Sirach 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 My child, if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal.	1 My son, when you come to serve the LORD, prepare yourself for trials.
2 Be sincere of heart, be steadfast, and do not be alarmed when disaster comes.	2 Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity.
3 Cling to him and do not leave him, so that you may be honoured at the end of your days.	3 Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great.
4 Whatever happens to you, accept it, and in the uncertainties of your humble state, be patient,	4 Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient;
5 since gold is tested in the fire, and the chosen in the furnace of humiliation.	5 For in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation.
6 Trust him and he wil uphold you, fol ow a straight path and hope in him.	6 Trust God and he will help you; make straight your ways and hope in him.
7 You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not turn aside, for fear you fal .	7 You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall.
8 You who fear the Lord, trust him, and you will not be robbed of your reward.	8 You who fear the LORD, trust him, and your reward will not be lost.
9 You who fear the Lord, hope for those good gifts of his, everlasting joy and mercy.	9 You who fear the LORD, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.
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 Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken? has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?
11 For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, he forgives sins and saves in the time of distress.	11 Compassionate and merciful is the LORD; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble.
12 Woe to faint hearts and listless hands, and to the sinner who treads two paths.	12 Woe to craven hearts and drooping hands, to the sinner who treads a double path!
13 Woe to the listless heart that has no faith, for such will have no protection.	13 Woe to the faint of heart who trust not, who therefore will have no shelter!
14 Woe to you who have lost the strength to endure; what will you do at the Lord's visitation?	14 Woe to you who have lost hope! what will you do at the visitation of the LORD?
15 Those who fear the Lord do not disdain his words, and those who love him keep his ways.	15 Those who fear the LORD disobey not his words; those who love him keep his ways.
16 Those who fear the Lord do their best to please him, and those who love him wil find satisfaction in theLaw.	16 Those who fear the LORD seek to please him, those who love him are filled with his law.
17 Those who fear the Lord keep their hearts prepared and humble themselves in his presence.	17 Those who fear the LORD prepare their hearts and humble themselves before him.
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 Let us fall into the hands of the LORD and not into the hands of men, For equal to his majesty is the mercy that he shows.