What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 39 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The chapter’s wording is retained in order with explicit attribution. Edition headings and annotations remain distinct from the chapter’s speech. Requests, comparisons and warnings are preserved without invented outcomes.

Chapter breakdown

Ecclesiasticus 39 describes a seeker of ancient wisdom, prophecy, renowned sayings, parables and hidden meanings, serving great people and visiting foreign nations to learn good and evil. Early prayer and confession precede understanding, granted if the Lord pleases. Later generations, nations and assembly praise such wisdom. The alternatives of continuing and resting do not explicitly name death.

The speaker, transported by meditation, calls the hearers to blossom like riverside roses, frankincense and lilies, sing with harps and praise divine works. Water gathered at the word, favor and salvation at command, all flesh's deeds seen and eternity without wonder express his claims. Things have their time; blessing flows like river and wrath meets nations that do not seek him.

The essentials list includes water, fire, iron, salt, milk, bread flour, honey, grape cluster, oil and clothing. Vengeance spirits, fire, hail, famine, death, beast teeth, scorpions, serpents and sword are separately named instruments under command. The closing reflection calls divine works good at their proper time and urges praise. It does not independently explain every particular disaster as punishment of its victims.

The story inside

Opening: The chapter’s wording is retained in order with explicit attribution. Development: Edition headings and annotations remain distinct from the chapter’s speech. Conclusion: Requests, comparisons and warnings are preserved without invented outcomes.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The chapter’s wording is retained in order with explicit attribution.
2
Edition headings and annotations remain distinct from the chapter’s speech.
3
Requests, comparisons and warnings are preserved without invented outcomes.

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 77205–77206
39:1. The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.
Lines 77219–77220
39:6. He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.
Lines 77225–77226
39:8. For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:
Lines 77267–77267
39:21. All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.
Lines 77281–77282
39:26. There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things shall be sought in their time.
Lines 77296–77298
39:31. The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.
Lines 77300–77301
39:32. All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.
Lines 77322–77323
39:39. All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.
Lines 77328–77329
39:41. Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.