| 1 I shal give thanks to you, Lord and King, and praise you, God my Saviour, I give thanks to your name; |
| 2 for you have been my guard and support and redeemed my body from destruction, from the snare ofthe lying tongue, from lips that fabricate falsehood; in the presence of my assailants, you were on my side; youhave been my support, you have redeemed me, |
| 3 true to your abounding kindness -- and the greatness of your name -- you liberated me from the fangsof those seeking to devour me, from the clutches of those seeking my life, from the many ordeals which I haveendured, |
| 4 from the stifling heat which hemmed me in, from the heart of a fire which I had not kindled, |
| 5 from deep in the bel y of Sheol, |
| 6 treacherous denunciations to the king. My soul has been close to death, my life had gone down to thebrink of Sheol. |
| 7 I was completely surrounded, there was no one to help me; I looked for someone to help me, there wasno one. |
| 8 Then I remembered your mercy, Lord, and your deeds from earliest times, how you deliver those whowait for you patiently, and save them from the clutches of their enemies. |
| 9 And I sent up my plea from the earth, I begged to be delivered from death. |
| 10 I cal ed on the Lord, the father of my Lord, 'Do not desert me in the days of ordeal, in the days of theproud, when we are helpless. I shal praise your name unceasingly and grateful y sing its praises.' |
| 11 And my plea was heard, for you saved me from destruction, you delivered me from that time of evil. |
| 12 And therefore I shal thank you and praise you, and bless the name of the Lord. |
| 13 When I was stil a youth, before I went travelling, in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom. |
| 14 Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her, and to the last I shall continue to seek her. |
| 15 From her blossoming to the ripening of her grape my heart has taken its delight in her. My foot haspursued a straight path, I have sought her ever since my youth. |
| 16 By bowing my ear a little, I have received her, and have found much instruction. |
| 17 Thanks to her I have advanced; glory be to him who has given me wisdom! |
| 18 For I was determined to put her into practice, have earnestly pursued the good, and shal not be put toshame. |
| 19 My soul has fought to possess her, I have been scrupulous in keeping the Law; I have stretched outmy hands to heaven and bewailed how little I knew of her; |
| 20 I have directed my soul towards her, and in purity I have found her; having my heart fixed on her fromthe outset, I shall never be deserted; |
| 21 my very core having yearned to discover her, I have now acquired a good possession. |
| 22 In reward the Lord has given me a tongue with which I shal sing his praises. |
| 23 Come close to me, you ignorant, take your place in my school. |
| 24 Why complain about lacking these things when your souls are so thirsty for them? |
| 25 I have opened my mouth, I have said: 'Buy her without money, |
| 26 put your necks under her yoke, let your souls receive instruction, she is near, within your reach.' |
| 27 See for yourselves: how slight my efforts have been to win so much peace. |
| 28 Buy instruction with a large sum of silver, thanks to her you wil gain much gold. |
| 29 May your souls rejoice in the mercy of the Lord, may you never be ashamed of praising him. |
| 30 Do your work before the appointed time and at the appointed time he wil give you your reward.(Subscript:) Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sira. |