Sirach 40

^aGreat travail is created for every man,

And a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam,

From the day that they go out of their mother’s womb,

^bTill the day that they return to the mother of all things.

²Their imagination of ^cthings to come, and the day of death,

Trouble their thoughts, and cause ^cfear of heart;

^3dFrom him that sitteth on a throne of glory,

Unto him that is humbled in ^eearth and ashes;

^4dFrom him that weareth ^fpurple and a crown,

Unto him that is clothed with a linen frock.

⁵Wrath, and envy, trouble, and unquietness, fear of death, and anger, and strife,

And in the time of rest upon his bed his night sleep, do change his knowledge.

⁶A little or nothing is his rest,

And afterward he is in his sleep, as in a day of keeping watch,

^gTroubled in the vision of his heart,

As if he were escaped out of a battle.

⁷When all is safe, he awaketh,

And marvelleth that the fear was nothing.

⁸Such things happen unto all flesh, ^hboth man and beast,

And that is ⁱsevenfold more upon sinners.

^9kDeath, and bloodshed, strife, and ^ksword,

^lCalamities, ^kfamine, ^mtribulation, and the scourge;

¹⁰ⁿThese things are created for the wicked,

And ^ofor their sakes came the flood.

^11bAll things that are of the earth shall turn to the earth again:

And that which is ^pof the waters doth return into the sea.

¹²All bribery and injustice shall be blotted out:

But true dealing shall endure for ever.

¹³The goods of the unjust ^qshall be dried up like a river,

And ^rshall vanish with noise, like a great thunder in rain.

¹⁴While ^she openeth his hand he shall rejoice:

So shall transgressors come to nought.

¹⁵The children of the ungodly shall not bring forth many branches;

But are as ^tunclean roots upon a hard rock.

^16uThe ^vweed growing upon every water and bank of a river

^wShall be pulled up before all grass.

¹⁷Bountifulness is as a most fruitful garden,

And mercifulness endureth for ever.

¹⁸To labour, and ^xto be content with that a man hath, is a sweet life:

But he that findeth ^ya treasure is above them both.

¹⁹Children and the building of a city continue a man’s name:

But a blameless wife is counted above them both.

^20zWine and musick rejoice the heart:

But the love of wisdom is above them both.

²¹The pipe and the ^apsaltery make sweet melody:

But a pleasant tongue is above them both.

²²Thine eye desireth favour and beauty:

But more than both corn while it is green.

²³A friend and companion never meet amiss:

But above both is a wife with her husband.

²⁴Brethren and help are against time of trouble:

But ^balms shall deliver more than them both.

²⁵Gold and silver make the foot stand sure:

But counsel is esteemed above them both.

^26cRiches and strength lift up the heart:

But ^dthe fear of the Lord is above them both:

There is no want in the fear of the Lord,

And it needeth not to seek help.

²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fruitful garden,

And ^ecovereth him above all glory.

²⁸My son, lead not a beggar’s life;

For ^fbetter it is to die than to beg.

²⁹The life of him that dependeth on another man’s table is not to be counted for a life;

For he ^gpolluteth himself with other men’s meat:

But a wise man well nurtured will beware thereof.

³⁰Begging is sweet in the mouth of the shameless:

But in his belly there shall burn a fire.

XLI.