Chapter XI · Location 11 of 51
Chapter 11 · Open to readFrom Ecclesiasticus · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 11 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
Humility and careful inquiry precede contrasting workers and fortune. Covenant and death admonitions preserve uncertainty about timing and work disclosure. Guest warnings retain proud spying, spark, bloodshed and displacement images.
Chapter breakdown
Ecclesiasticus 11 praises humble wisdom raising its holder among great people and rejects judging worth from beauty or appearance. Small bee fruit is supremely sweet. Avoid apparel glory and exaltation at honor; only God's works are marvelous, glorious, secret and hidden. Many tyrants have occupied thrones and unexpected people crowns; many mighty and glorious have been humbled into others' hands. Investigate before blame and reprove justly afterward, listen before answer without interrupting and avoid irrelevant disputes or judgment with sinners.
Avoid many entanglements; wealth does not free from sin, pursuit may fail and running ahead not escape. An ungodly hurried worker remains sorrowful and poorer, while a weak inactive person in poverty is lifted by God's regard to others' amazement and praise. The text attributes good and evil, life/death and poverty/riches to God; wisdom, discipline, law-knowledge, love and good ways belong with him. Sinners' error, darkness and evil boastfulness contrast enduring divine gifts to the just. A sparing accumulator claims solitary rest and enjoyment, unaware of approaching death and leaving all to others. Remain covenant-steadfast and in commandments, avoid sinful works and trust in place; God can enrich suddenly and blessings bear swift fruit. Avoid self-sufficiency, remember evil in good times and good in evil, and God's ability to reward at death. An hour's affliction erases delights; works are disclosed at end, and a man is known by children, so do not praise before death.
Do not admit everyone to home because of deceitful snares. Corrupt bowels' breath, caged partridge, snared roe and spying proud heart illustrate one watching neighbors fall, turning good evil and staining elect. One spark makes fire and a deceitful person bloodshed. Beware mischief bringing lasting reproach; admitted stranger may overthrow and displace one's own. Ungodly striving is not generalized into all independent labor's futility, tyrant enthronement not reversed into dethronement, or death declared before any goods were enjoyed.
The story inside
Opening: Humility and careful inquiry precede contrasting workers and fortune. Development: Covenant and death admonitions preserve uncertainty about timing and work disclosure. Conclusion: Guest warnings retain proud spying, spark, bloodshed and displacement images.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1Humility and careful inquiry precede contrasting workers and fortune.
- 2Covenant and death admonitions preserve uncertainty about timing and work disclosure.
- 3Guest warnings retain proud spying, spark, bloodshed and displacement images.
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 74270–74277
11:1. The wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, and shall make him sit in the midst of great men. 11:2. Praise not a man for his beauty, neither despise a man for his look. 11:3. The bee is small among flying things but her fruit hath the chiefest sweetness.
Lines 74312–74313
11:14. Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God.
Lines 74373–74374
11:34. Of one spark cometh a great fire, and of one deceitful man much blood: and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.
