Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues and say: The Lord saith. Behold, I am against the prophets that dream lies, saith the Lord, that tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and by their wonders, when I sent them not nor commanded them: who profited this people nothing at all, saith the Lord. And a little after: And the Lord sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, and ye heard not, neither inclined your ears to hear, when he said: Return ye every one from his evil way and from your most wicked devices, and ye shall dwell in the land which the Lord hath given to you and to your fathers, from everlasting even unto everlasting.
And go not after strange gods to serve and worship them, neither provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, and I will not afflict you. Yet ye heard me not, saith the Lord. And some while after: Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully. Again after a little: The Lord is good to them that hope in him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good to wait in silence for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man when he hath borne the yoke from his youth. He shall sit solitary and keep silence: because he hath taken it up upon himself. He shall put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope. He shall give his cheek to him that smiteth him, he shall be filled full with reproaches: for the Lord will not cast off for ever. XXI. FROM THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL.
And it came to pass, when seven days were past, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying: Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and shalt declare it to them from me. If, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, thou dost not declare it to him, nor speak to warn him, that he turn from his wicked way and live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand. But if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness and from his wicked way, he indeed shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul. And again, if a righteous man turn from his righteousness and commit iniquity, I will lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die, because thou hast not warned him.
He shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembered: but his blood will I require at thy hand. But if thou warn the righteous man that the righteous sin not, and he do not sin, he shall surely live, because he was warned, and thou hast delivered thy soul. And after a little: And the Lord said unto him: Pass through the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and set the mark Tau upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and grieve for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof. And to those others he said in my hearing: Pass through the city after him and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: old man, young man, and virgin, and little child, and women slay unto utter destruction.
But touch not any man upon whom ye see the mark Tau: and begin at my sanctuary. And some while after: Because ye have made the heart of the righteous man sad with lying, whom I have not grieved, and have strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his evil way and live. Again after a little: Behold, this was the iniquity of Sodom thy sister: pride, fulness of bread, and abundance, and idleness in her and in her daughters: and they reached not forth their hand to the needy and the poor: and they were lifted up and wrought abominations before me. And I took them away, as thou hast seen. And after a little while:
If a man be righteous, and do judgment and righteousness, and eat not upon the mountains, nor lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and defile not his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a menstruous woman, and grieve no man, restore to the debtor his pledge, take away nothing by violence, give his bread to the hungry and cover the naked with a garment, lend not upon usury nor take any increase, withdraw his hand from iniquity, execute true judgment between man and man, walk in my statutes and keep my judgments, so as to deal truly: this man is righteous: he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.
But if he beget a son that is a robber and a shedder of blood, and do one of these things, and do not indeed all these good things, but eat upon the mountains, and defile his neighbour's wife, grieve the needy and the poor, seize spoils by robbery, restore not the pledge and lift up his eyes to the idols, work abomination, lend upon usury and take increase: shall he then live? He shall not live: since he hath done all these detestable things, he shall surely die: his blood shall be upon him.
But if he beget a son who, seeing all his father's sins which he hath done, feareth and doeth not the like of them, eateth not upon the mountains and lifteth not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and defileth not his neighbour's wife, and grieveth no man, keepeth not back the pledge and seizeth no spoil by robbery, giveth his bread to the hungry and covereth the naked with a garment, withdraweth his hand from wronging the poor, taketh not usury nor increase, executeth my judgments and walketh in my statutes: this man shall not die for his father's iniquity, but shall surely live. His father, because he oppressed and did violence to his brother, and wrought evil in the midst of his people: behold, he is dead in his iniquity. And ye say:
Why doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? Verily because the son hath done judgment and righteousness, and hath kept all my precepts and done them: he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked man do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my precepts and do judgment and righteousness, he shall surely live and shall not die. None of his iniquities that he hath committed shall be remembered: in his righteousness which he hath wrought he shall live.
Have I any pleasure at all in the death of the wicked, saith the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his ways and live? But if the righteous man turn away from his righteousness and commit iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man is wont to work, shall he live? All his righteous deeds which he had done shall not be remembered. In the transgression whereby he hath transgressed, and in his sin which he hath sinned, in them shall he die. And ye have said: The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear, O house of Israel: Is not my way equal, and are not rather your ways perverse? For when the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, he shall die therein: in the injustice which he hath wrought he shall die.
