1. The hope of the ungodly is like He that doubteth is like the surge thistle-down carried away by the of the sea driven by the wind and wind; like a thin froth that is tossed.... As the flower of the driven away by the blast, and like grass he shall pass away.... So smoke is dispersed by the wind also shall the rich man fade away (v. 14. Comp. μαρανθῆναι in (μαρανθήσεται) in his ways ii. 8). (i. 6, 10, 11).
2. In eternity it weareth a crown When he hath been approved he shall and triumpheth (iv. 2). receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love Him (i. 12).
3. The alterations of the solstices With whom can be no variation, and the change of seasons (τροπῶν neither shadow of turning (παρ' ἀλλαγὰς καὶ μεταβολὰς καιρῶν: ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς vii. 18). ἀποσκίασμα: i. 17).
4. Let us oppress Ye have dishonoured the poor man. (καταδυναστεύσωμεν) the poor Do not the rich oppress righteous man.... Let us examine (καταδυναστεύουσιν) you, and him with despitefulness and torture themselves drag you before the (ii. 10, 19). judgment-seats? (ii. 6).
5. For the lowest is pardonable by For judgment is without mercy to mercy; but mighty men shall be him that hath showed no mercy: mightily chastised (vi. 6). mercy glorieth against judgment (ii. 13).
6. What hath pride profited us? or Go to now, ye that say, To-day or what good hath riches with our to-morrow we will go into this vaunting (ἀλαζονείας) brought us? city, and spend a year there, and All those things are passed away trade and get gain: whereas ye know like a shadow, and as a post that not what shall be on the morrow. hasted by, etc. etc.; even so we, What is your life? For ye are a as soon as we were born, came to an vapour, that appeareth for a little end" (v. 8-14). time, and then vanisheth away.... But now ye glory in your vauntings (ἀλαζονίαις): all such glorying is evil (iv. 13-16).
7. Let us lie in wait for the Ye have condemned (κατεδικάσατε), righteous (τὸν δίκαιον).... Let ye have killed the righteous one us condemn him (καταδικάσωμεν) (τὸν δίκαιον); he doth not resist with a shameful death (ii. 12, 20). you (v. 6).
It will at once be perceived that these parallels are neither so numerous nor so convincing as those which have been pointed out between Ecclesiasticus and the Epistle of St. James; but they are sufficient to make a _primâ facie_ case of considerable probability, whatever date we assign to the Book of Wisdom. This probability is strengthened by the fact that this book, with the rest of the Apocrypha or deutero-canonical writings, constituted to a large extent the _religious literature of the Jews of the Dispersion_; and therefore in writing to such Jews St. James would be likely to make conscious allusions to writings with which his hearers would be sure to be familiar; a consideration which strengthens the case as regards the coincidences with Ecclesiasticus, as well as regards those with the Wisdom of Solomon. Even if the probability as to the Alexandrian origin of Wisdom were a certainty, and if the conjectural date A.D. 40 were established, there would be nothing surprising in its becoming well known in Jerusalem within twenty years of its production. It is, therefore, far too strong an assertion when Weiss declares that "it must be distinctly denied that there is anywhere [in the Epistle of St. James] an echo of the Book of Wisdom." All that one can safely say is that the evidence for his acquaintance with the book does not approach to proof.
But the use of these two books of the Apocrypha by writers in the New Testament does not depend upon the question whether St. James makes use of them or not. If this were the place to do it, it might be shown that other coincidences, both of language and thought, far too numerous and too strong to be all of them accidental, occur in the writings of St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. John.[41] Such things also occur outside the New Testament in the Epistles of Clement and of Barnabas; while Clement of Alexandria frequently quotes Ecclesiasticus with the introductory formula, "The Scripture saith."