King James Version · Under the Greeks
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 11
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1 lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men. 2Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance. 3The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things. 4Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of : for the works of are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden. 5Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the . 6Many have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable into other men’s hands. 7Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke. 8Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk. 9Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and sit not in with . 10My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing. 11There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much the more behind. 12Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of ; yet the eye of looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate, 13And lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw from him is peace over all the 14Prosperity and adversity, life and , and riches, come of . 15, knowledge, and understanding of , are of : love, and of good works, are from him. 16Error and had their beginning together with : and evil shall wax old with them that therein. 17The gift of remaineth with the ungodly, and his bringeth prosperity for ever. 18There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this his the of his reward: 19Whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and . 20Be stedfast in thy , and be conversant therein, and wax old in thy work. 21Marvel not at the works of ; but in , and in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of on the sudden to make a man rich. 22The of is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his flourish. 23Say not, What profit is there of my ? and what good things shall I have hereafter? 24Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil shall I have hereafter? 25In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity. 26For it is an easy thing unto in the day of to reward a man according to his ways. 27The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be discovered. 28Judge none before his : for a man shall be known in his children. 29Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains. 30Like as a partridge taken and kept in a cage, so is of the proud; and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall: 31For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy will lay blame upon thee. 32Of a spark of a heap of coals is kindled: and a man layeth wait for . 33Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness; lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot. 34Receive a into thine house, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own.
The 1611 translation, public domain. Its original printing included the Apocrypha, which is why the deuterocanonical books can be read here. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under the Greeks, 332 BC to 63 BC ›
Alexander's conquest and the kingdoms of his successors. Greek language and custom press in everywhere, and the crisis under Antiochus IV provokes the Maccabean revolt.
- The successors
- Alexander dies at thirty-two and his generals carve up the empire. Judea sits on the border between the Ptolemies in Egypt and the Seleucids in Syria, and is fought over by both for a century and a half, which is the ordinary condition of the corridor.
- Hellenism
- Not just conquest but a culture: the gymnasium, the theatre, Greek names, Greek dress, Greek as the language of anyone with ambitions. Some Jews embraced it, some resisted it, and the argument between them is the real subject of the Maccabean books. In Alexandria the Hebrew scriptures are translated into Greek, producing the Septuagint, which is the Bible most New Testament writers quote.
- The crisis
- Antiochus IV bans the practice of Judaism, plunders the temple, and sets up a pagan altar in it in 167 BC. The revolt under the Maccabees wins, the temple is rededicated in 164 BC, which is the origin of Hanukkah, and Judea has about eighty years of independence under the Hasmoneans before Rome arrives.
- Further afield
- Rome fights Carthage three times and ends up master of the Mediterranean. Euclid writes the Elements and Archimedes does his work at Syracuse. In China the Qin unify the country in 221 BC and the Han follow, opening what becomes the Silk Road.
All of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)