And when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment and righteousness, he shall save his own soul alive. Because he considered and turned away from all his iniquities which he had wrought: he shall surely live and shall not die. Yet the children of Israel say: The way of the Lord is not equal. Are not my ways equal, O house of Israel, and are not rather your ways perverse? Therefore I will judge every one according to his ways, O house of Israel, saith the Lord God. Return ye, and do penance for all your iniquities, and iniquity shall not be to you for a ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit:
and why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: turn ye, and ye shall live. And some while after: Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his arm, were within thee to shed blood. Father and mother have they treated with contempt in thee; the stranger have they oppressed in the midst of thee; the fatherless and the widow have they grieved among thee. My sanctuaries thou hast despised, and my sabbaths thou hast profaned. Slanderous men were within thee to shed blood, and upon the mountains they ate within thee: villainy have they wrought in the midst of thee. Their father's nakedness have they uncovered in thee; the uncleanness of the menstruous woman have they humbled in thee.
And each man has wrought abomination with his neighbour's wife, and the father-in-law has wickedly defiled his daughter-in-law, and the brother has oppressed his sister, his own father's daughter, in you. They received bribes among you to shed blood; you took usury and excess, and greedily you defrauded your neighbours; and you forgot me, says the Lord God. And a little after: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, say to her: You are an unclean land, not rained upon in the day of wrath. There is a conspiracy of prophets in the midst of her; like a roaring lion seizing its prey, they have devoured souls, they have taken wealth and price, they have multiplied her widows in the midst of her.
Her priests have despised my law and defiled my sanctuaries; between holy and profane they made no distinction, and between the polluted and the clean they did not discern. And after two verses: Her princes in her midst are like wolves seizing prey to shed blood and to destroy souls and greedily to pursue gain. But her prophets daubed them without tempering, seeing vain things and divining lies, saying: Thus says the Lord God, when the Lord had not spoken. The people of the land practised oppression and robbed with violence; they afflicted the needy and the poor, and they oppressed the stranger by extortion without justice.
And I sought among them for a man who would set up a hedge and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; and I found none. And I poured out my indignation upon them; in the fire of my wrath I consumed them; I have returned their way upon their own head, says the Lord God. Again, some while after: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and you shall say to them:
When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among their number and set him over themselves as a watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people—then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take heed, and the sword comes and takes him: his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not heed: his blood shall be upon himself. But if he takes heed, he shall save his own soul. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not sound the trumpet, and the people are not on their guard, and the sword comes and takes a soul from among them:
that man indeed is taken away in his own iniquity, but his blood I will require at the hand of the watchman. And you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore, hearing the word from my mouth, you shall announce it to them from me. If, when I say to the wicked man, 'O wicked one, you shall surely die,' you have not spoken to warn the wicked man from his way: that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his ways, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your own soul. You therefore, son of man, say to the house of Israel: Thus you have spoken, saying: Our iniquities and our sins are upon us, and in them we waste away:
how then shall we be able to live? Say to them: As I live, says the Lord God, I do not desire the death of the wicked, but that the wicked should turn from his way and live. Turn from your evil ways; and why will you die, O house of Israel? You therefore, son of man, say to the children of your people: The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him on whatever day he sins, and the wickedness of the wicked shall not harm him on whatever day he turns from his wickedness; and the righteous shall not be able to live in his righteousness on whatever day he sins. Even if I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, and, trusting in his righteousness, he commits iniquity, all his righteous deeds shall be delivered to oblivion, and in his iniquity which he has wrought, in that he shall die. But if I say to the wicked:
You shall surely die, and he repents of his sin and does judgement and righteousness, and that wicked man restores the pledge, gives back what he robbed, walks in the commandments of life and does nothing unjust: he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of the sins which he has committed shall be imputed to him. He has done judgement and righteousness, he shall surely live. And the children of your people said: The way of the Lord is not of equal weight. Yet it is their own way that is unjust. For when the righteous man departs from his righteousness and commits iniquities, he shall die in them. And when the wicked man departs from his wickedness and does judgement and righteousness, he shall live in them. And you say: The way of the Lord is not right.
I will judge each one of you according to his ways, O house of Israel. And after forty-nine verses: And you, son of man, the children of your people speak of you beside the walls and in the doorways of the houses, and they say one to another, each man to his neighbour, saying: Come and let us hear what is the word that goes forth from the Lord. And they come to you as a people comes in, and they sit before you, my people, and they hear your words and do not do them; for into a song of their mouth they turn them, and their heart follows after their covetousness. And you are to them as a musical air, sung with a sweet and pleasant sound; and they will hear your words and not do them. And when that which was foretold comes—for behold, it comes—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, prophesy concerning the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who fed themselves! Do not the flocks feed from the shepherds? You ate the milk and were clothed with the wool, and you slaughtered what was fat, but you did not feed my flock. What was weak you did not strengthen, and what was sick you did not heal, what was broken you did not bind up, and what was cast away you did not bring back, what was lost you did not seek; but with harshness you ruled over them and with force. And my sheep were scattered because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.
