Sirach 17

¹ The LORD from the earth created man, and in his own image he made him.

² Limited days of life he gives him and makes him return to earth again.

³ He endows man with a strength of his own, and with power over all things else on earth.

⁴ He puts the fear of him in all flesh, and gives him rule over beasts and birds.

⁵ He forms men's tongues and eyes and ears, and imparts to them an understanding heart.

⁶ With wisdom and knowledge he fills them; good and evil he shows them.

⁷ He looks with favor upon their hearts, and shows them his glorious works,

⁸ That they may describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name.

⁹ He has set before them knowledge, a law of life as their inheritance;

¹⁰ An everlasting covenant he has made with them, his commandments he has revealed to them.

¹¹ His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard.

¹² He says to them, "Avoid all evil"; each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men.

¹³ Their ways are ever known to him, they cannot be hidden from his eyes.

¹⁴ Over every nation he places a ruler, but the LORD'S own portion is Israel.

¹⁵ All their actions are clear as the sun to him, his eyes are ever upon their ways.

¹⁶ Their wickedness cannot be hidden from him; all of their sins are before the LORD.

¹⁷ A man's goodness God cherishes like a signet ring, a man's virtue, like the apple of his eye.

¹⁸ Later he will rise up and repay them, and requite each one of them as they deserve.

¹⁹ But to the penitent he provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope!

²⁰ Return to the LORD and give up sin, pray to him and make your offenses few.

²¹ Turn again to the Most High and away from sin, hate intensely what he loathes;

²² Who in the nether world can glorify the Most High in place of the living who offer their praise?

²³ No more can the dead give praise than those who have never lived; they glorify the LORD who are alive and well.

²⁴ How great the mercy of the LORD, his forgiveness of those who return to him!

²⁵ The like cannot be found in men, for not immortal is any son of man.

²⁶ Is anything brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed. How obscure then the thoughts of flesh and blood!

²⁷ God watches over the hosts of highest heaven, while all men are dust and ashes.