changed to what each one desired.”
Wis 16:22 “But snow and ice endured fire without melting, so that they should know that fire was destroying the fruits of their enemies, blazing in the hail, and flashing in the rain;”
Wis 16:23 “And that this again, in order that upright men might be fed, had forgotten its power.”
Wis 16:24 “For creation, serving you who made it, increases his strength against the unrighteous, to punish them, but abates his strength to benefit those who put their trust in you.”
Wis 16:25 “Therefore even then, assuming all forms, it served your all-sustaining bounty, according to the desire of those who were in need,”
Wis 16:26 “So that your children, whom you have loved, Lord, might learn that it is not the production of the fruits that supports man, but that it is Your Word that preserves those who put their trust in you.”
Wis 16:27 “For what the fire could not destroy, melted away when it was simply warmed by a fleeting sunbeam,”
Wis 16:28 “So that it might be known that we must rise before the sun to give you thanks, and appeal to you at the rising of the light.”
Wis 16:29 “For the unthankful man’s hope will melt like the wintry hoarfrost, and run off like useless water.”

Chapter 17

Wis 17:1 “For your judgments are great and hard to set forth; therefore uninstructed souls went astray.”
Wis 17:2 “For when unrighteous men thought to oppress the holy nation, they lay shut up under their roofs, exiled from the eternal providence,”
Wis 17:3 “Prisoners of darkness and captives of the long night. For when they thought they were hidden in their secret sins by a dark veil of forgetfulness, they were scattered, terribly frightened and troubled by strange apparitions.”
Wis 17:4 “For even the inner chamber that held them did not protect them from fear, but appalling sounds rung around them, and sad visions appeared to them with heavy countenances.”
Wis 17:5 “No power of the fire might give them light, nor could the bright flames of the stars undertake to illumine that hateful night.”
Wis 17:6 “Only there shone on them a fearful flame, of itself, and though dreadfully frightened at that sight when it could not be seen, they thought the things they beheld still worse.”
Wis 17:7 “And the delusions of magic art were prostrate, and their boasted wisdom suffered a contemptuous rebuke,”
Wis 17:8 “For those who claimed to drive away fears and troubles from sick souls were sick themselves with ridiculous fear.”
Wis 17:9 “For if nothing alarming frightened them, yet scared by the creeping of vermin and the hissing of reptiles,”
Wis 17:10 “They died of fright, refusing to look even upon the firmament, which could not be escaped on any side.”
Wis 17:11 “For wickedness is a cowardly thing, condemned by a witness of its own, and being distressed by conscience, has always exaggerated hardships;”
Wis 17:12 “For fear is nothing but the giving up of the reinforcements that come from reason,”
Wis 17:13 “And as the expectation of them from within is deficient, it reckons its ignorance worse than the cause of the torment.”
Wis 17:14 “But they, sleeping the same sleep that night, which was indeed intolerable, and which came upon them out of the bottom of inevitable Hades,”
Wis 17:15 “Were now driven by monstrous phantoms, and now paralyzed by their soul’s surrender; for they were drenched in sudden, unlooked-for fear.”
Wis 17:16 “Then whoever was there fell down, and so was shut up and guarded in a prison not made of iron;”
Wis 17:17 “For whether a man was a husbandman or a shepherd, or a laborer whose work was in the field, he was overtaken and suffered the unavoidable fate, for they were all bound with one chain of darkness.”
Wis 17:18 “Whether there was a whistling wind, or a melodious sound of birds in spreading branches, or the regular noise of rushing water,”
Wis 17:19 “Or a harsh crashing of stones thrown down, or the unseen running of bounding animals, or the sound of the most savage wild beasts roaring, or an echo thrown back from a hollow in the mountains, it paralyzed them with terror.”
Wis 17:20 “For the whole world was bathed in bright light, and occupied in unhindered work;”
Wis 17:21 “Only over them was spread a heavy night, a picture of the darkness that was to receive them. But heavier than the darkness were they to themselves.”

Chapter 18

Wis 18:1 “But your holy ones enjoyed a very great light; and the others, hearing their voices but not seeing their forms, thought them happy, because they had not suffered the same things,”
Wis 18:2 “But they were thankful because the others, though they had before been wronged, did not hurt them, and prayed to be separated from them.”
Wis 18:3 “Therefore you provided a blazing pillar as guide on their unknown journey, and an unharmful sun for their honorable exile.”
Wis 18:4 “For they deserved to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness who had kept your sons shut up, through whom the imperishable light of the Law was to be given to the world.”
Wis 18:5 “When they plotted to kill the babes of the holy ones, though one child had been exposed and saved, to rebuke them, you took away the multitude of their children, and destroyed them all together in a mighty flood.”
Wis 18:6 “That night was made known to our forefathers before-hand, so that they should know certainly what oaths they had believed, and rejoice.”
Wis 18:7 “The preservation of the upright and the destruction of their enemies were expected by your people;”
Wis 18:8 “For in punishing their adversaries, you called us to you and glorified us.”
Wis 18:9 “For in secret the holy children of good men offered the sacrifice, and with one accord agreed to the divine law, that they should share alike the same blessings and dangers, and were already beginning to sing the praises of their forefathers,”
Wis 18:10 “When there echoed back the discordant shout of their enemies, and the piteous sound of lamentation for children spread abroad;”
Wis 18:11 “But slave was punished with master, with the same penalty, and the commoner suffered the same as the king,”
Wis 18:12 “And all of them together under one form of death had countless corpses. For those who were alive were not even enough to bury them, for in one instant their most valued children were destroyed.”
Wis 18:13 “For though they disbelieved everything because of their enchantments, when the first-born were destroyed, they acknowledged this people to be the sons of God.”
Wis 18:14 “For when gentle silence enveloped everything, and night was midway of her swift course,”
Wis 18:15 “Your Almighty Word leaped from heaven out of your royal throne, as a stern warrior, into the midst of the doomed land,”
Wis 18:16 “Carrying for a sharp sword your undisguised command, and stood still, and filled all things with death, and it touched heaven but walked upon the earth.”
Wis 18:17 “Then suddenly apparitions in dreadful dreams startled them, and unexpected fears assailed them,”
Wis 18:18 “And one thrown here half-dead, another there, showed why they were dying,”
Wis 18:19 “For the dreams that had alarmed them warned them of it, so that they should not perish without knowing why they suffered.”
Wis 18:20 “But the experience of death affected the upright also, and a multitude were destroyed in the desert. But the wrath did not continue long.”
Wis 18:21 “For a blameless man hurried to fight in their defense, bringing the great shield of his proper ministry, prayer and the propitiation of incense; he withstood that wrath and put an end to the disaster, showing that he was a servant of yours;”
Wis 18:22 “So he overcame the destroyer, not by bodily strength, nor by force of arms, but with a word he subdued him that punished, when he appealed to the oaths and covenants given to the forefathers.”
Wis 18:23 “For when the dead had already fallen on one another in heaps, he stood between, and cut the wrath short and parted the way to the living.”
Wis 18:24 “For on his long robe was the whole world, and the glories of the forefathers were in the carving of the four rows of stones, and your majesty was on the diadem upon his head.”
Wis 18:25 “Before these the destroyer gave way, and these he feared, for that experience of wrath was enough by itself.”

Chapter 19

Wis 19:1 “But on the ungodly, wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end, for he knew before what they would do.”
Wis 19:2 “That after permitting them to go away, and sending them off in haste, they would change their minds and pursue them.”
Wis 19:3 “For while they were still busy with their mourning, and were lamenting beside the graves of the dead, they involved themselves in another foolish design, and pursued as runaways those whom they had driven out with entreaties.”
Wis 19:4 “For the fate they deserved drew them to this end, and made them forget what had happened, so that they should fulfil the punishment that their torments lacked,”
Wis 19:5 “And your people should experience an incredible journey, while they themselves should find a strange death.”
Wis 19:6 “For the whole creation in its own kind was reshaped anew, in obedience to your commands, so that your children might be protected unharmed.”
Wis 19:7 “The cloud was seen that overshadowed the camp, and the emergence of dry land where water had stood before, an unobstructed road out of the Red Sea, and a grassy plain out of the raging billow;”
Wis 19:8 “Through which those who were protected by your hand passed over as a nation, witnessing marvelous wonders.”
Wis 19:9 “For they ranged like horses and skipped like lambs, praising you, Lord, who had delivered them.”
Wis 19:10 “For they still remembered the things that were done while they sojourned in the strange land, how instead of the birth of cattle, the earth brought forth gnats, and instead of fishes, the river vomited up a host of frogs.”
Wis 19:11 “But later they saw a new production of birds also, when moved by appetite they asked for delicacies;
Wis 19:12 “For quails came up from the sea to their relief.”
Wis 19:13 “And those punishments came upon the sinners, not without premonitory signs, in the violence of the thunders; for they suffered justly through their own wickedness, for they exhibited a more bitter hatred of strangers.”
Wis 19:14 “For the Sodomites would not receive men who they did not know when they came to them, but these men made slaves of strangers who showed them kindness.”
Wis 19:15 “And not only so, but those others shall have some consideration for the men they received with such hostility were aliens;”
Wis 19:16 “But these men, though they had welcomed them with feasting, afflicted those who had already shared the same rights with them, with dreadful labors.”
Wis 19:17 “And they were stricken with loss of sight too, like those others, at the upright man’s door, when, surrounded with horrible, great darkness, each one sought the way through his own doors.”
Wis 19:18 “For the elements changed in order with one another, just as on a harp the notes vary the character of the time, yet keep the pitch,”
Wis 19:19 “As one may accurately infer from the observation of what happened; for land animals were turned into water creatures, and swimming things changed to the land;”
Wis 19:20 “Fire retained its power in water, and water forgot its quenching property.”
Wis 19:21 “Contrariwise, flames did not wither the flesh of perishable animals that walked about among them, nor was the easily melting ice-like kind of immortal food melted.”
Wis 19:22 “For in everything, you, Lord, magnified and glorified your people, and you did not neglect them, but stood by them at every time and place.”

The Wisdom of Solomon Read More »

The Second Book of Baruch

The Second Book of Baruch also known as The Apocalypse of Baruch the Son of Neriah
Edits, corrections and cross references by The Firmament


Chapter 1

1:1 “And it happened in the twenty-fifth year of Jeconiah, the king of Judah, that the word of the Lord came to Baruch, the son of Neriah,”
1:2 “And said to him: Have you seen all that this people are doing to me, the evil things which the two tribes which remained have done – more than the ten tribes which were carried away into captivity?”
1:3 “For the former tribes were forced by their kings to sin, but these two have themselves forced and compelled their kings to sin.”
1:4 “Behold, therefore, I shall bring evil upon this city and its inhabitants. And it will be taken away from before my presence for a time. And I shall scatter this people among the nations that they may do good to the nations.”
1:5 “And my people will be chastened, and the time will come that they will look for that which can make their times prosperous.”

Chapter 2

2:1 “This, then, I have said to you that you may say to Jeremiah and all those who are like you that you may retire from this city. For your works are for this city like a firm pillar and your prayers like a strong wall.”

Chapter 3

3:1 “And I said: O Lord, my Lord, have I therefore come into the world to see the evil things of my mother?”
3:2 “No, my Lord. If I have found grace in your eyes, take away my spirit first that I may go to my fathers and I may not see the destruction of my mother.”
3:3 “For from two sides I am hard pressed: I cannot resist you, but my soul also cannot behold the evil of my mother.”
3:4 “But one thing I shall say in your presence, O Lord: Now, what will happen after these things?”
3:5 “For if you destroy your city and deliver up your country to those who hate us, how will the name of Israel be remembered again?”
3:6 “Or how shall we speak again about your glorious deeds? Or to whom again will that which is in your Law be explained?”
3:7 “Or will the universe return to its nature and the world go back to its original silence?”
3:8 “And will the multitude of the souls be taken away and will not the nature of man be mentioned again?”
3:9 “And where is all that which you said to Moses about us?”

Chapter 4

4:1 “And the Lord said to me: This city will be delivered up for a time, And the people will be chastened for a time, And the world will not be forgotten.”
4:2 “Or do you think that this is the city of which I said: On the palms of my hands I have carved you?”
4:3 “It is not this building that is in your midst now; it is that which will be revealed, with me, that was already prepared from the moment that I decided to create Paradise. And I showed it to Adam before he sinned. But when he transgressed the commandment, it was taken away from him – as also Paradise.”
4:4 “After these things I showed it to my servant Abraham in the night between the portions of the victims.”
4:5 “And again I showed it also to Moses on Mount Sinai when I showed him the likeness of the tabernacle and all its vessels.”
4:6 “Behold, now it is preserved with me – as also Paradise.”
4:7 “Now go away and do as I command you.”

Chapter 5

5:1 “And I answered and said: So then I shall be guilty in Zion, that your haters will come to this place and pollute your sanctuary, and carry off your heritage into captivity, and rule over them whom you love. And then they will go away again to the land of their idols, and boast before them. And what have you done to your great name?”
5:2 “And the Lord said to me: My name and my glory shall last unto eternity. My judgment, however shall assert its rights in its own time.”
5:3 “And you shall see with your eyes that the enemy shall not destroy Zion and burn Jerusalem, but that they shall serve the Judge for a time.”
5:4 “You, however, go away and do all which I have said to you.”
5:5 “And I went away and took with me Jeremiah and Adu and Seraiah and Jabish and Gedaliah and all the nobles of the people. And I brought them to the valley of Kidron and told them all which had been said to me.”
5:6 “And they raised their voices and they all lamented.”
5:7 “And we sat there and fasted until the evening.”

Chapter 6

6:1 “Now it happened on the following day that, behold, an army of the Chaldeans surrounded the city. And in the evening I, Baruch, left the people, went outside, and set myself by an oak.”
6:2 “And I was grieving over Zion and sighed because of the captivity which had come upon the people.”
6:3 “And behold, suddenly a strong spirit lifted me and carried me above the wall of Jerusalem.”
6:4 “And I say, and behold, there were standing four angels at the four corners of the city, each of them with a burning torch in his hands.”
6:5 “And another angel came down from heaven and said to them, “Hold your torches and do not light them before I say it to you.”
6:6 “Because I was sent first to speak a word to the earth and then to deposit in it what the Lord, the Most High, has commanded me.”
6:7 “And I saw that he descended in the Holy of Holies and that he took from there the veil, the holy ephod, the mercy seat, and two tablets, the holy raiment of the priests, the altar of incense, the forty-eight precious stones with which the priests were clothed, and all the vessels of the tabernacle.”
6:8 “And said to the earth with a loud voice: Earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the mighty God, and receive the things which I commit to you, and guard them until the last times, so that you may restore them when you are ordered, so that strangers may not get possession of them.”
6:9 “For the time has arrived when Jerusalem will also be delivered up for a time, until the moment that it will be said that it will be restored forever. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up.”

