The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Ecclesiaticus 38
1 Honor aphysicianaccording to yourneed
with the honors due to him,
for truly the Lord has created him.
2 For healing comes from the Most High,
and he shall receive a gift from the
king.
3 The skill of the physician will lift up his
head. He will be admired in the sight of great
men.
4 The Lord created medicines out of the
earth. A prudent man will not despise them.
5 Wasn’t water made sweet with wood,
that its power might be known?
6 He gave men skill that he might be
glorified in his marvelous works.
7 With them he heals and takes away pain.
8 With these, the pharmacist makes a mixture.
God’s works won’t be brought to an end.
Fromhim, peace isuponthe face ofthe earth.
9 My son, in your sickness don’t be negligent,
but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
10 Put away wrong doing, and direct your
hands in righteousness. Cleanse your
heart from all sin.
11 Give a sweet savor and a memorial of
fine flour, and pour oil on your offering,
according to your means.
12 Then give place to the physician, for
truly the Lord has created him. Don’t let
him leave you, for you need him.
13 There is a time when in recovery is in
their hands.
14 For they also shall ask the Lord
to prosper them in diagnosis and in
healing for the maintenance of life.
15 He who sins before his Maker,
let him fall into the hands of the physician.
16 My son, let your tears fall over the dead,
and as one who suffers grievously, begin lamentation.
Wind up his body with due honor.
Don’t neglect his burial.
17 Make bitter weeping and make passionate wailing.
Let your mourning be according to his
merit, for one day or two, lest you be spoken
evil of; and so be comforted for your sorrow.
18 For from sorrow comes death.
Sorrow of heart saps one’s strength.
19 In calamity, sorrow also remains.
A poor man’s life is grievous to the
heart.
20 Don’t give your heart to sorrow.
Put it away, remembering the end.
21 Don’t forget it, for there is no returning
again. You do him no good, and you would
harm yourself.
22 Remember his end, for so also will yours
be: yesterday for me, and today for you.
23 When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest.
Be comforted for him when his spirit
departs from him.
24 The wisdom of the scribe comes by the
opportunity of leisure. He who has little
business can become wise.
25 How could he become wise who holds
the plow, who glories in the shaft of the goad,
who drives oxen and is occupied in
their labors, and who mostly talks about bulls?
26 He will set his heart upon turning his
furrows. His lack of sleep is to give his heifers
their fodder.
27 So is every craftsman and master artisan
who passes his time by night as by day,
those who cut engravings of signets.
His diligence is to make great variety.
He sets his heart to preserve likeness
in his portraiture, and is careful to finish his work.
28 So too is the smith sitting by the anvil and
considering the unwrought iron. The smoke of the
fire will waste his flesh. He toils in the heat
of the furnace. The noise of the hammer deafens
his ear. His eyes are upon the pattern of the
object. He will set his heart upon perfecting his
works. He will be careful to adorn them perfectly.
29 So is the potter sitting at his work
and turning the wheel around with his
feet, who is always anxiously set at his
work. He produces his handiwork in quantity.
30 He will fashion the clay with his arm
and will bend its strength in front of
his feet. He will apply his heart to finish
the glazing. He will be careful to clean the kiln.
31 All these put their trust in their hands.
Eachbecomes skillfulinhis own work.
32 Without these no city would be inhabited.
Men wouldn’t reside as foreigners or
walk up and down there.
33 They won’t be sought for in the council
of the people. They won’t mount on high in
the assembly. They won’t sit on the seat of the judge.
They won’t understand the covenant of judgment.
Neither will they declare instruction
and judgment. They won’t be found where
parables are.
34 But they will maintain the fabric of the
age. Their prayer is in the handiwork of
their craft.