The Bible, Douay Rheims, Book 26: Ecclesiasticus

U >> Unknown >> The Bible, Douay Rheims, Book 26: Ecclesiasticus

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

41:20. For it is not good to keep all shamefacedness: and all things do
not please all men in opinion.

41:21. Be ashamed of fornication before father and mother: and of a lie
before a governor and a man in power:

41:22. Of an offence before a prince, and a judge: of iniquity before a
congregation and a people:

41:23. Of injustice before a companion and friend: and in regard to the
place where thou dwellest,

41:24. Of theft, and of the truth of God, and the covenant: of leaning
with thy elbow over meat, and of deceit in giving and taking:

41:25. Of silence before them that salute thee: of looking upon a
harlot: and of turning away thy face from thy kinsman.

41:26. Turn not away thy face from thy neighbour, and of taking away a
portion and not restoring.

41:27. Gaze not upon another man's wife, and be not inquisitive after
his handmaid, and approach not her bed.

41:28. Be ashamed of upbraiding speeches before friends: and after thou
hast given, upbraid not.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 42

Of what things we ought not to be ashamed. Cautions with regard to
women. The works and greatness of God.

42:1. Repeat not the word which thou hast heard, and disclose not the
thing that is secret; so shalt thou be truly without confusion, and
shalt find favour before all men: be not ashamed of any of these things,
and accept no person to sin thereby:

42:2. Of the law of the most High, and of his covenant, and of judgment
to justify the ungodly:

42:3. Of the affair of companions and travellers, and of the gift of the
inheritance of friends:

42:4. Of exactness of balance and weights, of getting much or little:

42:5. Of the corruption of buying, and of merchants, and of much
correction of children, and to make the side of a wicked slave to bleed.

42:6. Sure keeping is good over a wicked wife.

42:7. Where there are many hands, shut up, and deliver all things in
number, and weight: and put all in writing that thou givest out or
receivest in.

42:8. Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the aged,
that are judged by young men: and thou shalt be well instructed in all
things, and well approved in the sight of all men living.

42:9. The father waketh for the daughter when no man knoweth, and the
care for her taketh away his sleep, when she is young, lest she pass
away the flower of her age, and when she is married, lest she should be
hateful:

42:10. In her virginity, lest she should be corrupted, and be found with
child in her father's house: and having a husband, lest she should
misbehave herself, or at the least become barren.

42:11. Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter: lest at anytime she
make thee become a laughingstock to thy enemies, and a byword in the
city, and a reproach among the people, and she make thee ashamed before
all the multitude.

42:12. Behold not everybody's beauty: and tarry not among women.

42:13. For from garments cometh a moth, and from a woman the iniquity of
a man.

42:14. For better is the iniquity of a man, than a woman doing a good
turn, and a woman bringing shame and reproach.

Better is the iniquity, etc... That is, there is, commonly speaking,
less danger to be apprehended to the soul from the churlishness, or
injuries we receive from men, than from the flattering favours and
familiarity of women.

42:15. I will now remember the works of the Lord, and I will declare the
things I have seen. By the words of the Lord are his works.

42:16. The sun giving light hath looked upon all things, and full of the
glory of the Lord is his work.

42:17. Hath not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful
works, which the Lord Almighty hath firmly settled to be established for
his glory?

42:18. He hath searched out the deep, and the heart of men: and
considered their crafty devices.

42:19. For the Lord knoweth all knowledge, and hath beheld the signs of
the world, he declareth the things that are past, and the things that
are to come, and revealeth the traces of hidden things.

42:20. No thought escapeth him, and no word can hide itself from him.

42:21. He hath beautified the glorious works of his wisdom: and he is
from eternity to eternity, and to him nothing may be added,

42:22. Nor can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor.

42:23. O how desirable are all his works, and what we can know is but as
a spark!

42:24. All these things live, and remain for ever, and for every use all
things obey him.

42:25. All things are double, one against another, and he hath made
nothing defective.

42:26. He hath established the good things of every one. And who shall
be filled with beholding his glory?

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 43

The works of God are exceedingly glorious and wonderful: no man is able
sufficiently to praise him.

43:1. The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its
glorious shew.

43:2. The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an
admirable instrument, the work of the most High.

43:3. At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat?
As one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:

43:4. The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out
fiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.

43:5. Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened
his course.

43:6. And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times
and a sign of the world.

43:7. From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that
decreaseth in her perfection.

43:8. The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her
perfection.

43:9. Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in
the firmament of heaven.

43:10. The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord
enlighteneth the world on high.

43:11. By the words of the holy one they stand in judgment, and shall
never fall in their watches.

43:12. Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very
beautiful in its brightness.

43:13. It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory,
the hands of the most High have displayed it.

43:14. By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth
forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.

43:15. Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out
like birds.

43:16. By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are
broken.

