Ecclesiasticus 16

Do not wish for a crowd of children who come to nothing, and do not take pleasure in sons who do not honor God.

1Desire not a multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight in ungodly sons.

Note"Unprofitable" here means coming to nothing, useless, rather than anything financial. In this society a large family was counted a mark of success and security: sons worked the land, defended the household and carried the family name into the next generation. The writer is arguing against that assumption, which makes the advice deliberately jarring. "Ungodly" in the King James does not mean monstrous or criminal; it translates a word for people who live without regard for God.

2Even if they grow many in number, do not be glad about them, unless reverence for the Lord is in them.

2Though they multiply, rejoice not in them, except the fear of the Lord be with them.

Note"The fear of the Lord" is a fixed phrase in this kind of writing. It means awe and reverence, and by extension a whole way of living that takes God seriously. It does not mean being frightened of him.

3Do not put your trust in how long they live, and do not be impressed by how many they are. One person who is just is better than a thousand, and it is better to die with no children than to have children who do not honor God.

3Trust not thou in their life, neither respect their multitude: for one that is just is better than a thousand; and better it is to die without children, than to have them that are ungodly.

NoteDying childless was regarded as a calamity and often as a public disgrace, since a man's name, land and care in old age all depended on sons. Saying it is better to die childless than to have children who do not honor God was a shocking claim, not a mild one.

4One person who has understanding can fill a city with people, but the family of the wicked will quickly be left empty.

4For by one that hath understanding shall the city be replenished: but the kindred of the wicked shall speedily become desolate.

Note"Replenished" in 1611 English simply means filled or populated; the prefix does not imply filling again. "Kindred" means a person's family or clan, the whole extended household rather than only the children.

5I have seen many things like this with my own eyes, and my ear has heard greater things than these.

5Many such things have I seen with mine eyes, and mine ear hath heard greater things than these.

6In the gathering of those who do not honor God a fire will be lit, and in a rebellious nation anger is set burning.

6In the congregation of the ungodly shall a fire be kindled; and in a rebellious nation wrath is set on fire.

Note"Congregation" in the King James means an assembled community or crowd, not a church congregation in the modern sense. The fire imagery draws on stories in which fire broke out among rebellious Israelites in the wilderness, as in Numbers 11 and Numbers 16.

7He was not calmed toward the giants of long ago, who rebelled in the strength of their foolishness.

7He was not pacified toward the old giants, who fell away in the strength of their foolishness.

Note"The old giants" are the giants of Genesis 6:4, the offspring of the "sons of God" and human women, whom Jewish tradition of this period understood to have been swept away in the flood. "Fell away" means revolted or rebelled, not stumbled.

8He did not spare the place where Lot lived as a stranger either, but detested them for their pride.

8Neither spared he the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for their pride.

Note"The place where Lot sojourned" is Sodom, destroyed in Genesis 19. To "sojourn" is to live somewhere as a resident foreigner, without the rights of a native. Jewish writers of this period commonly named pride, rather than any single act, as the city's characteristic sin.

9He had no pity on the people marked for ruin, who were carried off in their sins.

9He pitied not the people of perdition, who were taken away in their sins:

Note"Perdition" means destruction or ruin, so "the people of perdition" are a people marked out for destruction. The reference is to the inhabitants of Canaan whom Israel displaced, as described in Deuteronomy 7 and 9.

10Nor did he pity the six hundred thousand men on foot, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts.

10Nor the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts.

NoteThe six hundred thousand are the fighting men counted at the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:37). "Footmen" means foot soldiers, men on foot as opposed to chariotry or cavalry. This generation is the one that refused to enter the land and died in the wilderness (Numbers 14).

11And if there is even one stubborn person among the people, it is a wonder if he gets away without punishment. Mercy and anger are both with him. He is strong to forgive and strong to pour out his displeasure.

11And if there be one stiffnecked among the people, it is marvel if he escape unpunished: for mercy and wrath are with him; he is mighty to forgive, and to pour out displeasure.

Note"Stiffnecked" is a farming image: an ox that sets its neck against the yoke and will not be turned by the driver. It is used again and again of Israel in Exodus and Deuteronomy. "It is marvel if he escape" means it would be astonishing if he escaped, which is a strong way of saying he will not.

12As great as his mercy is, so great is his correction too. He judges a person according to what that person has done.

12As his mercy is great, so is his correction also: he judgeth a man according to his works

13The sinner will not get away with what he has taken, and the patient waiting of those who honor God will not come to nothing.

13The sinner shall not escape with his spoils: and the patience of the godly shall not be frustrate.

Note"Spoils" means plunder, goods seized by force or fraud. "Frustrate" is the older form of "frustrated" and means made void or disappointed, so the line says the waiting of the godly will not be wasted.

14Make room for every act of mercy, for every person will receive according to what he has done.

14Make way for every work of mercy: for every man shall find according to his works.

Note"Every work of mercy" translates a Greek expression for practical acts of charity, and above all for almsgiving, the giving of money and food to the poor. This was a concrete religious duty, not a general attitude. "Make way" means make room, leave space in your life for it.

15The Lord made Pharaoh hard, so that Pharaoh would not know him, and so that his powerful works might be known to the world.