Chapter 7

7:1 “And after these things I heard this angel saying to the angels who held the torches: Now destroy the walls and overthrow them to their foundation so that the enemies do not boast and say, “We have overthrown the wall of Zion and we have burnt down the place of the mighty God.” And they restored me to the place where I once stood.”

Chapter 8

8:1 “Now the angels did as he had commanded them; and when they had broken up the corners of the wall, a voice was heard from the midst of the temple after the wall had fallen, saying:”
8:2 “Enter, enemies, and come, adversaries, because he who guarded the house has left it.”
8:3 “And I, Baruch, went away.”
8:4 “And it happened after these things that the army of the Chaldeans entered and seized the house and all that is around it.”
8:5 “And they carried away the people into captivity and killed some of them. And they put King Zedekiah in irons and sent him to the king of Babylon.”

Chapter 9

9:1 “And I, Baruch, came with Jeremiah, whose heart was found to be pure from sins, and who was not captured during the seizure of the city;”
9:2 “And we rent our garments, and wept and mourned, and fasted for seven days.”

Chapter 10

10:1 “And it happened after seven days that the word of God came to me and said to me:”
10:2 “Tell Jeremiah to go away in order to support the captives unto Babylon.”
10:3 “You, however, stay here in the desolation of Zion and I shall show you after these days what will happen at the end of days.”
10:4 “And I spoke to Jeremiah as the Lord commanded me.”
10:5 “He, then, went away with the people, but I, Baruch, came back and sat in front of the doors of the Temple, and I raised the following lamentations over Zion and said:”
10:6 “Blessed is he who was not born, or he who was born and died.”
10:7 “But we, the living, woe to us, because we have seen these afflictions of Zion, and that which has befallen Jerusalem.”
10:8 “I shall call the Sirens from the sea, and you, Lilin, come from the desert, and you, demons and dragons from the woods. Awake and gird up your loins to mourn, and raise lamentations with me, and mourn with me.”
10:9 “You, farmers, sow not again. And you, O earth, why do you give the fruit of your harvest? Keep within you the sweetness of your sustenance.”
10:10 “And you, vine, why do you still give your wine? For an offering will not be given again from you in Zion, and the firstfruits will not again be offered.”
10:11 “And you, heaven, keep your dew within you, and do not open the treasuries of rain.”
10:12 “And you, sun, keep the light of your rays within you. And you, moon, extinguish the multitude of your light. For why should the light rise again, where the light of Zion is darkened?”
10:13 “And you, bridegrooms, do not enter, and do not let the brides adorn themselves. And you, wives, do not pray to bear children,”
10:14 “For the barren will rejoice more. And those who have children will be sad.”
10:15 “For why do they bear in pains only to bury in grief?”
10:16 “Or why should men have children again? Or why should the generation of their kind be named again, where this mother is lonely, and her children have been carried away in captivity?”
10:17 “Henceforth, do not speak anymore of beauty, and do not talk about gracefulness.”
10:18 “You, priests, take the keys of the sanctuary, and cast them to the highest heaven, and give them to the Lord and say, “Guard your house yourself, because, behold, we have been found to be false stewards.”
10:19 “And you, virgins who spin fine linen, and silk with gold of Ophir, make haste and take all things, and cast them into the fire, so that it may carry them to him who made them. And the flame sends them to him who created them, so that the enemies do not take possession of them.”

Chapter 11

11:1 “Now this I, Baruch, say to you, O Babylon: if you had lived in happiness and Zion in its glory, it would have been a great sorrow to us that you had been equal to Zion.”
11:2 “But now, behold, the grief is infinite and the lamentation is immeasurable, because, behold, you are happy and Zion has been destroyed.”
11:3 “Who will judge over these things? Or to whom shall we complain about that which has befallen us?”
11:4 “O Lord, how have you borne it? Our fathers went to rest without grief and behold, the righteous sleep at rest in the earth.”
11:5 “For they did not know this anguish nor did they hear that which has befallen us.”
11:6 “Would that you had ears, O earth, and would that you had a heart, O dust, so that you might go and announce in the realm of death and say to the dead,”
11:7 “You are more happy than we who live.”

Chapter 12

12:1 “But I shall say as I think and I shall speak to you, O land, that which is happy.”
12:2 “The afternoon will not always burn nor will the rays of the sun always give light.”
12:3 “Do not think and do not expect that you will always have happiness and joy, and do not raise yourself too much and do not oppress.”
12:4 “For surely wrath will arise against you in its own time, because long-suffering is now held back, as it were, by reins.”
12:5 “And having said these things, I fasted for seven days.”

Chapter 13

13:1 “And after these things, it happened that I, Baruch, was standing on Mount Zion and, behold, a voice came from the high heavens, saying to me:”
13:2 “Stand upon your feet, Baruch, and hear the word of the mighty God.”
13:3 “Because you have been astonished at that which has befallen Zion, you will surely be preserved until the end of times to be for a testimony.”
13:4 “This means that if these happy cities will ever say, “Why has the mighty God brought upon us this retribution?”
13:5 “You and those who are like you, those who have seen this evil and retribution coming over you and your nation in their own time, may say to them that the nations will be thoroughly punished.”
13:6 “And this they may expect.”
13:7 “And when they say in that time, “When?”, you will say to them:”
13:8 “You who have drunk the clarified wine, you now drink its dregs, for the judgment of the Most High is impartial.”
13:9 “Therefore, he did not spare his own sons first, but he afflicted them as his enemies because they sinned.”
13:10 “Therefore, they were once punished, that they might be forgiven.”
13:11 “But now, you nations and tribes, you are guilty, because you have trodden the earth all this time, and because you have used creation unrighteously.”
13:12 “For I have always benefited you, and you have always denied the beneficence.”

Chapter 14

14:1 “And I answered and said: Behold, you have shown me the course of times, and that which will happen after these things.”
14:2 “And you have told me that the retribution of that which has been spoken by you will come upon the nations. And now, I know there are many who have sinned and who have lived in happiness and who have left the world, but there will be few nations left in those times to which those words can be spoken which you said.”
14:3 “For what is the advantage of this, or what evil worse than that which we have seen befall us can we expect to see?”
14:4 “But I will continue to speak before you.”
14:5 “What have they profited who have knowledge before you, and who did not walk in vanity like the rest of the nations, and who did not say to the dead: “Give life to us,” but always feared you and did not leave your ways?”
14:6 “And, behold, they have been diligent, and nevertheless, you had no mercy on Zion on their account.”
14:7 “And if there are others who did evil, Zion should have been forgiven on account of the works of those who did good works and should not have been overwhelmed because of the works of those who acted unrighteously.”
14:8 “O Lord, my Lord, who can understand your judgment? Who can explore the depth of your way?”
14:9 “Or who can discern the majesty of your path? Or who can discern your incomprehensible counsel? Or who of those who are born has ever discovered the beginning and the end of your wisdom?”
14:10 “For we all have been made like breath.”
14:11 “For as breath ascends without human control and vanishes, so it is with the nature of men, who do not go away according to their own will, and who do not know what will happen to them in the end.”
14:12 “For the righteous justly have good hope for the end and go away from this habitation without fear because they possess with you a store of good works which is preserved in treasuries.”
14:13 “Therefore, they leave this world without fear and are confident of the world which you have promised to them with an expectation full of joy.”
14:14 “But woe to those of us who have also now been treated shamefully and who await evils at that time.”
14:15 “But you know exactly what you have made of your servants, for we are not able to understand that which is good like you, our Creator.”
14:16 “I shall continue to speak before your presence, O Lord, my Lord.”
14:17 “When in the beginning the world did not exist with its inhabitants, you devised and spoke by means of your word and at the same time the works of your creation stood before you.”
14:18 “And you said that you would make a man for this world as a guardian over your works that it should be known that he was not created for the world, but the world for him.”
14:19 “And now, I see that the world which was made for us, behold, it remains; but we, for whom it was made, depart.”

Chapter 15

15:1 “And the Lord answered and said to me: You are rightly astonished about man’s departure, but your judgment about the evils which befell those who sin is incorrect.”
15:2 “And with regard to what you say about the righteous who are taken away and the wicked ones who are happy,”
15:3 “And with regard to what you say that man does not know your judgment,”
15:4 “For this reason, now, listen and I shall speak to you; pay attention and I shall let my words be heard.”
15:5 “It is true that man would not have understood my judgment if he had not received the Law and if he were not instructed with understanding.”
15:6 “But now, because he trespassed, having understanding, he will be punished because he has understanding.”
15:7 “And with regard to the righteous ones, those whom you said the world has come on their account, yes, also that which is coming is on their account.”
15:8 “For this world is to them a struggle and an effort with much trouble. And that accordingly which will come, a crown with great glory.”

Chapter 16

16:1 “And I answered and said: O Lord, my Lord, behold, the present years are few and evil, and who can inherit that which is immeasurable in this short time?”

Chapter 17

17:1 “And the Lord answered and said to me: With the Most High no account is taken of much time and of few years.”
17:2 “For what did it profit Adam that he lived nine hundred and thirty years and transgressed that which he was commanded?”
17:3 “Therefore, the multitude of time that he lived did not profit him, but it brought death and cut off the years of those who were born from him.”
17:4 “Or what did it harm Moses that he lived only one hundred and twenty years and, because he subjected himself to him who created him, he brought the Law to the descendants of Jacob and he lighted a lamp to the generations of Israel?”

Chapter 18

18:1 “And I answered and said: He who lighted took from the light, and there are few who imitated him.”
18:2 “But many whom he illuminated took from the darkness of Adam and did not rejoice in the light of the lamp.”

Chapter 19

19:1 “And he answered and said to me: Therefore he appointed a covenant for them at that time and said, “Behold, I appoint for you life and death,” and he called heaven and earth as a witness against them.”
19:2 “For he knew that his time was short, but that heaven and earth will stay forever.”
19:3 “They, however, sinned and trespassed after his death, although they knew that they had the Law to reprove them and that light in which nothing could err, apart from the spheres, which witnessed, and me. And I judge everything that exists.”
19:4 “You, however, should not think about this in your heart and you should not be afflicted because of the things which have been.”
19:5 “For now the end of times is at stake whether it be property, happiness, or shame; and not its beginning.”
19:6 “For when a man is happy in his youth and is treated badly in his old age, he forgets all happiness he possessed.”
19:7 “And further, when a man is badly treated in his youth but will be happy in the end, he does not remember his disgrace anymore.”
19:8 “And further, listen: Even if everyone had been happy continually since the day death was decreed against those who trespassed, but was destroyed in the end, everything would have been in vain.”

Chapter 20

20:1 “Therefore, behold, the days will come and the times will hasten, more than the former, and the periods will hasten more than those which are gone, and the years will pass more quickly than the present ones.”
20:2 “Therefore, I now took away Zion to visit the world in its own time more speedily.”
20:3 “Now, however, remember everything which I commanded you and seal it in the interior of your mind.”
20:4 “And then I shall show you my strong judgment and my unexplorable ways.”
20:5 “Therefore, go away and sanctify yourself for seven days and do not eat bread and do not drink water and do not speak to anybody.”
20:6 “And after this time come to this place, and I shall reveal myself to you, and I shall speak to you true things, and I shall command you with regard to the course of times, for they will come and will not tarry.”

Chapter 21

21:1 “I went from there and sat in the valley of Kidron in a cave of the earth and sanctified myself there and ate no bread, but I was not hungry; I drank no water, but I was not thirsty. And I stayed there until the seventh day as he had commanded me.”
21:2 “And after this I came to the place where he had spoken with me.”
21:3 “And it happened at sunset that my soul received many thoughts, and I began to speak in the presence of the Mighty One, and said:”
21:4 “O hear me, you who created the earth, the one who fixed the firmament by the word and fastened the height of heaven by the spirit, the one who in the beginning of the world called that which did not yet exist and they obeyed you.”
21:5 “You who gave commandments to the air with your sign and have seen the things which are to come as well as those which have passed.”
21:6 “You who reign with great thoughts over the powers which stand before you, and who rules with indignation the countless holy beings, who are flame and fire, whom you created from the beginning, those who stand around your throne.”
21:7 “For you alone all this exists so that you may create at once all that you want.”
21:8 “You are the one who causes the rain to fall on earth with a specific number of raindrops. You alone know the end of times before it has arrived. Hear my prayer.”
21:9 “For only you can sustain those who exist, those who have gone and those who will come, those who sin and those who have proved themselves to be righteous, since you are the Living One, the Inscrutable One.”
21:10 “For you are the only Living One, the Immortal One and the Inscrutable One, and you know the number of men.”
21:11 “And while many have sinned once, many others have proved themselves to be righteous.”
21:12 “You know where you have preserved the end of those who have sinned or the fulfillment of those who have proved themselves to be righteous.”
21:13 “For if only this life exists which everyone possesses here, nothing could be more bitter than this.”
21:14 “For of what help is strength which changes into weakness, or food in abundance which changes into famine, or beauty which changes into ugliness?”
21:15 “For the nature of men is always changeable.”
21:16 “For as we were once, we are no longer, and as we are now, we shall not remain in the future.”
21:17 “For if an end of all things had not been prepared, their beginning would have been senseless.”
21:18 “But let me know all that which comes from you, and regarding that which I ask you, enlighten me.”
21:19 “How long will corruption remain, and until when will the time of mortals be in this world?”
21:20 “Therefore, command mercifully and confirm all that you have said that you would do so that your power will be recognized by those who believe that your long-suffering means weakness”
21:21 “And now show it to them, those who do not know, but who have seen that which has befallen us and our city, up to now, that it is in agreement with the long-suffering of your power, because you called us a beloved people on account of your name.”
21:22 “From now, therefore, everything is in a state of dying.”
21:23 “Therefore, reprove the angel of death, and let your glory appear, and let the greatness of your beauty be known, and let the realm of death be sealed so that it may not receive the dead from this time, and let the treasuries of the souls restore those who are enclosed in them.”
21:24 “For as many years have passed as those which passed since the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all those who were like them, who sleep in the earth – those on whose account you have said you have created the world.”
21:25 “And now, show your glory soon and do not postpone that which was promised by you.”
21:26 “And it happened that when I had ended the words of this prayer, I became very weak.”

Chapter 22

22:1 “And afterward it happened that, behold, the heaven was opened, and I saw, and strength was given to me, and a voice was heard from on high which said to me:”
22:2 “Baruch, Baruch, why are you disturbed?”
22:3 “Who starts on a journey and does not complete it? Or who will be comforted making a sea voyage unless he can reach a harbor?”
22:4 “Or he who promises to give a present to somebody -is it not a theft, unless it is fulfilled?”
22:5 “Or he who sows the earth – does he not lose everything unless he reaps its harvest in its own time?”
22:6 “Or he who plants a vineyard – does the planter expect to receive fruit from it, unless it grows until its appointed time?”
22:7 “Or a woman who has conceived – does she not surely kill the child when she bears untimely?”
22:8 “Or he who builds a house, can it be called a house, unless it is provided with a roof and is finished? Tell this to me first.”

