The Book of Jesus Sirach

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 51 -

A prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

The prayer of Jesus, the son of Sirach: I will confess to you, O Lord and King, and I will give praise to you, O God my Savior.

I will acknowledge your name. For you have been my Helper and Protector.

And you have freed my body from perdition, from the snare of the iniquitous tongue, and from the lips of those who forge lies. And you have been my Helper in the sight of those who stood nearby.

And you have freed me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name: from those who roared and prepared to devour,

from the hands of those who sought my life, and from the gates of tribulation that surrounded me,

from the oppression of the flames that surrounded me, and so I was not burned in the midst of the fire,

from the depths of the bowels of hell, and from the defiled tongue, and from lying words, from an iniquitous king, and from an unjust tongue.

My soul shall praise the Lord, even unto death.

For my life was drawing near to hell below.

And they surrounded me on every side. And there was no one who would help me. I looked around for the assistance of men, and there was none.

Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your works, which are from the very beginning.

For you rescue those who persevere for you, O Lord, and you free them from the hands of the Gentiles.(a)

You exalted my habitation upon the earth, and I made supplication that death would pass away.

I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, so that he would not abandon me in the day of my tribulation, nor in the time of arrogance without assistance.

I will praise your name unceasingly, and I will praise it with thanksgiving, for my prayer was heeded.

And you freed me from perdition, and you rescued me from the time of iniquity.

Because of this, I will give thanks and praise to you, and I will bless the name of the Lord.

When I was still young, before I wandered astray, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

I asked for her before the temple, and even to the very end, I will inquire after her. And she flourished like a newly-ripened grape.

My heart rejoiced in her. My feet walked in the right path. From my youth, I pursued her.

I bent my ear a little and accepted her.

I found much wisdom within myself, and I benefited greatly by her.

I will give glory to him who gives wisdom to me.

For I have decided that I should act according to wisdom. I have been zealous for what is good, and so I will not be confounded.

My soul has struggled for wisdom, and in doing so, I have been confirmed.

I extended my hands on high, and I mourned my ignorance of her.

I directed my soul toward her, and I found her within knowledge.

From the beginning, I held my heart to wisdom. Because of this, I will not be forsaken.

My stomach was stirred up while seeking her. Because of her, I will hold a good possession.

The Lord has given me a tongue as my reward, and I will praise him with it.

Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and gather yourselves into the house of discipline.

Why are you reluctant? And what do you have to say about these things? Your souls are exceedingly thirsty!

I have opened my mouth, and I have spoken. Buy wisdom for yourselves without silver,

and subject your neck to her yoke, and let your soul accept her discipline. For she is close enough to be found.

See with your own eyes how I have labored only a little, and have found much rest for myself.

Take up discipline, as if it were a great sum of money, and possess an abundance of gold in her.

Let your soul rejoice in his mercy. For you will not be confounded by his praise.

Accomplish your work before the time. And he will give you your reward in his time.

Footnotes

(a)51:12 In the Christian interpretation of Scripture, the Gentiles would refer to non-believers (heathens), not to non-Jews.(Conte)

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.