Sirach 39

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Not so with one who concentrates his mind and his meditation on the Law of the Most High. Heresearches into the wisdom of al the Ancients, he occupies his time with the prophecies.	1 But he that giveth his mind to the law of the most High, and is occupied in the meditation thereof, will seek out the wisdom of all the ancient, and be occupied in prophecies.
2 He preserves the discourses of famous men, he is at home with the niceties of parables.	2 He will keep the sayings of the renowned men: and where subtil parables are, he will be there also.
3 He researches into the hidden sense of proverbs, he ponders the obscurities of parables.	3 He will seek out the secrets of grave sentences, and be conversant in dark parables.
4 He enters the service of princes, he is seen in the presence of rulers. He travels in foreign countries, hehas experienced human good and human evil.	4 He shall serve among great men, and appear before princes: he will travel through strange countries; for he hath tried the good and the evil among men.
5 At dawn and with al his heart he turns to the Lord his Creator; he pleads in the presence of the MostHigh, he opens his mouth in prayer and makes entreaty for his sins.	5 He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and will pray before the most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and make supplication for his sins.
6 If such be the wil of the great Lord, he wil be filled with the spirit of intel igence, he wil shower forthwords of wisdom, and in prayer give thanks to the Lord.	6 When the great Lord will, he shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: he shall pour out wise sentences, and give thanks unto the Lord in his prayer.
7 He will grow upright in purpose and learning, he will ponder the Lord's hidden mysteries.	7 He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.
8 He will display the instruction he has received, taking his pride in the Law of the Lord's covenant.	8 He shall shew forth that which he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
9 Many wil praise his intel igence and it wil never be forgotten. His memory will not disappear,generation after generation his name will live.	9 Many shall commend his understanding; and so long as the world endureth, it shall not be blotted out; his memorial shall not depart away, and his name shall live from generation to generation.
10 Nations wil proclaim his wisdom, the assembly will celebrate his praises.	10 Nations shall shew forth his wisdom, and the congregation shall declare his praise.
11 If he lives long, his name will be more glorious than a thousand others, and if he dies, that wil satisfyhim just as wel .	11 If he die, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: and if he live, he shall increase it.
12 And here are some more of my reflections: yes, I am as ful as the moon at the ful !	12 Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; for I am filled as the moon at the full.
13 Listen to me, devout children, and blossom like the rose that grows on the bank of a watercourse.	13 Hearken unto me, ye holy children, and bud forth as a rose growing by the brook of the field:
14 Give off a sweet smel like incense, flower like the lily, spread your fragrance abroad, sing a song ofpraise blessing the Lord for all his works.	14 And give ye a sweet savour as frankincense, and flourish as a lily, send forth a smell, and sing a song of praise, bless the Lord in all his works.
15 Declare the greatness of his name, proclaim his praise with song and with lyre, and this is how youmust sing his praises:	15 Magnify his name, and shew forth his praise with the songs of your lips, and with harps, and in praising him ye shall say after this manner:
16 'How wonderful, the actions of the Lord! Whatever he orders is done at the proper time!' You must notsay, 'What is this? Why is that?' There is a proper time for every question.	16 All the works of the Lord are exceeding good, and whatsoever he commandeth shall be accomplished in due season.
17 At his word, the water stops and piles up high, at his voice, the watery reservoirs take shape,	17 And none may say, What is this? wherefore is that? for at time convenient they shall all be sought out: at his commandment the waters stood as an heap, and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters.
18 at his command, whatever he wants is done, no one can stop him, if he intends to save.	18 At his commandment is done whatsoever pleaseth him; and none can hinder, when he will save.
19 He can see whatever human beings are doing, nothing can be hidden from his eye;	19 The works of all flesh are before him, and nothing can be hid from his eyes.
20 his gaze stretches from eternity to eternity, and nothing can astonish him.	20 He seeth from everlasting to everlasting; and there is nothing wonderful before him.
21 You must not say, 'What is this? Why is that?' for everything has been made for a purpose.	21 A man need not to say, What is this? wherefore is that? for he hath made all things for their uses.
22 As his blessing covers the dry land like a river and soaks it like a flood,	22 His blessing covered the dry land as a river, and watered it as a flood.
23 so retribution is his legacy to the nations, just as he has turned fresh waters to salt.	23 As he hath turned the waters into saltness: so shall the heathen inherit his wrath.
24 His ways are as smooth for the devout, as they are ful of obstacles for the wicked.	24 As his ways are plain unto the holy; so are they stumblingblocks unto the wicked.
25 Good things were created from the beginning for good people, as bad ones were for sinners.	25 For the good are good things created from the beginning: so evil things for sinners.
26 The prime needs of human beings for living are water and fire, iron and salt, wheat-flour, milk andhoney, the juice of the grape, oil and clothing.	26 The principal things for the whole use of man's life are water, fire, iron, and salt, flour of wheat, honey, milk, and the blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing.
27 Al these are good for those who are good, but turn out bad for sinners.	27 All these things are for good to the godly: so to the sinners they are turned into evil.
28 Some winds have been created for punishing, in his fury, he uses them as scourges; on the day ofdoom, they unleash their violence and appease the wrath of their Creator.	28 There be spirits that are created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction they pour out their force, and appease the wrath of him that made them.
29 Fire and hail, famine and death, have al been created for punishing.	29 Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance;
30 Wild animals' fangs, scorpions, vipers, the avenging sword for the ruin of the godless:	30 Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, serpents, and the sword punishing the wicked to destruction.
31 all of them exult in discharging his orders, ready on earth whenever the need arises and, when theirtime comes, not fal ing short of his word.	31 They shall rejoice in his commandment, and they shall be ready upon earth, when need is; and when their time is come, they shall not transgress his word.
32 That is why I was determined from the outset, why I have pondered and why I have written,	32 Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and thought upon these things, and have left them in writing.
33 'The works of the Lord are all good, when the time is right, he gives whatever is needed.	33 All the works of the Lord are good: and he will give every needful thing in due season.
34 You must not say, "This is worse than that," for, sooner or later, everything proves its worth.	34 So that a man cannot say, This is worse than that: for in time they shall all be well approved.
35 So now, sing with al your heart and voice, and bless the name of the Lord!'	35 And therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth, and bless the name of the Lord.