Ecclesiasticus 51

¹The prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. I will confess to thee o Lord King, and will praise thee God my Savior.

²I will confess to thy name: because thou art become my helper and protector,

³& hast delivered my body from perdition, from the snare of an unjust tongue, and from the lips of them that work lying, and in the sight of them that stood up thou art become 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 seek my soul, and from the gates of tribulations which have compassed me:

⁶from the oppression of the flame, which hath compassed me, and in the midst of fire I was not burnt.

⁷From the depth of the belly of hell, and from a defiled tongue, and from the word of lying, from a wicked king, and from an unjust tongue:

⁸my soul shall praise our Lord even to death,

⁹and my life was approaching to hell beneath.

¹⁰They have compassed me on every side, & there was none that would help. I looked toward the help of men, & there was none.

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

¹²Because thou deliverest them that patiently expect thee o Lord, and savest them out of the hands of the nations.

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

¹⁴I have invocated our Lord the father of my Lord, that he leave me not in the day of my tribulation, and in the time of the proud without help.

¹⁵I will praise thy name continually, and will collaud it in confession, and my prayer was heard.

¹⁶And thou hast delivered me from perdition, and hast rescued me from the wicked time.

¹⁷Therefore will I confess, & say praise to thee, and bless the name of our Lord.

¹⁸When I was yet young, before I erred, I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer.

¹⁹Before the temple I prayed for it, and unto the later end I will seek after it, and it shall flourish as the grape timely ripe,

²⁰my heart hath rejoiced in it, my foot hath walked the right way, from my youth I searched after it.

²¹I bowed mine ear a little, and received it.

²²I found much wisdom in myself, & I have much profited therein.

²³To him that giveth me wisdom, will I give glory.

²⁴For I have consulted to do it: I have had a zeal to good, and shall not be confounded.

²⁵My soul hath wrestled in it, and in doing it I was confirmed.

²⁶Istretched forth my hands on high, & I lamented foolishness.

²⁷I directed my soul to wisdom, and in knowledge I found it.

²⁸I possessed with it an heart from the beginning: for this cause I shall not be forsaken.

²⁹My belly was troubled in seeking it: therefore shall I possess a good possession.

³⁰Our Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward: and with the same I will praise him.

³¹Approach unto me ye unlearned, and gather yourselves together into the house of discipline.

³²Why slack ye yet? And what say you herein? Your souls are exceeding thirsty.

³³I have opened my mouth, and have spoken: Buy it for you without silver,

³⁴and submit your neck to the yoke, and let your soul receive discipline: for it is very near to find it.

³⁵See with your eyes that I have laboured a little, and have found much rest to myself.

³⁶Take ye discipline in a great sum of silver, and possess aboundance of gold in it.

³⁷Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and you shall not be confounded in praise.

³⁸Work your work before the time, and he will give you your reward in his time.