43:17. At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the
south wind shall blow.

43:18. The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the
northern storm, and the whirlwind:

43:19. And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and
the falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.

43:20. The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the
heart is astonished at the shower thereof.

43:21. He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth,
it shall become like the tops of thistles.

43:22. The cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into
crystal; upon every gathering together of waters it shall rest, and
shall clothe the waters as a breastplate.

43:23. And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and
consume all that is green as with fire.

43:24. A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a
dew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.

43:25. At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth
the deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.

43:26. Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when
we hear with our ears, we shall admire.

43:27. There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of
all living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.

43:28. Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his
word all things are regulated.

43:29. We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our
words is, He is all.

43:30. What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty
himself is above all his works.

43:31. The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is
admirable.

43:32. Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far
exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.

43:33. Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for he is above
all praise.

43:34. When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary:
for you can never go far enough.

43:35. Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as
he is from the beginning?

43:36. There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these:
for we have seen but a few of his works.

43:37. But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given
wisdom.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 44

The praises of the holy fathers, in particular of Enoch, Noe, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob.

44:1. Let us now praise men of renown and our fathers in their
generation.

44:2. The Lord hath wrought great glory through his magnificence from
the beginning.

44:3. Such as have borne rule in their dominions, men of great power,
and endued with their wisdom, shewing forth in the prophets the dignity
of prophets,

44:4. And ruling over the present people, and by the strength of wisdom
instructing the people in most holy words.

44:5. Such as by their skill sought out musical tunes, and published
canticles of the scriptures.

44:6. Rich men in virtue, studying beautifulness: living at peace in
their houses.

44:7. All these have gained glory in their generations, and were praised
in their days.

44:8. They that were born of them have left a name behind them, that
their praises might be related:

44:9. And there are some, of whom there is no memorial: who are
perished, as if they had never been: and are become as if they had never
been born, and their children with them.

44:10. But these were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed:

44:11. Good things continue with their seed,

44:12. Their posterity are a holy inheritance, and their seed hath stood
in the covenants.

44:13. And their children for their sakes remain for ever: their seed
and their glory shall not be forsaken.

44:14. Their bodies are buried in peace, and their name liveth unto
generation and generation.

44:15. Let the people shew forth their wisdom, and the church declare
their praise.

44:16. Henoch pleased God, and was translated into paradise, that he may
give repentance to the nations.

44:17. Noe was found perfect, just, and in the time of wrath he was made
a reconciliation.

44:18. Therefore was there a remnant left to the earth, when the flood
came.

44:19. The covenants of the world were made with him, that all flesh
should no more be destroyed with the flood.

44:20. Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and there
was not found the like to him in glory, who kept the law of the most
High, and was in covenant with him.

44:21. In his flesh he established the covenant, and in temptation he
was found faithful.

44:22. Therefore by an oath he gave him glory in his posterity, that he
should increase as the dust of the earth,

44:23. And that he would exalt his seed as the stars, and they should
inherit from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

44:24. And he did in like manner with Isaac for the sake of Abraham his
father.

44:25. The Lord gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed his
covenant upon the head of Jacob.

44:26. He acknowledged him in his blessings, and gave him an
inheritance, and divided him his portion in twelve tribes.

44:27. And he preserved for him men of mercy, that found grace in the
eyes of all flesh.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 45

The praises of Moses, of Aaron, and of Phinees.

45:1. Moses was beloved of God, and men: whose memory is in benediction.

45:2. He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the
fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease.

45:3. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments
in the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory.

45:4. He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness, and chose him out of
all flesh.

45:5. For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloud.

45:6. And he gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life
and instruction, that he might teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his
judgments.

45:7. He exalted Aaron his brother, and like to himself of the tribe of
Levi:

45:8. He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the
priesthood of the nation, and made him blessed in glory,

45:9. And he girded him about with a glorious girdle, and clothed him
with a robe of glory, and crowned him with majestic attire.

45:10. He put upon him a garment to the feet, and breeches, and an
ephod, and he compassed him with many little bells of gold all round
about,

45:11. That as he went there might be a sound, and a noise made that
might be heard in the temple, for a memorial to the children of his
people.

45:12. He gave him a holy robe of gold, and blue, and purple, a woven
work of a wise man, endued with judgment and truth:

45:13. Of twisted scarlet the work of an artist, with precious stones
cut and set in gold, and graven by the work of a lapidary for a
memorial, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

45:14. And a crown of gold upon his mitre wherein was engraved Holiness,
an ornament of honour: a work of power, and delightful to the eyes for
its beauty.

45:15. Before him there were none so beautiful, even from the beginning.

45:16. No stranger was ever clothed with them, but only his children
alone, and his grandchildren for ever.

45:17. His sacrifices were consumed with fire every day.

45:18. Moses filled his hands and anointed him with holy oil.

