Jesus Sirach 1

1All wisdom is from the Lord God, and hath been always with him, and is before all time.

2Who hath numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain, and the days of the world? Who hath measured the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss?

3Who hath searched out the wisdom of God that goeth before all things?

4Wisdom hath been created before all things, and the understanding of prudence from everlasting.

5The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom, and her ways are everlasting commandments.

6To whom hath the root of wisdom been revealed, and who hath known her wise counsels?

7To whom hath the discipline of wisdom been revealed and made manifest? and who hath understood the multiplicity of her steps?

8There is one most high Creator Almighty, and a powerful king, and greatly to be feared, who sitteth upon his throne, and is the God of dominion.

9He created her in the Holy Ghost, and saw her, and numbered her, and measured her.

10And he poured her out upon all his works, and upon all flesh according to his gift, and hath given her to them that love him.

11The fear of the Lord is honour, and glory, and gladness, and a crown of joy.

12The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give joy, and gladness, and length of days.

13With him that feareth the Lord, it shall go well in the latter end, and in the day of his death he shall be blessed.

14The love of God is honourable wisdom.

15Ana they to whom she shall shew herself love her by the sight, and by the knowledge of her great works.

16The fear of the Lord Is the beginning of wisdom, and was created with the faithful in the womb, it walketh with chosen women, and is known with the just and faithful.

17The fear of the Lord is the religiousness of knowledge.

18Religiousness shall keep and justify the heart, it shall give joy and gladness.

19It shall go well with him that feareth the Lord, and in the days of his end he shall be blessed.

20To fear God is the fulness of wisdom, and fulness is from the fruits thereof.

21She shall fill all her house with her increase, and the storehouses with her treasures.

22The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, filling up peace and the fruit of salvation:

23And it hath seen, and numbered her: but both are the gifts of God.

24Wisdom shall distribute knowledge, and understanding of prudence: and exalteth the glory of them that hold her.

25The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord: and the branches thereof are longlived.

26In the treasures of wisdom is understanding, and religiousness of knowledge: but to sinners wisdom is an abomination.

27The fear of the Lord driveth out sin:

28For he that is without fear, cannot be justified: for the wrath of his high spirits is his ruin.

29A patient man shall bear for a time, and afterwards joy shall be restored to him.

30A good understanding will hide his words for a time, and the lips of many shall declare his wisdom.

31In the treasures of wisdom is the signification of discipline:

32But the worship of God is an abomination to a sinner.

33Son, if thou desire wisdom, keep justice, and God will give her to thee.

34For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline: and that which is agreeable to him,

35Is faith, and meekness: and he will fill up his treasures.

36Be not incredulous to the fear of the Lord: and come not to him with a double heart.

37Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, and let not thy lips be a stumblingblock to thee.

38Watch over them, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon thy soul,

39And God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the midst of the congregation.

40Because thou camest to the Lord wickedly, and thy heart is full of guile and deceit.

1Prologus Multorum nobis et magnorum per legem, et prophetas, aliosque qui secuti sunt illos, sapientia demonstrata est, in quibus oportet laudare Israël doctrinæ et sapientiæ causa, quia non solum ipsos loquentes necesse est esse peritos, sed etiam extraneos posse et dicentes et scribentes doctissimos fieri. Avus meus Jesus, postquam se amplius dedit ad diligentiam lectionis legis, et prophetarum, et aliorum librorum qui nobis a parentibus nostris traditi sunt, voluit et ipse scribere aliquid horum quæ ad doctrinam et sapientiam pertinent, ut desiderantes discere, et illorum periti facti, magis magisque attendant animo, et confirmentur ad legitimam vitam. Hortor itaque venire vos cum benevolentia, et attentiori studio lectionem facere, et veniam habere in illis, in quibus videmur, sequentes imaginem sapientiæ, deficere in verborum compositione. Nam deficiunt verba hebraica, quando fuerint translata ad alteram linguam: non autem solum hæc, sed et ipsa lex, et prophetæ, ceteraque aliorum librorum non parvam habent differentiam quando inter se dicuntur. Nam in octavo et trigesimo anno temporibus Ptolemæi Evergetis regis, postquam perveni in Ægyptum, et cum multum temporis ibi fuissem, inveni ibi libros relictos, non parvæ neque contemnendæ doctrinæ. Itaque bonum et necessarium putavi et ipse aliquam addere diligentiam et laborem interpretandi librum istum: et multa vigilia attuli doctrinam in spatio temporis, ad illa quæ ad finem ducunt, librum istum dare, et illis qui volunt animum intendere, et discere quemadmodum oporteat instituere mores, qui secundum legem Domini proposuerint vitam agere. [Omnis sapientia a Domino Deo est: et cum illo fuit semper, et est ante ævum.

2Arenam maris, et pluviæ guttas, et dies sæculi, quis dinumeravit? altitudinem cæli, et latitudinem terræ, et profundum abyssi, quis dimensus est?

3sapientiam Dei præcedentem omnia, quis investigavit?

4Prior omnium creata est sapientia, et intellectus prudentiæ ab ævo.

5Fons sapientiæ verbum Dei in excelsis, et ingressus illius mandata æterna.

6Radix sapientiæ cui revelata est? et astutias illius quis agnovit?

7disciplina sapientiæ cui revelata est et manifestata? et multiplicationem ingressus illius quis intellexit?

8Unus est altissimus, Creator omnipotens, et rex potens et metuendus nimis, sedens super thronum illius, et dominans Deus.

9Ipse creavit illam in Spiritu Sancto, et vidit, et dinumeravit, et mensus est:

10et effudit illam super omnia opera sua, et super omnem carnem, secundum datum suum, et præbuit illam diligentibus se.]

