Sirach 2

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation.	1 My son, when you come to serve the LORD, prepare yourself for trials.
2 Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble.	2 Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity.
3 Cleave unto him, and depart not away, that thou mayest be increased at thy last end.	3 Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great.
4 Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate.	4 Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient;
5 For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.	5 For in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation.
6 Believe in him, and he will help thee; order thy way aright, and trust in him.	6 Trust God and he will help you; make straight your ways and hope in him.
7 Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest ye fall.	7 You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall.
8 Ye that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail.	8 You who fear the LORD, trust him, and your reward will not be lost.
9 Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy.	9 You who fear the LORD, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.
10 Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?	10 Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken? has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?
11 For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, longsuffering, and very pitiful, and forgiveth sins, and saveth in time of affliction.	11 Compassionate and merciful is the LORD; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble.
12 Woe be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the sinner that goeth two ways!	12 Woe to craven hearts and drooping hands, to the sinner who treads a double path!
13 Woe unto him that is fainthearted! for he believeth not; therefore shall he not be defended.	13 Woe to the faint of heart who trust not, who therefore will have no shelter!
14 Woe unto you that have lost patience! and what will ye do when the Lord shall visit you?	14 Woe to you who have lost hope! what will you do at the visitation of the LORD?
15 They that fear the Lord will not disobey his Word; and they that love him will keep his ways.	15 Those who fear the LORD disobey not his words; those who love him keep his ways.
16 They that fear the Lord will seek that which is well, pleasing unto him; and they that love him shall be filled with the law.	16 Those who fear the LORD seek to please him, those who love him are filled with his law.
17 They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight,	17 Those who fear the LORD prepare their hearts and humble themselves before him.
18 Saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his majesty is, so is his mercy.	18 Let us fall into the hands of the LORD and not into the hands of men, For equal to his majesty is the mercy that he shows.