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4:1 [Fili, eleemosynam pauperis ne defraudes, et oculos tuos ne transvertas a paupere.
* Footnote * Tobias 4 : 7 Give alms out of thy substance, and turn not away thy face from any poor person: for so it shall come to pass that the face of the Lord shall not be turned from thee.
*H Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from the poor.


Ver. 1. Alms. Gr. "life," and of what is necessary to support it. Si non pavisti, occidisti. S. Tho. (ii. 2. q. xxxii. 5.) quoting the offices of S. Amb. though the sentence is not to be found there. C. — Christians are not master of what is superfluous, no more than those who have the goods of the Church. S. Chrys. Corn. a Lap. — Turn. Gr. "draw not after thee indigent eyes." H. — Make not the poor wait long for relief. 2 Cor. ix. 7. Rom. xii 8. Prov. viii. 28. C. — Qui tarde dat, diu noluit. Sen. Ben. i. 1. — Fames et mora bilem in nasum concitant. Plaut.

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4:2 Animam esurientem ne despexeris, et non exasperes pauperem in inopia sua.
Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the poor in his want.
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4:3 Cor inopis ne afflixeris, et non protrahas datum angustianti.
Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to gibe to him that is in distress.
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4:4 Rogationem contribulati ne abjicias, et non avertas faciem tuam ab egeno.
Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy face from the needy.
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4:5 Ab inope ne avertas oculos tuos propter iram : et non relinquas quaerentibus tibi retro maledicere.
*H 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.


Ver. 5. For...anger, and behind, &c. is not in Gr. H. — He thrice repeats the same injunction. Ex. xxii. 22. C. — Deal not cruelly with the poor; for God will revenge their injuries. W.

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4:6 Maledicentis enim tibi in amaritudine animae, exaudietur deprecatio illius : exaudiet autem eum qui fecit illum.
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.
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4:7 Congregationi pauperum affabilem te facito : et presbytero humilia animam tuam, et magnato humilia caput tuum.
*H Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble thy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a great man.


Ver. 7. Of the. Gr. "and bow," &c. H. — Submission to magistrates is enforced. C.

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4:8 Declina pauperi sine tristitia aurem tuam, et redde debitum tuum, et responde illi pacifica in mansuetudine.
*H Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness.


Ver. 8. And...owest, is not in Gr. H. — People in office must attend to all. C.

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4:9 Libera eum qui injuriam patitur de manu superbi, et non acide feras in anima tua.
Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and be not fainthearted in thy soul.
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4:10 In judicando esto pupillis misericors ut pater, et pro viro matri illorum :
In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother.
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4:11 et eris tu velut filius Altissimi obediens, et miserebitur tui magis quam mater.]
And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother.
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4:12 [Sapientia filiis suis vitam inspirat : et suscipit inquirentes se, et praeibit in via justitiae.
Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice.
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4:13 Et qui illam diligit, diligit vitam, et qui vigilaverint ad illam complectentur placorem ejus.
And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her, shall embrace her sweetness.
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4:14 Qui tenuerint illam, vitam haereditabunt : et quo introibit benedicet Deus.
They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing.
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4:15 Qui serviunt ei obsequentes erunt sancto : et eos qui diligunt illam, diligit Deus.
*H They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God loveth them that love her.


Ver. 15. One. Or "sanctuary." They shall be honoured like priests. Is. lxi. 6. Birth, rather than merit, gave a title to the Jewish priests; but those who are wise shall minister in a more glorious temple. C.

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4:16 Qui audit illam judicabit gentes : et qui intuetur illam permanebit confidens.
He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that looketh upon her, shall remain secure.
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4:17 Si crediderit ei, haereditabit illam, et erunt in confirmatione creaturae illius :
If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall be in assurance.
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4:18 quoniam in tentatione ambulat cum eo, et in primis eligit eum.
*H For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she chooseth him.


Ver. 18. In temptation, &c. The meaning is, that before wisdom will choose any for her favourites, she will try them by leading them through contradictions, afflictions, and temptations, the usual noviceship of the children of God. Ch. — Gr. "for sideways or through crooked paths she shall walk with him at first, (19.) she," &c. H. — The narrow path leads to heaven, (Matt. vii. 13.) and to virtue. Hesiod.

