Sirach 2

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¹My son, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation.

²Set your heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble.

³Cleave to him, and depart not away, that you may be increased at your last end.

⁴Whatsoever is brought upon you take cheerfully, and be patient when you are changed to a low estate.

⁵For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.

⁶Believe in him, and he will help you; order your way aright, and trust in him.

⁷You° that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest you° fall.

⁸You° that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail.

⁹You° that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy.

¹⁰Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?

¹¹For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, longsuffering, and very pitiful, and forgives sins, and saves in time of affliction.

¹²Woe be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the sinner that goes two ways!

¹³Woe to him that is faint-hearted! for he believes not; therefore shall he not be defended.

¹⁴Woe to you that have lost patience! and what will you° do when the Lord shall visit you?

¹⁵They that fear the Lord will not disobey his Word; and they that love him will keep his ways.

¹⁶They that fear the Lord will seek that which is well, pleasing to him; and they that love him shall be filled with the law.

¹⁷They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight,

¹⁸Saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his majesty is, so is his mercy.