Ecclesiasticus 13

How to read these pages: the text itself comes first, verse by verse, in the volume's own translation. Beneath each verse stands its Meaning — a rendering of what the passage's terms name in the inner life, drawn from the correspondences the text itself uses. The text is never altered; the meaning is offered, not imposed.

King James Version

1He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him.

He that touches pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that has fellowship with a proud man shall be like to him — a state takes the nature of what it consorts with.

2Burden not thyself above thy power while thou livest; and have no fellowship with one that is mightier and richer than thyself: for how agree the kettle and the earthen pot together? for if the one be smitten against the other, it shall be broken.

Burden not yourself above your power while you live; and have no fellowship with one mightier and richer than yourself: for how agree the kettle and the earthen pot together? For if the one be smitten against the other, it shall be broken.

3The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he threateneth withal: the poor is wronged, and he must intreat also.

The rich man has done wrong, and yet he threatens withal: the poor is wronged, and he must intreat also.

4If thou be for his profit, he will use thee: but if thou have nothing, he will forsake thee.

If you be for his profit, he will use you: but if you have nothing, he will forsake you.

5If thou have any thing, he will live with thee: yea, he will make thee bare, and will not be sorry for it.

If you have anything, he will live with you: yea, he will make you bare, and will not be sorry for it.

6If he have need of thee, he will deceive thee, and smile upon thee, and put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair, and say, What wantest thou?

If he have need of you, he will deceive you, and smile upon you, and put you in hope; he will speak you fair, and say, What do you want?

7And he will shame thee by his meats, until he have drawn thee dry twice or thrice, and at the last he will laugh thee to scorn afterward, when he seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.

And he will shame you by his meats — by his table, his feeding and fellowship — until he have drawn you dry twice or thrice, and at last he will laugh you to scorn; afterward, when he sees you, he will forsake you, and shake his head at you.

8Beware that thou be not deceived and brought down in thy jollity.

Beware that you be not deceived and brought down in your jollity.

9If thou be invited of a mighty man, withdraw thyself, and so much the more will he invite thee.

If you be invited by a mighty man, withdraw yourself, and so much the more will he invite you.

10Press thou not upon him, lest thou be put back; stand not far off, lest thou be forgotten.

Press not upon him, lest you be put back; stand not far off, lest you be forgotten.

11Affect not to be made equal unto him in talk, and believe not his many words: for with much communication will he tempt thee, and smiling upon thee will get out thy secrets:

Affect not to be made equal to him in talk, and believe not his many words: for with much communication will he tempt you, and smiling upon you will get out your secrets:

12But cruelly he will lay up thy words, and will not spare to do thee hurt, and to put thee in prison.

But cruelly he will lay up your words, and will not spare to do you hurt, and to put you in prison — into a restricted state.

13Observe, and take good heed, for thou walkest in peril of thy overthrowing: when thou hearest these things, awake in thy sleep.

Observe, and take good heed, for you walk in peril of your overthrowing: when you hear these things, awake in your sleep.

14Love the Lord all thy life, and call upon him for thy salvation.

Love the indwelling LORD all your life, and call upon Him for your salvation.

15Every beast loveth his like, and every man loveth his neighbor.

Every beast loves his like, and every man loves his neighbour — each faculty consorts after its kind.

16All flesh consorteth according to kind, and a man will cleave to his like.

All flesh consorts according to kind, and a man will cleave to his like.

17What fellowship hath the wolf with the lamb? so the sinner with the godly.

What fellowship has the wolf with the lamb — the innocent, yielded life? So the sinner with the godly.

18What agreement is there between the hyena and a dog? and what peace between the rich and the poor?

What agreement is there between the hyena and a dog? And what peace between the rich and the poor?

19As the wild ass is the lion’s prey in the wilderness: so the rich eat up the poor.

As the wild ass is the lion's prey in the wilderness — the untended waste-state — so the rich eat up the poor.

20As the proud hate humility: so doth the rich abhor the poor.

As the proud hate humility: so does the rich abhor the poor.

21A rich man beginning to fall is held up of his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust away by his friends.

A rich man beginning to fall is held up by his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust away by his friends.

22When a rich man is fallen, he hath many helpers: he speaketh things not to be spoken, and yet men justify him: the poor man slipped, and yet they rebuked him too; he spake wisely, and could have no place.

When a rich man is fallen, he has many helpers: he speaks things not to be spoken, and yet men justify him: the poor man slipped, and yet they rebuked him too; he spoke wisely, and could have no place.

23When a rich man speaketh, every man holdeth his tongue, and, look, what he saith, they extol it to the clouds: but if the poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? and if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.

When a rich man speaks, every man holds his tongue, and, look, what he says, they extol it to the clouds: but if the poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? And if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.

24Riches are good unto him that hath no sin, and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly.

Riches are good to him that has no sin — no settled error — and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly.

25The heart of a man changeth his countenance, whether it be for good or evil: and a merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.

The heart of a man changes his countenance, whether it be for good or evil: and a merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.

26A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart that is in prosperity; and the finding out of parables is a wearisome labour of the mind.

A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart in prosperity; and the finding out of parables — of the inner truths in outer stories — is a wearisome labour of the mind.

Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.