Sirach Prologue 2–51

The Prologue of the Wisdom of Jesus, the Son of Sirach.

Whereas many and great things have been delivered unto us by ^athe law and the prophets, and by others that have followed their steps, for the which things Israel ought to be commended for learning and wisdom; and whereof not only the readers must needs become skilful themselves, but also they that desire to learn be able to profit them which are without, both by speaking and writing: my grandfather Jesus, when he had much given himself to the reading of ^athe law, and the prophets, and other books of our fathers, and had gotten therein good judgment, was drawn on also himself to write something pertaining to learning and wisdom; to the intent that those which are desirous to learn, and are addicted to these things, might profit much more in living according to the law. Wherefore let me intreat you to read it with favour and attention, and to pardon us, wherein we may seem to come short of some words, which we have laboured to interpret. For the same things uttered in ^bHebrew, and translated into another tongue, have not the same force in them; and not only these things, but ^athe law itself, and the prophets, and the rest of the books, have no small difference, when they are spoken in their own language. For in the eight and thirtieth year coming into Egypt, when Euergetes was king, and continuing there some time, I found a book of no small learning: therefore I thought it most necessary for me to bestow some diligence and travail to interpret it; using great watchfulness and skill in that space to bring the book to an end, and set it forth for them also, which ^cin a strange country are willing to learn, being prepared before in manners to live after the law.

I.^aAll wisdom cometh from the Lord,

And ^cis with him for ever.

^2bWho can number the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain,

And the days of eternity?

³Who can find out the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth,

And the deep, and wisdom?

^4cWisdom hath been created before all things,

And the understanding of prudence from everlasting.

⁵The word of God most high is ^dthe fountain of wisdom;

And her ways are everlasting commandments.

⁶To whom hath ^ethe root of wisdom been revealed?

Or who hath known her wise counsels?

⁷Unto whom hath the knowledge of wisdom been made manifest?

And who hath understood her great experience?

⁸There is one wise and greatly to be feared,

The Lord sitting upon his throne.

⁹He created her, and saw her, and ^fnumbered her,

And poured her out upon all his works.

¹⁰She is with all flesh according to his gift,

And he hath given her to them that love him.

¹¹The fear of the Lord is honour, and glory,

And ^ggladness, and a crown of rejoicing.

¹²The fear of the Lord maketh a merry heart,

And giveth joy, and gladness, and a long life.

¹³Whoso feareth the Lord, it shall go well with him ^hat the last,

And he shall find favour in the day of his death.

¹⁴ⁱTo fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:

And it was created with the faithful in the womb.

^15jShe hath built an everlasting foundation with men,

And she shall ^kcontinue with their seed.

¹⁶ⁱTo fear the Lord is fulness of wisdom, And filleth men with her fruits.

^17lShe filleth all their house with things desirable,

And the garners with her increase.

¹⁸The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom,

Making peace and perfect health to flourish;

Both which are the gifts of God:

And it enlargeth their rejoicing that love him.

¹⁹Wisdom ^mraineth down skill and knowledge of understanding,

And exalteth them to honour that hold her fast.

^20eThe root of wisdom is to fear the Lord,

And the branches thereof are ⁿlong life.

²¹The fear of the Lord driveth away sins:

And where it is present, it turneth away wrath.

²²A furious man cannot be justified;

For the sway of his fury shall be his destruction.

^23oA patient man will bear for a time,

And afterward joy shall spring up unto him.

²⁴He will hide his words for a time,

And the lips of ^pmany shall declare his wisdom.

^25qThe parables of knowledge are in the treasures of wisdom:

But godliness is an abomination to a sinner.

²⁶If thou desire wisdom, ^rkeep the commandments,

And ^sthe Lord shall give her unto thee.

²⁷For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction:

And faith and meekness are his delight.

²⁸Distrust not the fear of the Lord when thou art poor:

And come not unto him ^twith a double heart.

²⁹Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men,

And ^utake good heed what thou speakest.

^30xExalt not thyself, lest thou fall,

And bring dishonour upon thy soul,

And so God discover thy secrets,

And cast thee down ^yin the midst of the congregation,

Because thou camest not in truth to the fear of the Lord,

But thy heart is ^zfull of deceit.

II.My son, ^aif thou come to serve the Lord,

Prepare thy soul for temptation.

²Set thy heart aright, and ^bconstantly endure,

And make not haste in time of ^ctrouble.

^3dCleave unto him, and depart not away,

That thou mayest be increased ^eat thy last end.

⁴Whatsoever ^cis brought upon thee take cheerfully,

And be patient when thou art changed to ^fa low estate.

⁵For ^ggold is tried in the fire,

And ^hacceptable men in the furnace of ^fadversity.