And my flocks wandered over all the mountains and upon every high hill, and over all the face of the earth my flocks were scattered. And there was none to seek them; there was none, I say, to seek them. Therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, says the Lord God, because my flocks became a prey and my sheep became food for all the beasts of the field, because there was no shepherd—for neither did the shepherds seek my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed my flocks—therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God:
Behold, I myself am against the shepherds; I will require my flock at their hands and will cause them to cease, so that they no longer feed the flock, nor shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my flock from their mouth, and it shall no longer be food for them. And after thirty-four verses: But as for you, my flocks, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between beast and beast, between ram and ram. Was it not enough for you to feed upon the good pasture? Moreover you have trodden down the remnant of your pastures with your feet; and when you drank the purest water, you fouled the rest with your feet. And my sheep fed on what had been trodden down by your feet, and drank what your feet had fouled.
Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I myself judge between the fat cattle and the lean, because with your sides and shoulders you pushed and with your horns you gored all the weak cattle until they were scattered abroad. And after a little while: Thus says the Lord God: Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: cease from iniquity and robberies, and do judgement and righteousness, and separate your borders from my people, says the Lord God. A just balance and a just ephah shall you have, and a just bath. These things we have set down from the books which the Jews also hold as canonical, in which we found among their contents such things as would suit this work.
But there are also those which ought not to be omitted, which indeed are agreed to have been composed before the Saviour's coming, yet, though not received by the Jews, have nonetheless been received by the Church of that same Saviour. Among these are two which are called by many the books of Solomon on account of a certain resemblance of style, as I judge. For the more learned do not doubt at all that they are not Solomon's. Nor yet does it appear who is the author of that one which is called of Wisdom. But that other one, which we call Ecclesiasticus, was written by a certain Jesus surnamed Sirach, as is agreed among those who have read that whole book. From the book of Wisdom, then, these things seemed to be fitting for this work. XXII. FROM THE BOOK OF WISDOM. Love righteousness, you who judge the earth.
Think of the Lord in goodness, and in simplicity of heart seek him. For he is found by those who do not tempt him, and he shows himself to those who have faith in him. For perverse thoughts separate from God; but virtue, when tested, rebukes the foolish. For into a malevolent soul wisdom will not enter, nor will it dwell in a body subject to sins. For the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit and will withdraw itself from thoughts that are without understanding, and will be rebuked when iniquity comes upon it. For the spirit of wisdom is kindly, and will not free a slanderer from his lips; for God is witness of his reins, and a true searcher of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue.
For the spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world, and that which holds all things together has knowledge of the voice. Therefore he who speaks unjust things cannot be hidden, nor shall the rebuking judgement pass him by. For in the thoughts of the wicked there shall be an inquiry, and the hearing of his words shall come to the Lord, for the rebuking of his iniquities. For the ear of jealousy hears all things, and the tumult of murmurings is not concealed. Guard yourselves therefore from murmuring, which profits nothing, and refrain your tongue from detraction; for a hidden word shall not pass away in vain, and the mouth that lies slays the soul. And a little after: They who trust in him shall understand the truth, and the faithful in love shall rest with him:
for grace and peace are for his elect. But the wicked shall have rebuke according to what they thought, those who neglected righteousness and departed from the Lord. For whoever casts away wisdom and instruction is unhappy. And after six verses: For happy is the barren and undefiled woman who has not known a bed in transgression; she shall have fruit in the visitation of souls; and the eunuch who has not wrought iniquity with his hands, nor thought most wicked things against the Lord. And some while after: Hear therefore, you kings, and understand; learn, you judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, you who rule over multitudes and please yourselves in throngs of nations.
For power was given you by the Lord, and strength from the Most High, who will examine your works and search out your thoughts. For, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you did not judge rightly, nor keep the law of righteousness, nor walk according to the will of God. Terribly and swiftly will he appear to you; for the harshest judgement shall be upon those who are in authority. For to the lowly mercy is granted, but the mighty shall be mightily tormented. For the Lord will not withdraw the person of anyone, nor will he stand in awe of anyone's greatness; for he himself made the small and the great, and alike is his care for all. But upon the stronger a stronger torment presses.
