What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 4 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Mercy instructions include listening, debt payment, rescue and judging the fatherless. Wisdom’s trials and rewards are paired with separately identified edition commentary. Speech, confession, justice and household generosity retain their particular instructions.

Chapter breakdown

Ecclesiasticus 4 urges the son not to defraud poor people of alms, despise hungry souls, provoke want, afflict need or delay distress relief. Afflicted petitions must not be rejected, faces and eyes not turned away; bitter curses will be heard by the maker. Be affable to poor congregations, humble before elders and bow to great people. Listen cheerfully, pay what is owed, answer mildly, deliver the wronged from proud people and avoid faintheartedness. In judging, show fatherlike mercy to fatherless children and husbandlike care to their mother, with the promise of being like an obedient son of the Most High and receiving mercy exceeding a mother's.

Wisdom inspires life, protects seekers and precedes in justice; lovers love life and watchers embrace sweetness. Holders inherit life, her entry brings blessing and her servants serve the holy one. Listening promises judging nations, looking security and trust inheritance and assured generation. She walks in temptation and chooses at first. The separate edition note explains trials through contradictions, afflictions and temptations as customary noviceship. Fear, dread and discipline test trust; then strengthening, straight way, joy, secrets and treasures follow. Going astray brings abandonment to the enemy.

The son is told to observe time, flee evil and speak truth without shame, distinguishing shame bringing sin from glory and grace. Avoid persons or lies against self and soul, reverencing a neighbor's fall, silence at salvation and hidden wisdom. Speech and just works display understanding; avoid falsehood, confess sins without submission to every man for sin. Do not resist the mighty or river stream; strive for justice even to death with promised divine overthrow of enemies. Hasty speech with slack works, household lionlike oppression and receiving hands closed to giving are rejected. These instructions do not narrate completed obedience or prove a doctrine of earned adoption.

The story inside

Opening: Mercy instructions include listening, debt payment, rescue and judging the fatherless. Development: Wisdom’s trials and rewards are paired with separately identified edition commentary. Conclusion: Speech, confession, justice and household generosity retain their particular instructions.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Mercy instructions include listening, debt payment, rescue and judging the fatherless.
2
Wisdom’s trials and rewards are paired with separately identified edition commentary.
3
Speech, confession, justice and household generosity retain their particular instructions.

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 73606–73607
4:10. In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother.
Lines 73630–73631
4:18. For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she chooseth him.
Lines 73679–73680
4:33. Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee.