Shall not the dew assuage the scorching heat? And both are with a gracious man. The Talmud, observes Dr. Edersheim, in his commentary on Sirach, 'contains many similar statements. Thus it is said, "Alms are rewarded only according to the graciousness which accompanies them." And it is pointed out that in the Psalms it says, Blessed is he that considereth (not merely giveth to) the poor. We read elsewhere that he that gave to the poor a perutah (the smallest coin) was blessed with six blessings, but he that comforted them with words was blessed with eleven blessings. Lastly, we are told that if one bestowed on another all the gifts in the world, but with an unpleasant countenance, it would be reckoned as if he had given nothing, while if a man received his neighbour with a pleasant face, even if he gave him nothing, it would be reckoned as if he had bestowed on him all the gifts of the world.' Need I add that the last saying requires the grain of salt? One may smile, and smile, and be a villain.' Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent; for if thou draw nigh it will bite thee: the teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion, slaying the souls of men. All iniquity is as a twoedged sword; its stroke hath no healing. Do nothing without counsel; And when thou hast once done, repent not. Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is out of sight, What profit is in them both? Better is a man that hideth his folly Than a man that hideth his wisdom. There is a prosperity that a man findeth in misfortunes; and there is a gain that turneth to loss. There is a gift that shall not profit thee; and there is a gift whose recompense is double. There is an abasement because of glory; and there is that hath lifted up his head from a low estate. There is that buyeth much for a little, and payeth for it again sevenfold. As the sun when it ariseth in the highest places of the Lord, So is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of a man's house. THE DANGERS OF MONEY-MAKING As the lamp that shineth upon the holy candlestick, A merchant shall hardly keep himself from wrongdoing; and a huckster shall not be acquitted of sin. Many have sinned for a thing indifferent; and he that seeketh to multiply gain will turn his eye away. A nail will stick fast between the joining of stones; and sin will thrust itself in between buying and selling. He that feareth the Lord will receive his discipline; Birds will resort unto their like; And truth will return unto them that practise her. Very noteworthy is the adage: There is a prosperity that a man findeth in misfortunes; and there is a gain that turneth to loss.' Experience has given it innumerable applications, and countless story-books have given it illustration. Ben Sira's view of the temptations of a merchant seems exaggerated. But at the same time we must recognize it as probable that those engaged in purely financial operations all the livelong day need the fibres of their moral nature to be especially stout. Stout, not merely to resist the temptation to meanness or cheating, but to maintain their full capacity to appreciate the higher elements of life. Money is not an end, but a means, and a constant absorption over the means may make the soul sordid, and render it dull and dense to the more delicate aspects of spiritual truth, to the deeper feelings and joys of art or goodness or religion. Moralists of every race and age have declared that the love of money is the root of all evil; and there lies at least as much truth in the statement as is consistent with its sweep and brevity. The last two maxims are both interesting. "Truth,' as Dr. Edersheim says, 'will ultimately appear on the side of the righteous and vindicate them, however they may have suffered or been misrepresented.' He might have added that this vindication has often failed to make its appearance until after the death of truth's champion. The conviction that goodness and truth will triumph in the end has given solace and sustainment in a life of trouble or of danger and in a death of anguish or of loneliness. The penultimate adage harps again on what should now have become to us a familiar string. To him who seeks the right, the right is visible; to him whose heart is sin-clouded, the law of God will be hidden. § 17. Worldly wisdom.-In this paragraph I propose to give some selections from that aspect of Ben Sira's 'wisdom' to which I called attention at the beginning of the chapter-his rules and advice on the subject of manners, behaviour and worldly prudence. I do not make these selections with the idea that there is much high morality or true religion to be gained from them. For Ben Sira is here at his lowest, and the greater portion of his counsels can hardly be called otherwise than utilitarian and egoistic. A wise friend has ironically suggested that the 'essay' which Mr. Moulton has headed 'On Adaptation of Behaviour to Various Sorts of Men' should rather be entitled 'On Care of Oneself and Mistrust of Others.' But as a picture of manners and society in Palestine at the close of the second century B. C., these somewhat selfish reflections have an interest of their own. We seem to listen to the Lord Chesterfield of his day, who, however, in other veins and moods, could rise above and pass beyond these narrow and self-regarding limits. Contend not with a mighty man, lest haply thou fall into his hands. Strive not with a rich man, lest haply he overweigh thee: for gold hath destroyed many, and turned aside the hearts of kings. Contend