The Book of Jesus Sirach

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 51 -

A prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:

For 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:

And 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;

From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;

From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words.

By an accusation to the king from an unrighteous tongue my soul drew near even unto death, my life was near to the hell beneath.

They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none.

Then 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.

Then lifted I up my supplications from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.

I 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.

I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praises with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:

For 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.

When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.

I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.

Even 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.

I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much learning.

I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.

For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.

My 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.

I 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.

My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good possession.

The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith.

Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.

Wherefore are ye slow, and what say ye to these things, seeing your souls are very thirsty?

I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.

Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: she is hard at hand to find.

Behold with your eyes, how that I have but little labour, and have gotten unto me much rest.

Get learning with a great sum of money, and get much gold by her.

Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his praise.

Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward.

A prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, O King, and will praise you, O God my Savior. I give thanks to your name,

for you have been my protector and helper, and delivered my body out of destruction, and out of the snare of a slanderous tongue, from lips that fabricate lies. You were my helper before those who stood by,

and delivered me, according to the abundance of your mercy and of your name, from the gnashings of teeth ready to devour, out of the hand of those seeking my life, out of the many afflictions I endured,

from the choking of a fire on every side, and out of the midst of fire that I hadn’t kindled,

out of the depth of the belly of Hades, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words—

the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king. My soul drew near to death. My life was near to Hades.

They surrounded me on every side. There was no one to help me. I was looking for human help, and there was none.

Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your working which has been from everlasting, how you deliver those who wait for you, and save them out of the hand of their enemies.

I lifted up my prayer from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.

I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not forsake me in the days of affliction, in the time when there was no help against the proud.

I will praise your name continually. I will sing praise with thanksgiving. My prayer was heard.

You saved me from destruction and delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks and praise to you, and bless the name of the Lord.

When I was yet young, before I went abroad, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

Before the temple I asked for her. I will seek her out even to the end.

From the first flower to the ripening grape my heart delighted in her. My foot walked in uprightness. From my youth I followed her steps.

I inclined my ear a little, and received her, and found for myself much instruction.

I profited in her. I will give glory to him who gives me wisdom.

For I determined to practice her. I was zealous for that which is good. I will never be put to shame.

My soul has wrestled with her. In my conduct I was exact. I spread out my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.

I directed my soul to her. In purity I found her. I got myself a heart joined with her from the beginning. Therefore I won’t be forsaken.

My belly also was troubled to seek her. Therefore I have gained a good possession.

The Lord gave me a tongue for my reward. I will praise him with it.

Draw near to me, all you who are uneducated, and live in the house of instruction.

Why therefore are you all lacking in these things, and your souls are very thirsty?

I opened my mouth and spoke, “Get her for yourselves without money.”

Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction. She is near to find.

See with your eyes how that I labored just a little and found for myself much rest.

Get instruction with a great sum of silver, and gain much gold by her.

May your soul rejoice in his mercy, and may you all not be put to shame in praising him.

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