Sirach 39

¹A wise man will seek the wisdom of all the ancients, and he will be occupied in the prophets.

²He will preserve the words of renowned men, and he will enter with them into the subtleties of parables.

³He will search for the hidden meanings of proverbs, and he will become familiar with the mysteries of parables.

⁴He will minister in the midst of great men, and he will appear in the sight of the foremost leader.

⁵He will pass through the land of foreign nations. For he will test good and evil among men.

⁶At first light, he will offer his heart with watchfulness to the Lord who made him, and he will pray in the sight of the Most High.

⁷He will open his mouth in prayer, and he will make supplication for his offenses.

⁸For if the great Lord is willing, he will fill him with the Spirit of understanding.

⁹And he will send forth the eloquence of his wisdom like rain showers, and in his prayer, he will confess to the Lord.

¹⁰And he will direct his counsel and his discipline, and he will meditate on his mysteries.

¹¹He will make the discipline of his doctrine clear, and he will glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

¹²Many persons will together praise his wisdom, and it will never be abolished, for all ages.

¹³The memory of him will not fade away, and his name will be sought from generation to generation.

¹⁴The peoples will declare his wisdom, and the Church will announce his praise.

¹⁵While he remains, he leaves behind a name greater than a thousand, and when he will rest, it will be to his benefit.

¹⁶I will meditate further, so that I may explain. For I have been filled with a passion.

¹⁷In a voice, he says: Listen to me, divine fruits. You shall bear fruit, like roses planted beside streams of waters.

¹⁸You shall have a sweet fragrance, like the cedars of Lebanon.

¹⁹Blossom with flowers, like the lily, and diffuse a fragrance, and sprout leaves in grace, and give praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.

²⁰Give magnificence to his name, and confess to him with the voice of your lips and with the canticles of your mouth and with stringed instruments. And in so praising him, you will confess:

²¹All the works of the Lord are very good.

²²At his word, the waters stood still, as if piled together. And at the words of his mouth, the waters were contained, as if in basins of water.

²³For it is made pleasing by his precept, and there is no decrease in his salvation.

²⁴The works of all flesh are in his sight, and there is nothing hidden from his eyes.

²⁵His gaze is from eternity to eternity, and nothing is a wonder in his sight.

²⁶Let it not be said: “What is this?” or, “What is that?” For all things will be sought in their time.

²⁷His blessing has overflowed like a river.

²⁸In the same way that a flood inundates the dry land, so also will his wrath inherit the peoples that have not sought him.

²⁹In the same way that he turned the waters into dry land, and made the earth dry, and just as his ways have been directed for their journey, so also will sinners stumble before his wrath.

³⁰From the beginning, good things were created for those who are good, and similarly, good and evil things are for those who are wicked.

³¹The principal things necessary for the life of men are: water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and flour for bread, and honey, and the grape cluster, and oil, and clothing.

³²All these things will be used for good by those who are holy, but they will be turned to evil use by the impious and by sinners.

³³There are spirits that have been created for vengeance, and they strengthen their torments by their fury.

³⁴In the time of the consummation, they will pour forth their strength. And they will appease the fury of the One who made them.

³⁵Fire, hail, famine, and death: all these were created for vengeance.

³⁶The teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the spear: all these take vengeance upon the impious, unto utter destruction.

³⁷At his command, they will feast. And they will be prepared upon the earth until they are needed. And in their time, they will not ignore his word.

³⁸For this reason, from the beginning, I was strengthened, and I have meditated, and I have considered, and I have put these things in writing.

³⁹All the works of the Lord are good, and he will provide for each work in its own hour.

⁴⁰Let it not be said: “This is worse than that.” For all things will be tested in their time.

⁴¹And now, with the whole heart and mouth, give praise to him, and bless the name of the Lord.

Sirach 39

¹The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.

²He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.

³He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.

⁴He shall serve among great men, and appear before the governor.

⁵He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.

⁶He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.

⁷He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.

⁸For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:

⁹And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.

¹⁰And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.

¹¹He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

¹²Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.

¹³The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.

¹⁴Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise.

¹⁵If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he rest, it shall be to his advantage.

¹⁶I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a holy transport.

¹⁷By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of waters.

¹⁸Give ye a sweet odour as frankincense.

¹⁹Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.

²⁰Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your lips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in praising him, you shall say in this manner:

²¹All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.

²²At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters:

²³For at his commandment favour is shewn, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.

²⁴The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.

²⁵He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before him.

²⁶There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things shall be sought in their time.

²⁷His blessing hath overflowed like a river.

²⁸And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit the nations, that have not sought after him.

²⁹Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was made dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners they are stumblingblocks in his wrath.

³⁰Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good and evil things.

³¹The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.

³²All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.

³³There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on grievous torments.

³⁴In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.

³⁵Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance.

³⁶The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword taking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.

³⁷In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready upon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not transgress his word.

³⁸Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have meditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing,

³⁹All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.

⁴⁰It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be well approved in their time.

⁴¹Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.