Ecclesiasticus 15
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 feareth the Lord will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.
He that fears the indwelling LORD will do good, and he that has the knowledge of the law shall obtain her — Wisdom — the divine Love-Wisdom of the Source, ordering all things.
2And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin — as the bearing affection, and as the joined affection in its purity.
3With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
With the bread of understanding — truth-substance that truly feeds — shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink, the unformed thought made truth.
4He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.
He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.
5She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.
She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation — the gathered faculties — shall she open his mouth.
6He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
7But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.
But foolish men — the sense-bound states, closed to the divine order — shall not attain to her, and sinners shall not see her.
8For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.
For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.
9Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.
Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the indwelling LORD.
10For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.
For praise shall be uttered in Wisdom, and the LORD will prosper it.
11Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.
Say not, It is through the LORD that I fell away: for you ought not to do the things that He hates — the Source never authors evil.
12Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.
Say not, He has caused me to err: for He has no need of the sinful man.
13The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.
The indwelling LORD hates all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.
14He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;
He Himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel — free to choose his ruling thought.
15If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.
If you will, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.
16He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.
He has set fire and water before you: stretch forth your hand to whether you will — the consuming truth or the unformed thought, set side by side for choice.
17Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.
Before man is life and death; and whether him likes shall be given him.
18For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:
For the Wisdom of the indwelling LORD is great, and He is mighty in power, and beholds all things:
19And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.
And His eyes are upon them that fear Him, and He knows every work of man.
20He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.
He has commanded no man to do wickedly, neither has He given any man licence to sin.
Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.