Ecclesiasticus

Chapter 31

By seeking virtue, and labouring for necessaries, the flesh is subdued to the spirit. ℣.8 Moderate riches are best, ℣.12 with temperance in diet, especially in drinking.

1
Watching after honesty shall pine the flesh, & the thought thereof taketh away sleep.
2
The thought of foreknowledge turneth away the understanding, & grievous infirmity maketh a sober soul.
3
The rich man hath laboured in gathering of substance together, & in his rest he shall be replenished with his goods.
4
The poor man hath laboured in the diminishing of his living, and in the end he is made poor.
5
He that loveth gold shall not be justified: & he that followeth after corruption, shall be replenished of it.
6
Many have been given into falls for gold, and their perdition hath come by the beauty thereof.
7
The gold of them that sacrifice is a wood of offence: woe to them, that follow after it, and every unwise man shall perish in it.
8
Blessed is the rich man that is found without spot: and that hath not gone after gold, nor hoped in money and treasures.
9
Who is this? & we will praise him, for he hath done marvelous things in his life.
10
Who is proved therein, & perfect, shall have eternal glory. He that could transgress, & hath not transgressed: and do evils, and hath not done:
11
therefore are his good things established in our Lord, & all the church of saints shall declare his alms.
12
Art thou set at a great table? Open not thy jaw thereupon first.
13
Say not this: There be many things which are upon it.
14
Remember that a naughty eye is evil.
15
What is created worse than the eye? Therefore shall it weep at every face. When it shall see,
16
stretch not out thy hand first, & so contaminated with envy thou be ashamed.
17
Be not oppressed in a feast.
18
Understand by thy self what thy neighbour's things are.
19
Use as a frugal man those things, that are set before thee: lest thou be hated when thou eatest much.
20
Leave off first for manner's sake, and exceed not, lest thou perhaps offend.
21
And if thou be set in the midst of many, stretch not forth thy hand before them: neither do thou first ask to drink.
22
How sufficient is a little wine for a man well taught, and in sleeping thou shalt not be pained with it, and thou shalt feel no grief.
23
Watching, & choler, & torment to an unsatiable man:
24
sleep of health is in a man of spare diet: he shall sleep until morning, and his soul with him shall be delighted.
25
And if thou hast been forced with eating much, rise from the midst, and vomit, and it shall refresh thee, and thou shalt not bring infirmity to thy body.
26
Hear me my son, and despise me not: and in the end thou shalt find my words.
27
In all thy works be quick, and all infirmity shall not chance unto thee.
28
The lips of many shall bless him that is magnifical in breads, and the testimony of his truth is faithful.
29
In naughty bread the city will murmur, and the testimony of the naughtiness thereof is true.
30
Provoke not them that love wine: for wine hath destroyed very many.
31
Fire tryeth hard iron: so wine drunken in drunkenness shall rebuke the hearts of the proud.
32
Equal life to all men, wine in sobriety: if thou drink it moderately, thou shalt be sober.
33
What is his life that is diminished with wine?
34
What defraudeth life? Death.
35
Wine was created for joyfulness, and not for drunkenness from the beginning.
36
Wine drunken moderately is the joy of the soul and the heart.
37
Sober drinking is health to soul and body.
38
Much wine drunken maketh provocation, & wrath, & many ruins.
39
Much wine drunken is bitterness of the soul.
40
The courageousness of drunkenness is offence of the unwise, lessening the strength, and making wounds.
41
In a banquet of wine rebuke not thy neighbour: and despise him not in his mirth.
42
Speak not to him words of reproach: and press him not in demanding again.