45:19. This was made to him for an everlasting testament, and to his
seed as the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and
to have praise, and to glorify his people in his name.

45:20. He chose him out of all men living, to offer sacrifice to God,
incense, and a good savour, for a memorial to make reconciliation for
his people:

45:21. And he gave him power in his commandments, in the covenants of
his judgments, that he should teach Jacob his testimonies, and give
light to Israel in his law.

45:22. And strangers stood up against him, and through envy the men that
were with Dathan and Abiron, compassed him about in the wilderness, and
the congregation of Core in their wrath.

45:23. The Lord God saw and it pleased him not, and they were consumed
in his wrathful indignation.

45:24. He wrought wonders upon them, and consumed them with a flame of
fire.

45:25. And he added glory to Aaron, and gave him an inheritance, and
divided unto him the firstfruits of the increase of the earth.

45:26. He prepared them bread in the first place unto fulness: for the
sacrifices also of the Lord they shall eat, which he gave to him, and to
his seed.

45:27. But he shall not inherit among the people in the land, and he
hath no portion among the people: for he himself is his portion and
inheritance.

45:28. Phinees the son of Eleazar is the third in glory, by imitating
him in the fear of the Lord:

45:29. And he stood up in the shameful fall of the people: in the
goodness and readiness of his soul he appeased God for Israel.

45:30. Therefore he made to him a covenant of peace, to be the prince of
the sanctuary, and of his people, that the dignity of priesthood should
be to him and to his seed for ever.

45:31. And a covenant to David the king, the son of Jesse of the tribe
of Juda, an inheritance to him and to his seed, that he might give
wisdom into our heart to judge his people in justice, that their good
things might not be abolished, and he made their glory in their nation
everlasting.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 46

The praise of Josue, of Caleb, and of Samuel.

46:1. Valiant in war was Jesus the son of Nave, who was successor of
Moses among the prophets, who was great according to his name,

Jesus the son of Nave... So Josue is named in the Greek Bibles. For
Josue and Jesus signify the same thing, viz., a saviour.

46:2. Very great for the saving the elect of God, to overthrow the
enemies that rose up against them, that he might get the inheritance for
Israel.

46:3. How great glory did he gain when he lifted up his hands, and
stretched out swords against the cities?

46:4. Who before him hath so resisted? for the Lord himself brought the
enemies.

46:5. Was not the sun stopped in his anger, and one day made as two?

46:6. He called upon the most high Sovereign when the enemies assaulted
him on every side, and the great and holy God heard him by hailstones of
exceeding great force.

46:7. He made a violent assault against the nation of his enemies, and
in the descent he destroyed the adversaries.

And in the descent... Of Beth-horon (Jos. 10.).

46:8. That the nations might know his power, that it is not easy to
fight against God. And he followed the mighty one:

46:9. And in the days of Moses he did a work of mercy, he and Caleb the
son of Jephone, in standing against the enemy, and withholding the
people from sins, and appeasing the wicked murmuring.

46:10. And they two being appointed, were delivered out of the danger
from among the number of six hundred thousand men on foot, to bring them
into their inheritance, into the land that floweth with milk and honey.

46:11. And the Lord gave strength also to Caleb, and his strength
continued even to his old age, so that he went up to the high places of
the land, and his seed obtained it for an inheritance:

46:12. That all the children of Israel might see, that it is good to
obey the holy God.

46:13. Then all the judges, every one by name, whose heart was not
corrupted: who turned not away from the Lord,

46:14. That their memory might be blessed, and their bones spring up out
of their place,

46:15. And their name continue for ever, the glory of the holy men
remaining unto their children.

46:16. Samuel the prophet of the Lord, the beloved of the Lord his God,
established a new government, and anointed princes over his people.

46:17. By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the God of
Jacob beheld, and by his fidelity he was proved a prophet.

46:18. And he was known to be faithful in his words, because he saw the
God of light:

46:19. And called upon the name of the Lord Almighty, in fighting
against the enemies who beset him on every side, when he offered a lamb
without blemish.

46:20. And the Lord thundered from heaven, and with a great noise made
his voice to be heard.

46:21. And he crushed the princes of the Tyrians, and all the lords of
the Philistines:

46:22. And before the time of the end of his life in the world, he
protested before the Lord, and his anointed: money, or any thing else,
even to a shoe, he had not taken of any man, and no man did accuse him.

46:23. And after this he slept, and he made known to the king, and
shewed him the end of his life, and he lifted up his voice from the
earth in prophecy to blot out the wickedness of the nation.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 47

The praise of Nathan, of David, and of Solomon: Of his fall and
punishment.

47:1. Then Nathan the prophet arose in the days of David.

47:2. And as the fat taken away from the flesh, so was David chosen from
among the children of Israel.

47:3. He played with lions as with lambs: and with bears he did in like
manner as with the lambs of the flock, in his youth.

