Sirach 15

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 He who fears the LORD will do this; he who is practiced in the law will come to wisdom.	1 He that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice, shall lay hold on her,
2 Motherlike she will meet him, like a young bride she will embrace him,	2 And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will 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 life and understanding, she shall feed him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved:
4 He will lean upon her and not fall, he will trust in her and not be put to shame.	4 And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours.
5 She will exalt him above his fellows; in the assembly she will make him eloquent.	5 And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory.
6 Joy and gladness he will find, an everlasting name inherit.	6 She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and 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 obtain her, and wise men shall meet her, foolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit.
8 Far from the impious is she, not to be spoken of by liars.	8 Lying men shall not be mindful of her: but men that speak truth shall be found with her, and shall advance, even till they come to the sight of God.
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:
10 But praise is offered by the wise man's tongue; its rightful steward will proclaim it.	10 For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with the wisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth, and the sovereign Lord will give praise unto it.
11 Say not: "It was God's doing that I fell away"; for what he hates he does not do.	11 Say not: It is through God, that she is not with me: for do not thou 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: He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of wicked men.
13 Abominable wickedness the LORD hates, he does not let it befall those who fear him.	13 The Lord hateth all abomination of error, and they that fear him shall not love it.
14 When God, in the beginning, created man, he made him subject to his own free choice.	14 God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his own counsel.
15 If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do his will.	15 He added his commandments and precepts.
16 There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.	16 If thou wilt keep the commandments and perform acceptable fidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee.
17 Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.	17 He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy hand to which thou wilt.
18 Immense is the wisdom of the LORD; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.	18 Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he shall choose shall be given him:
19 The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man's every deed.	19 For the wisdom of God is great, and he is strong in power, seeing all men without ceasing.
20 No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies.	20 The eyes of the Lord are towards them that fear him, and he knoweth all the work of man.
	21 He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given no man license to sin:
	22 For he desireth not a multitude of faithless and unprofitable children.