Sirach 39:16–35

16  qAll the works of the Lord are exceeding good,

And rwhatsoever he commandeth shall be accomplished in due season.

17  sAnd none may say, What is this? wherefore is that?

For at time convenient they shall all be sought out:

tAt his commandment the waters stood as a heap,

And at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters.

18  uAt his commandment is done whatsoever pleaseth him;

And xnone can hinder, when he will save.

19  yThe works of all flesh are before him,

And nothing can be hid from his eyes.

20  He seeth from everlasting to everlasting;

And there is nothing zwonderful before him.

21  A man need not to say, What is this? wherefore is that?

For he hath made all things for their uses.

22  His blessing covered the dry land as a river,

And awatered it as a flood.

23  As he hath turned the waters into saltness:

So shall the heathen inherit his wrath.

24  As bhis ways are plain unto the holy;

So are they stumblingblocks unto the wicked.

25  For the good are good things created from the beginning:

cSo evil things for sinners.

26  dThe principal things for the whole use of man’s life

Are dwater, fire, iron, and salt,

dFlour of wheat, honey, milk,

And ethe blood of the grape, and oil, and dclothing.

27  fAll these things are for good to the godly:

So to the sinners they are turned into evil.

28  There be spirits that are created for vengeance,

Which in their fury lay on sore strokes;

In the time of destruction they pour out their force,

And appease the wrath of him that made them.

29  kFire, and khail, and gfamine, and gdeath,

All these were created for vengeance;

30  hTeeth of iwild beasts, and iscorpions, i* serpents,

And gthe sword, punishing the wicked to destruction.

31  kThey shall rejoice in his commandment,

And they shall be ready upon earth, when need is;

And when their time is come, they shall not transgress his word.

32  Therefore from the beginning I was resolved,

And lthought upon these things, and have left them in writing.

33  mAll the works of the Lord are good:

And he will give every needful thing in due season.

34  So that a man cannot say, This is worse than that:

For in time they shall all be well approved.

35  And therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth,

And bless the name of the Lord.

XL.