Sirach 15

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 He who fears the LORD will do this; he who is practiced in the law will come to wisdom.	1 Whoever fears God will do good. And whoever holds to justice will obtain it.
2 Motherlike she will meet him, like a young bride she will embrace him,	2 And like an honorable mother, she will meet him, and like a virgin bride, she will receive him.
3 Nourish him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of learning to drink.	3 She will feed him with the bread of life and understanding. And she give him to drink from the water of salvific wisdom. And she will be confirmed in him, and he will not waver.
4 He will lean upon her and not fall, he will trust in her and not be put to shame.	4 And she will hold to him, and he will not be confounded. And she will exalt him, along with those closest to him.
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 will open his mouth, and she will fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and she will clothe him with a robe of glory.
6 Joy and gladness he will find, an everlasting name inherit.	6 She will store up in him a treasure of rejoicing and exultation, and she will 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 will not take hold of her. And though understanding men will meet her, foolish men will not catch sight of her. For she is far from arrogance and deceit.
8 Far from the impious is she, not to be spoken of by liars.	8 Lying men will be wary of her. But men who speak the truth will be found with her, and they will have success, even when examined by God.
9 Unseemly is praise on a sinner's lips, for it is not accorded to him by God.	9 Praise is not beautiful 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 was sent from God. And praise will stand before the wisdom of God, and praise will abound in the mouths of the faithful, and the sovereign Lord will give praise to wisdom.
11 Say not: "It was God's doing that I fell away"; for what he hates he does not do.	11 You should not say: “It is because of God that wisdom is absent.” For you should not do what he detests.
12 Say not: "It was he who set me astray"; for he has no need of wicked man.	12 You should not say: “He has led me astray.” For the impious are of no use to him.
13 Abominable wickedness the LORD hates, he does not let it befall those who fear him.	13 The Lord hates all abominable error, and those who fear him will not love such things.
14 When God, in the beginning, created man, he made him subject to his own free choice.	14 God established man from the beginning, and he 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 you choose to keep the commandments, and if, having chosen them, you fulfill them with perpetual fidelity, they will preserve you.
17 Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.	17 He has set water and fire before you. Extend your hand to whichever one you would choose.
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. Whichever one he chooses will be given to him.
19 The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man's every deed.	19 For the wisdom of God is manifold. And he is strong in power, seeing all things 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 upon those who fear him, and he knows each one of the works of man.
	21 He has commanded no one to act impiously, and he has given no one permission to sin.
	22 For he does not desire a multitude of unfaithful and useless sons.