47:4. Did not he kill the giant, and take away reproach from his people?

47:5. In lifting up his hand, with the stone in the sling he beat down
the boasting of Goliath:

47:6. For he called upon the Lord the Almighty, and he gave strength in
his right hand, to take away the mighty warrior, and to set up the horn
of his nation.

47:7. So in ten thousand did he glorify him, and praised him in the
blessings of the Lord, in offering to him a crown of glory:

47:8. For he destroyed the enemies on every side, and extirpated the
Philistines the adversaries unto this day: he broke their horn for ever.

47:9. In all his works he gave thanks to the holy one, and to the most
High, with words of glory.

47:10. With his whole heart he praised the Lord, and loved God that made
him: and he gave him power against his enemies:

47:11. And he set singers before the altar, and by their voices he made
sweet melody.

47:12. And to the festivals he added beauty, and set in order the solemn
times even to the end of his life, that they should praise the holy name
of the Lord, and magnify the holiness of God in the morning.

47:13. The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn for ever: and
he gave him a covenant of the kingdom, and a throne of glory in Israel.

47:14. After him arose up a wise son, and for his sake he cast down all
the power of the enemies.

47:15. Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God brought all his enemies
under him, that he might build a house in his name, and prepare a
sanctuary for ever: O how wise wast thou in thy youth!

47:16. And thou wast filled as a river with wisdom, and thy soul covered
the earth.

47:17. And thou didst multiply riddles in parables: thy name went abroad
to the islands far off, and thou wast beloved in thy peace.

47:18. The countries wondered at thee for thy canticles, and proverbs,
and parables, and interpretations,

47:19. And at the name of the Lord God, whose surname is, God of Israel.

47:20. Thou didst gather gold as copper, and didst multiply silver as
lead,

47:21. And thou didst bow thyself to women: and by thy body thou wast
brought under subjection.

47:22. Thou hast stained thy glory, and defiled thy seed so as to bring
wrath upon thy children, and to have thy folly kindled,

47:23. That thou shouldst make the kingdom to be divided, and out of
Ephraim a rebellious kingdom to rule.

47:24. But God will not leave off his mercy, and he will not destroy,
nor abolish his own works, neither will he cut up by the roots the
offspring of his elect: and he will not utterly take away the seed of
him that loveth the Lord.

47:25. Wherefore he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David of the same
stock.

47:26. And Solomon had an end with his fathers.

47:27. And he left behind him of his seed, the folly of the nation,

47:28. Even Roboam that had little wisdom, who turned away the people
through his counsel:

47:29. And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who caused Israel to sin, and
shewed Ephraim the way of sin, and their sins were multiplied
exceedingly.

47:30. They removed them far away from their land.

47:31. And they sought out all iniquities, till vengeance came upon
them, and put an end to all their sins.

Ecclesiasticus Chapte 48

The praise of Elias, of Eliseus, of Ezechias, and of Isaias.

48:1. And Elias the prophet stood up, as a fire, and his word burnt like
a torch.

48:2. He brought a famine upon them, and they that provoked him in their
envy, were reduced to a small number, for they could not endure the
commandments of the Lord.

48:3. By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and he brought down
fire from heaven thrice.

48:4. Thus was Elias magnified in his wondrous works. And who can glory
like to thee?

48:5. Who raisedst up a dead man from below, from the lot of death, by
the word of the Lord God.

48:6. Who broughtest down kings to destruction, and brokest easily their
power in pieces, and the glorious from their bed.

48:7. Who heardest judgment in Sina, and in Horeb the judgments of
vengeance.

48:8. Who anointedst kings to penance, and madest prophets successors
after thee.

48:9. Who wast taken up in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot of fiery
horses.

48:10. Who art registered in the judgments of times to appease the wrath
of the Lord, to reconcile the heart of the father to the son, and to
restore the tribes of Jacob.

48:11. Blessed are they that saw thee, and were honoured with thy
friendship.

48:12. For we live only in our life, but after death our name shall not
be such.

48:13. Elias was indeed covered with the whirlwind, and his spirit was
filled up in Eliseus: in his days he feared not the prince, and no man
was more powerful than he.

48:14. No word could overcome him, and after death his body prophesied.

48:15. In his life he did great wonders, and in death he wrought
miracles.

48:16. For all this the people repented not, neither did they depart
from their sins till they were cast out of their land, and were
scattered through all the earth.

48:17. And there was left but a small people, and a prince in the house
of David.

48:18. Some of these did that which pleased God: but others committed
many sins.

48:19. Ezechias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst
thereof, and he digged a rock with iron, and made a well for water.

48:20. In his days Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up
his hand against them, and he stretched out his hand against Sion, and
became proud through his power.

48:21. Then their hearts and hands trembled, and they were in pain as
women in travail.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8