11[Timor Domini gloria, et gloriatio, et lætitia, et corona exsultationis.

12Timor Domini delectabit cor, et dabit lætitiam, et gaudium, et longitudinem dierum.

13Timenti Dominum bene erit in extremis, et in die defunctionis suæ benedicetur.

14Dilectio Dei honorabilis sapientia:

15quibus autem apparuerit in visu diligunt eam in visione, et in agnitione magnalium suorum.

16Initium sapientiæ timor Domini: et cum fidelibus in vulva concreatus est: cum electis feminis graditur, et cum justis et fidelibus agnoscitur.

17Timor Domini scientiæ religiositas:

18religiositas custodiet et justificabit cor; jucunditatem atque gaudium dabit.

19Timenti Dominum bene erit, et in diebus consummationis illius benedicetur.

20Plenitudo sapientiæ est timere Deum, et plenitudo a fructibus illius.

21Omnem domum illius implebit a generationibus, et receptacula a thesauris illius.

22Corona sapientiæ timor Domini, replens pacem et salutis fructum:

23et vidit, et dinumeravit eam: utraque autem sunt dona Dei.

24Scientiam et intellectum prudentiæ sapientia compartietur, et gloriam tenentium se exaltat.

25Radix sapientiæ est timere Dominum, et rami illius longævi.

26In thesauris sapientiæ intellectus et scientiæ religiositas: execratio autem peccatoribus sapientia.

27Timor Domini expellit peccatum:

28nam qui sine timore est non poterit justificari: iracundia enim animositatis illius subversio illius est.

29Usque in tempus sustinebit patiens, et postea redditio jucunditatis.

30Bonus sensus usque in tempus abscondet verba illius, et labia multorum enarrabunt sensum illius.

31In thesauris sapientiæ significatio disciplinæ:

32execratio autem peccatori cultura Dei.

33Fili, concupiscens sapientiam, conserva justitiam, et Deus præbebit illam tibi.

34Sapientia enim et disciplina timor Domini: et quod beneplacitum est illi,

35fides et mansuetudo, et adimplebit thesauros illius.

36Ne sis incredibilis timori Domini, et ne accesseris ad illum duplici corde.

37Ne fueris hypocrita in conspectu hominum, et non scandalizeris in labiis tuis.

38Attende in illis, ne forte cadas, et adducas animæ tuæ inhonorationem:

39et revelet Deus absconsa tua, et in medio synagogæ elidat te:

40quoniam accessisti maligne ad Dominum, et cor tuum plenum est dolo et fallacia.]

1All wisdom is from the Lord God, and has always been with him, and is before all time.

2Who has numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of the rain, and the days of the world? Who has measured the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss?

3Who has examined the wisdom of God, which precedes all things?

4Wisdom was created before all things, and the understanding of prudence is before all time.

5The Word of God on high is the source of wisdom, whose steps are eternal commandments.

6To whom has the root of wisdom been revealed, and who has recognized her astuteness?

7To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed and made manifest? And who has understood the multiplicity of her steps?

8The most high omnipotent Creator is One, and he is the mighty King, and he is exceedingly to be feared, sitting upon his throne, and he is the sovereign God.

9He created wisdom through the Holy Spirit, and he saw her, and numbered her, and measured her.

10And he poured her over all his works, and over all flesh, to the extent of his favor, and he has offered her to those who love him.

11The fear of the Lord is glory, and honor, and rejoicing, and a crown of exultation.

12The fear of the Lord will delight the heart, and will give joy and gladness and length of days.

13It will be well, in the very end, for him who fears the Lord, and on the day that he passes away, he will be blessed.

14The love of God is honorable wisdom.

15And those to whom she will appear for their consideration love her because of what they see and know of her great works.

16The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and was created with the faithful in the womb, and walks with elect women, and is known by the just and the faithful.

17The fear of the Lord is the sanctity of knowledge.

18Sanctity will guard and justify the heart, and will bestow happiness and joy.

19It will be well with him who fears the Lord, and at the consummation of his days, he will be blessed.

20To fear God is the fullness of wisdom, and it is a fullness from its fruits.

21She will fill her entire house from her offspring, and storehouses from her treasures.

22The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, the completion of peace, and the fruit of salvation.

23And the fear of the Lord has seen and numbered wisdom; but both are gifts of God.

24Wisdom will distribute knowledge and an understanding of prudence; and she lifts up the glory of those who hold to her.

25The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and its branches are long-lived.

26In the treasures of wisdom is understanding and the sanctity of knowledge. But to sinners, wisdom is an abomination.

27The fear of the Lord expels sin.

28For he who is without fear is not able to be justified. For the disposition of his spirit is his undoing.

29Those who are patient will suffer for a brief time, and afterwards, happiness will return.

30A noble mind will hide his words for a brief time, and then the lips of many will declare his understanding.

31Among the treasures of wisdom is the outward sign of discipline.

32But to those who sin, the worship of God is an abomination.

33Son, if you desire wisdom, observe justice, and then God will offer her to you.

34For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline.

35And what pleases him is faith and meekness. And so shall he complete his treasures.

36You should not be incredulous to the fear of the Lord. And you should not draw close to him with a duplicitous heart.

37You should not be a hypocrite in the sight of men. And you should not scandalize with your lips.

38Attend to these things, otherwise you may fall and bring dishonor to your soul.

39And then God may uncover your secrets, and he may cast you down forcefully in the midst of the congregation.

40For you drew near to the Lord wickedly, and your heart was filled with deceit and falseness.