Chapter 23

23:1 “And I answered and said: No, Lord, my Lord.”
23:2 “And he answered and said to me: Why, then, are you disturbed about that which you do not know, and why are you restless about that of which you do not possess any knowledge?”
23:3 “For as you have not forgotten men who exist and who have passed away, I remember those who will come.”
23:4 “For when Adam sinned and death was decreed against those who were to be born, the multitude of those who would be born was numbered. And for that number a place was prepared where the living ones might live and where the dead might be preserved.”
23:5 “No creature will live again unless the number that has been appointed is completed. For my spirit creates the living, and the realm of death receives the dead.”
23:6 “And further, it is given to you to hear that which will come after these times.”
23:7 “For truly, my salvation which comes has drawn near and is not as far away as before.”

Chapter 24

24:1 “For behold, the days are coming, and the books will be opened in which are written the sins of all those who have sinned, and moreover, also the treasuries in which are brought together the righteousness of all those who have proven themselves to be righteous.”
24:2 “And it will happen at that time that you shall see, and many with you, the long-suffering of the Most High, which lasts from generation to generation, who has been long-suffering toward all who are born, both those who sinned and those who proved themselves to be righteous.”
24:3 “And I answered and said: But, behold, O Lord, a man does not know the number of things which pass away nor those which come.”
24:4 “For behold, I also know what has befallen me; but that which will happen with our enemies, I do not know, or when you will command your works.”

Chapter 25

25:1 “And he answered and said to me: You also will be preserved until that time, namely until that sign which the Most High will bring about before the inhabitants of the earth at the end of days.”
25:2 “This then will be the sign.”
25:3 “When horror seizes the inhabitants of earth, and they fall into many tribulations and further, they fall into great torments.”
25:4 “And it will happen that they will say in their thoughts because of their great tribulations, “The Mighty One does not anymore remember the earth”; It will happen when they lose hope, that the time will awake.”

Chapter 26

26:1 “And I answered and said: That Tribulation which will be will it last a long time; and that distress, will it embrace many years?”

Chapter 27

27:1 “And he answered and said to me: That time will be divided into twelve parts, and each part has been preserved for that for which it was appointed.” (2 Esdras 14:10-12)
27:2 “In the first part: the beginning of commotions.”
27:3 “In the second part: the slaughtering of the great.”
27:4 “In the third part: the fall of many into death.”
27:5 “In the fourth part: the drawing of the sword.”
27:6 “In the fifth part: famine and the withholding of rain.”
27:7 “In the sixth part: earthquakes and terrors.”
(the seventh part is absent)
27:9 “In the eighth part: a multitude of spirits and the appearances of demons.”
27:10 “In the ninth part: the fall of fire.”
27:11 “In the tenth part: rape and much violence.”
27:12 “In the eleventh part: injustice and unchastity.”
27:13 “In the twelfth part: disorder and a mixture of all that has been before.”
27:14 “These parts of that time will be preserved and will be mixed, one with another, and they will minister to each other.”
27:15 “For some of these parts will withhold a part of themselves and take from others and will accomplish that which belongs to them and to others; hence, those who live on earth in those days will not understand that it is the end of times.”

Chapter 28

28:1 “But everyone who will understand will be wise at that time.”
28:2 “For the measure and the calculation of that time will be two parts: two weeks of seven days.”
28:3 “And I answered and said: It is good that man should come so far and see, but it is better that he should not come so far lest he fall.”
28:4 “But I shall also say this:”
28:5 “Will he who is incorruptible despise those who are corruptible, and will he despise what happens with those who are corruptible so that he might only look to those who are not corruptible?”
28:6 “But when, O Lord, these things will surely come of which you spoke to me before, let me also know this, if I have found grace in your eyes:”
28:7 “Is it in one place or in one part of the earth that these things will come or will they be noticed by the whole earth?”

Chapter 29

29:1 “And he answered and said to me: That which will happen at that time bears upon the whole earth. Therefore, all who live will notice it.”
29:2 “For at that time I shall only protect those found in this land at that time.”
29:3 “And it will happen that when all that which should come to pass in these parts has been accomplished, the Anointed One will begin to be revealed.”
29:4 “And Behemoth will reveal itself from its place, and Leviathan will come from the sea, the two great monsters which I created on the fifth day of creation and which I shall have kept until that time. And they will be nourishment for all who are left.”
29:5 “The earth will also yield fruits ten thousandfold. And on one vine will be a thousand branches, and one branch will produce a thousand clusters and one cluster will produce a thousand grapes, and one grape will produce a cor of wine.”
29:6 “And those who are hungry will enjoy themselves and they will, moreover, see marvels every day.”
29:7 “For winds will go out in front of me every morning to bring the fragrance of aromatic fruits and clouds at the end of the day to distill the dew of health.”
29:8 “And it will happen at that time that the treasury of manna will come down again from on high, and they will eat of it in those years because these are they who will have arrived at the consummation of time.”

Chapter 30

30:1 “And it will happen after these things when the time of the appearance of the Anointed One has been fulfilled and he returns with glory, that then all who sleep in hope of him will rise.”
30:2 “And it will happen at that time that those treasuries will be opened in which the number of the souls of the righteous were kept, and they will go out and the multitudes of the souls will appear together, in one assemblage, of one mind. And the first ones will enjoy themselves and the last ones will not be sad.”
30:3 “For they know that the time has come of which it is said that it is the end of times.”
30:4 “But the souls of the wicked will the more waste away when they shall see all these things.”
30:5 “For they know that their torment has come and that their perditions have arrived.”

Chapter 31

31:1 “And it happened after these things, that I went to the people and said to them: Assemble to me all our elders and I shall speak words to you.”
31:2 “And they all assembled in the valley of Kidron.”
31:3 “And I began to speak and said to them: Hear, O Israel, and I shall speak to you, and you, O seed of Jacob, pay attention, and I shall teach you.”
31:4 “Do not forget Zion but remember the distress of Jerusalem.”
31:5 “For, behold, the days are coming, that all that has been will be taken away to be destroyed, and it will become as though it had not been.”

Chapter 32

32:1 “You, however, if you prepare your minds to sow into them the fruits of the law, he shall protect you in the time in which the Mighty One shall shake the entire creation.”
32:2 “For after a short time, the building of Zion will be shaken in order that it will be rebuilt.”
32:3 “That building will not remain; but it will again be uprooted after some time and will remain desolate for a time.”
32:4 “And after that it is necessary that it will be renewed in glory and that it will be perfected into eternity.”
32:5 “We should not, therefore, be so sad regarding the evil which has come now, but much more distressed regarding that which is in the future.”
32:6 “For greater than the two evils will be the trial when the Mighty One will renew his creation.”
32:7 “And now, do not draw near to me for some days and do not call upon me until I shall come to you.”
32:8 “And it happened after having said all these words to them that I, Baruch, went my way. And when the people saw that I went away, they raised their voices and lamented and said:”
32:9 “Where are you going from us, Baruch, and do you leave us as a father who leaves his children as orphans and goes away from them?”

Chapter 33

33:1 “These are the commands which your friend Jeremiah, the prophet, gave to you. And he said to you,”
33:2 “Look to this people during the time I am absent, while I help the rest of our brothers in Babylon, against whom has been declared the sentence that they should be carried away into captivity.”
33:3 “And now, if you abandon us too, it would have been better for all of us that we shall die first, and then you should abandon us.”

Chapter 34

34:1 “And I answered and said to the people: Heaven forbid that I should abandon you or that I should go away from you. But I shall go to the Holy of Holies to ask from the Mighty One on behalf of you and Zion so that I may receive in some ways more light and after that I shall return to you.”

Chapter 35

35:1 “And I, Baruch, went to the holy place and sat on the ruins and wept and said:”
35:2 “O that my eyes were springs, and my eyelids, that they were a fountain of tears.”
35:3 “For how shall I be sad over Zion,”
35:4 “And lament over Jerusalem? For at the place where now I am prostrate, the high priests used to offer holy sacrifices, and placed thereon incense of fragrant spices. Now, however, that of which we are proud has become dust, and that which our soul desired is ashes.”

Chapter 36

36:1 “And when I had said this, I fell asleep at that place and saw a vision in the night.”
36:2 “And behold there was a forest with trees that was planted on the plain and surrounded by high mountains and rugged rocks. And the forest occupied much space.”
36:3 “And behold, over against it a vine arose, and from under it a fountain ran peacefully.”
36:4 “And that fountain came to the forest and changed into great waves, and those waves submerged the forest and suddenly uprooted the entire forest and overthrew all the mountains which surrounded it.”
36:5 “And the height of the forest became low, and that top of the mountains became low. And that fountain became so strong that it left nothing of the great forest except one cedar.”
36:6 “When it had also cast that one down, it destroyed the entire forest and uprooted it so that nothing was left of it, and its place was not even known anymore. Then that vine arrived with the fountain in peace and in great tranquillity and arrived at a place which was not far away from the cedar, and they brought to him that cedar which had been cast down.”
36:7 “And I saw, and behold, that vine opened its mouth and spoke and said to the cedar, “Are you not that cedar which remained of the forest of wickedness? Because of you, wickedness remained and has been done during all these years, but never goodness.”
36:8 “And you possessed power over that which did not belong to you; you did not even show compassion to that which did belong to you. And you extended your power over those who were living far from you, and you keep those who are close to you in the nets of your wickedness, and you uplift your soul always like one who could not be uprooted.”
36:9 “But now your time has hastened and your hour has come.”
36:10 “Therefore O cedar, follow the forest which has departed before you and become ashes with it, and let your earth be mixed together.”
36:11 “And now, sleep in distress and rest in pain until your last time comes in which you will return to be tormented even more.”

Chapter 37

37:1 “And after these things I saw that the cedar was burning and the vine growing, while it and all around it became a valley full of unfading flowers. And I awoke and arose.”

Chapter 38

38:1 “And I prayed and said: O Lord, my Lord, you are the one who has enlightened those who conduct themselves with understanding.”
38:2 “Your Law is life, and your wisdom is the right way.”
38:3 “Now, show me the explanation of this vision.”
38:4 “For you know that my soul has always been associated with your Law, and that I did not depart from your wisdom from my earliest days.”

Chapter 39

39:1 “And he answered and said to me: Baruch, this is the explanation of the vision which you have seen.”
39:2 “As you have seen the great forest surrounded by high and rocky mountains, this is the word:”
39:3 “Behold, the days come when this kingdom that destroyed Zion once will be destroyed and that it will be subjected to that which will come after it.”
39:4 “This again will also be destroyed after some time. And another, a third, will rise and also that will possess power in its own time and will be destroyed.”
39:5 “After that a fourth kingdom arises whose power is harsher and more evil than those which were before it, and it will reign a multitude of times like the trees on the plain, and it will rule the times and exalt itself more than the cedars of Lebanon.”
39:6 “And the truth will hide itself in this and all who are polluted with unrighteousness will flee to it like the evil beasts flee and creep into the forest.”
39:7 “And it will happen when the time of its fulfillment is approaching in which it will fall, that at that time the dominion of my Anointed One which is like the fountain and the vine, will be revealed. And when it has revealed itself, it will uproot the multitude of its host.”
39:8 “And that which you have seen, namely the tall cedar, which remained of that forest, and with regard to the words which the vine said to it which you heard, this is the meaning.”

Chapter 40

40:1 “The last ruler who is left alive at that time will be bound, whereas the entire host will be destroyed. And they will carry him on Mount Zion, and my Anointed One will convict him of all his wicked deeds and will assemble and set before him all the works of his hosts.”
40:2 “And after these things he will kill him and protect the rest of my people who will be found in the place that I have chosen.”
40:3 “And his dominion will last forever until the world of corruption has ended and until the times which have been mentioned before have been fulfilled.”
40:4 “This is your vision, and this is its explanation.”

Chapter 41

41:1 “And I answered and said: For whom and for how many will these things be? Or who will be worthy to live in that time?”
41:2 “I shall now say before you everything that I think, and I shall ask you about the things of which I meditate.”
41:3 “For behold, I see many of your people who separated themselves from your statutes and who have cast away from them the yoke of the Law.”
41:4 “Further, I have seen others who left behind their vanity and who have fled under your wings.”
41:5 “What will, therefore, happen with those? Or how will that last time receive them?”
41:6 “Their time will surely not be weighed exactly, and they will certainly not be judged as the scale indicates?”

Chapter 42

42:1 “And he answered and said to me:”
42:2 “Also these things I shall show you. As for what you said: “To whom and to how many will these things be?” The good that was mentioned before will be to those who have believed, and the opposite of these things will be to those who have despised.”
42:3 “And as for that which you said with regard to those who have drawn near and to those who have withdrawn, this is the explanation.”
42:4 “As for those who have first subjected themselves and have withdrawn later and who mingled themselves with the seed of the mingled nations, their first time will be considered as mountains.”
42:5 “And those who first did not know life and who later knew it exactly and who mingled with the seed of the people who have separated themselves, their first time will be considered as mountains.”
42:6 “And times will inherit times, and periods periods, and they will receive from one another. And then, with a view to the end, all will be compared according to the length of times and the hours of periods.”
42:7 “For corruption will take away those who belong to it, and life those who belong to it.”
42:8 “And dust will be called, and told, “Give back that which does not belong to you and raise up all that you have kept until its own time.”

Chapter 43

43:1 “You, however, Baruch, strengthen your heart with a view to that which has been said to you, and understand that which has been revealed to you because you have many consolations which will last forever.”
43:2 “For you will go away from this place and leave the regions which are now before your eyes. And you shall forget that which is corruptible and not again remember that which is among the mortal ones.”
43:3 “Go away, therefore, and command your people and come to this place and afterward fast seven days. And then I shall come to you and speak with you.”

