Liber Ecclesiasticus, 38

1. honora medicum propter necessitatem etenim illum creavit Altissimus

1. Honour the physician for the need thou hast of him: for the most High hath created him.

2. a Deo est omnis medella et a rege accipiet dationem

2. For all healing is from God, and he shall receive gifts of the king.

3. disciplina medici exaltabit caput illius et in conspectu magnatorum conlaudabitur

3. The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be praised.

4. Altissimus creavit de terra medicinam et vir prudens non abhorrebit illi

4. The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.

5. nonne a ligno indulcata est amara aqua

5. Was not bitter water made sweet with wood?

6. ad agnitionem hominum virtutis illorum et dedit homini scientiam Altissimus honorari in mirabilibus suis

6. The virtue of these things is come to the knowledge of men, and the meet High hath given knowledge to men, that he may be honoured in his wonders.

7. in his curans mitigavit dolorem et unguentarius facit pigmentum suavitatis et unctiones conficiet suavitatis et non consummabuntur opera ejus

7. By these he shall cure and shall allay their pains, and of these the apothecary shall make sweet confections, and shall make up ointments of health, and of his works there shall be no end.

8. pax enim Dei super faciem terræ

8. For the peace of God is over all the face of the earth.

9. fili in tua infirmitate non despicias sed ora ad Dominum et ipse curabit te

9. My son, in thy sickness neglect not thyself, but pray to the Lord, and he shall heal thee.

10. averte a delicto et dirige manus et ab omni delicto munda cor tuum

10. Turn away from sin and order thy hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all offence.

11. da suavitatem et memoriam similaginis et inpingua oblationem et da locum medico

11. Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour, and make a fat offering, and then give place to the physician.

12. etenim illum Dominus creavit et non discedat a te quoniam opera ejus sunt necessaria

12. For the Lord created him: and let him not depart from thee, for his works are necessary.

13. est enim tempus quando in manus eorum incurras

13. For there is a time when thou must fall into their hands:

14. ipsi vero Dominum deprecabuntur ut dirigat requiem eorum et sanitatem propter conversationem illorum

14. And they shall beseech the Lord, that he would prosper what they give for ease and remedy, for their conversation.

15. qui delinquit in conspectu ejus qui fecit eum incidat in manus medici

15. He that sinneth in the sight of his Maker, shall fall into the hands of the physician.

16. fili in mortuum produc lacrimas et quasi dira passus incipe plorare et secundum judicium contine corpus illius et non despicias sepulturam illius

16. My son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to lament as if thou hadst suffered some great harm, and according to judgment cover his body, and neglect not his burial.

17. propter delaturam amare fer luctum illius uno die et consolare propter tristitiam

17. And for fear of being ill spoken of weep bitterly for a, day, and then comfort thyself in thy sadness.

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18. And make mourning for him according to his merit for a day, or two, for fear of detraction.

19. a tristitia enim festinat mors et cooperiet virtutem et tristitia cordis flectet cervicem

19. For of sadness cometh death, and it overwhelmeth the strength, and the sorrow of the heart boweth down the neck.

20. in abductione permanet tristitia et substantia inopis secundum cor ejus

20. In withdrawing aside sorrow remaineth: and the substance of the poor is according to his heart.

21. non dederis in tristitia cor tuum sed repelle eam a te et memento novissimorum

21. Give not up thy heart to sadness, but drive it from thee: and remember the latter end.

22. noli oblivisci neque enim est conversio et huic nihil proderis et te ipsum pessimabis

22. Forget it not: for there is no returning, and thou shalt do him no good, and shalt hurt thyself.

23. memor esto judicii mei sic enim erit et tuum mihi heri et tibi hodie

23. Remember my judgment: for also shall be so: yesterday for me, and to day for thee.

24. in requie mortui requiescere fac memoriam ejus et consolare illum in exitu spiritus sui

24. When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest, and comfort him in the departing of his spirit.

25. sapientiam scribe in tempore vacuitatis et qui minoratur actu sapientiam percipiet qua sapientia replebitur

25. The wisdom of a scribe cometh by his time of leisure: and he that is less in action, shall receive wisdom.

26. qui tenet aratrum et non gloriatur in jaculo stimulo boves agit et conversatur in operibus eorum et narratio ejus in filiis taurorum

26. With what wisdom shall he be furnished that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth the oxen therewith, and is occupied in their labours, and his whole talk is about the offspring of bulls?

27. cor suum dabit ad versandos sulcos et vigilia ejus in sagina vaccarum

27. He shall give his mind to turn up furrows, and his care is to give the kine fodder.

28. sic omnis faber et architectus qui noctem tamquam diem transigit qui sculpit signacula sculptilia et adsiduitas ejus variat picturam cor suum dabit in similitudinem picturæ et vigilia sua perficit opus

28. So every craftsman and workmaster that laboureth night and day, he who maketh graven seals, and by his continual diligence varieth the figure: he shall give his mind to the resemblance of the picture, and by his watching shall finish the work.

29. sic faber ferrarius sedens juxta incudem et considerans opus ferri vapor ignis uret carnes ejus et in calore fornacis concertatur

29. So doth the smith sitting by the anvil and considering the iron work. The vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace.

30. vox mallei innovabit aurem ejus et contra similitudinem vasi oculi ejus

30. The noise of the hammer is always in his ears, and his eye is upon the pat tern of the vessel he maketh.

31. cor suum dabit in consummationem operum et vigilia sua ornabit in consummatione

31. He setteth his mind to finish his work, and his watching to polish them, to perfection.

32. sic figulus sedens ad opus suum convertens pedibus suis rotam qui in sollicitudine positus est semper propter opus suum et innumera est omnis operatio ejus

32. So doth the potter sitting at his work, turning the wheel about with his feet, who is always carefully set to his work, and maketh all his work by number:

33. in brachio suo formabit lutum et ante pedes suos curvabit virtutem suam

33. He fashioneth the clay with his arm, and boweth down his strength before his feet:

34. cor suum dabit ut consummet linitionem et vigilia sua mundabit fornacem

34. He shall give his mind to finish the glazing, and his watching to make clean the furnace.

35. omnes hi in manibus suis speraverunt et unusquisque in arte sua sapiens est

35. All these trust to their hands, and every one is wise in his own art.

36. sine his omnibus non ædificatur civitas

36. Without these a city is not built.

37. et non inhabitabunt nec inambulabunt et in ecclesiam non transilient

37. And they shall not dwell, nor walk about therein, and they shall not go up into the assembly.

38. super sellam judicis non sedebunt et testamentum judicii non intellegent neque palam facient disciplinam et judicium et in parabolis non invenientur

38. Upon the judges' seat they shall not sit, and the ordinance of judgment they shall not understand, neither shall they declare discipline and judgment, and they shall not be found where parables are spoken:

39. sed creaturam ævi confirmabunt et deprecatio illorum in operatione artis adcommodantes animam suam et conquirentes in lege Altissimi

39. But they shall strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer shall be in the work of their craft, applying their soul, and searching in the law of the most High.