⁶ⁱBelieve in him, and he will help thee;

Order thy way aright, and trust in him.

⁷Ye that fear the Lord, ^jwait for his mercy;

And ^kgo not aside, lest ye fall.

⁸Ye that fear the Lord, believe him;

And your reward shall not fail.

⁹Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good,

And for everlasting joy and mercy.

^10lLook at the generations of old, and see;

Did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded?

Or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken?

Or ^mwhom did he ever despise, that called upon him?

¹¹For ⁿthe Lord is full of compassion and mercy,

Longsuffering, and very pitiful, and ^oforgiveth sins,

And saveth in time of affliction.

¹²Woe be to ^pfearful hearts, and ^qfaint hands,

And the sinner that goeth ^rtwo ways!

¹³Woe unto him that is fainthearted! for he believeth not;

Therefore shall he not be defended.

¹⁴Woe unto you ^sthat have lost patience!

And what will ye do when the Lord shall ^tvisit you?

¹⁵They that fear the Lord will not disobey his word;

And ^uthey that love him will keep his ways.

¹⁶They that fear the Lord will seek that which is wellpleasing unto him;

And they that love him shall be filled with the law.

¹⁷They that fear the Lord will ^xprepare their hearts,

And humble their souls in his sight,

^18ySaying, ^zWe will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men:

For as his ^amajesty is, so is his mercy.

III.Hear me your father, O children,

And do thereafter, that ye may be safe.

²For ^athe Lord hath given the father honour over the children,

And hath confirmed the authority of the mother over the sons.

³Whoso honoureth his father maketh an atonement for his sins:

⁴And he that honoureth his mother is as one that ^blayeth up treasure.

⁵Whoso honoureth his father shall have joy of his own children;

And when he maketh his prayer, he shall be heard.

⁶He that honoureth his father ^ashall have a long life;

And he that is obedient unto the Lord shall ^cbe a comfort to his mother.

⁷He that feareth the Lord will honour his father,

And will do service unto his parents, as to his masters.

^8aHonour thy father and mother both in word and deed,

That a blessing may come upon thee from them.

⁹For ^dthe blessing of the father establisheth the houses of children;

But the curse of the mother rooteth out foundations.

¹⁰Glory not in the dishonour of thy father;

For thy father’s dishonour is no glory unto thee.

¹¹For ^ethe glory of a man is from the honour of his father;

And a mother in dishonour is a reproach to the children.

¹²My son, help thy father in his age,

And grieve him not as long as he liveth.

¹³And if his understanding fail, have patience with him;

And despise him not when thou art in thy full strength.

¹⁴For the relieving of thy father shall not be forgotten:

And instead of sins it shall be added ^gto build thee up.

¹⁵In the day of thine affliction it shall be remembered;

Thy sins also shall melt away, as the ice in the ^hfair warm weather.

¹⁶He that forsaketh his father is as a blasphemer;

And he that angereth his mother is cursed of God.

¹⁷My son, go on with thy business in meekness;

So shalt thou be beloved of ⁱhim that is approved.

^18kThe greater thou art, the more humble thyself,

And thou shalt ^lfind favour before the Lord.

¹⁹Many are in high place, and of renown:

But ^mmysteries are revealed unto the meek.

²⁰For the power of the Lord is great,

And he is honoured of the lowly.

²¹ⁿSeek not out things that are too hard for thee,

Neither search the things that are above thy strength.

²²But what is commanded thee, think thereupon with reverence;

For it is not needful for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are in secret.

²³Be not ^ocurious in unnecessary matters:

For more things are shewed unto thee than men understand.

²⁴For many are deceived by their own vain opinion;

And an evil suspicion hath overthrown their judgment.

²⁵Without eyes thou shalt want light:

Profess not the knowledge therefore that thou hast not.

²⁶A stubborn heart shall fare evil ^pat the last;

And he that loveth danger shall perish therein.

²⁷An obstinate heart shall be laden with sorrows;

And the wicked man shall ^qheap sin upon sin.

²⁸In the ^rpunishment of the proud there is no remedy;

For the plant of wickedness hath taken root in him.

²⁹The heart of the prudent will understand a parable;

And an attentive ear is the desire of a wise man.

³⁰Water will quench a flaming fire;

And ^salms maketh an atonement for sins.

³¹And he that requiteth good turns is mindful of that which may come hereafter;

And ^twhen he falleth, he shall find a stay.

IV.My son, ^adefraud not the poor of his living,

And ^amake not the needy eyes to wait long.

²Make not a hungry soul sorrowful;

Neither provoke a man in his distress.

^3aaAdd not more trouble to a heart that is vexed;

And ^bdefer not to give to him that is in…