Chapter 44

44:1 “And I, Baruch, went from there and came to my people and called my firstborn son and the Gedaliahs, my friends, and seven of the elders of the people and said to them:”
44:2 “Behold, I go to my fathers in accordance with the way of the whole earth.”
44:3 “You, however, do not withdraw from the way of the Law, but guard and admonish the people who are left lest they withdraw from the commandments of the Mighty One.”
44:4 “For you see that he whom we serve is righteous and that our Creator is impartial.”
44:5 “And see what has befallen Zion and what happened to Jerusalem.”
44:6 “That the judgment of the Mighty One will be made known, as well as his ways which are inscrutable and right.”
44:7 “For when you endure and persevere in his fear and do not forget his Law, the time again will take a turn for the better for you. And they will participate in the consolation of Zion.”
44:8 “For that which is now is nothing. But that which is in the future will be very great.”
44:9 “For everything will pass away which is corruptible, and everything that dies will go away, and all present time will be forgotten, and there will be no remembrance of the present time which is polluted by evils.”
44:10 “For he who runs now runs in vain and he who is happy will fall quickly and be humiliated.”
44:11 “For that which will be in the future, that is what one will look for, and that which comes later, that is what we shall hope for. For there is a time that does not pass away.”
44:12 “And that period is coming which will remain forever; and there is the new world which does not carry back to corruption those who enter into its beginning, and which has no mercy on those who come into torment or those who are living in it, and it does not carry to perdition.”
44:13 “For those are the ones who will inherit this time of which it is spoken, and to these is the heritage of the promised time.”
44:14 “These are they who prepared for themselves treasures of wisdom. And stores of insight are found with them. And they have not withdrawn from mercy and they have preserved the truth of the Law.”
44:15 “For the coming world will be given to these, but the habitation of the many others will be in the fire.”

Chapter 45

45:1 “You, therefore, admonish the people as much as you can. For this is our work.”
45:2 “For, when you instruct them, you will make them alive.”

Chapter 46

46:1 “And my son and the elders of the people said to me: Did the Mighty One humiliate us to such an extent that he will take you away from us quickly?”
46:2 “And shall we truly be in darkness, and will there be no light anymore for that people who are left?”
46:3 “For where shall we again investigate the Law, or who will distinguish between death and life for us?”
46:4 “And I said to them: I cannot resist the throne of the Mighty One. But Israel will not be in want of a wise man, nor the tribe of Jacob, a son of the Law.”
46:5 “But only prepare your heart so that you obey the Law, and be subject to those who are wise and understanding with fear. And prepare your soul that you shall not depart from them.”
46:6 “If you do this, those good tidings will come to you of which I spoke to you earlier, and you will not fall into the torment of which I spoke to you earlier.”
46:7 “But with regard to the word that I shall be taken up, I did not let it be known to them at that time, not even to my son.”

Chapter 47

47:1 “And after I had left, having dismissed them, I returned from there and said to them: Behold, I go to Hebron, for to there the Mighty One has sent me.”
47:2 “And I arrived at that place where the word was spoken to me, and I sat there and fasted seven days.”

Chapter 48

48:1 “And it happened after seven days that I prayed before the Mighty One and said:”
48:2 “O Lord, you summon the coming of the times, and they stand before you. You cause the display of power of the worlds to pass away and they do not resist you. You arrange the course of the periods, and they obey you.”
48:3 “Only you know the length of the generations, and you do not reveal your secrets to many.”
48:4 “You make known the multitude of the fire, and you weigh the lightness of the wind.”
48:5 “You investigate the end of the heights, and you scrutinize the depths of darkness.”
48:6 “You command the number which will pass away, and which will be preserved. And you prepare a house for those who will be.”
48:7 “You remember the beginning which you created, and you do not forget that destruction which will come.”
48:8 “With signs of fear and threat you command the flames, and they change into winds. And with the word you bring to life that which does not exist, and with great power you hold that which has not yet come.”
48:9 “You instruct the creation with your understanding, and you give wisdom to the spheres so that they minister according to their positions.”
48:10 “Innumerable hosts stand before you, and serve peacefully your sign according to their positions.”
48:11 “Hear your servant, and regard my appeal.”
48:12 “For we are born in a short time, and in a short time we return.”
48:13 “With you, however, the hours are like times, and the days like generations.”
48:14 “Be, therefore, not angry at man because he is nothing; and do not take count of our works; for what are we?”
48:15 “For behold, by your gift we come into the world, and we do go not of our own will.”
48:16 “For we did not say to our parents: “Beget us,” nor have we sent to the realm of death saying “Receive us.”
48:17 “What therefore is our strength that we can bear your wrath, or what are we that we can endure your judgment?”
48:18 “Protect us in your grace, and in your mercy help us.”
48:19 “Look at the small ones who submit to you, and save all those who come to you. And do not take away the hope of our people, and do not make short the times of our help.”
48:20 “For these are the people whom you have elected, and this is the nation of which you found no equal.”
48:21 “But I shall speak to you now, and I shall say as my heart thinks.”
48:22 “In you we have put our trust, because, behold, your Law is with us, and we know that we do not fall as long as we keep your statutes.”
48:23 “We shall always be blessed; at least, we did not mingle with the nations. For we are all a people of the Name;”
48:24 “We, who received one Law from the One. And that Law that is among us will help us, and that excellent wisdom which is in us will support us.”
48:25 “And when I had prayed these things I became very weak.”
48:26 “And he answered and said to me: You have prayed honestly, Baruch, and all your words have been heard.”
48:27 “But my judgment asks for its own, and my Law demands its right.”
48:28 “For from your words I shall answer you, and from your prayer I shall speak with you.”
48:29 “Because it is as follows: There is nothing that will be destroyed unless it acted wickedly, if it had been able to do something without remembering my goodness and accepting my long-suffering.”
48:30 “For this reason surely you will be taken up, as I said to you before.”
48:31 “And the time will come of which I spoke to you and that time is appearing which brings affliction. For it will come and pass away with enormous vehemence; and arriving in the heat of indignation, it will be turbulent.”
48:32 “And it will be in those days that all inhabitants of the earth will live with each other in peace [or: shall be moved one against the other], because they do not know that my judgment has come near.”
48:33 “For in that time there will not be found many wise men and there will also not be many intelligent ones, but, in addition, they who know will be silent more and more.”
48:34 “And there will be many tidings and not a few rumors, and the works of the phantoms will be visible, and not a few promises will be told, some idle and others affirmed.”
48:35 “And honor will change itself into shame, and strength will be humiliated to contempt, and the strong one will be broken down, and beauty will become contemptible.”
48:36 “And many will say to many in that time, “Where did the multitude of intelligence hide itself and where did the multitude of wisdom depart?”
48:37 “And when one thinks about these things, jealousy will arise in those who did not think much of themselves, and passion will take hold of those who were peaceful, and many will be agitated by wrath to injure many, and they will raise armies to shed blood; and they will perish with those at the end.”
48:38 “And it will happen in that time that a change of times will reveal itself openly for the eyes of everyone because they polluted themselves in all those times and caused oppression, and each one walked in his own works and did not remember the Law of the Mighty One.”
48:39 “Therefore, a fire will consume their thoughts, and with a flame the meditations of their innermost self will be examined. For the Judge will come and will not hesitate.”
48:40 “For each of the inhabitants of the earth knew when he acted unrighteously, and they did not know my Law because of their pride.”
48:41 “But many will surely weep at that time – more, however, because of the living ones than of the dead.”
48:42 “And I answered and said: O Adam, what did you do to all who were born after you? And what will be said of the first Eve who obeyed the serpent,”
48:43 “So that this whole multitude is going to corruption? And countless are those whom the fire devours.”
48:44 “But again I shall speak before you.”
48:45 “You, O Lord, my Lord, you know that which is in your creation.”
48:46 “For you commanded the dust one day to produce Adam; and you knew the number of those who are born from him and how they sinned before you, those who existed and who did not recognize you as their Creator.”
48:47 “And concerning all of those, their end will put them to shame, and your Law which they transgressed will repay them on your day.”
48:48 “But now, let us cease talking about the wicked and inquire about the righteous.”
48:49 “And I will tell about their blessedness and I shall not be silent about their glory which is kept for them.”
48:50 “For surely, as you endured much labor in the short time in which you live in this passing world, so you will receive great light in that world which has no end.”

Chapter 49

49:1 “But further, I ask you, O Mighty One; and I shall ask grace from him who created all things.”
49:2 “In which shape will the living live in your day? Or how will remain their splendor which will be after that?”
49:3 “Will they, perhaps, take again this present form, and will they put on the chained members which are in evil and by which evils are accomplished? Or will you perhaps change these things which have been in the world, as also the world itself?”

Chapter 50

50:1 “And he answered and said to me: Listen, Baruch, to this word and write down in the memory of your heart all that you shall learn.”
50:2 “For the earth will surely give back the dead at that time; it receives them now in order to keep them, not changing anything in their form. But as it has received them so it will give them back. And as I have delivered them to it so it will raise them.”
50:3 “For then it will be necessary to show those who live that the dead are living again, and that those who went away have come back.”
50:4 “And it will be that when they have recognized each other, those who know each other at this moment, then my judgment will be strong, and those things which have been spoken of before will come.”

Chapter 51

51:1 “And it will happen after this day which he appointed is over that both the shape of those who are found to be guilty as also the glory of those who have proved to be righteous will be changed.”
51:2 “For the shape of those who now act wickedly will be made more evil than it is (now) so that they shall suffer torment.”
51:3 “Also, as for the glory of those who proved to be righteous on account of my law, those who possessed intelligence in their life, and those who planted the root of wisdom in their heart – their splendor will then be glorified by transformations, and the shape of their face will be changed into the light of their beauty so that they may acquire and receive the undying world which is promised to them.”
51:4 “Therefore, especially they who will then come will be sad, because they despised my Law and stopped their ears lest they hear wisdom and receive intelligence.”
51:5 “When they, therefore, will see that those over whom they are exalted now will then be more exalted and glorified than they, then both these and those will be changed, these into the splendor of angels and those into startling visions and horrible shapes; and they will waste away even more.”
51:6 “For they will first see and then they will go away to be tormented.”
51:7 “Miracles, however, will appear at their own time to those who are saved because of their works and for whom the Law is now a hope, and intelligence, expectation, and wisdom a trust.”
51:8 “For they shall see that world which is now invisible to them, and they will see a time which is now hidden to them.”
51:9 “And time will no longer make them older.”
51:10 “For they will live in the heights of that world and they will be like the angels and be equal to the stars. And they will be changed into any shape which they wished, from beauty to loveliness, and from light to the splendor of glory.”
51:11 “For the extents of Paradise will be spread out for them, and to them will be shown the beauty of the majesty of the living beings under the throne, as well as all the hosts of the angels, those who are held by my word now lest they show themselves, and those who are withheld by my command so that they may stand at their places until their coming has arrived.”
51:12 “And the excellence of the righteous will then be greater than that of the angels.”
51:13 “For the first will receive the last, those whom they expected; and the last, those of whom they had heard that they had gone away.”
51:14 “For they have been saved from this world of affliction and have put down the burden of anguishes.”
51:15 “Because of which men lost their life and for what have those who were on the earth exchanged their soul?”
51:16 “For once they chose for themselves that time which cannot pass away without afflictions. And they chose for themselves that time of which the end is full of lamentations and evils. And they have denied the world that does not make those who come to it older. And they have rejected the time which causes glory so that they are not coming to the glory of which I spoke to you before.”

Chapter 52

52:1 “And I answered and said:”
52:2 “How shall we forget those for whom at that time woe is preserved? And why are we again sad for those who die? Or why do we weep for those who go into the realm of death?”
52:3 “The lamentations should be kept for the beginning of that coming torment; let the tears be laid down for the coming of that destruction which will then come.”
52:4 “But with a view of these things, I shall also speak.”
52:5 “And concerning the righteous ones, what will they do now?”
52:6 “Enjoy yourselves in the suffering which you suffer now. For why do you look for the decline of your enemies?”
52:7 “Prepare your souls for that which is kept for you, and make ready your souls for the reward which is preserved for you. And when I had said this I fell asleep there.”

Chapter 53

53:1 “And I saw a vision. And behold, a cloud was coming up from the great sea. And I was looking at it, and behold, it was entirely filled with black water and there were many colors in that water. And something like great lightning appeared at its top.”
53:2 “And I saw that the cloud was rapidly passing in a quick run and covering the whole earth.”
53:3 “And it happened after this that the cloud began to pour the water that it contained upon the earth.”
53:4 “And I saw that the water which descended from it was not of the same likeness.”
53:5 “For at first, it was very black until a certain time. And then, I saw that the water became bright, but there was not much of it. And after this, I saw black water again, and after this bright again, and black again and bright again.”
53:6 “This, now, happened twelve times, but the black were always more than the bright.”
53:7 “And it happened at the end of the cloud that, behold, it poured black water and it was much darker than all the water that had been before. And fire was mingled with it. And where that water descended, it brought about devastation and destruction.”
53:8 “And after this I saw how the lightning which I had seen at the top of the cloud seized it and pressed it down to the earth.”
53:9 “That lightning shone much more, so that it lighted the whole earth and healed the regions where the last waters had descended and where it had brought about destruction.”
53:10 “And it occupied the whole earth and took command of it.”
53:11 “And after this I saw, behold, twelve rivers came from the sea and surrounded the lightning and became subject to it.”
53:12 “And because of my fear I awoke.”

Chapter 54

54:1 “And I asked the Mighty One and said: You alone, O Lord, knew the heights of the world beforehand and that which will happen in the times which you bring about by your word. And against the works of the inhabitants of the earth you hasten the beginnings of the times. And the ends of the periods you alone know.”
54:2 “You are the one for whom nothing is hard; but you are, however, the one who easily accomplishes all by a sign.”
54:3 “You are the one to whom both the depths and the heights come together, and whose word the beginnings of the periods serve.”
54:4 “You are the one who reveals to those who fear that which is prepared for them so that you may comfort them.”
54:5 “You show your mighty works to those who do not know. You pull down the enclosure for those who have no experience and enlighten the darknesses, and reveal the secrets to those who are spotless, to those who subjected themselves to you and your Law in faith.”
54:6 “You showed this vision to your servant; open to me its exposition also.”
54:7 “For I know that I have received the answer regarding the subjects about which I asked you, and that you gave me a revelation about that which I asked, and that you have let me know with what voice I should honor you or from which members I should cause glory and praise to go up to you.”
54:8 “For if my members should be mouths and the hairs of my head voices, even so I should not be able to honor you properly; and I should not be able to utter your glory or to express the excellence of your beauty.”
54:9 “For who am I among men or what is my significance among those who are more excellent than I that I have heard all these marvelous things from the Most High and innumerable promises from him who created me?”
54:10 “Blessed is my mother among those who bear, and praised among women is she who bore me.”
54:11 “For I shall not be silent in honoring the Mighty One but with the voice of glory I shall narrate his marvelous works.”
54:12 “For who is able to imitate your miracles, O God, or who understands your deep thoughts of life?”
54:13 “For with your counsel, you reign over all creation which your right hand has created, and you have established the whole fountain of light with yourself, and you have prepared under your throne the treasures of wisdom.”
54:14 “And those who do not love your Law are justly perishing. And the torment of judgment will fall upon those who have not subjected themselves to your power.”
54:15 “For, although Adam sinned first and has brought death upon all who were not in his own time, yet each of them who has been born from him has prepared for himself the coming torment. And further, each of them has chosen for himself the coming glory.”
54:16 “For truly, the one who believes will receive reward.”
54:17 “But now, turn yourselves to destruction, you unrighteous ones who are living now, for you will be visited suddenly, since you have once rejected the understanding of the Most High.”
54:18 “For his works have not taught you, nor has the artful work of his creation which has existed always persuaded you.”
54:19 “Adam is, therefore, not the cause, except only for himself, but each of us has become our own Adam.”
54:20 “You, however, O Lord, explain to me what you have revealed to me. And inform me about that which I asked you.”
54:21 “For at the end of the world, a retribution will be demanded with regard to those who have done wickedly in accordance with their wickedness, and you will glorify the faithful ones in accordance with their faith.”
54:22 “For those who are among your own, you rule; and those who sin, you blot out among your own.”

