Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 15

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¹He that dreadeth God, shall do good works; and he that holdeth rightfulness or rightwiseness, shall take it, that is, wisdom.

²And it as a mother honoured shall meet him, and as a woman from virginity or maidenhood it shall take him.

³It shall feed him with the bread of life, and of understanding; and it shall give drink to him with water of heal-ful or wholesome wisdom;

⁴it shall be made steadfast in him, and he shall not be bowed from the evenness of rightfulness. And it shall hold him, and he shall not be shamed or confounded;

⁵and it shall enhance him at his neighbours. And in the midst of the church he or it shall open his mouth; and God shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom, and of under-standing, and shall clothe him with the stole of glory.

⁶God shall treasure on him mirth, and full out joying; and shall inherit him with everlasting name.

⁷Fond men or fools shall not take that wisdom, and witting men shall meet it. Fond men or fools shall not see it;

⁸for why it goeth away far from pride, and guile or treachery. Men leasing-mongers or liars shall not be mindful thereof, and soothfast men be found therein; and shall have prosperity unto the beholding of God.

⁹Praising is not fair in the mouth of a sinner, for he is not sent of the Lord.

¹⁰For why wisdom went forth from God; forsooth praising shall stand nigh the wisdom of God, and it shall be plenteous or abound in a faithful mouth, and the Lord shall give it to him.

¹¹Say thou not, It goeth away by God; for why do thou not those things, which God hateth.

¹²Say thou not, He made me for to err; for why wicked or unpious men be not needful to him.

¹³The Lord hateth all cursedness of error, and it shall not be amiable or loveful to them, that dread him.

¹⁴At or from the beginning God made man, and let him go in the hand of his counsel.

¹⁵He added his commandments, and laws; if thou wilt keep the commandments, those or they shall keep thee, and keep pleasant faith without end.

¹⁶He hath set or put to thee water and fire; dress or put forth thine hand to that, that thou wilt.

¹⁷Before man is life and death, good and evil; that, that pleaseth him, shall be given to him.

¹⁸For why the wisdom of God is much, and he is strong in power or might, and seeth all men without ceasing.

¹⁹The eyes of the Lord be to them, that dread him; and he knoweth all the travail or all the work of man.

²⁰He commanded not to any man to do wickedly or unpiously; and he gave not to any man space to do sin.