Ecclesiasticus 7

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

1Do no evil, so shall no harm come unto thee.

Do no evil, so shall no harm come to you.

2Depart from the unjust, and iniquity shall turn away from thee.

Depart from the unjust, and iniquity shall turn away from you.

3My son, sow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.

My son, sow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and you shall not reap them sevenfold — the seed-idea multiplied after its kind, in completeness.

4Seek not of the Lord preeminence, neither of the king the seat of honour.

Seek not of the indwelling LORD preeminence, neither of the king — the ruling state — the seat of honour.

5Justify not thyself before the Lord; and boast not of thy wisdom before the king.

Justify not yourself before the LORD; and boast not of your wisdom before the king.

6Seek not to be judge, being not able to take away iniquity; lest at any time thou fear the person of the mighty, an stumblingblock in the way of thy uprightness.

Seek not to be judge, being not able to take away iniquity; lest at any time you fear the person of the mighty, and put a stumblingblock in the way of your uprightness.

7Offend not against the multitude of a city, and then thou shalt not cast thyself down among the people.

Offend not against the multitude of a city — the gathered states — and then you shall not cast yourself down among the people.

8Bind not one sin upon another; for in one thou shalt not be unpunished.

Bind not one sin upon another — error upon error — for in one you shall not be unpunished.

9Say not, God will look upon the multitude of my oblations, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept it.

Say not, The Source will look upon the multitude of my oblations, and when I offer to the most High God, He will accept it — offerings do not buy the order.

10Be not fainthearted when thou makest thy prayer, and neglect not to give alms.

Be not fainthearted when you make your prayer, and neglect not to give alms.

11Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one which humbleth and exalteth.

Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is One who humbles and exalts.

12Devise not a lie against thy brother; neither do the like to thy friend.

Devise not a lie against your brother; neither do the like to your friend.

13Use not to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.

Use not to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.

14Use not many words in a multitude of elders, and make not much babbling when thou prayest.

Use not many words in a multitude of elders, and make not much babbling when you pray.

15Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry, which the most High hath ordained.

Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry, which the most High has ordained — the tending of the cultivated inner life.

16Number not thyself among the multitude of sinners, but remember that wrath will not tarry long.

Number not yourself among the multitude of sinners, but remember that wrath will not tarry long.

17Humble thyself greatly: for the vengeance of the ungodly is fire and worms.

Humble yourself greatly: for the vengeance of the ungodly — the consequence that overtakes the godless state — is fire and worms, its own corruption consuming it.

18Change not a friend for any good by no means; neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir.

Change not a friend for any good by no means; neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir — pure good in outer form.

19Forego not a wise and good woman: for her grace is above gold.

Forego not a wise and good woman — a wise and good joined affection — for her grace is above gold.

20Whereas thy servant worketh truly, entreat him not evil, nor the hireling that bestoweth himself wholly for thee.

Whereas your servant works truly, entreat him not evil, nor the hireling that bestows himself wholly for you.

21Let thy soul love a good servant, and defraud him not of liberty.

Let your soul love a good servant, and defraud him not of liberty.

22Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for thy profit, keep them with thee.

Have you cattle — tamed affections that serve the life? Have an eye to them: and if they be for your profit, keep them with you.

23Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth.

Have you children? Instruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth — train the young states early under the order.

24Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew not thyself cheerful toward them.

Have you daughters? Have a care of their body, and show not yourself cheerful toward them.

25Marry thy daughter, and so shalt thou have performed a weighty matter: but give her to a man of understanding.

Marry your daughter, and so you shall have performed a weighty matter: but give her to a man of understanding.

26Hast thou a wife after thy mind? forsake her not: but give not thyself over to a light woman.

Have you a wife after your mind? Forsake her not: but give not yourself over to a light woman — an unstable, unjoined affection.

27Honour thy father with thy whole heart, and forget not the sorrows of thy mother.

Honour your father with your whole heart, and forget not the sorrows of your mother.

28Remember that thou wast begotten of them; and how canst thou recompense them the things that they have done for thee?

Remember that you were begotten of them; and how can you recompense them the things they have done for you?

29Fear the Lord with all thy soul, and reverence his priests.

Fear the indwelling LORD with all your soul, and reverence His priests — His mediating faculties.

30Love him that made thee with all thy strength, and forsake not his ministers.

Love Him that made you with all your strength, and forsake not His ministers.

31Fear the Lord, and honor the priest; and give him his portion, as it is commanded thee; the firstfruits, and the trespass offering, and the gift of the shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things.

Fear the LORD, and honour the priest; and give him his portion, as it is commanded you; the firstfruits, and the trespass offering, and the gift of the shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things — each offering a faculty yielded to the Source.

32And stretch thine hand unto the poor, that thy blessing may be perfected.

And stretch your hand to the poor, that your blessing — your divine increase — may be perfected.

33A gift hath grace in the sight of every man living; and for the dead detain it not.

A gift has grace in the sight of every man living; and for the dead detain it not.

34Fail not to be with them that weep, and mourn with them that mourn.

Fail not to be with them that weep, and mourn with them that mourn.

35Be not slow to visit the sick: for that shall make thee to be beloved.

Be not slow to visit the sick: for that shall make you to be beloved.

36Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss.

Whatever you take in hand, remember the end, and you shall never do amiss.

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