Chapter 55

55:1 “And it happened that when I had finished the words of this prayer, I sat down there under a tree to rest in the shadow of branches.”
55:2 “And I was surprised and astonished, and I pondered in my thoughts about the multitude of the goodness which the sinners who are on earth have rejected from them, and about the great punishment which they have despised, when they knew that they should be punished because of the sins they have committed.”
55:3 “And while I was pondering these and similar things, behold, Ramael, the angel who is set over true visions, was sent to me and said to me:”
55:4 “Why does your heart trouble you, Baruch, and why are you disturbed by your thought?”
55:5 “For if you are already disturbed, only hearing about the judgment, what about when you see it with your eyes openly?”
55:6 “And if you are already so disturbed by the expectation with which you expect the day of the Mighty One, what about when you arrive at its coming?”
55:7 “And if you are so fully terrified by the words of the announcement of the punishment of those who have transgressed, how much more when this event itself will reveal marvelous things?”
55:8 “And if you have heard the names of the good and evil things which will come at that time, and if you are grieved, what about when you will see what the Majesty will reveal, who will convince some and cause others to rejoice?”

Chapter 56

56:1 “But now, since you have asked the Most High to reveal to you the explanation of the vision which you have seen, I have been sent to say to you:”
56:2 “That the Mighty One has let you know the course of times, namely those which have passed and those which in his world will come to pass, from the beginning of his creation until the end, (the times) which are known by deceit and by truth.”
56:3 “For as you saw a great cloud which came up from the sea and went and covered the earth; this is the length of the world which the Mighty One has created when he took counsel in order to create the world.”
56:4 “And it happened when the word had gone out from him, that the length of the world was standing as something small, and it was established in accordance with the abundance of the intelligence of him who let it go forth.”
56:5 “And as you first saw the black waters on the top of the cloud which first came down upon the earth; this is the transgression which Adam, the first man, committed.”
56:6 “For when he transgressed, untimely death came into being, mourning was mentioned, affliction was prepared, illness was created, labor accomplished, pride began to come into existence, the realm of death began to ask to be renewed with blood, the conception of children came about, the passion of parents was produced, the loftiness of men was humiliated, and goodness vanished.”
56:7 “What could, therefore, have been blacker and darker than these things?”
56:8 “This is the beginning of the black waters which you have seen.”
56:9 “And from these black waters again black were born, and very dark darkness originated.”
56:10 “For he who was a danger to himself was also a danger to the angels.”
56:11 “For they possessed freedom in that time in which they were created.”
56:12 “And some of them came down and mingled themselves with women.”
56:13 “At that time they who acted like this were tormented in chains.”
56:14 “But the rest of the multitude of angels, who have no number, restrained themselves.”
56:15 “And those living on earth perished together through the waters of the flood.”
56:16 “Those are the first black waters.”

Chapter 57

57:1 “And after these you saw the bright waters; that is the fountain of Abraham and his generation, and the coming of his son, and the son of his son, and of those who are like them.”
57:2 “For at that time the unwritten law was in force among them, and the works of the commandments were accomplished at that time, and the belief in the coming judgment was brought about, and the hope of the world which will be renewed was built at that time, and the promise of the life that will come later was planted.”
57:3 “Those are the bright waters which you have seen.”

Chapter 58

58:1 “And the third black waters which you have seen; that is the mingling of all sins which the nations committed afterward, after the death of those righteous men, and the wickedness of the land of Egypt, in which they acted wickedly in the oppression with which they oppressed their sons.”
58:2 “But also these perished at the end.”

Chapter 59

59:1 “And the fourth bright waters which you have seen; that is the coming of Moses, and of Aaron, and of Miriam, and of Joshua, the son of Nun, and of Caleb, and all those who are like these.”
59:2 “For at that time the lamp of the eternal law which exists forever and ever illuminated all those who sat in darkness. This lamp will announce to those who believe the promise of their reward and to those who deny the punishment of the fire which is kept for them.”
59:3 “But also the heaven will be shaken from its place at that time; that is, the heavens which are under the throne of the Mighty One were severely shaken when he took Moses with him.”
59:4 “For he showed him many warnings together with the ways of the Law and the end of time, as also to you; and then further, also the likeness of Zion with its measurements which was to be made after the likeness of the present sanctuary.”
59:5 “But he also showed him, at that time, the measures of fire, the depths of the abyss, the weight of the winds, the number of the raindrops,”
59:6 “The suppression of wrath, the abundance of long-suffering, the truth of judgment,”
59:7 “The root of wisdom, the richness of understanding, the fountain of knowledge,”
59:8 “The height of the air, the greatness of Paradise, the end of the periods, the beginning of the day of judgment,”
59:9 “The number of offerings, the worlds which have not yet come,”
59:10 “The mouth of hell, the standing place of vengeance, the place of faith, the region of hope,”
59:11 “The picture of the coming punishment, the multitude of the angels which cannot be counted, the powers of the flame, the splendor of lightnings, the voice of the thunders, the orders of the archangels, the treasuries of the light, the changes of the times, and the inquiries into the Law.”
59:12 “These are the fourth bright waters.”

Chapter 60

60:1 “And the fifth black waters which you have seen poured down; those are the works which the Amorites have done, and the invocations of their incantations which they wrought, and the wickedness of their mysteries, and the mingling of their pollutions.”
60:2 “But even Israel was polluted with sins in these days of the judges, although they saw many signs which were from him who created them.”

Chapter 61

61:1 “And the sixth bright waters which you have seen; this is the time in which David and Solomon were born.”
61:2 “And at that time the building of Zion took place, and the dedication of the sanctuary, and the shedding of much blood of the nations which sinned at that time, and the many offerings which were offered at that time at the inauguration of the sanctuary.”
61:3 “And rest and peace reigned at that time.”
61:4 “And wisdom was heard in the assembly, and the richness of understanding was magnified in the congregations.”
61:5 “And the holy festivals were fulfilled in happiness and much joy.”
61:6 “And the judgment of the rulers was seen at that time without deceit, and the righteousness of the commandments of the Mighty One was accomplished in truth.”
61:7 “And the land which then received mercy, since its inhabitants did not sin, was praised above all countries, and the city of Zion ruled over all countries and regions at that time.”
61:8 “These are those bright waters you have seen.”

Chapter 62

62:1 “And the seventh black waters you have seen; that is the perversion of the ideas of Jeroboam who planned to make two golden calves.”
62:2 “And all the iniquities accomplished by the kings who succeeded him,”
62:3 “And the curse of Jezebel, and the idolatry which Israel practiced at that time,”
62:4 “And the withholding of rain, and the famines of such a kind that the women ate the fruits of their womb,”
62:5 “And the time of their exile which befell the nine and a half tribes because they lived in many sins.”
62:6 “And Salmanassar, the king of the Assyrians, came and carried them away into captivity.”
62:7 “And concerning the nations much could be said: how they acted unrighteously and wickedly, and how they never proved themselves to be righteous.”
62:8 “These are those seventh black waters you have seen.”

Chapter 63

63:1 “And the eighth bright waters you have seen; that is the righteousness and the integrity of Hezekiah, King of Judah, and the grace which came upon him.”
63:2 “For at that time Sennacherib was moved to destroy, and his wrath roused him, and also the multitude of the nations which were with him in order to destroy;”
63:3 “When Hezekiah the king heard that which the Assyrian king devised, namely, to come and seize and destroy his people – the two and a half tribes which were left – and that he also wanted to destroy Zion, then Hezekiah trusted upon his works, and hoped upon his righteousnesses, and spoke with the Mighty One and said:”
63:4 “Pay attention, behold, Sennacherib is ready to destroy us, and he will boast and be uplifted when he has destroyed Zion.”
63:5 “And the Mighty One heard him for Hezekiah was wise, and he paid attention to his prayers for he was righteous.”
63:6 “And the Mighty One then commanded Ramael, his angel who speaks with you.”
63:7 “And I went away and destroyed their multitude, of which the number of the chiefs alone was one hundred and eighty-five thousand, and each of them had an equal number.”
63:8 “And at that time I burned their bodies within, but I preserved their clothes and their arms on the outside so that still more of the marvelous words of the Mighty One might be seen, and so that his name might be mentioned throughout the entire earth.”
63:9 “Thus Zion was saved, and Jerusalem was delivered from its tribulations.”
63:10 “And all those who were in the holy land rejoiced, and the name of the Mighty One was praised so that it was spoken of.”
63:11 “These are those bright waters which you have seen.”

Chapter 64

64:1 “And the ninth black waters you have seen; that is the wickedness that existed in the days of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah.”
64:2 “For he acted very wickedly, and killed the righteous, and perverted judgment, and shed innocent blood, and violently polluted married women, and overturned altars, and abolished their offerings, and drove away the priests lest they minister in the sanctuary.”
64:3 “And he made a statue with five faces; Four of them looked into the direction of the four winds, and the fifth was on the top of the statue so as to challenge the zeal of the Mighty One.”
64:4 “And then the wrath of the Mighty One went out so that Zion should be uprooted as has also happened in your days.”
64:5 “But also the judgment went out against the two and a half tribes so that they also should be carried away into captivity as you have now seen.”
64:6 “And the impiety of Manasseh increased to such a degree that the glory of the Most High removed itself from the sanctuary.”
64:7 “Therefore, Mannasseh was called the impious one in that time, and finally his habitation was in the fire.”
64:8 “For although the Most High had heard his prayer, in the end when he fell into the brazen horse and the brazen horse was melted, it became to him as a sign regarding the hour (which was to come).”
64:9 “For he had not lived perfectly since he was not worthy, but (the sign was given to him) that he might know henceforth by whom he should be punished at the end.”
64:10 “For he who is able to benefit is also able to punish.”

Chapter 65

65:1 “This Manasseh sinned and he thought in his time that the Mighty One would not call account for these things.”
65:2 “These are those ninth black waters you have seen.”

Chapter 66

66:1 “And the tenth bright waters you have seen; that is the purity of the generation of Josiah, the king of Judah, who was the only one in his time who subjected himself to the Mighty One with his whole heart and his whole soul.”
66:2 “He purified the country from the idols, sanctified all the vessels which were polluted, restored the offerings to the altar, raised the horn of the holy, exalted the righteous, and honored all those who were wise with understanding. He brought the priests back to their ministry, and destroyed and removed the magicians, enchanters, and diviners from the land.”
66:3 “And he not only killed the impious who were living, but also the bones were taken from the graves of the dead and burned with fire.”
66:4 “And he established the festivals and the sabbaths with their holy practices, and he burned the polluted with fire, and as for the lying prophets who deceived the people, also these he burned with fire. He cast the people who obeyed them, as long as they lived, into the Kidron valley, and heaped stones upon them.”
66:5 “And he was zealous with the zeal of the Mighty One with his whole soul, and he alone was strong in the Law at that time so that he left no one uncircumcised or anyone who acted wickedly in the whole country all the days of his life.”
66:6 “He, then, is one who shall receive reward forever and ever and be honored with the Mighty One more than many in the last time.”
66:7 “For on his account and on account of those who are like him, the precious glories have been created and prepared which were spoken to you earlier.”
66:8 “These are those bright waters which you have seen.”

Chapter 67

67:1 “And the eleventh black waters you have seen; that is the disaster which has befallen Zion now.”
67:2 “Do you think that there is no mourning among the angels before the Mighty One, that Zion is delivered up in this way? Behold, the nations rejoice in their hearts, and the multitudes are before their idols and say, She who has trodden others down for such a long time has been trodden down; and she who has subjugated has been subjugated.”
67:3 “Do you think that the Most High rejoices in these things or that his name has been glorified?”
67:4 “But how will it be with his righteous judgment?”
67:5 “But after these things those scattered among the nations will be taken hold of by tribulations and live in shame in every place.”
67:6 “For so far as Zion has been delivered up and Jerusalem laid waste, the idols in the cities of the nations are happy and the flavor of the smoke of the incense of the righteousness of the Law has been extinguished everywhere in the region of Zion; behold, the smoke of the impiety is there.”
67:7 “But the king of Babylon will arise, the one who now has destroyed Zion, and he will boast over the people and speak haughtily in his heart before the Most High.”
67:8 “And he too will fall finally.”
67:9 “These are those black waters.”

Chapter 68

68:1 “And the twelfth bright waters which you have seen; this is the word.”
68:2 “For there will come a time after these things, and your people will fall into such a distress so that they are all together in danger of perishing.”
68:3 “They, however, will be saved, and their enemies will fall before them.”
68:4 “And to them will fall much joy one day.”
68:5 “And at that time, after a short time, Zion will be rebuilt again, and the offerings will be restored, and the priests will again return to their ministry.”
68:6 “And the nations will again come to honor it.”
68:7 “But not as fully as before.”
68:8 “But it will happen after these things that there will be a fall of many nations.”
68:9 “These are the bright waters you have seen.”

Chapter 69

69:1 “With regard to the last waters you have seen which are blacker than all those preceding which came after the twelfth, those which were brought together; they apply to the whole world.”
69:2 “For the Most High made a division at the beginning for only he knows what will happen in the future.”
69:3 “For with regard to the evils of the coming impieties which occurred before him, he saw six kinds.”
69:4 “And of the good works of the righteous which would be accomplished before him, he foresaw six kinds, with the exclusion of that which he should accomplish himself at the end of the world.”
69:5 “These are, therefore, not black waters with black, nor bright with bright. For that is the end.”

