Ecclesiasticus 49

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

1The remembrance of Josias is like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the apothecary: it is sweet as honey in all mouths, and as musick at a banquet of wine.

The remembrance of Josias — Josiah, kept by the text's spelling — is like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the apothecary, the compounding faculty: it is sweet as honey in all mouths, and as music at a banquet of wine — the sweetness of truth, and praise at the feast of wine, truth's spiritual essence.

2He behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity.

He behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity — the formed images and practices twisted wholly from the order.

3He directed his heart unto the Lord, and in the time of the ungodly he established the worship of God.

He directed his heart unto the indwelling LORD, and in the time of the ungodly he established the worship of the Source.

4All, except David and Ezekias and Josias, were defective: for they forsook the law of the most High, even the kings of Juda failed.

All, except David — Love enthroned — and Ezekias and Josias, were defective: for they forsook the law of the most High, even the kings of Juda — the kings of Praise — failed.

5Therefore he gave their power unto others, and their glory to a strange nation.

Therefore he gave their power unto others, and their glory to a strange nation — the ruling authority handed to a state foreign to the order, the state given over to the consequence it chose.

6They burnt the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made the streets desolate, according to the prophecy of Jeremias.

They burnt the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made the streets desolate, according to the prophecy of Jeremias — Jeremiah, the forth-telling faculty who laments the fall and speaks through all the captivity years.

7For they entreated him evil, who nevertheless was a prophet, sanctified in his mother’s womb, that he might root out, and afflict, and destroy; and that he might build up also, and plant.

For they entreated him evil, who nevertheless was a prophet — a forth-telling faculty — sanctified in his mother's womb, that he might root out, and afflict, and destroy; and that he might build up also, and plant.

8It was Ezekiel who saw the glorious vision, which was shewed him upon the chariot of the cherubims.

It was Ezekiel — the prophetic faculty whom God strengthens — who saw the glorious vision, truth seen by the inner eye, which was showed him upon the chariot of the cherubims — the guarding faculties that keep the way.

9For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of the rain, and directed them that went right.

For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of the rain, and directed them that went right.

10And of the twelve prophets let the memorial be blessed, and let their bones flourish again out of their place: for they comforted Jacob, and delivered them by assured hope.

And of the twelve prophets let the memorial be blessed, and let their bones — the essential structure of their states — flourish again out of their place: for they comforted Jacob, and delivered them by assured hope.

11How shall we magnify Zorobabel? even he was as a signet on the right hand:

How shall we magnify Zorobabel — Zerubbabel, the state sown in Babylon, in the confusion, who leads the return? even he was as a signet on the right hand — the seal of authority worn at the point of power:

12So was Jesus the son of Josedec: who in their time builded the house, and set up an holy temple to the Lord, which was prepared for everlasting glory.

So was Jesus the son of Josedec — Joshua the high priest of the return, conquering faith in the mediating office, kept by his name and his father's: who in their time builded the house, and set up an holy temple to the indwelling LORD, the established sanctuary-state, which was prepared for everlasting glory.

13And among the elect was Neemias, whose renown is great, who raised up for us the walls that were fallen, and set up the gates and the bars, and raised up our ruins again.

And among the elect was Neemias — Nehemiah, the cupbearer-faculty raised to builder, who hears of the broken wall and rebuilds the defences of the state — whose renown is great, who raised up for us the walls that were fallen, and set up the gates and the bars, and raised up our ruins again.

14But upon the earth was no man created like Enoch; for he was taken from the earth.

But upon the earth was no man created like Enoch — the state that walks with God; for he was taken from the earth, translated beyond the sight of death.

15Neither was there a young man born like Joseph, a governor of his brethren, a stay of the people, whose bones were regarded of the Lord.

Neither was there a young man born like Joseph — the Increase faculty, the dream-consciousness that interprets, provides, and forgives — a governor of his brethren, a stay of the people, whose bones were regarded of the indwelling LORD.

16Sem and Seth were in great honour among men, and so was Adam above every living thing in creation.

Sem — Shem, the spiritual faculty, reverence, the inner name-nature — and Seth — the appointed seed, the new state granted to replace what was lost — were in great honour among men, and so was Adam — the Complete Man — above every living thing in creation.

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