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4:19 Timorem, et metum, et probationem inducet super illum : et cruciabit illum in tribulatione doctrinae suae, donec tentet eum in cogitationibus suis, et credat animae illius.
She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by her laws, and trust his soul.
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4:20 Et firmabit illum, et iter adducet directum ad illum, et laetificabit illum :
Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to him, and give him joy,
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4:21 et denudabit absconsa sua illi, et thesaurizabit super illum scientiam et intellectum justitiae.
*H And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon him treasures of knowledge and understanding of justice.


Ver. 21. To him. And explain why she has treated him so roughly.

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4:22 Si autem oberraverit, derelinquet eum, et tradet eum in manus inimici sui.]
*H But if he go astray, she will forsake him, and deliver him into the hands of his enemy.


Ver. 22. Enemy. Gr. "ruin." This road leads to eternal misery. H.

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4:23 [Fili, conserva tempus, et devita a malo.
*H Son, observe the time, and fly from evil.


Ver. 23. Time. For all things. Eccl. iii. 1. All depends on the proper season.

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4:24 Pro anima tua ne confundaris dicere verum :
*H For thy soul be not ashamed to say the truth.


Ver. 24. Ashamed, to ask for relief, (v. 25. C.) or to say the truth, as the martyrs have done. This is not in Greek.

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4:25 est enim confusio adducens peccatum, et est confusio adducens gloriam et gratiam.
*H For there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame that bringeth glory and grace.


Ver. 25. Sin. Thus to refuse asking for what is necessary to support life, would be criminal. — Grace. When we refrain from doing things truly shameful. C. xli. C. — To abhor sin is glorious; but to yield to it, through shamefacedness, or not to reprove it, is vicious. W.

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4:26 Ne accipias faciem adversus faciem tuam, nec adversus animam tuam mendacium.
Accept no person against thy own person, nor against thy soul a lie.
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4:27 Ne reverearis proximum tuum in casu suo,
*H Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall:


Ver. 27. Fall. Excuse not his faults, (C.) lest thou partake in them.

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4:28 nec retineas verbum in tempore salutis. Non abscondas sapientiam tuam in decore suo :
*H And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.


Ver. 28. Hide, &c. is not in the Alex. copy, though inserted by Grabe. H. — Ostentation is blameable; still we must speak in defence of the truth. C.

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4:29 in lingua enim sapientia dignoscitur : et sensus, et scientia, et doctrina in verbo sensati, et firmamentum in operibus justitiae.
*H For by the tongue wisdom is discerned: and understanding, and knowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and steadfastness in the works of justice.


Ver. 29. Tongue. Gr. "by speech, wisdom shall be known, and instruction by the word of the tongue."

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4:30 Non contradicas verbo veritatis ullo modo, et de mendacio ineruditionis tuae confundere.
*H In nowise speak against the truth, but be ashamed of the lie of thy ignorance.


Ver. 30. Lie. Gr. "of thy want of information." Yet Grabe and the Comp. edit. have lie, &c. H. — Always yield to the truth, (C.) and never tell a lie, but speak the truth at proper times. W.

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4:31 Non confundaris confiteri peccata tua, et ne subjicias te omni homini pro peccato.
Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but submit not thyself to every man for sin.
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4:32 Noli resistere contra faciem potentis, nec coneris contra ictum fluvii.
*H Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not strive against the stream of the river.


Ver. 32. River. Useless resistance is to be avoided; and when it is requisite to oppose the demands of the great, we must do it with reserve. v. 33. C.

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4:33 Pro justitia agonizare pro anima tua, et usque ad mortem certa pro justitia : et Deus expugnabit pro te inimicos tuos.
*H Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee.


Ver. 33. Strive. Gr. "unto death strive for the truth, and the Lord God will fight for thee." H. — The saints were modest, but intrepid. C. — All must rather lose their lives than act against justice or truth. W.

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4:34 Noli citatus esse in lingua tua, et inutilis, et remissus in operibus tuis.
*H Be not hasty in thy tongue: and slack and remiss in thy works.


Ver. 34. Works. Perform what thou hast promised.

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4:35 Noli esse sicut leo in domo tua, evertens domesticos tuos, et opprimens subjectos tibi.
Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy household, and oppressing them that are under thee.
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4:36 Non sit porrecta manus tua ad accipiendum, et ad dandum collecta.]
Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldst give.
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