Chapter 70

70:1 “Therefore, hear the exposition of the last black waters which will come after the black waters. This is the word.”
70:2 “Behold, the days are coming and it will happen when the time of the world has ripened and the harvest of the seed of the evil ones and the good ones has come that the Mighty One will cause to come over the earth and its inhabitants and its rulers confusion of the spirit and amazement of the heart.”
70:3 “And they will hate one another and provoke one another to fight. And the despised will rule over the honorable, and the unworthy will raise themselves over the illustrious.”
70:4 “And many will be delivered to the few, those who were nothing will rule over the strong, the poor will be greater in number than the rich, and the impious will exalt themselves over the brave.”
70:5 “The wise will be silent, and the foolish will speak. And the thought of men will not be realized then, nor the counsel of the strong, and the hope of those who hope will not be realized.”
70:6 “Then it will happen when those things occur which have been said before will come to pass, that confusion will fall upon all men. And some of them will fall in war, and others will perish in tribulations, and again others of them will be troubled by their own.”
70:7 “The Most High will then give a sign to those nations which he has prepared before, and they will come and wage war with the rulers who will then remain.”
70:8 “And it will happen that everyone who saves himself from the war will die in an earthquake, and he who saves himself from the earthquake will be burned by fire, and he who saves himself from the fire will perish by famine.”
70:9 “And it will happen that everyone who will save himself and escape from all things which have been said before – both those who have won and those who have been overcome – that all will be delivered into the hands of my Servant, the Anointed One.”
70:10 “For the whole earth will devour its inhabitants.”

Chapter 71

71:1 “And the holy land will have mercy on its own and will protect its inhabitants at that time.”
71:2 “This is the vision which you have seen, and this is its explanation. For I have come to tell you these things since your prayer has been heard by the Most High.”

Chapter 72

72:1 “Now hear also about the bright waters which come at the end after these black ones. This is the word.”
72:2 “After the signs have come of which I have spoken to you before, when the nations are moved and the time of my Anointed One comes, he will call all nations, and some of them he will spare, and others he will kill.”
72:3 “These things will befall the nations which will be spared by him.”
72:4 “Every nation which has not known Israel and which has not trodden down the seed of Jacob will live.”
72:5 “And this is because some from all nations have been subjected to your people.”
72:6 “All those, now, who have ruled over you or have known you, will be delivered up to the sword.”

Chapter 73

73:1 “And it will happen that after he has brought down everything which is in the world, and has sat down in eternal peace on the throne of the kingdom, then joy will be revealed and rest will appear.”
73:2 “And then health will descend in dew, and illness will vanish, and fear and tribulation and lamentation will pass away from among men, and joy will encompass the earth.”
73:3 “And nobody will again die untimely, nor will any adversity take place suddenly.”
73:4 “Judgment, condemnations, contentions, revenges, blood, passions, zeal, hate, and all such things will go into condemnation since they will be uprooted.”
73:5 “For these are the things that have filled this earth with evils, and because of them life of men came in yet greater confusion.”
73:6 “And the wild beasts will come from the wood and serve men, and the asps and dragons will come out of their holes to subject themselves to a child.”
73:7 “And women will no longer have pain when they bear, nor will they be tormented when they yield the fruits of their womb.”

Chapter 74

74:1 “And it will happen in those days that the reapers will not become tired, and the farmers will not wear themselves out, because the products of themselves will shoot out speedily, during the time that they work on them in full tranquility.”
74:2 “For that time is the end of that which is corruptible and the beginning of that which is incorruptible.”
74:3 “Therefore, the things which were said before will happen in it. Therefore, it is far away from the evil things and near to those which do not die.”
74:4 “Those are the last bright waters which have come after the last dark waters.”

Chapter 75

75:1 “And I answered and said: Who can equal your goodness, O Lord? for it is incomprehensible.”
75:2 “Or who can fathom your grace which is without end?”
75:3 “Or who can understand your intelligence?”
75:4 “Or who can narrate the thoughts of your spirit?”
75:5 “Or who of those born can hope to arrive at these things, apart from those to whom you are merciful and gracious?”
75:6 “For if you were not merciful to men, those who are under your right hand, they were not able to come to them, apart from those who are named among the famous number.”
75:7 “But we who exist, when we know why we have come, and then subject ourselves to him who brought us out of Egypt, we shall come again and remember those things which have passed away, and rejoice with regard to the things which have been.”
75:8 “But if we do not know now why we have come, and do not recognize the sovereignty of him who brought us up from Egypt, we will come again and ask for that which has now occurred, and shall be severely grieved because of that which has happened.”

Chapter 76

76:1 “And he answered and said to me: Since the revelation of this vision has been explained to you as you prayed for, hear the word of the Most High that you know that which will happen to you after these things.”
76:2 “For you will surely depart from this world, nevertheless not to death but to be kept unto (the end) of times.”
76:3 “Therefore, go up to the top of this mountain and all the countries of this earth will pass before you, as well as the likeness of the inhabited world, and the top of the mountains, and the depths of the valleys, and the depths of the seas, and the number of rivers, so that you may see that which you leave and where you go.”
76:4 “This will happen after forty days.”
76:5 “Go, therefore, now during these days and instruct the people as much as you can so that they may learn lest they die in the last times, but may learn so that they live in the last times.”

Chapter 77

77:1 “And I, Baruch, went away from there and came to the people, and assembled them from the smallest to the greatest and said to them:”
77:2 “Hear, O children of Israel, behold how many are left from the twelve tribes of Israel.”
77:3 “To you and your fathers the Lord gave the Law above all nations.”
77:4 “And because your brothers have transgressed the commandments of the Most High, he brought vengeance upon you and upon them and did spare the ancestors, but he also gave the descendants into captivity and did not leave a remnant of them.”
77:5 “And, behold, you are here, with me.”
77:6 “If, therefore, you will make straight your ways, you will not go away as your brothers went away, but they will come to you.”
77:7 “For he is merciful whom you honor, and gracious in whom you hope, and true so that he will do good to you and not evil.”
77:8 “Have you not seen what has befallen Zion?”
77:9 “Or do you think that the place has sinned and that it has been destroyed for this reason, or that the country has done some crime and that it is delivered that reason?”
77:10 “And do you not know that because of you who sinned the one who did not sin was destroyed, and that because of those who acted unrighteously, the one who has not gone astray has been delivered up to the enemies?”
77:11 “And the whole people answered and they said to me: Everything which we can remember of the good things which the Mighty One has done to us we shall remember, and that which we do not remember he knows in his grace.”
77:12 “But do this for us, your people: Write also to our brothers in Babylon a letter of doctrine and a roll of hope so that you might strengthen them also before you go away from us.”
77:13 “For the shepherds of Israel have perished, and the lamps which gave light are extinguished, and the fountains from which we used to drink have withheld their streams.”
77:14 “Now we have been left in the darkness and in the thick forest and in the aridness of the desert.”
77:15 “And I answered and said to them: Shepherds and lamps and fountains came from the Law and when we go away, the Law will abide.”
77:16 “If you, therefore, look upon the Law and are intent upon the wisdom, then the lamp will not be wanting and the shepherd will not give way and the fountain will not dry up.”
77:17 “Nevertheless, I shall also write to your brothers in Babylon, as you have said to me, and I shall send it by means of men. Also I shall write to the nine and a half tribes, and send it by means of a bird.”
77:18 “And it happened on the twenty-first day of the ninth month that I, Baruch, came and sat down under the oak in the shadow of the branches, and nobody was with me; I was alone.”
77:19 “And I wrote two letters. One I sent by means of an eagle to the nine and a half tribes, and the other I sent by means of three men to those who were in Babylon.”
77:20 “And I called an eagle and said to him these words:”
77:21 “You have been created by the Most High that you should be higher than any other bird.”
77:22 “But now go and do not stay in any place, do not go into a nest, do not sit on any tree until you have flown over the breadth of the many waters of the river Euphrates and have come to the people that live there and cast down to them this letter.”
77:23 “Remember that Noah at the time of the flood received the fruit of the olive tree from a dove when he sent it away from the ark.”
77:24 “And also the ravens served Elijah when they brought food to him as they were commanded.”
77:25 “Also Solomon, in the time of his kingship, commanded a bird whither he wanted to send a letter and in whatever he was in need of and it obeyed him as he commanded it.”
77:26 “And do not be reluctant and do not deviate to the right nor to the left, but fly and go straight away that you may preserve the command of the Mighty One as I said to you.”

Chapter 78

78:1 “The letter of Baruch, the son of Neriah which he wrote to the nine and a half tribes. And these are the words of the letter which Baruch, the son of Neriah, sent to the nine and a half tribes which were across the river in which were written the following things.”
78:2 “Thus speaks Baruch, the son of Neriah, to the brothers who were carried away in captivity:”
78:3 “Grace and peace be with you. I remember, my brothers, the love of him who created me, who loved us from the beginning and who never hated us but, on the contrary, chastised us.”
78:4 “And truly I know: Are we not all, the twelve tribes, bound by one captivity as we also descend from one father?”
78:5 “Therefore, I have been the more diligent to leave you the words of this letter before I die so that you may be comforted regarding the evils which have befallen you, and you may also be grieved with regard to the evils which have befallen your brothers, and them further, so that you may consider the judgment of him who decreed it against you to be righteous, namely, that you should be carried away into captivity, for what you have suffered is smaller than what you have done, in order that you may be found worthy of your fathers in the last times.”
78:6 “Therefore, if you think about the things you have suffered now for your good so that you may not be condemned at the end and be tormented, you shall receive hope which lasts forever and ever, particularly if you remove from your hearts the idle error for which you went away from here.”
78:7 “For if you do these things in this way, he shall continually remember you. He is the one who always promised on our behalf to those who are more excellent than we that he will not forever forget or forsake our offspring, but with much mercy assemble all those again who were dispersed.”

Chapter 79

79:1 “Therefore, my brothers, learn first what befell Zion, namely, that Nebucadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came up against us.”
79:2 “For we had sinned against him who created us, and had not observed the commandments which he ordered us.”
79:3 “And yet he has not chastised us as we deserved.”
79:4 “For what befell you, we suffered even more, for it befell us also.”

Chapter 80

80:1 “And now, my brothers, when the enemies had surrounded the city, angels were sent from the Most High. And they demolished the fortification of the strong wall, and he destroyed their solid iron corners which could not be loosened.”
80:2 “Nevertheless, they hid the holy vessels lest they be polluted by the enemies.”
80:3 “And when they had done these things, they left the demolished wall, the looted house, the burned temple, and the people who were overcome to the enemies, for they were delivered up lest the enemies should boast and say, “We have overcome to such an extent that we have even destroyed the house of the Most High.”
80:4 “They have also bound your brothers and carried them away to Babylon and have caused them to live there.”
80:5 “And we have been left here with very few.”
80:6 “That is the affliction about which I write to you.”
80:7 “For truly I know that the inhabitants of Zion were a comfort to you. As long as you knew that they were happy, this was more important than the affliction you endured being separated from them.”

Chapter 81

81:1 “But also hear the word of consolation.”
81:2 “For I mourned with regard to Zion and asked grace from the Most High and said.”
81:3 “Will these things exist for us until the end?”
81:4 “And will these evils befall us always? And the Mighty One did according to the multitude of his grace, and the Most High according to the magnitude of his mercy, and he revealed to me a word that I might be comforted, and showed me visions that I might not be again sorrowful, and made known to me the mysteries of the times, and showed me the coming of the periods.”

Chapter 82

82:1 “My brothers, therefore I have written to you that you may find consolation with regard to the multitude of tribulations.”
82:2 “But you ought to know that our Creator will surely avenge us on all our brothers according to everything which they have done against us and among us; in particular that the end which the Most High prepared is near, and that his grace is coming, and that the fulfillment of his judgment is not far.”
82:3 “For now we see the multitude of the happiness of the nations although they have acted wickedly; but they are like a vapor.”
82:4 “And we behold the multitude of their power while they act impiously; but they will be made like a drop.”
82:5 “And we see the strength of their power while they resist the Mighty One every hour, but they will be reckoned like spittle.”
82:6 “And we will ponder about the glory of their majesty while they do not keep the statutes of the Most High; but as smoke they will pass away.”
82:7 “And we think about the beauty of their gracefulness (life) while they go down in impurities; but like grass which is withering, they will fade away.”
82:8 “And we ponder about the strength of their cruelty while they themselves do not think about the end; but they will be broken like a passing wave.”
82:9 “And we notice the pride of their power while they deny the goodness of God by whom it was given to them; but as a passing cloud they will vanish.”

Chapter 83

83:1 “For the Most High will surely hasten his times, and he will certainly cause his periods to arrive.”
83:2 “And he will surely judge those who are in his world, and will truly inquire into everything with regard to all their works which were sins.”
83:3 “He will certainly investigate the secret thoughts and everything which is lying in the inner chambers of all their members which are in sin. And he will make them manifest in the presence of everyone with blame.”
83:4 “Therefore, nothing of the present things should come into your heart, but they should, on the contrary, be expected, since that which was promised will come.”
83:5 “And we should not look upon the delights of the present nations, but let us think about that which has been promised to us regarding the end.”
83:6 “For the ends of the times and the periods will surely pass away and all which is in them together.”
83:7 “The end of the world will then show the great power of our Ruler since everything will come to judgment.”
83:8 “You should, therefore, prepare your hearts for that which you have believed before, lest you should be excluded from both worlds, namely, that you were carried away into captivity here and tormented there.”
83:9 “For that which exists now or that which has passed away or that which will come, in all of that, neither the evil in it is fully evil, nor the good is even fully good.”
83:10 “For all sorts of health which exist now changes into illnesses.”
83:11 “And every might which exists now changes into weakness, and every power that exists now changes into miseries,”
83:12 “And every youthful energy changes into old age and consummation. And every beauty of gracefulness which exists now changes into withering and ugliness.”
83:13 “And every infantile pride which exists now changes into lowliness and shame. And every glory of haughtiness which exists now changes into the shame of silence.”
83:14 “And every delight and all splendor which exists now changes into ruin of silence.”
83:15 “And every joy and every delight which exist now changes into rejection and ruin.”
83:16 “And every clamor of pride changes into silent dust.”
83:17 “And every possession of richness which exists now changes into the realm of death alone.”
83:18 “And every seizing desire which exists now changes into involuntary death, and every desire of lust changes into the judgment of punishment.”
83:19 “And every capability of deceit which exists now changes into refutation by truth.”
83:20 “And every sweetness of ointments which exists now changes into judgment and condemnation.”
83:21 “And every friendship changes into silent defamations.”
83:22 “Since all these things happened now, do you think that they will not be avenged?”
83:23 “But the end of everything will come to light.”

