Sirach 15

¹ Whoever fears God will do good. And whoever holds to justice will obtain it.

² And like an honorable mother, she will meet him, and like a virgin bride, she will receive him.

³ She will feed him with the bread of life and understanding. And she give him to drink from the water of salvific wisdom. And she will be confirmed in him, and he will not waver.

⁴ And she will hold to him, and he will not be confounded. And she will exalt him, along with those closest to him.

⁵ And in the midst of the Church, she will open his mouth, and she will fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and she will clothe him with a robe of glory.

⁶ She will store up in him a treasure of rejoicing and exultation, and she will cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

⁷ But foolish men will not take hold of her. And though understanding men will meet her, foolish men will not catch sight of her. For she is far from arrogance and deceit.

⁸ Lying men will be wary of her. But men who speak the truth will be found with her, and they will have success, even when examined by God.

⁹ Praise is not beautiful in the mouth of a sinner.

¹⁰ For wisdom was sent from God. And praise will stand before the wisdom of God, and praise will abound in the mouths of the faithful, and the sovereign Lord will give praise to wisdom.

¹¹ You should not say: “It is because of God that wisdom is absent.” For you should not do what he detests.

¹² You should not say: “He has led me astray.” For the impious are of no use to him.

¹³ The Lord hates all abominable error, and those who fear him will not love such things.

¹⁴ God established man from the beginning, and he left him in the hand of his own counsel.

¹⁵ He added his commandments and precepts.

¹⁶ If you choose to keep the commandments, and if, having chosen them, you fulfill them with perpetual fidelity, they will preserve you.

¹⁷ He has set water and fire before you. Extend your hand to whichever one you would choose.

¹⁸ Before man is life and death, good and evil. Whichever one he chooses will be given to him.

¹⁹ For the wisdom of God is manifold. And he is strong in power, seeing all things without ceasing.

²⁰ The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, and he knows each one of the works of man.

²¹ He has commanded no one to act impiously, and he has given no one permission to sin.

²² For he does not desire a multitude of unfaithful and useless sons.