41
1 O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that is at peace in his possessions,
Unto the man that hath nothing to distract him, and hath prosperity in all things,
And that still hath strength to receive meat!
2 O death, acceptable is thy sentence unto a man that is needy, and that faileth in strength,
That is in extreme old age, and is distracted about all things,
And is perverse, and hath lost patience!
3 Fear not the sentence of death;
Remember them that have been before thee, and that come after:
This is the sentence from the Lord over all flesh.
4 And why dost thou refuse, when it is the good pleasure of the Most High?
Whether it be ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years,
There is no inquisition of life in * the grave.
5 The children of sinners are abominable children,
And they frequent the dwellings of the ungodly.
6 The inheritance of sinners’ children shall perish,
And with their posterity shall be a perpetual reproach.
7 Children will complain of an ungodly father,
Because they shall be reproached for his sake.
8 Woe unto you, ungodly men,
Which have forsaken the law of the Most High God! †
9 If ye be born, ye shall be born to a curse;
If ye die, a curse shall be your portion.
10 All things that are of the earth shall go back to the earth:
So the ungodly shall go from a curse unto perdition.
11 The mourning of men is about their bodies:
But the name of sinners being evil shall be blotted out.
12 Have regard to thy name;
For it continueth with thee longer than a thousand great treasures of gold.
13 A good life hath its number of days;
And a good name continueth for ever.
14 My children, keep instruction in peace:
But wisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen,
What profit is in them both?
15 Better is a man that hideth his foolishness
Than a man that hideth his wisdom.
16 Wherefore shew reverence to my word:
For it is not good to retain every kind of shame;
And not all things are approved by all in good faith.
17 Be ashamed of whoredom before father and mother:
And of a lie before a prince and a mighty man;
18 Of an offence before a judge and ruler;
Of iniquity before the congregation and the people;
Of unjust dealing before a partner and friend;
19 And of theft in regard of the place where thou sojournest,
And in regard of the truth of God and his covenant;
And of leaning with thine elbow at meat;
And of scurrility in the matter of giving and taking;
20 And of silence before them that salute thee;
And of looking upon a woman that is a harlot;
21 And of turning away ‡ thy face from a kinsman;
Of taking away a portion or a gift;
And of gazing upon a woman that hath a husband;
22 Of being over busy with his maid; and come not near her bed;
Of upbraiding speeches before friends;
And after thou hast given, upbraid not;
23 Of repeating and speaking what thou hast heard;
And of revealing of secrets.
24 So shalt thou be truly shamefast,
And find favour in the sight of every man.
* 41:4 Gr. hades † 41:8 The remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities. ‡ 41:21 Or, the face of a kinsman