rom
sins, and in the works of justice shall have success.

3:33. Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins:

3:34. And God provideth for him that sheweth favour: he remembereth him
afterwards, and in the time of his fall he shall find a sure stay.

Ecclesiasticus Chapter 4

An exhortation to works of mercy, and to the love of wisdom.

4:1. Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from
the poor.

4:2. Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the poor in his want.

4:3. Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to gibe to him
that is in distress.

4:4. Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy
face from the needy.

4:5. Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave
not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back.

4:6. For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his
soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him.

4:7. Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble
thy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a great man.

4:8. Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest,
and answer him peaceable words with mildness.

4:9. Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and
be not fainthearted in thy soul.

4:10. In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a
husband to their mother.

4:11. And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he
will have mercy on thee more than a mother.

4:12. Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that
seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice.

4:13. And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her,
shall embrace her sweetness.

4:14. They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she
entereth, God will give a blessing.

4:15. They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God
loveth them that love her.

4:16. He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that
looketh upon her, shall remain secure.

4:17. If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall
be in assurance.

4:18. For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she
chooseth him.

In temptation, etc... The meaning is, that before wisdom will choose any
for her favourite, she will try them by leading them through
contradictions, afflictions, and temptations, the usual novic