Sirach 15

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 He who fears the LORD will do this; he who is practiced in the law will come to wisdom.	1 He that feareth the Lord will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.
2 Motherlike she will meet him, like a young bride she will embrace him,	2 And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
3 Nourish him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of learning to drink.	3 With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
4 He will lean upon her and not fall, he will trust in her and not be put to shame.	4 He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.
5 She will exalt him above his fellows; in the assembly she will make him eloquent.	5 She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.
6 Joy and gladness he will find, an everlasting name inherit.	6 He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
7 Worthless men will not attain to her, haughty men will not behold her.	7 But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.
8 Far from the impious is she, not to be spoken of by liars.	8 For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.
9 Unseemly is praise on a sinner's lips, for it is not accorded to him by God.	9 Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.
10 But praise is offered by the wise man's tongue; its rightful steward will proclaim it.	10 For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.
11 Say not: "It was God's doing that I fell away"; for what he hates he does not do.	11 Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.
12 Say not: "It was he who set me astray"; for he has no need of wicked man.	12 Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.
13 Abominable wickedness the LORD hates, he does not let it befall those who fear him.	13 The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.
14 When God, in the beginning, created man, he made him subject to his own free choice.	14 He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;
15 If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do his will.	15 If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.
16 There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.	16 He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.
17 Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.	17 Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.
18 Immense is the wisdom of the LORD; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.	18 For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:
19 The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man's every deed.	19 And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.
20 No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies.	20 He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.