Sirach 51

¹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, O King, and will praise you, O God my Savior. I give thanks to your name, ²for 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, ³and 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, ⁴from the choking of a fire on every side, and out of the midst of fire that I hadn’t kindled, ⁵out of the depth of the belly of Hades, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words— ⁶the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king. My soul drew near to death. My life was near to Hades. ⁷They surrounded me on every side. There was no one to help me. I was looking for human help, and there was none. ⁸Then 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. ⁹I lifted up my prayer from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death. ¹⁰I 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. ¹¹I will praise your name continually. I will sing praise with thanksgiving. My prayer was heard. ¹²You 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. ¹³When I was yet young, before I went abroad, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer. ¹⁴Before the temple I asked for her. I will seek her out even to the end. ¹⁵From the first flower to the ripening grape my heart delighted in her. My foot walked in uprightness. From my youth I followed her steps. ¹⁶I inclined my ear a little, and received her, and found for myself much instruction. ¹⁷I profited in her. I will give glory to him who gives me wisdom. ¹⁸For I determined to practice her. I was zealous for that which is good. I will never be put to shame. ¹⁹My soul has wrestled with her. In my conduct I was exact. I spread out my hands to the sky above, and bewailed my ignorances of her. ²⁰I 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. ²¹My belly also was troubled to seek her. Therefore I have gained a good possession. ²²The Lord gave me a tongue for my reward. I will praise him with it. ²³Draw near to me, all you who are uneducated, and live in the house of instruction. ²⁴Why therefore are you all lacking in these things, and your souls are very thirsty? ²⁵I opened my mouth and spoke, “Get her for yourselves without money.” ²⁶Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction. She is near to find. ²⁷See with your eyes how I labored just a little and found for myself much rest. ²⁸Get instruction with a great sum of silver, and gain much gold by her. ²⁹May your soul rejoice in his mercy, and may you all not be put to shame in praising him. ³⁰Work your work before the time comes, and in his time he will give you your reward.