Siracide 51

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Oratio Iesu filii Sirach. “ Confitebor tibi, Domine rex; et collaudabo te Deum salvatorem meum.	1 I shal give thanks to you, Lord and King, and praise you, God my Saviour, I give thanks to your name;
2 Confitebor nomini tuo, quoniam adiutor et protector factus es mihi	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 et liberasti corpus meum a perditione, a laqueo linguae iniquae et a labiis operantium mendacium, et in conspectu insurgentium factus es mihi adiutor.	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 Et liberasti me, secundum magnitudinem misericordiae et nominis tui, a laqueis praeparatis ad escam,	4 from the stifling heat which hemmed me in, from the heart of a fire which I had not kindled,
5 de manibus quaerentium animam meam et de multis tribulationibus, quae circumdederunt me,	5 from deep in the bel y of Sheol,
6 a pressura flammae, quae circumdedit me, et de medio ignis, ubi non sum aestuatus;	6 treacherous denunciations to the king. My soul has been close to death, my life had gone down to thebrink of Sheol.
7 de altitudine ventris inferi et a lingua coinquinata et a verbo mendacii, a iaculo linguae iniustae.	7 I was completely surrounded, there was no one to help me; I looked for someone to help me, there wasno one.
8 Appropinquavit usque ad mortem anima mea,	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 et vita mea appropinquans erat in inferno deorsum.	9 And I sent up my plea from the earth, I begged to be delivered from death.
10 Circumdederunt me undique, et non erat qui adiuvaret; respiciens eram ad adiutorium hominum, et non erat.	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 Memoratus autem sum misericordiae tuae, Domine, et operationis tuae, quae a saeculo est,	11 And my plea was heard, for you saved me from destruction, you delivered me from that time of evil.
12 quoniam eruis sustinentes te, Domine, et liberas eos de manibus iniquorum.	12 And therefore I shal thank you and praise you, and bless the name of the Lord.
13 Exaltavi de terra supplicationem meam et pro morte defluente deprecatus sum.	13 When I was stil a youth, before I went travelling, in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom.
14 Invocavi Dominum: “Pater meus es tu, ne derelinquas me in die tribulationis meae et in tempore superborum sine adiutorio.	14 Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her, and to the last I shall continue to seek her.
15 Laudabo nomen tuum assidue et collaudabo illud in confessione”. Et exaudita est oratio mea.	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 Et liberasti me de perditione et eripuisti me de tempore iniquo.	16 By bowing my ear a little, I have received her, and have found much instruction.
17 Propterea confitebor et laudem dicam tibi et benedicam nomini Domini.	17 Thanks to her I have advanced; glory be to him who has given me wisdom!
18 Cum adhuc iunior essem, priusquam oberrarem, quaesivi sapientiam palam in oratione mea;	18 For I was determined to put her into practice, have earnestly pursued the good, and shal not be put toshame.
19 ante templum postulabam pro illa et usque in novissimis inquiram eam, et effloruit tamquam praecox uva.	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 Laetatum est cor meum in ea, ambulavit pes meus iter rectum; a iuventute mea investigabam eam.	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 Inclinavi modice aurem meam et excepi illam	21 my very core having yearned to discover her, I have now acquired a good possession.
22 et multam inveni mihimetipsi sapientiam et multum profeci in ea:	22 In reward the Lord has given me a tongue with which I shal sing his praises.
23 danti mihi sapientiam dabo gloriam.	23 Come close to me, you ignorant, take your place in my school.
24 Consiliatus sum enim, ut facerem illam; et quaesivi bonum et non confundar.	24 Why complain about lacking these things when your souls are so thirsty for them?
25 Colluctata est anima mea in illa, et in faciendo legem diligens fui.	25 I have opened my mouth, I have said: 'Buy her without money,
26 Manus meas extendi in altum et incognoscibilia eius intellexi.	26 put your necks under her yoke, let your souls receive instruction, she is near, within your reach.'
27 Animam meam direxi ad illam et in purificatione inveni eam.	27 See for yourselves: how slight my efforts have been to win so much peace.
28 Possedi cum ipsa cor ab initio; propter hoc non derelinquar.	28 Buy instruction with a large sum of silver, thanks to her you wil gain much gold.
29 Venter meus conturbatus est quaerendo illam; propterea bonam possedi possessionem.	29 May your souls rejoice in the mercy of the Lord, may you never be ashamed of praising him.
30 Dedit mihi Dominus linguam mercedem meam, et in ipsa laudabo eum.	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.
31 Appropiate ad me, indocti, et congregate vos in domo disciplinae.
32 Quid adhuc retardatis in his, dum animae vestrae sitiunt vehementer?
33 Aperui os meum et locutus sum: “Comparate vobis sine argento
34 et collum vestrum subicite iugo, et suscipiat anima vestra disciplinam: in proximo est enim invenire eam.
35 Videte oculis vestris quia modicum laboravi et inveni mihi multam requiem.
36 Assumite disciplinam in multo numero argenti et copiosum aurum possidete in ea.
37 Laetetur anima vestra in misericordia eius, et non confundemini in laude ipsius.
38 Operamini opus vestrum ante tempus, et dabit vobis mercedem vestram in tempore suo” ”.