Sirach 15

He that feareth the Lord will do good,

And he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.

²And ^aas a mother shall she meet him,

And receive him as a wife married of a virgin.

^3bWith the bread of understanding shall she feed him,

And ^bcgive him the water of wisdom to drink.

⁴He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved;

And shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.

⁵She shall exalt him above his neighbours,

And in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.

⁶He shall find ^djoy and a crown of gladness,

And she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

⁷But foolish men shall not attain unto her,

And sinners shall not see her.

⁸For she is far from pride,

And men that are liars cannot remember her.

⁹Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner,

For it was not sent him of the Lord.

¹⁰For ^epraise shall be uttered in wisdom,

And the Lord will prosper it.

^11fSay not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away:

For thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.

^12fSay not thou, He hath caused me to err:

For he hath no need of the sinful man.

¹³The Lord hateth all abomination;

And they that fear God love it not.

^14gHe himself made man from the beginning,

And ^hleft him in the hand of his counsel;

¹⁵ⁱIf thou wilt, to keep the commandments,

And to perform acceptable faithfulness.

^16kHe hath set fire and water before thee:

Stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.

^17lBefore man is life and death;

And whether him liketh shall be given him.

¹⁸For ^mthe wisdom of the Lord is great,

And he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:

¹⁹And ⁿhis eyes are upon them that fear him,

And ^ohe knoweth every work of man.

^20pHe hath commanded no man to do wickedly,

Neither hath he given any man licence to sin.

XVI.