Ecclesiasticus 6

Do not become an enemy instead of a friend, because by doing that you will come into a bad name, shame, and disgrace. The same comes to a sinner who has a double tongue.

1Instead of a friend become not an enemy; for thereby thou shalt inherit an ill name, shame, and reproach: even so shall a sinner that hath a double tongue.

NoteA double tongue is one that says one thing to a person's face and another behind his back, or gives two different accounts of the same matter depending on who is listening. The Greek of the first line is compressed, and can also be read with the bad name itself as the thing that inherits the shame rather than the man.

2Do not build yourself up in the private thoughts of your own heart, or your soul will be torn to pieces like a bull that wanders off alone.

2Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart; that thy soul be not torn in pieces as a bull straying alone.

Note"Soul" in this book normally means the self, the whole living person with its appetites and desires, rather than a spirit housed inside a body. The bull is an image of exposure: an animal that leaves the herd and grazes alone has nothing to protect it, and predators pull it down.

3You will eat up your own leaves, lose your fruit, and leave yourself standing like a dry tree.

3Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and lose thy fruit, and leave thyself as a dry tree.

4An evil soul destroys the person who has it, and makes him something for his enemies to laugh at.

4A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and shall make him to be laughed to scorn of his enemies.

5Pleasant words will multiply a person's friends, and a tongue that speaks kindly will bring many friendly greetings.

5Sweet language will multiply friends: and a fairspeaking tongue will increase kind greetings.

6Be at peace with many people. Even so, let only one in a thousand be the one who advises you.

6Be in peace with many: nevertheless have but one counsellor of a thousand.

7If you want to gain a friend, put him to the test first, and do not be quick to trust him.

7If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first and be not hasty to credit him.

NoteThe Greek can be read two ways, and the difference matters: either test a man before you take him as a friend, or take as a friend only the man who has already been through a hard time at your side.

8For one person is a friend only for as long as it suits him, and he will not stay with you on the day you are in trouble.

8For some man is a friend for his own occasion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble.

9And there is a friend who turns into an enemy, and he will bring your quarrel out into the open, to your shame.

9And there is a friend, who being turned to enmity, and strife will discover thy reproach.

10And there is a friend who is your companion at the table, but who will not stay with you on the day of your suffering.

10Again, some friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of thy affliction.

NoteSharing a meal at a man's table created a real bond of obligation in this culture, so a table companion was understood to owe you loyalty. That is what makes his absence in trouble a betrayal and not just a disappointment.

11While things go well for you, he will act as though he were you, and he will speak boldly to your servants.

11But in thy prosperity he will be as thyself, and will be bold over thy servants.

NoteGiving orders to another man's household servants was the act of the master of the house. The picture is of a friend who, while the money lasts, treats everything you own as his own.

12If you are brought low, he will be against you, and he will hide himself from your face.

12If thou be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide himself from thy face.

13Keep yourself apart from your enemies, and be careful with your friends.

13Separate thyself from thine enemies, and take heed of thy friends.

NoteThe King James "take heed of thy friends" means be on your guard against them, not take care of them. In 1611 the phrase carried a warning, which is the opposite of how it reads now.

14A faithful friend is a strong defense, and whoever has found such a friend has found a treasure.

14A faithfull friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure.

Note"Defence" here is not an argument or an excuse. It renders a word for a shelter or fortification, a place of cover you get behind when attacked.

15Nothing can be traded for a faithful friend, and his worth is beyond any price.

15Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is invaluable.

NoteThe King James "countervail" means to equal in value, and its "invaluable" means beyond price, not lacking in value. Both words have drifted since 1611.

16A faithful friend is the medicine of life, and those who fear the Lord will find such a friend.

16A faithful friend is the medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord shall find him.

NoteThe Greek phrase behind "medicine of life" refers to a remedy that preserves life, the kind of drug or draught that saves a patient. "Fear the Lord" is a standing idiom in these books for reverence and the regard owed to God, not for being frightened of him.

17Whoever fears the Lord aims his friendship rightly, for as he himself is, so his neighbor will be also.

17Whoso feareth the Lord shall direct his friendship aright: for as he is, so shall his neighbour be also.

NoteThe Greek line is terse and has been read in more than one way: either that a God-fearing man will have a friend of the same kind as himself, or that the way a man is determines what his friend becomes. The rendering leaves the ambiguity standing.

18My son, gather teaching from your youth onward, and you will go on finding wisdom into your old age.

18My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age.

Note"My son" is how a wisdom teacher addressed his pupil. It does not require a literal father and child, and the same form of address runs through Proverbs.

