1 My son, rob not the poor man of his livelihood; force not the eyes of the needy to turn away.
2 A hungry man grieve not, a needy man anger not;
3 Do not exasperate the downtrodden; delay not to give to the needy.
4 A beggar in distress do not reject; avert not your face from the poor.
5 From the needy turn not your eyes, give no man reason to curse you;
6 For if in the bitterness of his soul he curse you, his Creator will hear his prayer.
7 Endear yourself to the assembly; before a ruler bow your head.
8 Give a hearing to the poor man, and return his greeting with courtesy;
9 Deliver the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor; let not justice be repugnant to you.
10 To the fatherless be as a father, and help their mother as a husband would; Thus will you be like a son to the Most High, and he will be more tender to you than a mother.
11 Wisdom instructs her children and admonishes those who seek her.
12 He who loves her loves life; those who seek her out win her favor.
13 He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows blessings.
14 Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the LORD loves.
15 He who obeys her judges nations; he who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers.
16 If one trusts her, he will possess her; his descendants too will inherit her.
17 She walks with him as a stranger, and at first she puts him to the test; Fear and dread she brings upon him and tries him with her discipline; With her precepts she puts him to the proof, until his heart is fully with her.
18 Then she comes back to bring him happiness and reveal her secrets to him.
19 But if he fails her, she will abandon him and deliver him into the hands of despoilers.
20 Use your time well; guard yourself from evil, and bring upon yourself no shame.
21 There is a sense of shame laden with guilt, and a shame that merits honor and respect.
22 Show no favoritism to your own discredit; let no one intimidate you to your own downfall.
23 Refrain not from speaking at the proper time, and hide not away your wisdom;
24 For it is through speech that wisdom becomes known, and knowledge through the tongue's rejoinder.
25 Never gainsay the truth, and struggle not against the rushing stream.
26 Be not ashamed to acknowledge your guilt, but of your ignorance rather be ashamed.
27 Do not abase yourself before an impious man, nor refuse to do so before rulers.
28 Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you.
29 Be not surly in your speech, nor lazy and slack in your deeds.
30 Be not a lion at home, nor sly and suspicious at work.
31 Let not your hand be open to receive and clenched when it is time to give.
Versículos relacionados com Ecclesiasticus, 4:
Ecclesiastical 4 talks about the importance of wisdom, fraternal love, humility and perseverance in life. The chapter also warns of the traps of pride, greed and envy, which can lead to ruin. Below are five verses related to these themes:
Proverbs 9:10: "The fear of the Lord is the principle of wisdom, and the knowledge of the saint is prudence." This verse highlights the importance of fear of God to acquire wisdom, one of the central themes of ecclesiastical 4.
1 Peter 4:8: "Above all, however, it tends intense love to each other, because love covers a multitude of sins." Fraternal love is emphasized in ecclesiastical 4, and this verse of Peter highlights its importance in the Christian context.
James 4:6: "But he gives greater grace. Therefore, he says, God resists the superb, but gives grace to the humble." Humility is a recurring theme in ecclesiastical 4, and this verse of James reinforces the idea that God favors the humble.
Proverbs 16:18: "Superb precedes ruin, and the haughtiness of the Spirit precedes the fall." This verse warns of the danger of pride, one of the sins that ecclesiastical 4 warns as a trap for fools.
Hebrews 10:36: "Indeed, you need perseverance, so that having done God's will, you will reach the promise." Perseverance is an important theme in ecclesiastical 4, and this verse of Hebrews urges Christians to stay firm in faith.
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