Sirach 51 — BST
51Verse 1I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:Verse 2for thou art my defender and helper, and hast preserved my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lips that forge lies, and hast been mine helper against mine adversaries:Verse 3and hast delivered me, according to the multitude of thy 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;Verse 4from the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;Verse 5from the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words.Verse 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.Verse 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.Verse 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.Verse 9Then lifted I up my supplication from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.Verse 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.Verse 11I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praise with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:Verse 12for thou savedst me from destruction, and deliveredst me from the evil time: therefore will I give thanks, and praise thee, and bless thy name, O Lord.Verse 13When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.Verse 14I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.Verse 15Even from the flower till the grape was ripe hath my heart delighted in her: my foot went the right way, from my youth up sought I after her.Verse 16I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much learning.Verse 17I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe the glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.Verse 18For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.Verse 19My soul hath wrestled with her, and in my doings I was exact: I stretched forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.Verse 20I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be forsaken.Verse 21My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good possession.Verse 22The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith.Verse 23Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.Verse 24Wherefore are ye slow, and what say ye of these things, seeing your souls are very thirsty?Verse 25I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.Verse 26Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: she is hard at hand to find.Verse 27Behold with your eyes, how that I have had but little labour, and have gotten unto me much rest.Verse 28Get learning with a great sum of money, and get much gold by her.Verse 29Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his praise.Verse 30Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward.