Sir 51:1 I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my
Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:
Sir 51:2 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:
Sir 51:3 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;
Sir 51:4 From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the
fire which I kindled not;
Sir 51:5 From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and
from lying words.
Sir 51:6 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.
Sir 51:7 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.
Sir 51:8 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.
Sir 51:9 Then lifted I up my supplications from the earth, and prayed for
deliverance from death.
Sir 51:10 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.
Sir 51:11 I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praises with
thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:
Sir 51:12 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.
Sir 51:13 When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom
openly in my prayer.
Sir 51:14 I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to
the end.
Sir 51:15 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.
Sir 51:16 I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much
learning.
Sir 51:17 I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe glory unto him that
giveth me wisdom.
Sir 51:18 For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that
which is good; so shall I not be confounded.
Sir 51:19 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.
Sir 51:20 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
foresaken.
Sir 51:21 My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a
good possession.
Sir 51:22 The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise
him therewith.
Sir 51:23 Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of
learning.
Sir 51:24 Wherefore are ye slow, and what say ye to these things, seeing
your souls are very thirsty?
Sir 51:25 I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.
Sir 51:26 Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive
instruction: she is hard at hand to find.
Sir 51:27 Behold with your eyes, how that I have but little labour, and have
gotten unto me much rest.
Sir 51:28 Get learning with a great sum of money, and get much gold by her.
Sir 51:29 Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his
praise.
Sir 51:30 Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your
reward.