But to you, O wicked kings, are these words of mine, that you may learn wisdom and not fall away. For those who have kept righteousness righteously shall be justified, and those who have learned these things shall find what to answer. Desire therefore my words; love them, and you shall have instruction. For wisdom is bright and never fades, and is easily seen by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. She anticipates those who desire her, so as to show herself first to them. Whoever watches for her from the dawn shall not toil, for he shall find her sitting at his doors. For to think upon her is perfect understanding, and whoever keeps watch for her shall soon be free from care.
For she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and in the ways she shows herself to them cheerfully, and in all providence she meets them. For the beginning of her is the most true desire of instruction; and the care of instruction is love, and love is the keeping of her laws, and the keeping of the laws is the confirmation of incorruption, and incorruption makes one near to God. And so the desire of wisdom leads to an everlasting kingdom. If therefore you delight in thrones and sceptres, O kings of the people, love wisdom, that you may reign forever. And a little after: And if anyone loves righteousness, the labours of this one have great virtues.
For she teaches soberness and wisdom, and righteousness and virtue, than which nothing is more profitable to men in life. Now already the things that seem worthy from the book which is called Ecclesiasticus are to be set down. Concerning which I think that the same things are to be said here which I premised concerning the book of Proverbs, although in this Ecclesiasticus I found more things necessary to this work. XXIII. FROM ECCLESIASTICUS. The fear of the Lord is the religiousness of knowledge; religiousness will guard and justify the heart, will give gladness and joy. It shall be well with him who fears the Lord, and in the days of his consummation he shall be blessed. The fullness of wisdom is to fear God, and fullness comes from her fruits. And after two verses: The crown of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. And after four verses:
The root of wisdom is to fear God, for her branches are long-lived. In the treasures of wisdom is understanding and the religiousness of knowledge; but to sinners wisdom is an abomination. The fear of the Lord drives out sin, for he who is without fear cannot be justified; for the wrath of his passion is his own overthrow. The wise man will endure patiently until the appointed time, and afterward comes the recompense of gladness. A good understanding hides his words until the appointed time, and the lips of many shall declare his understanding. If you desire wisdom, keep righteousness, and God will grant her to you. For wisdom and instruction are the fear of the Lord; and what is well pleasing to him is faith and meekness; and he will fill up your treasures.
Do not be unbelieving toward the fear of the Lord, and do not approach him with a double heart. Do not be a hypocrite in the sight of men, and take no offence with your own lips. Give heed to them, lest perhaps you fall and bring confusion upon your soul, and God reveal your hidden things and dash you down in the midst of the assembly, because you approached the Lord maliciously, and your heart was full of guile and deceit. My son, when you come to the service of God, stand in righteousness and fear, and prepare your soul for temptation; humble your heart and endure. Incline your ear and receive the words of understanding, and do not make haste in the time of darkening. Wait for the sustaining of God; cleave to God and endure, that your life may increase in the end.
Whatever is laid upon you, accept it; and in sorrow endure, and in your humiliation have patience. For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. Believe in God, and he will restore you; and make straight your way and hope in him. Keep his fear, and in it grow old. You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy, and do not turn aside from him, lest you fall. You who fear the Lord, believe him, and your reward shall not be made void. You who fear the Lord, hope in him, and in delight shall his mercy come to you. You who fear God, love him, and your hearts shall be enlightened. Look, my children, at the generations of men, and know:
who ever hoped in the Lord and was put to confusion, who continued in his commandments and was forsaken? And who called upon him and was despised by him? For God is kind and merciful, and forgives sins in the time of tribulation to all who seek him in truth. Woe to the double heart and to wicked lips and to hands that do evil, and to the sinner who enters upon the earth by two ways. Woe to the faint-hearted, who do not believe God; therefore they shall not be protected by him. Woe to those who have lost endurance, who have abandoned the straight ways and turned aside into crooked ways. And what will you do when God begins to look upon you? Those who fear the Lord will not be unbelieving of his word; and those who love him will keep his way.
Those who fear the Lord will seek out what things are well pleasing to him; and those who love him shall be filled with his law. Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in his sight will sanctify their souls. Those who fear the Lord keep his commandments, and will have patience until his visitation, saying: If we do not repent, we shall fall into the hands of God and not into the hands of men; for as is his greatness, so also is his mercy with him. The children of wisdom are the assembly of the righteous, and their offspring is obedience and love. Hear the judgement of your father, beloved children, and so act, that you may be saved. And after two verses: Whoever loves God will make entreaty for his sins and will restrain himself from them: