32:9. Hear in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.
32:10. Young man, scarcely speak in thy own cause.
32:11. If thou be asked twice, let thy answer be short.
32:12. In many things be as if thou wert ignorant, and hear in silence and withal seeking.
32:13. In the company of great men take not upon thee: and when the ancients are present, speak not much.
32:14. Before a storm goeth lightning: and before shamefacedness goeth favour: and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.
32:15. And at the time of rising be not slack: but be first to run home to thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and there take thy pastime.
32:16. And do what thou hast a mind, but not in sin or proud speech.
32:17. And for all these things bless the Lord, that made thee, and that replenisheth thee with all his good things.
32:18. He that feareth the Lord, will receive his discipline: and they that will seek him early, shall find a blessing.
32:19. He that seeketh the law, shall be filled with it: and he that dealeth deceitfully, shall meet with a stumblingblock therein.
32:20. They that fear the Lord, shall find just judgment, and shall kindle justice as a light.
32:21. A sinful man will flee reproof, and will find an excuse according to his will.
32:22. A man of counsel will not neglect understanding, a strange and proud man will not dread fear:
32:23. Even after he hath done with fear without counsel, he shall be controlled by the things of his own seeking.
32:24. My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done.
32:25. Go not in the way of ruin, and thou shalt not stumble against the stones: trust not thyself to a rugged way, lest thou set a stumblingblock to thy soul.
32:26. And beware of thy own children, and take heed of them of thy household.
32:27. In every work of thine regard thy soul in faith: for this is the keeping of the commandments.
In faith... That is, follow sincerely thy soul in her faith and conscience.
32:28. He that believeth God, taketh heed to the commandments: and he that trusteth in him, shall fare never the worse.
Ecclesiasticus Chapter 33
The fear of God is the best security. Times and men are in the hands of God. Take care of thyself as long as thou livest, and look to thy servants.
33:1. No evils shall happen to him that feareth the Lord, but in temptation God will keep him and deliver him from evils.
33:2. A wise man hateth not the commandments and justices, and he shall not be dashed in pieces as a ship in a storm.
33:3. A man of understanding is faithful to the law of God, and the law is faithful to him.
33:4. He that cleareth up a question, shall prepare what to say, and so having prayed he shall be heard, and shall keep discipline, and then he shall answer.
33:5. The heart of a fool is as a wheel of a cart: and his thoughts are like a rolling axletree.
33:6. A friend that is a mocker, is like a stallion horse: he neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.
33:7. Why doth one day excel another, and one light another, and one year another year, when all come of the sun?
33:8. By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished, the sun being made, and keeping his commandment.
33:9. And he ordered the seasons, and holidays of them, and in them they celebrated festivals at an hour.
33:10. Some of them God made high and great days, and some of them he put in the number of ordinary days. And all men are from the ground, and out of the earth, from whence Adam was created.
33:11. With much knowledge the Lord hath divided them and diversified their ways.
33:12. Some of them hath he blessed, and exalted: and some of them hath he sanctified, and set near himself: and some of them hath he cursed and brought low, and turned them from their station.
33:13. As the potter's clay is in his hand, to fashion and order it:
33:14. All his ways are according to his ordering: so man is in the hand of him that made him, and he will render to him according to his judgment.
33:15. Good is set against evil, and life against death: so also is the sinner against a just man. And so look upon all the works of the most High. Two and two, and one against another.
33:16. And I awaked last of all, and as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers.
33:17. In the blessing of God I also have hoped: and as one that gathereth grapes, have I filled the winepress.
33:18. See that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that seek discipline.
33:19. Hear me, ye great men, and all ye people, and hearken with your ears, ye rulers of the church.
33:20. Give not to son or wife, brother or friend, power over thee while thou livest; and give not thy estate to another, lest thou repent, and thou entreat for the same.
33:21. As long as thou livest, and hast breath in thee, let no man change thee.
Change thee... That is, so as to have this power over thee.
33:22. For it is better that thy children should ask of thee, than that thou look toward the hands of thy children.
33:23. In all thy works keep the pre-eminence.
The pre-eminence... That is, be master in thy own house, and part not with thy authority.
33:24. Let no stain sully thy glory. In the time when thou shalt end the days of thy life, and in the time of thy decease, distribute thy inheritance.
33:25. Fodder, and a wand, and a burden are for an ass: bread, and correction, and work for a slave.