Sirach 51:2–12

²For thou art my defender and helper, and has preserved my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lips that forge lies, and has been mine helper against mine adversaries: ³And hast delivered me, according to the multitude of they mercies and greatness of thy name, from the teeth of them that were ready to devour me, and out of the hands of such as sought after my life, and from the manifold afflictions which I had; ⁴From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not; ⁵From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words. ⁶By an accusation to the king from an unrighteous tongue my soul drew near even unto death, my life was near to the hell beneath. ⁷They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none. ⁸Then thought I upon thy mercy, O Lord, and upon thy acts of old, how thou deliverest such as wait for thee, and savest them out of the hands of the enemies. ⁹Then lifted I up my supplications from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death. ¹⁰I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the days of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, when there was no help. ¹¹I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praises with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard: ¹²For thou savedst me from destruction, and deliveredst me from the evil time: therefore will I give thanks, and praise thee, and bless they name, O Lord.