19Come to her the way a man plows and plants seed, and wait for her good fruit. You will not have to work long at tending her, and you will soon eat what she produces.

19Come unto her as one that ploweth and soweth, and wait for her good fruits: for thou shalt not toil much in labouring about her, but thou shalt eat of her fruits right soon.

NoteWisdom is grammatically feminine in both Hebrew and Greek, and this literature routinely speaks of her as a woman: one to be courted, followed and lived with. The "her" throughout the rest of the chapter is that figure, not a particular person.

20She is very harsh toward the untaught. The person who has no understanding will not stay with her.

20She is very unpleasant to the unlearned: he that is without understanding will not remain with her.

NoteThe untaught person here is one who has never submitted to instruction and discipline, not one who is unintelligent.

21She will lie on him like a heavy testing-stone, and before long he will throw her off.

21She will lie upon him as a mighty stone of trial; and he will cast her from him ere it be long.

NoteA testing-stone was a heavy stone used to test a man's strength by seeing whether he could lift or carry it. The untrained man finds wisdom a weight he cannot hold, so he drops her.

22For wisdom matches her name, and she is not plain to many people.

22For wisdom is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto many.

NoteThis is a wordplay that does not survive translation. The Hebrew term for the training wisdom gives resembles a word meaning withdrawn or held back, so wisdom's very name is said to mark her as hidden from most people. The Greek and the English keep the claim but lose the pun.

23Listen, my son, take what I judge to be right, and do not turn down my advice.

23Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refuse not my counsel,

24Put your feet into her shackles and your neck into her chain.

24And put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain.

NoteFetters and a neck chain were what was put on prisoners and slaves. The image is deliberately harsh: the discipline of learning begins as a restraint you submit to, and the same objects turn into jewelry in verses 29 to 31.

25Bend your shoulder down, carry her, and do not be upset by the bonds she puts on you.

25Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds.

NoteThe picture is of a laborer or a pack animal taking a load on the shoulder. Wisdom is first carried as a burden before she is worn as an ornament.

26Come to her with your whole heart, and keep to her ways with all the strength you have.

26Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with all thy power.

27Search and hunt for her, and she will be made known to you. When you have taken hold of her, do not let her go.

27Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee: and when thou hast got hold of her, let her not go.

28For in the end you will find the rest she gives, and it will turn into gladness for you.

28For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be turned to thy joy.

29Then her shackles will be a strong covering for you, and her chains will be a robe of glory.

29Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chains a robe of glory.

NoteThe shackles and chain of verse 24 now become the gold and cloth of ceremonial dress. The same two words carry both pictures, and the reversal is the point of the passage.

30For there is a golden ornament on her, and the bands she wears are a purple cord.

30For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are purple lace.

NotePurple dye was extracted in tiny quantities from shellfish and was one of the most expensive substances in the ancient world, reserved for royal and priestly dress. Gold ornament and purple cord together describe the clothing of the highest rank.

31You will put her on like a robe of honor, and you will wear her like a crown of joy.

31Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy.

32My son, if you are willing, you will be taught, and if you give your mind to it, you will have good sense.

32My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent.

33If you love to listen, you will gain understanding, and if you bend your ear toward what is said, you will be wise.

33If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding: and if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt be wise,

34Stand among the crowd of the elders, and hold fast to the one who is wise.

34Stand in the multitude of the elders; and cleave unto him that is wise.

NoteThe elders were the older men of a town who settled disputes and taught by discussion in public. A young man learned by standing at the edge of that gathering and listening.

35Be willing to listen to every godly talk, and do not let the sayings that carry understanding slip past you.

35Be willing to hear every godly discourse; and let not the parables of understanding escape thee.

NoteThe King James "parables" here does not mean stories. It renders a word for proverbs and pointed sayings, the compressed maxims that wisdom teaching was carried in.

36And if you see a man of understanding, go to him early, and let your foot wear down the steps at his door.

36And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door.

Note"Go to him early" translates a verb meaning to rise at daybreak in order to seek someone out, so it carries the sense of making him your first business of the day. Wearing down the steps at his door is an idiom for visiting so often that you literally wear the stone.

37Keep your mind on the rules the Lord has given, and think about his commands all the time. He will make your heart steady, and he will give you the wisdom you desire.

37Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord and meditate continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine owns desire.

Note"The rules the Lord has given" and "his commands" both refer to the Law of Moses, the body of statutes given to Israel. Ben Sira uses the standard legal vocabulary of that Law here rather than general moral advice.