Sirach 18

He that liveth for ever ^acreated all things in general.

²The Lord only is righteous,

And ^bthere is none other but he,

³Who governeth the world ^cwith the palm of his hand,

And ^dall things obey his will:

For he is the King of all, by his power

^eDividing holy things among them from profane.

^4fTo whom hath he given power to declare his works?

And ^gwho shall find out his ^hnoble acts?

⁵Who shall number the strength of his ⁱmajesty?

And who shall also tell out his ⁱmercies?

⁶As for the wondrous works of the Lord, ^jthere may nothing be taken from them,

Neither may any thing be put unto them, neither can the ground of them be found out.

⁷When a man hath done, then he beginneth;

And when he leaveth off, then he shall be ^kdoubtful.

⁸What is man, and whereto serveth he?

What is his good, and what is his evil?

^9lThe number of a man’s days at the most are an hundred years.

^10mAs a drop of water unto the sea, and a gravel stone in comparison of the sand;

So are ⁿa thousand years to the days of eternity.

¹¹Therefore is God ^opatient with them,

And poureth forth his mercy upon them.

¹²He saw and perceived their ^pend to be evil;

^qTherefore he multiplied his compassion.

¹³The mercy of man is toward his neighbour;

But ^rthe mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh:

He reproveth, and nurtureth, and teacheth,

And bringeth again, ^sas a shepherd his flock.

¹⁴He hath mercy on them that receive discipline,

And that diligently seek after his judgments.

^15tMy son, blemish not thy good deeds,

Neither use uncomfortable words when thou givest any thing.

¹⁶Shall not the ^udew asswage the heat?

So is a word better than a gift.

¹⁷Lo, is not a word better than a gift?

But both are with a ^xgracious man.

¹⁸A fool will upbraid churlishly,

And ^ta gift of the envious consumeth the eyes.

¹⁹Learn before thou speak,

And use physick or ever thou be sick.

^20yBefore judgment examine thyself,

And in the day of ^zvisitation thou shalt find mercy.

^21aHumble thyself before thou be sick,

And in the time of sins shew repentance.

^22bLet nothing hinder thee to pay thy vow in due time,

And defer not until death to be justified.

^23cBefore thou prayest, prepare thyself;

And be not as one that tempteth the Lord.

^24dThink upon the wrath ^ethat shall be at the end,

And the time of vengeance, when he shall turn away his face.

^25fWhen thou hast enough, remember the time of hunger:

And when thou art rich, think upon poverty and need.

²⁶From the morning until the evening the time is changed,

And all things are soon done before the Lord.

^27gA wise man will fear in every thing,

And in the day of sinning he will beware of offence:

But a fool will not observe time.

²⁸Every man of understanding knoweth wisdom,

And will give praise unto him that found her.

²⁹They that were of understanding in sayings became also wise themselves,

And ^hpoured forth ⁱexquisite parables.

^30jGo not after thy lusts,

But refrain thyself from thine ^kappetites.

³¹If thou givest thy soul the desires that please her,

She will make thee a laughingstock to thine enemies that malign thee.

³²Take not pleasure in much good cheer,

Neither be tied to the expence thereof.

³³Be not made a beggar by banqueting upon borrowing,

When thou hast nothing in thy purse:

For thou shalt lie in wait for thine own life, and be talked on.

XIX.