Bible Discussion Thread

In the Wiki article about old Saint Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, there is a panel below the bell tower clock which shows a quote, or reference, to Ecclesiastes 4:23, which says: "Son, observe the time and fly from evil". I have looked online at the book of Ecclesiastes and the last verse in chapter 4 appears to be 17. Can someone help me solve this mystery? Thank you

Phil, I had to do a little research on that. The best I could come up with is that the verse you've given is found in the Sirach chapter 4 in the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA).

However, this Book Sirach has also been identified with the Apocryphal Book, Ecclesiasticus, the Wisdom of Sirach. But when I looked for this verse in Ecclesiasticus, there was nothing, so my guess that the verse in question only appears in certain 'publications' (e.g. Douay-Rheims) & those that the RCs subscribe to.

Hi Chris - Really appreciate your response. If I'd only clicked on the link below the photo in the Wiki article in the first place, it would have led me to the source. It appears the passage in question originates from the 1609 old testament translation of the Latin Vulgate into English by scholars at the Catholic Seminary English College in Douai, France. The Latin Vulgate version was commissioned by Pope Damasus in 382 and a direct translation from the Hebrew Tanakh. Thus, the book of Ecclesiasticus from which the Saint Mary Cathedral quote sprang is much closer to the text in the Hebrew bible. If one compares the King James version of the bible with the Douay-Rheims edition, it can be quite revelatory. Again, thank you for your informative reply.