Sirach 39

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 How different the man who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High! He explores the wisdom of the men of old and occupies himself with the prophecies;	1 The wise men will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.
2 He treasures the discourses of famous men, and goes to the heart of involved sayings;	2 He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.
3 He studies obscure parables, and is busied with the hidden meanings of the sages.	3 He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.
4 He is in attendance on the great, and has entrance to the ruler.	4 He shall serve among great men, and: appear before the governor.
5 He travels among the peoples of foreign lands to learn what is good and evil among men.	5 He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.
6 His care is to seek the LORD, his Maker, to petition the Most High, To open his lips in prayer, to ask pardon for his sins. Then, if it pleases the LORD Almighty, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; He will pour forth his words of wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the LORD,	6 He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.
7 Who will direct his knowledge and his counsel, as he meditates upon his mysteries.	7 He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.
8 He will show the wisdom of what he has learned and glory in the law of the LORD'S covenant.	8 For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:
9 Many will praise his understanding; his fame can never be effaced; Unfading will be his memory, through all generations his name will live;	9 And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.
10 Peoples will speak of his wisdom, and in assembly sing his praises.	10 And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.
11 While he lives he is one out of a thousand, and when he dies his renown will not cease.	11 He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
12 Once more I will set forth my theme to shine like the moon in its fullness!	12 Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.
13 Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters;	13 The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.
14 Send up the sweet odor of incense, break forth in blossoms like the lily. Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise; bless the LORD for all he has done!	14 Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise.
15 Proclaim the greatness of his name, loudly sing his praises, With music on the harp and all stringed instruments; sing out with joy as you proclaim:	15 If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he rest, it shall be to his advantage.
16 The works of God are all of them good; in its own time every need is supplied.	16 I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a holy transport.
17 At his word the waters become still as in a flask; he had but to speak and the reservoirs were made.	17 By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of waters.
18 He has but to command and his will is done; nothing can limit his achievement.	18 Give ye a sweet odour as frankincense.
19 The works of all mankind are present to him; not a thing escapes his eye.	19 Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.
20 His gaze spans all the ages; to him there is nothing unexpected.	20 Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your lips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in praising him, you shall say in this manner:
21 No cause then to say: "What is the purpose of this?" Everything is chosen to satisfy a need.	21 All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.
22 His blessing overflows like the Nile; like the Euphrates it enriches the surface of the earth.	22 At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters:
23 Again, his wrath expels the nations and turns fertile land into a salt marsh.	23 For at his commandment favour is shewn, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.
24 For the virtuous his paths are level, to the haughty they are steep;	24 The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.
25 Good things for the good he provided from the beginning, but for the wicked good things and bad.	25 He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before him.
26 Chief of all needs for human life are water and fire, iron and salt, The heart of the wheat, milk and honey, the blood of the grape, and oil, and cloth;	26 There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things shall be sought in their time.
27 For the good all these are good, but for the wicked they turn out evil.	27 His blessing hath overflowed like a river.
28 There are storm winds created to punish, which in their fury can dislodge mountains; When destruction must be, they hurl all their force and appease the anger of their Maker.	28 And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit the nations, that have not sought after him:
29 In his treasury also, kept for the proper time, are fire and hail, famine, disease,	29 Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was made dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners they are stumblingblocks in his wrath.
30 Ravenous beasts, scorpions, vipers, and the avenging sword to exterminate the wicked;	30 Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good and evil things.
31 In doing his bidding they rejoice, in their assignments they disobey not his command.	31 The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.
32 So from the first I took my stand, and wrote down as my theme:	32 All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.
33 The works of God are all of them good; every need when it comes he fills.	33 There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on grievous torments.
34 No cause then to say: "This is not as good as that"; for each shows its worth at the proper time.	34 In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.
35 So now with full joy of heart proclaim and bless the name of the Holy One.	35 Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance.
	36 The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword taking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.
	37 In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready upon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not transgress his word.
	38 Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have meditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing.
	39 All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.
	40 It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be well approved in their time.
	41 Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.