Ecclesiasticus 5

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

1Set thy heart upon thy goods; and say not, I have enough for my life.

Set not your heart upon your goods; and say not, I have enough for my life.

2Follow not thine own mind and thy strength, to walk in the ways of thy heart:

Follow not your own mind and your strength, to walk in the ways of your heart:

3And say not, Who shall controul me for my works? for the Lord will surely revenge thy pride.

And say not, Who shall control me for my works? For the indwelling LORD will surely avenge your pride — the settling of accounts will answer it.

4Say not, I have sinned, and what harm hath happened unto me? for the Lord is longsuffering, he will in no wise let thee go.

Say not, I have sinned, and what harm has happened to me? For the LORD is longsuffering; He will in no wise let you go free.

5Concerning propitiation, be not without fear to add sin unto sin:

Concerning propitiation — the covering of error — be not without fear to add sin to sin, error to error:

6And say not His mercy is great; he will be pacified for the multitude of my sins: for mercy and wrath come from him, and his indignation resteth upon sinners.

And say not, His mercy is great; He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins: for mercy and wrath both come from Him, and His indignation rests upon sinners.

7Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance.

Make no tarrying to turn to the indwelling LORD, and put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the LORD come forth, and in your security you shall be destroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance — the day the order confronts the state.

8Set not thine heart upon goods unjustly gotten, for they shall not profit thee in the day of calamity.

Set not your heart on goods unjustly gotten, for they shall not profit you in the day of calamity.

9Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for so doth the sinner that hath a double tongue.

Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for so does the sinner that has a double tongue — a speech divided between two rulings.

10Be stedfast in thy understanding; and let thy word be the same.

Be steadfast in your understanding; and let your word be the same.

11Be swift to hear; and let thy life be sincere; and with patience give answer.

Be swift to hear; and let your life be sincere; and with patience give answer.

12If thou hast understanding, answer thy neighbour; if not, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

If you have understanding, answer your neighbour; if not, lay your hand upon your mouth.

13Honour and shame is in talk: and the tongue of man is his fall.

Honour and shame are in talk: and the tongue of man — his speech-faculty — is his fall.

14Be not called a whisperer, and lie not in wait with thy tongue: for a foul shame is upon the thief, and an evil condemnation upon the double tongue.

Be not called a whisperer, and lie not in wait with your tongue: for a foul shame is upon the thief, and an evil condemnation upon the double tongue.

15Be not ignorant of any thing in a great matter or a small.

Be not ignorant of anything in a great matter or a small.

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