Chapter 84

84:1 “Now, I gave you knowledge, while I still live. For I have said that you should particularly learn my mighty commandments which he has instructed you. And I shall set before you some of the commandments of his judgment before I die.”
84:2 “Remember that once Moses called heaven and earth to witness against you and said, “If you trespass the law, you shall be dispersed. And if you shall keep it, you shall be planted.”
84:3 “And also other things he said to you when you were in the desert as twelve tribes together.”
84:4 “And after his death you cast it away from you and, therefore, that which has been said before has come upon you.”
84:5 “And now, Moses spoke to you before it befell you and, behold, it has befallen you for you have forsaken the Law.”
84:6 “Also I, behold, I say to you after you suffered that if you obey the things which I have said to you, you shall receive from the Mighty One everything which has been prepared and has been preserved for you.”
84:7 “Therefore, let this letter be a witness between me and you that you may remember the commandments of the Mighty One, and that it also may serve as my defense in the presence of him who has sent me.”
84:8 “And remember Zion and the Law and the holy land and your brothers and the covenant and your fathers, and do not forget the festivals and the sabbaths.”
84:9 “And give this letter and the traditions of the Law to your children after you as also your fathers handed down to you.”
84:10 “And ask always and pray seriously with your whole soul that the Mighty One may accept you in mercy and that he may not reckon the multitude of your sinners, but remember the integrity of your fathers.”
84:11 “For if he judges us not according to the multitude of his grace, woe to all us who are born.”

Chapter 85

85:1 “Further, know that our fathers in former times and former generations had helpers, righteous prophets and holy men.”
85:2 “But we were also in our country, and they helped us when we sinned, and they intervened for us with him who has created us since they trusted in their works. And the Mighty One heard them and purged us from our sins.”
85:3 “But now, the righteous have been assembled, and the prophets are sleeping. Also we have left our land, and Zion has been taken away from us, and we have nothing now apart from the Mighty One and his Law.”
85:4 “Therefore, if we direct and dispose our hearts, we shall receive everything which we lost again by many times.”
85:5 “For that which we lost was subjected to corruption, and that which we receive will not be corruptible.”
85:6 “We also have written to our brothers in Babylon so that I may attest to them these things also.”
85:7 “And these things which I have said earlier should be before your eyes always, since we are still in the spirit of the power of our liberty.”
85:8 “And further, the Most High is also long-suffering to us hear and has shown to us that which comes and has not concealed from us what will happen at the end.”
85:9 “Therefore, before his judgment exacts his own and truth of that which is its due, let us prepare ourselves that we may possess and not be possessed, and that we may hope and not be put to shame, and that we may rest with our fathers and not be punished with those who hate us.”
85:10 “For the youth of this world has passed away, and the power of creation is already exhausted, and the coming of the times is very near and has passed by. And the pitcher is near the well, and the ship to the harbor, and the journey to the city, and life to its end.”
85:11 “Further, prepare yourselves so that, when you sail and ascend from the ship, you may have rest and not be condemned when you have gone away.”
85:12 “For behold, the Most High will cause all these things to come. There will not be an opportunity to repent anymore, nor a limit to the times, nor a duration of the periods, nor a change to rest, nor an opportunity to prayer, nor sending up petition, nor giving knowledge, nor giving love, nor opportunity of repentance, nor supplicating for offenses, nor prayers of the fathers, nor intercessions of the prophets, nor help of the righteous.”
85:13 “There is the proclamation of judgment to corruption, regarding the way to the fire and the path that leads to the glowing coals.”
85:14 “Therefore, there is one Law by One, one world and an end for all those who exist.”
85:15 “Then he will make alive those whom he has found, and he will purge them from sins, and at the same time he will destroy those who are polluted with sins.”

Chapter 86

86:1 “When you, therefore, receive the letter, read it carefully in your assemblies. And think about it, in particular, however, on the days of your fasts. And remember me by means of this letter in the same way as I remember you by means of this, and always.”

Chapter 87

87:1 “And it happened when I had finished all the words of this letter and had written it carefully until the end, I folded it, sealed it cautiously, and bound it to the neck of the eagle. And I let it go and sent it away.”

The end of the letter of Baruch, the son of Neriah.

The Second Book of Baruch Read More »

The Apocryphon of James

Apoc of James :1   “James writes to […]thos: Peace [be with you from] Peace, [love from] Love, [grace from] Grace, [faith] from Faith, life from Holy Life!”

Apoc of James :2   “Since you asked that I send you a secret book which was revealed to me and Peter by the Lord, I could not turn you away or gainsay () you; but I have written it in the Hebrew alphabet and sent it to you, and you alone.  But since you are a minister of the salvation of the saints, endeavor earnestly and take care not to rehearse this text to many – this that the Savior did not wish to tell to all of us, his twelve disciples.  But blessed will they be who will be saved through the faith of this discourse.”

Apoc of James :3   “I also sent you, ten months ago, another secret book which the Savior had revealed to me. Under the circumstances, however, I regard that one as revealed to me, James; but this one […].”

Apoc of James :4   “Now when the twelve disciples were all sitting together and recalling what the Savior had said to each one of them, whether in secret or openly, and [setting it in order] in books – but I was writing that which was in [my book] – lo, the Savior appeared, [after] he had departed from us, and we had waited for him.  And after five hundred and fifty days since he had risen from the dead, we said to him, “Have you departed and removed yourself from us?”

Apoc of James :5   “But Jesus said, “No, but I shall go to the place from whence I came.  If you wish to come with me, come!”

Apoc of James :6   “They all answered and said, “If you bid us, we come.”

Apoc of James :7   “He said, “Verily I say unto you, no one will ever enter the kingdom of heaven at my bidding, but (only) because you yourselves are full.  Leave James and Peter to me that I may fill them.”  And having called these two he drew them aside and bade the rest occupy themselves with that which they were about.

Apoc of James :8   “The Savior said, “You have received mercy […]. Do you not, then, desire to be filled?  And your heart is drunken; do you not, then, desire to be sober?  Therefore be ashamed! Henceforth, waking or sleeping, remember that you have seen the Son of Man, and spoken with him in person, and listened to him in person.  Woe to those who have seen the son of man; blessed will they be who have not seen the man, and they who have not consorted with him, and they who have not spoken with him, and they who have not listened to anything from him: yours is life!  Know, then, that he healed you when you were ill that you might reign.  Woe to those who have found relief from their illness, for they will relapse into illness.  Blessed will they be who have not been ill, and have known relief before falling ill: yours is the kingdom of God.  Therefore I say to you, become full and leave no space within you empty, for he who is coming can mock you.”

Apoc of James :9   “Then Peter replied, “Lo, three times you have told us, ‘Become filled’; [but] we are full.”

Apoc of James :10   “[The Savior answered] and said, “[For this cause I have said] to you, ‘[Become filled]’ that [you] may not [be in want.  They who are in want], however, will not [be saved].  For it is good to be full, and bad to be in want.  Hence, just as it is good that you (sing.) be in want and, conversely, bad that you be full, so he who is full is in want, and he who is in want does not become full as he who is in want becomes full, and he who has been filled, in turn, attains due perfection.  Therefore you must be in want while it is possible to fill you (pl.), and be full while it is possible for you to be in want, so that you may be able [to fill] yourselves the more.  Hence become full of the Spirit, but be in want of reason, for it is reason; the soul, in turn, is soul.”

Apoc of James :11   “But I answered and said to him, “Lord, we can obey you if you wish, for we have forsaken our fathers and our mothers and our villages and followed you.  Grant us not to be tempted by the devil, the evil one.”

Apoc of James :12   “The Lord answered and said, “What is your merit if you do the will of the Father and it is not given to you from him as a gift while you are tempted by Satan?  But if you are oppressed by Satan and persecuted and you do his (the Father’s) will, I [say] that he will love you, and make you equal with me, and reckon [you] to become beloved through his providence by your own choice.  So will you not cease loving the flesh and being afraid of sufferings?  Or do you not know that you have yet to be abused and to be accused unjustly; and have yet to be shut up in prison, and condemned unlawfully, and crucified <without> reason, and buried <shamefully>, as (was) I myself, by the evil one?  Do you dare to spare the flesh, you for whom the Spirit is an encircling wall?  If you consider how long the world existed <before> you, and how long it will exist after you, you will find that your life is one single day and your sufferings one single hour.  For the good will not enter into the world.  Scorn death, therefore, and take thought for life!  Remember my crucifixion and my death, and you will live!”

Apoc of James :13   “But I answered and said to him, “Lord, do not mention to us the crucifixion and death, for they are far from you.”

Apoc of James :14   “The Lord answered and said, “Verily I say unto you, none will be saved unless they believe in my crucifixion.  But those who have believed in my crucifixion, theirs is the kingdom of God.  Therefore become seekers for death, like the dead who seek for life, for that which they seek is revealed to them.  And what is there to trouble them?  As for you, when you examine death, it will teach you election.  Verily I say unto you, none of those who fear death will be saved; for the kingdom of God belongs to those who put themselves to death.  Become better than I; make yourselves like the son of the Holy Spirit!”

Apoc of James :15   “Then I asked him, “Lord, how shall we be able to prophesy to those who request us to prophesy to them?  For there are many who ask us, and look to us to hear an oracle from us.”

Apoc of James :16   “The Lord answered and said, “Do you not know that the head of prophesy was cut off with John?”

Apoc of James :17   “But I said, “Lord, can it be possible to remove the head of prophecy?”

Apoc of James :18   “The Lord said to me, “When you come to know what ‘head’ means, and that prophecy issues from the head, (then) understand the meaning of ‘Its head was removed.’  At first I spoke to you in parables and you did not understand; now I speak to you openly, and you (still) do not perceive.  Yet it was you who served me as a parable in parables, and as that which is open in the (words) that are open.”

Apoc of James :19   “Hasten to be saved without being urged! Instead, be eager of your own accord and, if possible, arrive even before me, for thus the Father will love you.”

Apoc of James :20   “Come to hate hypocrisy and the evil thought; for it is the thought that gives birth to hypocrisy; but hypocrisy is far from truth.”

Apoc of James :21   “Do not allow the kingdom of heaven to wither; for it is like a palm shoot whose fruit has poured down around it. It put forth leaves, and after they had sprouted they caused the pith to dry up.  So it is also with the fruit which had grown from this single root; when it had been picked (?), fruit was borne by many (?).  It (the root) was certainly good, (and) if it were possible to produce the new plants now, you (sing.) would find it(?)”

Apoc of James :22   “Since I have already been glorified in this fashion, why do you (pl.) hold me back in my eagerness to go?  For after the [end] you have compelled me to stay with you another eighteen days for the sake of the parables.  It was enough for some <to listen> to the teaching and understand ‘The Shepherds’ and ‘The Seed’ and ‘The Building’ and ‘The Lamps of the Virgins’ and ‘The Wage of the Workmen’ and ‘The Didrachmae’ and ‘The Woman.’

Apoc of James :23   “Become earnest about the word!  For as to the word, its first part is faith, the second, love, the third, works; for from these comes life.  For the word is like a grain of wheat: when someone had sown it, he had faith in it; and when it had sprouted, he loved it because he had seen many grains in place of one.  And when he had worked, he was saved because he had prepared it for food, (and) again he left (some) to sow.  So also can you yourselves receive the kingdom of heaven; unless you receive this through knowledge, you will not be able to find it.”

Apoc of James :24   “Therefore I say to you, be sober; do not be deceived!  And many times have I said to you all together, and also to you alone, James, have I said, be saved!  And I have commanded you (sing.) to follow me, and I have taught you what to say before the archons.  Observe that I have descended and have spoken and undergone tribulation and carried off my crown after saving you (pl.). For I came down to dwell with you so that you in turn might dwell with me. And, finding your houses unceiled, I have made my abode in the houses that could receive me at the time of my descent.”

Apoc of James :25   “Therefore trust in me, my brethren; understand what the great light is.  The Father has no need of me, for a father does not need a son; but it is the son who needs the father.  To him I go, for the Father of the Son has no need of you.”

Apoc of James :26   “Hearken to the word; understand knowledge; love life, and no one will persecute you, nor will anyone oppress you, other than you yourselves.”

Apoc of James :27   “O you wretches; O you unfortunates; O you pretenders to the truth; O you falsifiers of knowledge; O you sinners against the Spirit: can you still bear to listen when it behooved you to speak from the first?  Can you still bear to sleep, when it behooved you to be awake from the first, so that the kingdom of heaven might receive you?  Verily I say unto you, it is easier for a pure one to fall into defilement, and for a man of light to fall into darkness, than for you to reign or not reign.”

Apoc of James :28   “I remembered your tears and your mourning and your anguish; they are far behind us.  But now, you who are outside of the Father’s inheritance, weep where it is necessary, and mourn and preach what is good, as the Son is ascending as he should. Verily I say to you, had I been sent to those who listen to me, and had I spoken with them, I would never have come down to earth.  So, then, be ashamed before (?) them now!”

Apoc of James :29   “Behold, I shall depart from you and go away, and do not wish to remain with you any longer, just as you yourselves have not wished it.  Now, therefore, follow me quickly.  This is why I say to you, for your sakes I came down.  You are the beloved; you are they who will be the cause of life in many.  Invoke the Father, implore God often, and he will give to you.  Blessed is he who has seen you with Him when He was proclaimed among the angels, and glorified among the saints; yours is life.  Rejoice and be glad as sons of God.  Keep (his) will that you may be saved; accept reproof from me and save yourselves. I intercede on your behalf with the Father, and he will forgive you much.”

Apoc of James :30   “And when we had heard these words, we became glad, for we had been grieved at the words we have mentioned before. But when he saw us rejoicing, he said, “Woe to you, you who lack an advocate!  Woe to you, you who stand in need of grace!  Blessed will they be who have spoken out and obtained grace for themselves.  Liken yourselves to foreigners; of what sort are they in the eyes of your city?  Why are you disturbed when you cast yourselves away of your own accord and separate yourselves from your city?  Why do you abandon your dwelling place of your own accord, making it ready for those who want to dwell in it?  O you outcasts and fugitives: woe to you, for you will be caught!  Or do you perhaps think that the Father is a lover of mankind, or that he is won over without prayers, or that he grants remission to one on another’s behalf, or that he bears with one who asks? – For he knows the desire and also what it is that the flesh needs! – (Or do you think) that it is not this (flesh) that desires the soul?  For without the soul the body does not sin, just as the soul is not saved without spirit.  But if the soul is saved (when it is) without evil, and the spirit is also saved, then the body becomes free from sin.  For it is the spirit that quickens the soul, but the body that kills it; that is, it is it (the soul) which kills itself.  Verily I say unto you, he will not forgive the soul the sin by any means, nor the flesh the guilt; for none of those who have worn the flesh will be saved.  For do you think that many have found the kingdom of heaven?  Blessed is he who has seen himself as a fourth one in heaven!”

Apoc of James :31   “When we heard these words, we were distressed. But when he saw that we were distressed, he said, “For this cause I tell you this, that you may know yourselves.  For the kingdom of heaven is like an ear of grain after it had sprouted in a field.  And when it had ripened, it scattered its fruit and again filled the field with ears for another year.  You also: hasten to reap an ear of life for yourselves that you may be filled with the kingdom!”

