What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 7 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Civic restraint and judgeship readiness precede speech, work and household obligations. Edition notes separately explain prayer, two meanings of arms and benefits to the dead. Priestly offerings, poor relief, mourning, sick visits and final-end remembrance conclude.

Chapter breakdown

Ecclesiasticus 7 commands avoiding evil and injustice, not sowing evil for a sevenfold harvest, seeking preeminence or royal honor, or self-justifying before God who knows hearts. Do not seek judgeship without strength to extirpate iniquity, lest fear of the powerful compromise integrity. Avoid offending city multitudes or casting oneself among people, joining sins, faintheartedness and neglect of prayer and alms. Do not presume numerous gifts ensure acceptance or mock someone bitterly afflicted. God humbles and exalts. Avoid lies against brother and friend and lying habit; speak sparingly among elders and do not repeat prayer words. The edition separately explains babbling versus heart's fervor.

Respect labor and husbandry, avoid disorderly company, remember prompt wrath and humble spirit before ungodly flesh's fire and worms. Do not wrong a friend over deferred money or despise brother for gold. Retain a wise good modest wife valued above gold; do not hurt faithful servants or hired people, and cherish a wise servant without denying liberty or leaving need. Care for cattle and keep profitable ones, instruct children early, guard daughters with reserve and marry them wisely. Retain a suitable wife without trusting a hateful one. Honor father and remember mother's groans, repaying birth-giving care.

Fear and love God, respect priests and ministers, and purify with arms. The separate note offers both all one's power and victims' right shoulders as meanings, rather than only shoulders. Give commanded firstfruits and purification portions, purify negligence, offer shoulders and holy sacrifices, and aid poor people for perfected expiation and blessing. Do not withhold grace from dead people; the separate note identifies alms, prayers and sacrifices and asserts continuity from Old Testament through apostles' church. Comfort mourners, promptly visit sick people to confirm love, and remember last end in all work. These are attributed instructions, not new guarantees of immunity, inevitable lying destruction or an added Four Last Things/purgatory argument.

The story inside

Opening: Civic restraint and judgeship readiness precede speech, work and household obligations. Development: Edition notes separately explain prayer, two meanings of arms and benefits to the dead. Conclusion: Priestly offerings, poor relief, mourning, sick visits and final-end remembrance conclude.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Civic restraint and judgeship readiness precede speech, work and household obligations.
2
Edition notes separately explain prayer, two meanings of arms and benefits to the dead.
3
Priestly offerings, poor relief, mourning, sick visits and final-end remembrance conclude.

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 73888–73890
7:6. Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to extirpate iniquities: lest thou fear the person of the powerful, and lay a stumblingblock for thy integrity.
Lines 73932–73933
7:21. Depart not from a wise and good wife, whom thou hast gotten in the fear of the Lord: for the grace of her modesty is above gold.
Lines 73961–73961
7:31. With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests.
Lines 73983–73984
7:37. A gift hath grace in the sight of all the living, and restrain not grace from the dead.
Lines 73998–73998
7:40. In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.