Ecclesiasticus 42

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

1Of these things be not thou ashamed, and accept no person to sin thereby:

Of these things be not thou ashamed, and accept no person to sin thereby — favour no faculty's show so as to let it act apart from the order:

2Of the law of the most High, and his covenant; and of judgment to justify the ungodly;

Of the law of the most High, and his covenant; and of judgment to justify the ungodly — the order's own acquittal, not man's flattery;

3Of reckoning with thy partners and travellers; or of the gift of the heritage of friends;

Of reckoning with thy partners and travellers; or of the gift of the heritage of friends;

4Of exactness of balance and weights; or of getting much or little;

Of exactness of balance and weights; or of getting much or little;

5And of merchants’ indifferent selling; of much correction of children; and to make the side of an evil servant to bleed.

And of merchants' indifferent selling; of much correction of children; and to make the side of an evil servant to bleed — correction of the serving faculty left wholly to appetite.

6Sure keeping is good, where an evil wife is; and shut up, where many hands are.

Sure keeping is good, where an evil wife is — where the affection-faculty is disordered, a guarded boundary is good; and shut up, where many hands are.

7Deliver all things in number and weight; and put all in writing that thou givest out, or receivest in.

Deliver all things in number and weight; and put all in writing that thou givest out, or receivest in.

8Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the extreme aged that contendeth with those that are young: thus shalt thou be truly learned, and approved of all men living.

Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the extreme aged that contends with those that are young: thus shalt thou be truly learned, and approved of all men living.

9The father waketh for the daughter, when no man knoweth; and the care for her taketh away sleep: when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age; and being married, lest she should be hated:

The father wakes for the daughter, when no man knows; and the care for her takes away sleep: when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age; and being married, lest she should be hated:

10In her virginity, lest she should be defiled and gotten with child in her father’s house; and having an husband, lest she should misbehave herself; and when she is married, lest she should be barren.

In her virginity, lest she should be defiled and gotten with child in her father's house; and having an husband, lest she should misbehave herself; and when she is married, lest she should be barren — lest the young affection-faculty be wronged, misjoined, or bear nothing.

11Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter, lest she make thee a laughingstock to thine enemies, and a byword in the city, and a reproach among the people, and make thee ashamed before the multitude.

Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter, lest she make thee a laughingstock to thine enemies, and a byword in the city, and a reproach among the people, and make thee ashamed before the multitude.

12Behold not every body’s beauty, and sit not in the midst of women.

Behold not every body's beauty, and sit not in the midst of women — do not settle the gaze among the affection-faculties indiscriminately.

13For from garments cometh a moth, and from women wickedness.

For from garments comes a moth, and from women wickedness — as the covering breeds its own corruption, so an unordered affection breeds a state twisted from the order.

14Better is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which bringeth shame and reproach.

Better is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which brings shame and reproach.

15I will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works.

I will now remember the works of the indwelling LORD, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the indwelling LORD are his works.

16The sun that giveth light looketh upon all things, and the work thereof is full of the glory of the Lord.

The sun that gives light looks upon all things, and the work thereof is full of the glory of the indwelling LORD — the sun, Divine Love, pouring its light on all, and the outer work filled with the manifested weight of the Presence.

17The Lord hath not given power to the saints to declare all his marvellous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that whatsoever is might be established for his glory.

The indwelling LORD has not given power to the saints — the states set apart — to declare all his marvellous works, which the Almighty indwelling LORD firmly settled, that whatsoever is might be established for his glory.

18He seeketh out the deep, and the heart, and considereth their crafty devices: for the Lord knoweth all that may be known, and he beholdeth the signs of the world.

He seeks out the deep — the subconscious depths — and the heart, and considers their crafty devices: for the indwelling LORD knows all that may be known, and he beholds the signs of the world — the marks of its states.

19He declareth the things that are past, and for to come, and revealeth the steps of hidden things.

He declares the things that are past, and for to come, and reveals the steps of hidden things.

20No thought escapeth him, neither any word is hidden from him.

No thought escapes him, neither any word is hidden from him.

21He hath garnished the excellent works of his wisdom, and he is from everlasting to everlasting: unto him may nothing be added, neither can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor.

He has garnished the excellent works of his wisdom, and he is from everlasting to everlasting: unto him may nothing be added, neither can he be diminished, and he has no need of any counsellor.

22Oh how desirable are all his works! and that a man may see even to a spark.

Oh how desirable are all his works! and that a man may see even to a spark.

23All these things live and remain for ever for all uses, and they are all obedient.

All these things live and remain for ever for all uses, and they are all obedient.

24All things are double one against another: and he hath made nothing imperfect.

All things are double one against another: and he has made nothing imperfect — every state set in its ordered counterpart, light against darkness, the illuminated against the hidden.

25One thing establisheth the good of another: and who shall be filled with beholding his glory?

One thing establishes the good of another: and who shall be filled with beholding his glory — the radiance of the state filled with the Source?

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