What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 20 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Reproof, repentance and silence keep the difference between ignorance and timing. Gift, lending, loss and bashfulness comparisons retain their specific examples. Both theft and lying face destruction; gifts silence judges and hidden wisdom is questioned.

Chapter breakdown

Ecclesiasticus 20 prefers reproof to anger and says not to hinder confession in prayer. The admitted comparison speaks of a eunuch's lust deflowering a young maiden and of one executing the unwise through violence; its difficult wording is retained rather than confidently replaced with a claim of impotent futility. Repentance upon reproof is praised for escaping willful sin. Some silence is wise, bold speech hateful; some silence is ignorance, some knowledge of timing. Wisdom waits opportunity, babbling ignores it. Many words hurt soul and unjustly assumed authority draws hatred.

Success in evil for the undisciplined and findings turning loss accompany unprofitable gifts and double recompense, abasement through glory and heads raised from low state. One buys much cheaply and restores sevenfold. Wise words win love while fool-graces are poured out. A fool's gift does no good and his eyes are sevenfold; little giving with much reproach kindles fire. Today's lender demanding tomorrow is hateful. Fools lack friends and gratitude; bread-eaters have false tongues and mock, while distribution lacks right understanding of things available and unavailable.

A false-tongue slip resembles falling on pavement and wicked fall comes quickly. A graceless person is a vain fable to the unwise; a fool's parable is rejected for mistiming. Want may prevent sin while rest pricks; shamefacedness, unwise company and respect of person destroy, and bashful promises turn friends enemies. A lie is a foul blot frequent in undisciplined mouths; a thief is better than a habitual liar, but both inherit destruction. Lying manners lack honor and bear continual confusion. Wise words advance, prudence pleases great people, tilling heaps corn, justice exalts and pleasing the great escapes iniquity. Presents and gifts blind and silence judges from correction. Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure prompt a question about profit; concealing folly is better than wisdom. No miraculous promotion or permanent impossibility of repaired honor is added.

The story inside

Opening: Reproof, repentance and silence keep the difference between ignorance and timing. Development: Gift, lending, loss and bashfulness comparisons retain their specific examples. Conclusion: Both theft and lying face destruction; gifts silence judges and hidden wisdom is questioned.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Reproof, repentance and silence keep the difference between ignorance and timing.
2
Gift, lending, loss and bashfulness comparisons retain their specific examples.
3
Both theft and lying face destruction; gifts silence judges and hidden wisdom is questioned.

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 75141–75142
20:1. How much better is it to reprove, than to be angry, and not to hinder him that confesseth in prayer.
Lines 75154–75159
20:6. There is one that holdeth his peace, because he knoweth not what to say: and there is another that holdeth his peace, knowing the proper time. 20:7. A wise man will hold his peace till he see opportunity: but a babbler, and a fool, will regard no time.
Lines 75216–75220
20:26. A lie is a foul blot in a man, and yet it will be continually in the mouth of men without discipline. 20:27. A thief is better than a man that is always lying: but both of them shall inherit destruction.