Sirach 51:2–17

²I will give glory to thy name: for thou hast been a helper and protector to me.

³And hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that stood by, thou hast been my helper.

⁴And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour.

⁵Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about:

⁶From the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the fire I was not burnt.

⁷From the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue, and from lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue:

⁸My soul shall praise the Lord even to death.

⁹And my life was drawing near to hell beneath.

¹⁰They compassed me on every side, and there was no one that would help me. I looked for the succour of men, and there was none.

¹¹I remembered thy mercy, O Lord, and thy works, which are from the beginning of the world.

¹²How thou deliverest them that wait for thee, O Lord, and savest them out of the hands of the nations.

¹³Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for death to pass away.

¹⁴I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help.

¹⁵I will praise thy name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and my prayer was heard.

¹⁶And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil time.

¹⁷Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name of the Lord.