Sirach 51:1–11

1 I will give thanks to thee, O Lord and King,

and will praise thee as God my Savior.

I give thanks to thy name,

2 for thou hast been my protector and helper

and hast delivered my body from destruction

and from the snare of a slanderous tongue,

from lips that utter lies.

Before those who stood by

thou wast my helper,

3 and didst deliver me,

in the greatness of thy mercy and of thy name,

from the gnashings of teeth about to devour me,

from the hand of those who sought my life,

from the many afflictions that I endured,

4 from choking fire on every side

and from the midst of fire which I did not kindle,

5 from the depths of the belly of Hades,

from an unclean tongue and lying words—

6 the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king.

My soul drew near to death,

and my life was very near to Hades beneath.

7 They surrounded me on every side,

and there was no one to help me;

I looked for the assistance of men,

and there was none.

8 Then I remembered thy mercy, O Lord,

and thy work from of old,

that thou dost deliver those who wait for thee

and dost save them from the hand of their enemies.

9 And I sent up my supplication from the earth,

and prayed for deliverance from death.

10 I appealed to the Lord, the Father of my lord,

not to forsake me in the days of affliction,

at the time when there is no help against the proud.

11 I will praise thy name continually,

and will sing praise with thanksgiving.

My prayer was heard,