The actual, original, first printing of the 1611 King James Version (‘HE’ Bible) — Ecclesiasticus Chapter 14.

CHAP. XIV.

1 A good conscience maketh men happie. 5 The niggard doth good to none. 13 But doe thou good. 10 Men are happy that draw neere to wisedome.

¹ Blessed is the man that hath not slipt with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sinnes.¹

² Blessed is hee whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.

³ Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an enuious man doe with money?

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⁴ He that gathereth by defrauding his owne soule, gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.

⁵ Hee that is euill to himselfe, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.

⁶ There is none worse then he that enuieth himselfe; and this is a recompence of his wickednesse.

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⁷ And if he doth good, he doth it vnwillingly, and at the last he will declare his wickednesse.

⁸ The enuious man hath a wicked eye, he turneth away his face and despiseth men.

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⁹ A couetous mans eye is not satisfied with his portion, and the iniquity of the wicked dryeth vp his soule.⁹

¹⁰ A wicked eye enuieth [his] bread, and he is a niggard at his table.

¹¹ My sonne, according to thy habilitie doe good to thy selfe, and giue the Lord his due offering.

¹² Remember that death will not be long in comming, and that the couenant of the graue is not shewed vnto thee.

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¹³ Doe good vnto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy abilitie, stretch out thy hand and giue to him.¹³

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¹⁴ Defraud not thy selfe of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire ouerpasse thee.¹⁴

¹⁵ Shalt thou not leaue thy trauailes vnto another? and thy labours to be diuided by lot?

¹⁶ Giue, and take, and sanctifie thy soule, for there is no seeking of dainties in the graue.

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¹⁷ All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the couenant from the beginning is; thou shalt die the death.¹⁷

¹⁸ As of the greene leaues on a thicke tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one commeth to an end, and another is borne.

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¹⁹ Euery worke rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker therof shal goe withall.

²⁰ Blessed is the man that doeth meditate good things in wisdome, and that reasoneth of holy things by his vnderstanding.²⁰

²¹ He that considereth her wayes in his heart, shall also haue vnderstanding in her secrets.

²² Goe after her as one that traceth, and lie in wait in her wayes.

²³ Hee that prieth in at her windowes, shal also hearken at her doores.

²⁴ Hee that doeth lodge neere her house, shall also fasten a pin in her walles.²⁴

²⁵ He shall pitch his tent nigh vnto her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.

²⁶ He shal set his children vnder her shelter, and shall lodge vnder her branches.

²⁷ By her he shall be couered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.

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