not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon his fire. Jest not with a rude man, lest thine ancestors be dishonoured. Reproach not a man when he turneth from sin: remember that we are all worthy of punishment. Dishonour not a man in his old age; for some of us also are waxing old. Rejoice not over one that is dead: remember that we die all. Neglect not the discourse of the wise, and be conversant with their proverbs; for of them thou shalt learn instruction, and how to minister to great men. Miss not the discourse of the aged (for they also learned of their fathers); because from them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give answer in time of need. Kindle not the coals of a sinner, lest thou be burned with the flame of his fire. Rise not up from the presence of an insolent man, lest he lie in wait as an ambush for thy mouth. Lend not to a man that is mightier than thyself; and if thou lend, be as one that hath lost. Be not surety above thy power: and if thou be surety, take thought as one that GOOD BEHAVIOUR 97, will have to pay. Go not to law with a judge; for according to his honour will they give judgement for him. Go not in the way with a rash man, lest he be aggrieved with thee; for he will do according to his own will, and thou shalt perish with his folly. Fight not with a wrathful man, and travel not with him through the desert; for blood is as nothing in his sight; and where there is no help, he will overthrow thee. Take not counsel with a fool; for he will not be able to conceal the matter. Do no secret thing before a stranger; for thou knowest not what he will bring forth. Open not thine heart to every man; and let him not return thee a favour. Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him as new wine, so is a new friend; if it become old, thou shalt drink it with gladness. Envy not the glory of a sinner; for thou knowest not what shall be his overthrow. Delight not in the delights of the ungodly; remember they shall not go unpunished unto the grave. As well as thou canst, guess at thy neighbours; and take counsel with the wise. Let thy converse be with men of understanding; and let all thy discourse be in the law of the Most High. Let just men be the companions of thy board; and let thy glorying be in the fear of the Lord. Here is Ben Sira's counsel as to right behaviour at a feast. Sittest thou at a great table? be not greedy upon it, and say not, Many are the things upon it. Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looketh, and thrust not thyself with it into the dish. Consider thy neighbour's liking by thine own; and be discreet in every point. Eat, as becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and eat not greedily, lest thou be hated. Be first to leave off for manners' sake; and be not insatiable, lest thou offend. And if thou sittest among many, reach not out thy hand before them. How sufficient to a well-mannered man is a very little, and he doth not breathe hard upon his bed. Healthy sleep cometh of moderate eating; he riseth early, and his wits are with him; the pain of wakefulness, and colic, and griping, are with an insatiable man. Shew not thyself valiant in wine; for wine hath destroyed many. The furnace proveth the temper of steel by dipping; so doth wine prove hearts in the quarrelling of the proud. Wine is as good as life to men, if thou drink it in its measure: what life is there to a man that is without wine? and it hath been created to make men glad. Wine drunk in season and to satisfy is joy of heart, and gladness of soul: wine drunk largely is bitterness of soul, with provocation and conflict. Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool unto his hurt; it diminisheth strength, and addeth wounds. Rebuke not thy neighbour at a banquet of wine, neither set him at nought in his mirth: speak not unto him a word of reproach, and press not upon him by asking back a debt. Have they made thee ruler of a feast? be not lifted up, be thou among them as one of them; take thought for them, and so sit down. And when thou hast done all thy office, take thy place, that thou mayest be gladdened on their account, and receive a crown for thy well ordering. Speak, thou that art the elder, for it becometh thee, but with sound knowledge; and hinder not music. Pour not out talk where there is a performance of music, and display not thy wisdom out of season. As a signet of carbuncle in a setting of gold, so is a concert of music in a banquet of wine. As a signet of emerald in a work of gold, so is a strain of music with pleasant wine. Here is a cautious essay 'On Counsel and Counsellors.' Should the author not have added that trust sometimes begets trust? 'The contagion of trust' is the title of a very fine sermon written by the present Dean of Ely. Every counsellor extolleth counsel; but there is that counselleth for himself. Let thy soul beware of a counsellor, and know thou before what is his interest-for he will take counsel for himself-lest he cast the lot upon thee, and say unto thee, Thy way is good: and he will stand over against thee, to see what shall befall thee. Take not counsel with one that looketh askance at thee; and hide thy counsel from such as are jealous of thee. Take not counsel with a woman about her rival; neither with a coward about war; nor with a merchant about exchange; nor with a buyer about selling; nor with an envious man about thankfulness; nor with an unmerciful man about kindliness; nor with a sluggard about any kind of work; nor with a hireling in thy house about |