Apoc of James :32   “And as long as I am with you, give heed to me and obey me; but when I depart from you, remember me.  And remember me because I was with you (and) you did not know me.  Blessed will they be who have known me; woe to those who have heard and have not believed.  Blessed will they be who have not seen yet [have believed].

Apoc of James :33   “And once more I prevail upon you, for I am revealed to you building a house which is of great value to you since you find shelter beneath it, just as it will be able to stand by your neighbors’ house when it threatens to fall.  Verily I say unto you, woe to those for whose sakes I was sent down to this place; blessed will they be who ascend to the Father.  Once more I reprove you, you who are: become like those who are not, that you may be with those who are not.”

Apoc of James :34   “Do not make the kingdom of heaven a desert within you.  Do not be proud because of the light that illumines, but be to yourselves as I myself am to you.  For your sakes I have placed myself under the curse, that you may be saved.”

Apoc of James :35   “But Peter replied to these words and said, “Sometimes you urge us on to the kingdom of heaven, and then again you turn us back, Lord; sometimes you persuade and draw us to faith and promise us life, and then again you cast us forth from the kingdom of heaven.”

Apoc of James :36   “But the Lord answered and said to us, “I have given you (pl.) faith many times; moreover, I have revealed myself to you (sing.), James, and you (pl.) have not known me.  Now again I see you (pl.) rejoicing many times; and when you are elated at the promise of life, are you yet sad, and do you grieve when you are instructed in the kingdom?  But you, through faith [and] knowledge, have received life. Therefore, disdain the rejection when you hear it, but when you hear the promise, rejoice the more.  Verily I say unto you, he who will receive life and believe in the kingdom will never leave it, not even if the Father wishes to banish him.”

Apoc of James :37   “These are the things that I shall tell you so far; now, however, I shall ascend to the place from whence I came. But you, when I was eager to go, have cast me out, and instead of accompanying me, you have pursued me.  But pay heed to the glory that awaits me and, having opened your heart, listen to the hymns that await me up in the heavens; for today I must take (my place at) the right hand of the Father.  But I have said (my) last word to you, and I shall depart from you, for a chariot of spirit has borne me aloft, and from this moment on I shall strip myself that I may clothe myself.  But give heed: blessed are they who have proclaimed the Son before his descent that, when I have come, I might ascend again). Thrice blessed are they who [were] proclaimed by the Son before they came to be, that you might have a portion among them.”

Apoc of James :38   Having said these words, he departed. But we bent (our) knee(s), I and Peter, and gave thanks and sent our heart(s) upward to heaven.  We heard with our ears, and saw with our eyes, the noise of wars and a trumpet blare and a great turmoil.”

Apoc of James :39   “And when we had passed beyond that place, we sent our mind(s) farther upward and saw with our eyes and heard with our ears hymns and angelic benedictions and angelic rejoicing. And heavenly majesties were singing praises, and we too rejoiced.”

Apoc of James :40   “After this again we wished to send our spirit upward to the Majesty, and after ascending we were not permitted to see or hear anything, for the other disciples called us and asked us, “What did you hear from the Master?  And what did he say to you?  And where has he gone?”

Apoc of James :41   “But we answered them, “He has ascended, and he has given us pledge and promised life to us all and revealed to us children who are to come after us, after bidding [us] love them, as we would be, [saved] for their sakes.”

Apoc of James :42   “And when they heard (this), they indeed believed the revelation, but were displeased about those to be born. And so, not wishing to arouse their resentment, I sent each one to another place.  But I myself went up to Jerusalem, praying that I might obtain a portion among the beloved, who will appear.”

Apoc of James :43   “And I pray that the beginning may come from you, for thus I shall be capable of salvation, since they will be enlightened through me, by my faith – and through another light that is better than mine, for I would that mine be the lesser. Endeavor earnestly, then, to make yourself like them and I pray that you may obtain a portion among them.  For apart from the persons I have mentioned, the Savior did not give us the revelation. For their sake we proclaim indeed, a portion among those for whom the proclamation was made, those whom the Lord has made his children.”

“For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the children of God.”

Romans 8:19

The Apocryphon of James Read More »

The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles

Acts of Peter :1   “[…] which […] purpose [… after …] us […] apostles […].  We sailed […] of the body. [Others] were not anxious in [their hearts].  And in our hearts, we were united.  We agreed to fulfill the ministry to which the Lord appointed us.  And we made a covenant with each other.”

Acts of Peter :2   “We went down to the sea at an opportune moment, which came to us from the Lord.  We found a ship moored at the shore ready to embark, and we spoke with the sailors of the ship about our coming aboard with them.  They showed great kindliness toward us as was ordained by the Lord.  And after we had embarked, we sailed a day and a night.  After that, a wind came up behind the ship and brought us to a small city in the midst of the sea.”

Acts of Peter :3   “And I, Peter, inquired about the name of this city from residents who were standing on the dock.  [A man] among [them] answered [saying, “The name] of this [city is Habitation, that is], Foundation […] endurance.”  And the leader [among them … holding] the palm branch at the edge of [the dock].  And after we had gone ashore [with the] baggage, I [went] into [the] city, to seek [advice] about lodging.”

Acts of Peter :4   “A man came out wearing a cloth bound around his waist, and a gold belt girded [it].  Also a napkin was tied over [his] chest, extending over his shoulders and covering his head and his arms.”

Acts of Peter :5   “I was staring at the man, because he was beautiful in his form and stature.  There were four parts of his body which I saw: the tops of his feet, and a part of his chest, and the palm of his hand, and his visage.  These things I was able to see.  A book cover like (those of) my books was in his left hand.  A staff of styrax wood was in his right hand.  His voice was resounding as he slowly spoke, crying out in the city, “Pearls!  Pearls!”

<Jesus said,> “Do not give what is holy to the dogs, lest they throw them on the dung-heap.  Do not throw the pearls to swine, lest they grind it [to bits].”

Gospel of Thomas :93 & Matthew 7:6

Acts of Peter :6   “I, indeed, thought he was a man [of] that city. I said to him “My brother and my friend!”  [He answered] me, [then, saying, “Rightly] did you say, ‘[My brother and] my friend.’ What is it you [seek] from me?” I said to him, “[I ask] you [about] lodging for me [and the] brothers also, because we are strangers here.” He said [to] me, “For this reason have I myself just said, ‘My brother and my friend,’  because I also am a fellow stranger like you.”

Acts of Peter :7   “And having said these things, he cried out, “Pearls!  Pearls!” The rich men of that city heard his voice.  They came out of their hidden storerooms.  And some were looking out from the storerooms of their houses. Others looked out from their upper windows.  And they did not see (that they could gain) anything from him, because there was no pouch on his back, nor bundle inside his cloth  and napkin.  And because of their disdain they did not even acknowledge him.  He for his part, did not reveal himself to them.  They returned to their storerooms, saying, “This man is mocking us.”

Acts of Peter :8   “And the poor [of that city] heard [his voice, and they came to] the man [who sells pearls.  They said, “We] beseech you to [show us a] pearl [so that we may], then, [see] it with our (own) eyes.  For we are [poor].  And we do not have this price to pay for it.  But [allow us] to say to our friends that [we saw] a pearl with our (own) eyes.”  He answered, saying to them, “If it is possible, come to my city, so that I may not only show it before your (very) eyes, but give it to you for nothing.”

Acts of Peter :9   “And indeed they, the poor of that city, heard and said, “Since we are beggars, we surely know that a man does not give a pearl to a beggar, but (it is) bread and money that is usually received.  Now then, the kindness which we want to receive from you (is) that you show us the pearl before our eyes. And we will say to our friends proudly that we saw a pearl with our (own) eyes”, because it is not found among the poor, especially such beggars (as these).  He answered (and) said to them, “If it is possible, you yourselves come to my city, so that I may not only show you it, but give it to you for nothing.”  The poor and the beggars rejoiced because of the man [who gives for] nothing.”

Acts of Peter :10   “[The men asked Peter] about the hardships. Peter answered [that it was impossible to tell] those things that he had heard about the hardships of [the] way, because [interpreters were] difficult […] in their ministry.”

Acts of Peter :11   “He said to the man who sells this pearl, “I want to know your name and the hardships of the way to your city because we are strangers and servants of God. It is necessary for us to spread the word of God in every city harmoniously.”  He answered and said, “If you seek my name, Lithargoel is my name, the interpretation of which is, the light, gazelle-like(?) stone.”  (“gazelle” in Hebrew is #6643, “splendor/splendid” in the sense of “prominent” – Grk #3037, lithos; “stone” + #696, argos: “shining”) =>  shining stone of God

Acts of Peter :12   “And also (concerning) the road to the city, which you asked me about, I will tell you about it.  No man is able to go on that road, except one who has forsaken everything that he has and has fasted daily from stage to stage.  For many are the robbers and wild beasts on that road.  The one who carries bread with him on the road, the black dogs kill because of the bread. The one who carries a costly garment of the world with him, the robbers kill [because of the] garment.  [The one who carries] water [with him, the wolves kill because of the water], since they were thirsty [for] it. [The one who] is anxious about [meat] and green vegetables, the lions eat because of the meat.  [If] he evades the lions, the bulls devour him because of the green vegetables.”

Acts of Peter :13   “When he had said [these] things to me, I sighed within myself saying, “[Great] hardships are on the road! If only Jesus would give us power to walk it!”  He looked at me since my face was sad, and I sighed.  He said to me, “Why do you sigh, if you, indeed, know this name ‘Jesus’ and believe him?  He is a great power for giving strength.  For I too believe in the Father who sent him.”

Acts of Peter :14   “I replied, asking him, “What is the name of the place to which you go, your city?”  He said to me, “This is the name of my city, ‘Nine Gates.’  Let us praise God as we are mindful that the tenth is the head.” After this I went away from him in peace.”

Acts of Peter :15   “As I was about to go and call my friends, I saw waves and large high walls surrounding the bounds of the city.  I marveled at the great things I saw. I saw an old man sitting and I asked him if the name of the city was really [Habitation].  He […], “[Habitation …].”  He said to me, “[You speak] truly, for we [inhabit] here because [we] endure.”

Acts of Peter :16   “[I responded], saying, “Justly […] have men named it […], because (by) everyone [who] endures his trial, cities are inhabited; and a precious kingdom comes from them, because they endure in the midst of the apostasies and the difficulties of the storms.  So that in this way, the city of everyone who endures the burden of his yoke of faith will be inhabited, and he will be included in the kingdom of heaven.”

Acts of Peter :17   “I hurried and went and called my friends so that we might go to the city which he, Lithargoel, appointed for us.  In a bond of faith we forsook everything as he had said (to do).  We evaded the robbers, because they did not find their garments with us.  We evaded the wolves, because they did not find the water with us for which they thirsted.  We evaded the lions, because they did not find the desire for meat with us.  [We evaded the bulls … they did not find] green vegetables.”

Acts of Peter :18   “A great joy [came upon] us [and a] peaceful carefreeness [like that of] our Lord. We [rested ourselves] in front of the gate, [and] we talked with each other [about that] which is not a distraction of this [world].  Rather we continued in contemplation of the faith.”

Acts of Peter :19   “As we discussed the robbers on the road, whom we evaded, behold Lithargoel, having changed, came out to us.  He had the appearance of a physician, since an unguent box was under his arm, and a young disciple was following him, carrying a pouch full of medicine.  We did not recognize him.”

Acts of Peter :20   “Peter responded and said to him, “We want you to do us a favor, because we are strangers, and take us to the house of Lithargoel before evening comes.”  He said, “In uprightness of heart I will show it to you.  But I am amazed at how you knew this good man.  For he has not revealed himself to every man, because he himself is the son of a great king.  Rest yourselves a little so that I may go and heal this man and come (back).”  He hurried and came (back) quickly.”

Acts of Peter :21   “He said to Peter, “Peter!”  And Peter was frightened, for how did he know that his name was Peter?  Peter responded to the Savior, “How do you know me, for you called my name?”  Lithargoel answered, “I want to ask you who gave the name Peter to you?” He said to him, “It was Jesus Christ, the son of the living God.  He gave this name to me.”  He answered and said, “It is I!  Recognize me, Peter.” He loosened his garment, which clothed him, the one into which he had changed himself because of us, revealing to us in truth that it was he.”

Acts of Peter :22   “We prostrated ourselves on the ground and worshipped him.  We comprised eleven disciples.  He stretched forth his hand and caused us to stand.  We spoke with him humbly.  Our heads were bowed down in unworthiness as we said, “What you wish we will do.  But give us power to do what you wish at all times.”

Acts of Peter :23   “He gave them the unguent box and the pouch that was in the hand of the young disciple.  He commanded them like this, saying, “Go into [the] city from which you came, which is called Habitation.  Continue in endurance as you teach all those who have believed in my name, because I have endured in hardships of the faith. I will give you your reward. To the poor of that city give what they need in order to live until I give them what is better, which I told you that I will give you for nothing.”

Acts of Peter :24   “Peter answered and said to him, “Lord, you have taught us to forsake the world and everything in it. We have renounced them for your sake.  What we are concerned about (now) is the food for a single day.  Where will we be able to find the needs that you ask us to provide for the poor?”

Acts of Peter :25   “The Lord answered and said,  “O Peter, it was necessary that you understand the parable that I told you!  Do you not understand that my name, which you teach, surpasses all riches, and the wisdom of God surpasses gold, and silver, and precious stone(s)?”

Acts of Peter :26   “He gave them the pouch of medicine and said, “Heal all the sick of the city who believe [in] my name.” Peter was afraid [to] reply to him for the second time.  He signaled to the one who was beside him, who was John: “You talk this time.”  John answered and said, “Lord, before you we are afraid to say many words. But it is you who asks us to practice this skill. We have not been taught to be physicians. How then will we know how to heal bodies as you have told us?”

Acts of Peter :27   “He answered him, “Rightly have you spoken, John, for I know that the physicians of this world heal what belongs to the world.  The physicians of souls, however, heal the heart.  Heal the bodies first, therefore, so that through the real powers of healing for their bodies, without medicine of the world, they may believe in you, that you have power to heal the illnesses of the heart also.”

Acts of Peter :28   “The rich men of the city, however, those who did not see fit even to acknowledge me, but who reveled in their wealth and pride, with such as these, therefore, do not dine in [their] house nor be friends with them, lest their partiality influence you. For many in the churches have shown partiality to the rich, because they also are sinful, and they give occasion for others to do (likewise).  But judge them with uprightness, so that your ministry may be glorified, and (so that) I too, and my name, may be glorified in the churches.”  The disciples answered and said, “Yes, truly this is what is fitting to do.”

Acts of Peter :29   “They prostrated themselves on the ground and worshipped him.  He caused them to stand and departed from them in peace.  Amen.”

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