What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 40 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 40 describes the heavy burden of Adam's children from birth to burial, from throne and purple to earth, ashes and rough linen. Anxiety, anger and strife disturb even brief sleep; a frightening heart-vision yields waking astonishment at safety. Such things reach humans and beasts, sevenfold more upon sinners. Death, bloodshed, famine and other scourges are associated with wickedness and the flood. Earth returns to earth and waters to sea; bribery and injustice vanish while fidelity stands. Unjust riches resemble a drying river, not a specified mountain torrent in a dry season.

Grace, mercy and contented labor are praised. A blameless wife surpasses children and city-building, wisdom wine and music, pleasant tongue instruments, green fields desired beauty, husband-wife companionship friends, mercy brothers' help, wise counsel silver and gold, and divine fear riches and strength. The final warnings against indigence, looking toward another's table and begging retain their severe words. They do not specify voluntary poverty, diagnose all aid recipients as parasites or explain the belly's fire as destroyed self-respect.

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 77337–77339
40:1. Great labour is created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the children of Adam from the day of their coming out of their mother’s womb, until the day of their burial into the mother of all.
Lines 77415–77416
40:26. Riches and strength lift up the heart: but above these is the fear of the Lord.