Eclesiástico 14

1Bienaventurado el hombre que no se deslizó en palabra que haya salido de su boca; ni es punzado por el remordimiento del pecado.

2Feliz el que no tiene en su ánimo la tristeza, y no ha decaído de su esperanza.

3Al hombre codicioso y agarrado, de nada le sirven las riquezas; y ¿qué le aprovecha el oro al hombre tacaño?

4El que amontona, privándose a sí mismo, para otros amontona; un extraño se regalará con sus bienes.

5¿Para quién será bueno el que para sí mismo es mezquino, y no sabe gozar de sus bienes?

6Quien es avaro contra sí mismo, es el hombre más ruin del mundo, y ya recibe el pago de su pasión perversa.

7Si algún bien hace, sin pensar ni querer lo hace, y al cabo viene a manifestar su malicia.

8Maligno es el ojo del envidioso, quien vuelve su cara al otro lado, y desprecia su misma alma.

9No se sacia el ojo del avaro con una porción injusta; no se saciará hasta tanto que haya consumido y secado su vida.

10El ojo maligno está fijo en el mal; no se saciará de pan; se estará famélico y melancólico en la mesa.

11Hijo mío, disfruta aquello que tienes, y haz de ello ofrendas dignas a Dios.

12Acuérdate de la muerte, la cual no tarda, y de la ley que se te ha intimado de ir al sepulcro; porque el morir es una ley de la que nadie está exento.

13Antes de morir haz bien a tu prójimo, y alarga tu mano hacia el pobre según tu posibilidad.

14No te prives de un buen día; y del buen don no dejes perder ninguna parte.

15¿No ves que has de dejar a otros tus sudores y fatigas, y que a la suerte se lo repartirán entre sí?

16Da, y toma, y santifica tu alma.

17Practica la justicia antes que mueras; pues en el sepulcro no hay que buscar el sustento.

18Se ha de pudrir toda carne como el heno y como las hojas que brotan en la verde planta.

19Unas hojas nacen, y otras se caen; así de las generaciones de carne y sangre una fenece, y otra nace.

20Toda obra corruptible ha de perecer finalmente, y su artífice tendrá el mismo paradero que ella.

21Todas las obras escogidas serán aprobadas, y el que las hace, será por ellas glorificado.

22Bienaventurado el hombre que es constante en la sabiduría, y medita en la justicia, y considera en su mente la providencia de Dios,

23que va estudiando en su corazón los caminos de ella, y entiende sus arcanos, yendo en pos de ella, como quien sigue su rastro, pisando siempre sus huellas;

24que se pone a mirar por sus ventanas, y está escuchando en su puerta;

25y reposa junto a la casa de ella, e hincando en sus paredes una estaca, asienta al lado de ella su pequeño pabellón, dentro del cual tendrán perpetua morada los bienes.

26Bajo la protección de la sabiduría colocará a sus hijos, y morará debajo de sus ramas,

27a la sombra de ella estará defendido del calor, y reposará en su gloria.

1[Beatus vir qui non est lapsus verbo ex ore suo, et non est stimulatus in tristitia delicti.

2Felix qui non habuit animi sui tristitiam, et non excidit a spe sua.

3Viro cupido et tenaci sine ratione est substantia: et homini livido ad quid aurum?

4Qui acervat ex animo suo injuste, aliis congregat, et in bonis illius alius luxuriabitur.

5Qui sibi nequam est, cui alii bonus erit? et non jucundabitur in bonis suis.

6Qui sibi invidet, nihil est illo nequius: et hæc redditio est malitiæ illius.

7Et si bene fecerit, ignoranter et non volens facit: et in novissimo manifestat malitiam suam.

8Nequam est oculus lividi: et avertens faciem suam, et despiciens animam suam.

9Insatiabilis oculus cupidi in parte iniquitatis: non satiabitur donec consumat arefaciens animam suam.

10Oculus malus ad mala, et non saturabitur pane, sed indigens et in tristitia erit super mensam suam.

11Fili, si habes, benefac tecum, et Deo dignas oblationes offer.

12Memor esto quoniam mors non tardat, et testamentum inferorum, quia demonstratum est tibi: testamentum enim hujus mundi morte morietur.

13Ante mortem benefac amico tuo, et secundum vires tuas exporrigens da pauperi.

14Non defrauderis a die bono, et particula boni doni non te prætereat.

15Nonne aliis relinques dolores et labores tuos in divisione sortis?

16Da et accipe, et justifica animam tuam.

17Ante obitum tuum operare justitiam, quoniam non est apud inferos invenire cibum.

18Omnis caro sicut fœnum veterascet, et sicut folium fructificans in arbore viridi.

19Alia generantur, et alia dejiciuntur: sic generatio carnis et sanguinis, alia finitur, et alia nascitur.

20Omne opus corruptibile in fine deficiet, et qui illud operatur ibit cum illo.

21Et omne opus electum justificabitur, et qui operatur illud honorabitur in illo.]

22[Beatus vir qui in sapientia morabitur, et qui in justitia sua meditabitur, et in sensu cogitabit circumspectionem Dei:

23qui excogitat vias illius in corde suo, et in absconditis suis intelligens, vadens post illam quasi investigator, et in viis illius consistens:

24qui respicit per fenestras illius, et in januis illius audiens:

25qui requiescit juxta domum illius, et in parietibus illius figens palum, statuet casulam suam ad manus illius, et requiescent in casula illius bona per ævum.

26Statuet filios suos sub tegmine illius, et sub ramis ejus morabitur.

27Protegetur sub tegmine illius a fervore, et in gloria ejus requiescet.]

1Blessed is the man that hath not slipped by a word out of his mouth, and is not pricked with the remorse of sin.

2Happy is he that hath had no sadness of his mind, and who is not fallen from his hope.

3Riches are not comely for a covetous man and a niggard, and what should an envious man do with gold?

4He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul, gathereth for others, and another will squander away his goods in rioting.

5He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and he shall not take pleasure in his goods.

6There is none worse than he that envieth himself, and this is the reward of his wickedness:

7And if he do good, he doth it ignorantly, and unwillingly: and at the last he discovereth his wickedness.

8The eye of the envious is wicked: and he turneth away his face, and despiseth his own soul.

9The eye of the covetous man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity: he will not be satisfied till he consume his own soul, drying it up.

10An evil eye is towards evil things: and he shall not have his fill of bread, but shall be needy and pensive at his own table.

11My son, if thou have any thing, do good to thyself, and offer to God worthy offerings.

12Remember that death is not slow, and that the covenant of hell hath been shewn to thee: for the covenant of this world shall surely die.

13Do good to thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability, stretching out thy hand give to the poor.

14Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good gift overpass thee.

15Shalt thou not leave to others to divide by lot thy sorrows and labours?

16Give and take, and justify thy soul.

17Before thy death work justice: for in hell there is no finding food.

18All flesh shall fade as grass, and as the leaf that springeth out on a green tree.

19Some grow, and some fall off: so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.

20Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end: and the worker thereof shall go with it.

21And every excellent work shall be justified: and the worker thereof shall be honoured therein.

22Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom, and that shall meditate in his justice, and in his mind shall think of the all seeing eye of God.

23He that considereth her ways in his heart, and hath understanding in her secrets, who goeth after her as one that traceth, and stayeth in her ways:

24He who looketh in at her windows, and hearkeneth at her door:

25He that lodgeth near her house, and fastening a pin in her walls shall set up his tent nigh unto her, where good things shall rest in his lodging for ever.

26He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches:

27He shall be protected under her covering from the heat, and shall rest in her glory.