Chapter XV · Location 15 of 51
Chapter 15 · Open to readFrom Ecclesiasticus · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 15 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
Wisdom reception and praise claims remain attributed to the chapter. The admitted lying-men wording is preserved and its uncertainty identified without alteration. The speaker rejects blaming God for error and sets life and death before choice.
Chapter breakdown
Ecclesiasticus 15 says the God-fearing do good and justice-holders take hold of wisdom. She meets one as an honorable mother and receives him as a wife married of a virgin, feeds bread of life and understanding and gives wholesome wisdom's water. She will be strong in him, hold him fast without movement or confusion, exalt him among neighbors, open his mouth in church, fill wisdom and understanding, clothe glory and heap joy and an everlasting name. These future promises are not an account of completed immunity from adversity.
Foolish men do not obtain or see her, wise men meet her, and she is distant from pride and deceit. The admitted 15:8 says, “Lying men shall be mindful of her,” contrasting truthful people found with her and advancing to God's sight. This difficult wording is retained without inserting a negative or resolving it from another edition. Praise is not seemly in a sinner's mouth; wisdom comes from God, praise accompanies divine wisdom, abounds in a faithful mouth and receives the sovereign Lord's praise. The source does not add that the sinner was not commissioned by God or that no sinner can ever utter sincere praise.
Do not say wisdom's absence comes through God or that he caused error; avoid what he hates, for he needs no wicked men and hates error's abomination. God made man in the beginning and left him in his own counsel, adding commandments and precepts. Keeping them and acceptable fidelity forever is said to preserve. Water and fire are set before choice, as are life/death and good/evil, with the chosen portion given. God's wisdom is great, power strong and sight continuous; his eyes turn to those fearing him and know human works. He commands no wickedness or license to sin and desires no multitude of faithless, unprofitable children. These remain the chapter's assertions without an expanded systematic argument.
The story inside
Opening: Wisdom reception and praise claims remain attributed to the chapter. Development: The admitted lying-men wording is preserved and its uncertainty identified without alteration. Conclusion: The speaker rejects blaming God for error and sets life and death before choice.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1Wisdom reception and praise claims remain attributed to the chapter.
- 2The admitted lying-men wording is preserved and its uncertainty identified without alteration.
- 3The speaker rejects blaming God for error and sets life and death before choice.
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 74650–74651
15:2. And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
Lines 74690–74691
15:14. God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his own counsel.
Lines 74701–74702
15:18. Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he shall choose shall be given him:
