Sirach 39

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 A wise man will seek the wisdom of all the ancients, and he 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 preserve the words of renowned men, and he will enter with them into the subtleties of parables.
3 He studies obscure parables, and is busied with the hidden meanings of the sages.	3 He will search for the hidden meanings of proverbs, and he will become familiar with the mysteries of parables.
4 He is in attendance on the great, and has entrance to the ruler.	4 He will minister in the midst of great men, and he will appear in the sight of the foremost leader.
5 He travels among the peoples of foreign lands to learn what is good and evil among men.	5 He will pass through the land of foreign nations. For he will test 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 At first light, he will offer his heart with watchfulness to the Lord who 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 he will make supplication for his offenses.
8 He will show the wisdom of what he has learned and glory in the law of the LORD'S covenant.	8 For if the great Lord is willing, 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 send forth the eloquence of his wisdom like rain 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 will direct his counsel and his discipline, and he will meditate on his mysteries.
11 While he lives he is one out of a thousand, and when he dies his renown will not cease.	11 He will make the discipline of his doctrine clear, and he will 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 persons will together praise his wisdom, and it will never be abolished, for all ages.
13 Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters;	13 The memory of him will not fade away, and his name will be sought 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 The peoples will declare his wisdom, and the Church will announce 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 While he remains, he leaves behind a name greater than a thousand, and when he will rest, it will be to his benefit.
16 The works of God are all of them good; in its own time every need is supplied.	16 I will meditate further, so that I may explain. For I have been filled with a passion.
17 At his word the waters become still as in a flask; he had but to speak and the reservoirs were made.	17 In a voice, he says: Listen to me, divine fruits. You shall bear fruit, like roses planted beside streams of waters.
18 He has but to command and his will is done; nothing can limit his achievement.	18 You shall have a sweet fragrance, like the cedars of Lebanon.
19 The works of all mankind are present to him; not a thing escapes his eye.	19 Blossom with flowers, like the lily, and diffuse a fragrance, and sprout leaves in grace, and give praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.
20 His gaze spans all the ages; to him there is nothing unexpected.	20 Give magnificence to his name, and confess to him with the voice of your lips and with the canticles of your mouth and with stringed instruments. And in so praising him, you will confess:
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 very 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 still, as if piled together. And at the words of his mouth, the waters were contained, as if in basins of water.
23 Again, his wrath expels the nations and turns fertile land into a salt marsh.	23 For it is made pleasing by his precept, and there is no decrease in his salvation.
24 For the virtuous his paths are level, to the haughty they are steep;	24 The works of all flesh are in his sight, and there is nothing hidden from his eyes.
25 Good things for the good he provided from the beginning, but for the wicked good things and bad.	25 His gaze is from eternity to eternity, and nothing is a wonder in his sight.
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 Let it not be said: “What is this?” or, “What is that?” For all things will be sought in their time.
27 For the good all these are good, but for the wicked they turn out evil.	27 His blessing has 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 In the same way that a flood inundates the dry land, so also will his wrath inherit the peoples that have not sought him.
29 In his treasury also, kept for the proper time, are fire and hail, famine, disease,	29 In the same way that he turned the waters into dry land, and made the earth dry, and just as his ways have been directed for their journey, so also will sinners stumble before his wrath.
30 Ravenous beasts, scorpions, vipers, and the avenging sword to exterminate the wicked;	30 From the beginning, good things were created for those who are good, and similarly, good and evil things are for those who are wicked.
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 flour for bread, and honey, and the grape cluster, and oil, and clothing.
32 So from the first I took my stand, and wrote down as my theme:	32 All these things will be used for good by those who are holy, but they will be turned to evil use by the impious and by sinners.
33 The works of God are all of them good; every need when it comes he fills.	33 There are spirits that have been created for vengeance, and they strengthen their torments by their fury.
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 the consummation, they will pour forth their strength. And they will appease the fury of the One who 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 wild beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the spear: all these take vengeance upon the impious, unto utter destruction.
	37 At his command, they will feast. And they will be prepared upon the earth until they are needed. And in their time, they will not ignore his word.
	38 For this reason, from the beginning, I was strengthened, and I have meditated, and I have considered, and I have put these things in writing.
	39 All the works of the Lord are good, and he will provide for each work in its own hour.
	40 Let it not be said: “This is worse than that.” For all things will be tested in their time.
	41 And now, with the whole heart and mouth, give praise to him, and bless the name of the Lord.