15The Lord hardened Pharaoh, that he should not know him, that his powerful works might be known to the world.

NoteVerses 15 and 16 are missing from the oldest Greek manuscripts of this book and from the surviving Hebrew. They appear in a later family of manuscripts, which is the text the King James translators worked from; many modern editions print them in brackets or omit them. The verse refers to the repeated statement in Exodus that Pharaoh's heart was hardened so that he would not let Israel go.

16His mercy is plain to every creature, and he has separated his light from the darkness with an unbreakable stone.

16His mercy is manifest to every creature; and he hath separated his light from the darkness with an adamant.

Note"Adamant" in 1611 meant a stone of legendary hardness, sometimes the diamond and sometimes the lodestone or magnet. The word comes from a Greek term meaning unconquerable or unbreakable. The image is of a boundary between light and darkness set in the hardest material there is.

17Do not say to yourself, "I will hide from the Lord. Will anyone up above think of me? I will not be noticed among so many people. What is my soul among such a countless number of creatures?"

17Say not thou, I will hide myself from the Lord: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my soul among such an infinite number of creatures?

Note"My soul" translates a word meaning a person's life or self, the living individual, rather than a separable inner part. The whole speech is the imagined excuse of someone who assumes he is too small to be noticed, and the argument that follows answers it.

18Look: the heavens, and the highest heavens, the deep, and the earth and everything in it will be shaken when he comes to them.

18Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the deep, and the earth, and all that therein is, shall be moved when he shall visit.

Note"The heaven of heavens" is a Hebrew way of saying the very highest heaven, the top of everything that exists above. "The deep" is the great mass of water thought to lie beneath the earth. "Visit" in the King James means to come and inspect, and is very often used of coming to judge; it does not mean a social call.

19The mountains too, and the foundations of the earth, shake and tremble when the Lord looks at them.

19The mountains also and foundations of the earth be shaken with trembling, when the Lord looketh upon them.

20No mind can think about these things as they deserve, and who is able to grasp his ways?

20No heart can think upon these things worthily: and who is able to conceive his ways?

21It is a storm that no one can see, for most of his works are hidden.

21It is a tempest which no man can see: for the most part of his works are hid.

NoteThe word translated "tempest" means a violent windstorm. The point of the comparison is that the wind itself cannot be seen even when its effects are everywhere, and the Greek could also be read as saying his works pass by unnoticed.

22Who can tell of the works of his justice? Or who can bear them? For his covenant is far off, and the testing of all things comes at the end.

22Who can declare the works of his justice? or who can endure them? for his covenant is afar off, and the trial of all things is in the end.

NoteA "covenant" is a formal binding agreement, here the one between God and Israel, with obligations on both sides. "Afar off" is genuinely ambiguous in the Greek: it can mean far away in time, so that the reckoning is delayed, or remote from an individual's view, so that he cannot see it working. "The trial of all things" means the testing or examination of everything.

23The person who lacks understanding thinks about empty things, and a foolish man who has gone astray imagines foolish things.

23He that wanteth understanding will think upon vain things: and a foolish man erring imagineth follies.

Note"Wanteth" in the King James means lacks, the opposite of its modern sense. The man in view does not desire understanding; he has none.

24My son, listen to me, and learn knowledge, and pay attention to my words with your heart.

24by son, hearken unto me, and learn knowledge, and mark my words with thy heart.

Note"My son" is the standard way a wisdom teacher addresses a pupil, used throughout this book and throughout Proverbs. It marks the start of a formal lesson and does not require a literal son.

25I will set out teaching that has been carefully measured, and state his knowledge exactly.

25I will shew forth doctrine in weight, and declare his knowledge exactly.

Note"In weight" is the image of a merchant weighing goods out on a balance: measured carefully and given in full, with nothing held back or added. "Doctrine" here simply means teaching, without the later sense of official dogma.

26The works of the Lord were done by his decision from the beginning, and from the time he made them he arranged their parts.

26The works of the Lord are done in judgment from the beginning: and from the time he made them he disposed the parts thereof.

Note"In judgment" means by deliberate decision, with everything weighed, rather than in a courtroom sense. "Disposed" in 1611 English means arranged or assigned to their places; it does not mean got rid of.

27He set his works in order forever, and the chief of them are in his hand for all generations. They do not toil, or grow tired, or stop their work.

27He garnished his works for ever, and in his hand are the chief of them unto all generations: they neither labour, nor are weary, nor cease from their works.

Note"Garnished" in 1611 means set in order and made beautiful, a much stronger word than the modern kitchen sense. "The chief of them" are the greatest of his works, which the following lines identify by their behavior: they never tire and never stop, which points to the sun, moon and stars keeping their courses without rest.

28None of them gets in the way of another, and they will never disobey his word.

28None of them hindereth another, and they shall never disobey his word.

NoteThe picture is still of the heavenly bodies, each moving on its appointed path so that none crosses or blocks another.

29After this the Lord looked at the earth and filled it with his good gifts.

29After this the Lord looked upon the earth, and filled it with his blessings.

30He has covered its surface with every kind of living thing, and they return into it again.

30With all manner of living things hath he covered the face thereof; and they shall return into it again.

Note"Return into it again" means going back into the earth at death, the sense of the words in Genesis 3:19 about returning to the dust.