1 Do not choose to seek iniquitous possessions, and you should not say: “I have all I need in life.” For it will be of no benefit to you in the time of retribution and darkness.
2 You should not pursue, in your strength, the desires of your heart.
3 And you should not say: “How powerful am I?” or, “Who will cast me down because of my deeds?” For God will vindicate with vengeance.
4 You should not say, “I sinned, and what grief has befallen me?” For the Most High is a patient recompensor.
5 Do not be willing to be without fear concerning a forgiven sin, and you should not add sin upon sin.
6 And you should not say: “The compassion of the Lord is great; he will take pity on the multitude of my sins.”
7 For both mercy and wrath go forth quickly from him, and his wrath sets its gaze upon sinners.
8 You should not delay being converted to the Lord, and you should not set it aside from day to day.
9 For his wrath will approach suddenly, and in the time of vindication, he will destroy you.
10 Do not choose to be anxious for unjust wealth. For these things will not benefit you in the day of darkness and retribution.
11 You should not winnow in every wind, and you should not go forth into every path. For so is every sinner proven by his duplicitous tongue.
12 Be steadfast in the way of the Lord and in the truth of your understanding and knowledge, and let words of peace and justice overtake you.
13 Be meek when listening to a word, so that you may understand. And offer a true response in wisdom.
14 If you understand, then answer your neighbor. But if you do not, then let your hand be over your mouth, so that you are not caught by an inept word, and then confounded.
15 Honor and glory are in the words of those who understand, yet truly, the tongue of the imprudent man is his undoing.
16 You should not be called a whisperer, and you should not be caught by your own tongue, and then confounded.
17 For confusion and remorse is upon a thief, and a wicked mark is upon the double-tongued; but for the whisperer, there is hatred and animosity and disgrace.
18 Justify the small and the great similarly.
Versículos relacionados com Ecclesiasticus, 5:
Ecclesiastical 5 talks about the importance of fulfilling the promises made to God, avoiding making hasty votes and having caution about the rich and powerful. The selected verses are:
Psalm 50:14-15: "Offer God sacrifice of thanksgiving and fulfill your votes to the Most High; invoke me on the day of anguish; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me." This verse emphasizes the importance of fulfilling the vows made to God, as addressed in chapter 5 of ecclesiastical.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5: "When you make any vote, you are not being fulfilled; because you are not pleased with fools; what you vote, pays it. Better is not voting than votes and not paved." This verse reinforces the idea that it is better not to make hasty votes, but if done, it is important to fully fulfill them.
Psalm 62:10: "You do not trust oppression, nor deceive you with theft; if your riches increase, do not put the heart in them." This verse highlights the importance of having caution about the rich and powerful, as mentioned in chapter 5 of ecclesiastical.
Proverbs 20:25: "Laço is for man to make a promise hastily and only then think about what he promised." This verse warns against making hasty votes, reminding us that it is better to think before promising something.
Proverbs 22:16: "He who oppresses the poor to magnify himself and what gives the rich man will surely impoverish." This verse emphasizes that those who take advantage of the poor for their own benefit eventually suffer consequences. This teaching relates to the idea of caution about the rich and powerful, as mentioned in Ecclesiastical Chapter 5.
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