Ecclesiasticus / Sirach - Chapter 51

¹ I shall give thanks to you, Lord and King, and praise you, God my Saviour, I give thanks to your name;

² for you have been my guard and support and redeemed my body from destruction, from the snare of the lying tongue, from lips that fabricate falsehood; in the presence of my assailants, you were on my side; you have been my support, you have redeemed me,

³ true to your abounding kindness -- and the greatness of your name -- you liberated me from the fangs of those seeking to devour me, from the clutches of those seeking my life, from the many ordeals which I have endured,

⁴ from the stifling heat which hemmed me in, from the heart of a fire which I had not kindled,

⁵ from deep in the belly of Sheol,

⁶ treacherous denunciations to the king. My soul has been close to death, my life had gone down to the brink of Sheol.

⁷ I was completely surrounded, there was no one to help me; I looked for someone to help me, there was no one.

⁸ Then I remembered your mercy, Lord, and your deeds from earliest times, how you deliver those who wait for you patiently, and save them from the clutches of their enemies.

⁹ And I sent up my plea from the earth, I begged to be delivered from death.

¹⁰ I called on the Lord, the father of my Lord, 'Do not desert me in the days of ordeal, in the days of the proud, when we are helpless. I shall praise your name unceasingly and gratefully sing its praises.'

¹¹ And my plea was heard, for you saved me from destruction, you delivered me from that time of evil.

¹² And therefore I shall thank you and praise you, and bless the name of the Lord.

¹³ When I was still a youth, before I went travelling, in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom.

¹⁴ Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her, and to the last I shall continue to seek her.

¹⁵ From her blossoming to the ripening of her grape my heart has taken its delight in her. My foot has pursued a straight path, I have sought her ever since my youth.

¹⁶ By bowing my ear a little, I have received her, and have found much instruction.

¹⁷ Thanks to her I have advanced; glory be to him who has given me wisdom!

¹⁸ For I was determined to put her into practice, have earnestly pursued the good, and shall not be put to shame.

¹⁹ My soul has fought to possess her, I have been scrupulous in keeping the Law; I have stretched out my hands to heaven and bewailed how little I knew of her;

²⁰ I have directed my soul towards her, and in purity I have found her; having my heart fixed on her from the outset, I shall never be deserted;

²¹ my very core having yearned to discover her, I have now acquired a good possession.

²² In reward the Lord has given me a tongue with which I shall sing his praises.

²³ Come close to me, you ignorant, take your place in my school.

²⁴ Why complain about lacking these things when your souls are so thirsty for them?

²⁵ I have opened my mouth, I have said: 'Buy her without money,

²⁶ put your necks under her yoke, let your souls receive instruction, she is near, within your reach.'

²⁷ See for yourselves: how slight my efforts have been to win so much peace.

²⁸ Buy instruction with a large sum of silver, thanks to her you will gain much gold.

²⁹ May your souls rejoice in the mercy of the Lord, may you never be ashamed of praising him.

³⁰ Do your work before the appointed time and at the appointed time he will give you your reward. (Subscript:) Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sira.

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