Sirach 15

¹ The man who fears the Lord will do this, and he who holds to the law will obtain wisdom.

² She will come to meet him like a mother, and like the wife of his youth she will welcome him.

³ She will feed him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.

⁴ He will lean on her and will not fall, and he will rely on her and will not be put to shame.

⁵ She will exalt him above his neighbors, and will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly.

⁶ He will find gladness and a crown of rejoicing, and will acquire an everlasting name.

⁷ Foolish men will not obtain her, and sinful men will not see her.

⁸ She is far from men of pride, and liars will never think of her.

⁹ A hymn of praise is not fitting on the lips of a sinner, for it has not been sent from the Lord.

¹⁰ For a hymn of praise should be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.

¹¹ Do not say, "Because of the Lord I left the right way"; for he will not do what he hates.

¹² Do not say, "It was he who led me astray"; for he had no need of a sinful man.

¹³ The Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear him.

¹⁴ It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination.

¹⁵ If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

¹⁶ He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish.

¹⁷ Before a man are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him.

¹⁸ For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything;

¹⁹ his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every deed of man.

²⁰ He has not commanded any one to be ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin.