Sirach 35

^aHe that keepeth the law bringeth offerings enough:

He that ^btaketh heed to the commandment ^coffereth a peace offering.

²He that requiteth a good turn ^doffereth fine flour;

And he that giveth alms ^esacrificeth praise.

³To depart from wickedness is a thing pleasing to the Lord;

And to forsake unrighteousness is a propitiation.

^4fThou shalt not appear empty before the Lord.

⁵For all these things are to be done because of the commandment.

⁶The offering of the righteous maketh the altar fat,

And the ^gsweet savour thereof is before the most High.

⁷The sacrifice of a just man is acceptable,

And ^hthe memorial thereof shall never be forgotten.

⁸Give the Lord his honour with a ⁱgood eye,

And diminish not ^jthe firstfruits of thine hands.

⁹In all thy gifts ^kshew a cheerful countenance,

And dedicate thy ^ltithes with gladness.

^10mGive unto the most High according as he hath enriched thee;

And ^mas thou hast gotten, give with a ⁱcheerful eye.

¹¹ⁿFor the Lord recompenseth,

And will give thee ^oseven times as much.

¹²Do not think to corrupt with gifts; for ^psuch he will not receive:

And ^qtrust not to unrighteous sacrifices;

For ^rthe Lord is judge,

And ^swith him is no respect of persons.

^13sHe will not accept any person against a poor man,

But will hear the prayer of the oppressed.

¹⁴He will not despise the supplication of ^tthe fatherless;

Nor ^tthe widow, when she poureth out her complaint.

¹⁵Do not the tears run down the widow’s cheeks?

And is not ^tuher cry against him that causeth them to fall?

¹⁶He that serveth the Lord shall be accepted with favour,

And his prayer shall reach unto the clouds.

¹⁷The prayer of the humble pierceth the clouds:

And till it come nigh, he will not be comforted;

And ^vwill not depart, till the most High shall behold

To judge righteously, and execute judgment.

¹⁸For ^wthe Lord will not be slack,

Neither will the Mighty ^xbe patient towards them,

Till he have smitten in sunder the loins of the unmerciful,

And repaid vengeance to the heathen;

Till he have taken away the multitude of the proud,

And broken the sceptre of the unrighteous;

¹⁹Till he have ^yrendered to every man according to his deeds,

And to the works of men according to their devices;

Till he have judged the cause of his people,

And made them to rejoice in his mercy.

²⁰Mercy is seasonable in the time of affliction,

As ^zclouds of rain in the time of drought.

XXXVI.