Sirach 51

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 I give you thanks, O God of my father; I praise you, O God my savior! I will make known your name, refuge of my life;	1 I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:
2 you have been my helper against my adversaries. You have saved me from death, and kept back my body from the pit, From the clutches of the nether world you have snatched my feet;	2 For thou art my defender and helper, and has preserved my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lips that forge lies, and has been mine helper against mine adversaries:
3 you have delivered me, in your great mercy From the scourge of a slanderous tongue, and from lips that went over to falsehood; From the snare of those who watched for my downfall, and from the power of those who sought my life; From many a danger you have saved me,	3 And hast delivered me, according to the multitude of they mercies and greatness of thy name, from the teeth of them that were ready to devour me, and out of the hands of such as sought after my life, and from the manifold afflictions which I had;
4 from flames that hemmed me in on every side; From the midst of unremitting fire,	4 From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;
5 From the deep belly of the nether world; From deceiving lips and painters of lies,	5 From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words.
6 from the arrows of dishonest tongues. I was at the point of death, my soul was nearing the depths of the nether world;	6 By an accusation to the king from an unrighteous tongue my soul drew near even unto death, my life was near to the hell beneath.
7 I turned every way, but there was no one to help me, I looked for one to sustain me, but could find no one.	7 They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none.
8 But then I remembered the mercies of the LORD, his kindness through ages past; For he saves those who take refuge in him, and rescues them from every evil.	8 Then thought I upon thy mercy, O Lord, and upon thy acts of old, how thou deliverest such as wait for thee, and savest them out of the hands of the enemies.
9 So I raised my voice from the very earth, from the gates of the nether world, my cry.	9 Then lifted I up my supplications from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.
10 I called out: O Lord, you are my father, you are my champion and my savior; Do not abandon me in time of trouble, in the midst of storms and dangers.	10 I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the days of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, when there was no help.
11 I will ever praise your name and be constant in my prayers to you. Thereupon the LORD heard my voice, he listened to my appeal;	11 I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praises with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:
12 He saved me from evil of every kind and preserved me in time of trouble. For this reason I thank him and I praise him; I bless the name of the LORD.	12 For thou savedst me from destruction, and deliveredst me from the evil time: therefore will I give thanks, and praise thee, and bless they name, O Lord.
13 When I was young and innocent, I sought wisdom.	13 When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.
14 She came to me in her beauty, and until the end I will cultivate her.	14 I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.
15 As the blossoms yielded to ripening grapes, the heart's joy, My feet kept to the level path because from earliest youth I was familiar with her.	15 Even from the flower till the grape was ripe hath my heart delighted in her: my foot went the right way, from my youth up sought I after her.
16 In the short time I paid heed, I met with great instruction.	16 I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much learning.
17 Since in this way I have profited, I will give my teacher grateful praise.	17 I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.
18 I became resolutely devoted to her-- the good I persistently strove for.	18 For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.
19 I burned with desire for her, never turning back. I became preoccupied with her, never weary of extolling her. My hand opened her gate and I came to know her secrets.	19 My soul hath wrestled with her, and in my doings I was exact: I stretched forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.
20 For her I purified my hands; in cleanness I attained to her. At first acquaintance with her, I gained understanding such that I will never forsake her.	20 I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be foresaken.
21 My whole being was stirred as I learned about her; therefore I have made her my prize possession.	21 My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good possession.
22 The LORD has granted me my lips as a reward, and my tongue will declare his praises.	22 The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith.
23 Come aside to me, you untutored, and take up lodging in the house of instruction;	23 Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.
24 How long will you be deprived of wisdom's food, how long will you endure such bitter thirst?	24 Wherefore are ye slow, and what say ye to these things, seeing your souls are very thirsty?
25 I open my mouth and speak of her: gain, at no cost, wisdom for yourselves.	25 I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.
26 Submit your neck to her yoke, that your mind may accept her teaching. For she is close to those who seek her, and the one who is in earnest finds her.	26 Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: she is hard at hand to find.
27 See for yourselves! I have labored only a little, but have found much.	27 Behold with your eyes, how that I have but little labour, and have gotten unto me much rest.
28 Acquire but a little instruction; you will win silver and gold through her.	28 Get learning with a great sum of money, and get much gold by her.
29 Let your spirits rejoice in the mercy of God, and be not ashamed to give him praise.	29 Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his praise.
30 Work at your tasks in due season, and in his own time God will give you your reward.	30 Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward.