Sirach 2

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 My child, if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal.	1 Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation.
2 Be sincere of heart, be steadfast, and do not be alarmed when disaster comes.	2 Humble thy heart, and endure: incline thy ear, and receive the words of understanding: and make not haste in the time of clouds.
3 Cling to him and do not leave him, so that you may be honoured at the end of your days.	3 Wait on God with patience: join thyself to God, and endure, that thy life may be increased in the latter end.
4 Whatever happens to you, accept it, and in the uncertainties of your humble state, be patient,	4 Take all that shall be brought upon thee: and in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience.
5 since gold is tested in the fire, and the chosen in the furnace of humiliation.	5 For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
6 Trust him and he wil uphold you, fol ow a straight path and hope in him.	6 Believe God, and he will recover thee: and direct thy way, and trust in him. Keep his fear, and grow old therein.
7 You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not turn aside, for fear you fal .	7 Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy: and go not aside from him, lest ye fall.
8 You who fear the Lord, trust him, and you will not be robbed of your reward.	8 Ye that fear the Lord, believe him: and your reward shall not be made void.
9 You who fear the Lord, hope for those good gifts of his, everlasting joy and mercy.	9 Ye that fear the Lord, hope in him: and mercy shall come to you for your delight.
10 Look at the generations of old and see: whoever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame? Orwhoever, steadfastly fearing him, was forsaken? Or whoever cal ed to him and was ignored?	10 Ye that fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts shall be enlightened.
11 For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, he forgives sins and saves in the time of distress.	11 My children behold the generations of men: and know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded.
12 Woe to faint hearts and listless hands, and to the sinner who treads two paths.	12 For who hath continued in his commandment, and hath been forsaken? or who hath called upon him, and he despised him?
13 Woe to the listless heart that has no faith, for such will have no protection.	13 For God is compassionate and merciful, and will forgive sins in the day of tribulation: and he is a protector to all that seek him in truth.
14 Woe to you who have lost the strength to endure; what will you do at the Lord's visitation?	14 Woe to them that are of a double heart and to wicked lips, and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner that goeth on the earth two ways.
15 Those who fear the Lord do not disdain his words, and those who love him keep his ways.	15 Woe to them that are fainthearted, who believe not God: and therefore they shall not be protected by him.
16 Those who fear the Lord do their best to please him, and those who love him wil find satisfaction in theLaw.	16 Woe to them that have lost patience, and that have forsaken the right ways, and have gone aside into crooked ways.
17 Those who fear the Lord keep their hearts prepared and humble themselves in his presence.	17 And what will they do, when the Lord shall begin to examine?
18 Let us fal into the hands of the Lord, not into any human clutches; for as his majesty is, so too is hismercy.	18 They that fear the Lord, will not be incredulous to his word: and they that love him, will keep his way.
	19 They that fear the Lord, will seek after the things that are well pleasing to him: and they that love him, shall be filled with his law.
	20 They that fear the Lord, will prepare their hearts, and in his sight will sanctify their souls.
	21 They that fear the Lord, keep his Commandments, and will have patience even until his visitation,
	22 Saying: If we do not penance, we shall fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.
	23 For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with him.