Sirach 51
King James Version with ApocryphaTranslation
King James Version with Apocrypha
Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)
1I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:
1A prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my Saviour.
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:
2I will give glory to thy name: for thou hast been a helper and protector to me.
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;
3And hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that stood by, thou hast been my helper.
4From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;
4And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour.
5From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words.
5Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about:
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.
6From the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the fire I was not burnt.
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.
7From the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue, and from lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue:
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.
8My soul shall praise the Lord even to death.
9Then lifted I up my supplications from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.
9And my life was drawing near to hell beneath.
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.
10They compassed me on every side, and there was no one that would help me. I looked for the succour of men, and there was none.
11I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praises with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:
11I remembered thy mercy, O Lord, and thy works, which are from the beginning of the world.
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.
12How thou deliverest them that wait for thee, O Lord, and savest them out of the hands of the nations.
13When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.
13Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for death to pass away.
14I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.
14I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help.
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.
15I will praise thy name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and my prayer was heard.
16I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much learning.
16And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil time.
17I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.
17Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name of the Lord.
18For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.
18When I was yet young, before I wandered about, I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer.
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.
19I prayed for her before the temple, and unto the very end I will seek after her, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.
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 foresaken.
20My heart delighted in her, my foot walked in the right way, from my youth up I sought after her.
21My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good possession.
21I bowed down my ear a little, and received her.
22The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith.
22I found much wisdom in myself, and I profited much therein.
23Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.
23To him that giveth me wisdom, will I give glory.
24Wherefore are ye slow, and what say ye to these things, seeing your souls are very thirsty?
24For I have determined to follow her: I have had a zeal for good, and shall not be confounded.
25I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.
25My soul hath wrestled for her, and in doing it I have been confirmed.
26Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: she is hard at hand to find.
26I stretched forth my hands on high, and I bewailed my ignorance of her.
27Behold with your eyes, how that I have but little labour, and have gotten unto me much rest.
27I directed my soul to her, and in knowledge I found her.
28Get learning with a great sum of money, and get much gold by her.
28I possessed my heart with her from the beginning: therefore I shall not be forsaken.
29Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his praise.
29My entrails were troubled in seeking her: therefore shall I possess a good possession.
30Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward.
30The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward: and with it I will praise him.
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31Draw near to me, ye unlearned, and gather yourselves together into the house of discipline.
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32Why are ye slow? and what do you say of these things? your souls are exceeding thirsty.
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33I have opened my mouth, and have spoken: buy her for yourselves without silver,
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34And submit your neck to the yoke, and let your soul receive discipline: for she is near at hand to be found.
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35Behold with your eyes how I have laboured a little, and have found much rest to myself.
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36Receive ye discipline as a great sum of money, and possess abundance of gold by her.
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37Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and you shall not be confounded in his praise.
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38Work your work before the time, and he will give you your reward in his time.
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