Sirach 15

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