What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 28 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Revenge and forgiveness assertions precede separate Greek-commandment supplement. The mouth can kindle or quench, while third-party speech is described as destructive. Iron, brass, fire and animal warnings lead to ears, mouth and word restraints.

Chapter breakdown

Ecclesiasticus 28 says self-revenge meets divine vengeance and remembered sins. Forgive a hurtful neighbor and sins will be forgiven in prayer. Questions challenge one reserving anger or denying mercy to alike humanity while seeking God's remedy and pardon. Remember last things and cease enmity; the verse's difficult corruption/death-commandment wording is followed by a separate edition Greek supplement: remember corruption and death and abide in commandments. Remember divine fear and covenant, avoid neighbor anger, overlook ignorance and refrain strife to diminish sins.

Passionate people kindle quarrels and sinners disturb friends and peaceful company. Fire varies with forest wood, anger with strength and riches; hasty contention fire and quarrels blood, witness-bearing tongue death. A mouth can blow a spark into fire or spit to quench, not an added water-drop. Whisperer and double tongue are cursed for disrupting peace. Third-person tongue scatters nations, destroys rich cities and great houses, cuts people's forces and nations, casts valiant women out and deprives labors. Listening brings unrest and no trusted friend. Whips leave blue marks, tongues break bones; more perish by their own tongue than sword, not a statistic about victims killed by others' slander.

Blessed is defense from wicked tongue, its wrath, yoke and bands. The yoke is iron, bands brass, death most evil with hell preferable. Its continuance is not long, it possesses unjust ways and just people are not burned; God-forsakers burn unquenched and are attacked like lion and tearing leopard. Hedge ears with thorns, refuse wicked speech, give mouth doors and bars, melt gold/silver for word-balance and just bridle. Guard against slips before waiting enemies and a fall incurable to death. The chapter's assertions are not extended into a Lord's Prayer reception claim, Four Last Things doctrine or proven automatic freedom from harm.

The story inside

Opening: Revenge and forgiveness assertions precede separate Greek-commandment supplement. Development: The mouth can kindle or quench, while third-party speech is described as destructive. Conclusion: Iron, brass, fire and animal warnings lead to ears, mouth and word restraints.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Revenge and forgiveness assertions precede separate Greek-commandment supplement.
2
The mouth can kindle or quench, while third-party speech is described as destructive.
3
Iron, brass, fire and animal warnings lead to ears, mouth and word restraints.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 76061–76062
28:2. Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt thee: and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest.
Lines 76069–76070
28:5. He that is but flesh, nourisheth anger, and doth he ask forgiveness of God? who shall obtain pardon for his sins?
Lines 76072–76072
28:6. Remember thy last things, and let enmity cease:
Lines 76118–76119
28:21. The stroke of a whip maketh a blue mark: but the stroke of the tongue will break the bones.
Lines 76121–76122
28:22. Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have perished by their own tongue.
Lines 76142–76146
28:28. Hedge in thy ears with thorns, hear not a wicked tongue, and make doors and bars to thy mouth. 28:29. Melt down thy gold and silver, and make a balance for thy words, and a just bridle for thy mouth: