प्रवक्ता ग्रन्थ 51

1A prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my Saviour.

2I will give glory to thy name: for thou hast been a helper and protector to me.

3And hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that stood by, thou hast been my helper.

4And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour.

5Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about:

6From the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the fire I was not burnt.

7From the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue, and from lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue:

8My soul shall praise the Lord even to death.

9And my life was drawing near to hell beneath.

10They compassed me on every side, and there was no one that would help me. I looked for the succour of men, and there was none.

11I remembered thy mercy, O Lord, and thy works, which are from the beginning of the world.

12How thou deliverest them that wait for thee, O Lord, and savest them out of the hands of the nations.

13Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for death to pass away.

14I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help.

15I will praise thy name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and my prayer was heard.

16And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil time.

17Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name of the Lord.

18When I was yet young, before I wandered about, I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer.

19I prayed for her before the temple, and unto the very end I will seek after her, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.

20My heart delighted in her, my foot walked in the right way, from my youth up I sought after her.

21I bowed down my ear a little, and received her.

22I found much wisdom in myself, and I profited much therein.

23To him that giveth me wisdom, will I give glory.

24For I have determined to follow her: I have had a zeal for good, and shall not be confounded.

25My soul hath wrestled for her, and in doing it I have been confirmed.

26I stretched forth my hands on high, and I bewailed my ignorance of her.

27I directed my soul to her, and in knowledge I found her.

28I possessed my heart with her from the beginning: therefore I shall not be forsaken.

29My entrails were troubled in seeking her: therefore shall I possess a good possession.

30The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward: and with it I will praise him.

31Draw near to me, ye unlearned, and gather yourselves together into the house of discipline.

32Why are ye slow? and what do you say of these things? your souls are exceeding thirsty.

33I have opened my mouth, and have spoken: buy her for yourselves without silver,

34And submit your neck to the yoke, and let your soul receive discipline: for she is near at hand to be found.

35Behold with your eyes how I have laboured a little, and have found much rest to myself.

36Receive ye discipline as a great sum of money, and possess abundance of gold by her.

37Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and you shall not be confounded in his praise.

38Work your work before the time, and he will give you your reward in his time.

1Oratio Jesu filii Sirach. [Confitebor tibi, Domine rex, et collaudabo te Deum salvatorem meum.

2Confitebor nomini tuo, quoniam adjutor et protector factus es mihi,

3et liberasti corpus meum a perditione: a laqueo linguæ iniquæ, et a labiis operantium mendacium: et in conspectu astantium factus es mihi adjutor.

4Et liberasti me, secundum multitudinem misericordiæ nominis tui, a rugientibus præparatis ad escam:

5de manibus quærentium animam meam, et de portis tribulationum quæ circumdederunt me;

6a pressura flammæ quæ circumdedit me, et in medio ignis non sum æstuatus;

7de altitudine ventris inferi, et a lingua coinquinata, et a verbo mendacii, a rege iniquo, et a lingua injusta.

8Laudabit usque ad mortem anima mea Dominum,

9et vita mea appropinquans erat in inferno deorsum.

10Circumdederunt me undique, et non erat qui adjuvaret: respiciens eram ad adjutorium hominum, et non erat.

11Memoratus sum misericordiæ tuæ Domine, et operationis tuæ, quæ a sæculo sunt:

12quoniam eruis sustinentes te, Domine, et liberas eos de manibus gentium.

13Exaltasti super terram habitationem meam, et pro morte defluente deprecatus sum.

14Invocavi Dominum patrem Domini mei, ut non derelinquat me in die tribulationis meæ, et in tempore superborum, sine adjutorio.

15Laudabo nomen tuum assidue, et collaudabo illud in confessione: et exaudita est oratio mea,

16et liberasti me de perditione, et eripuisti me de tempore iniquo.

17Propterea confitebor, et laudem dicam tibi, et benedicam nomini Domini.]

18[Cum adhuc junior essem, priusquam oberrarem, quæsivi sapientiam palam in oratione mea.

19Ante templum postulabam pro illis, et usque in novissimis inquiram eam: et effloruit tamquam præcox uva.

20Lætatum est cor meum in ea: ambulavit pes meus iter rectum: a juventute mea investigabam eam.

21Inclinavi modico aurem meam, et excepi illam.

22Multam inveni in meipso sapientiam, et multum profeci in ea.

23Danti mihi sapientiam dabo gloriam:

24consiliatus sum enim ut facerem illam. Zelatus sum bonum, et non confundar.

25Colluctata est anima mea in illa, et in faciendo eam confirmatus sum.

26Manus meas extendi in altum, et insipientiam ejus luxi;

27animam meam direxi ad illam, et in agnitione inveni eam.

28Possedi cum ipsa cor ab initio: propter hoc, non derelinquar.

29Venter meus conturbatus est quærendo illam: propterea bonam possidebo possessionem.

30Dedit mihi Dominus linguam mercedem meam, et in ipsa laudabo eum.

31Appropiate ad me, indocti, et congregate vos in domum disciplinæ.

32Quid adhuc retardatis? et quid dicitis in his? animæ vestræ sitiunt vehementer.

33Aperui os meum, et locutus sum: Comparate vobis sine argento,

34et collum vestrum subjicite jugo: et suscipiat anima vestra disciplinam: in proximo est enim invenire eam.

35Videte oculis vestris, quia modicum laboravi, et inveni mihi multam requiem.

36Assumite disciplinam in multo numero argenti, et copiosum aurum possidete in ea.

37Lætetur anima vestra in misericordia ejus, et non confundemini in laude ipsius.

38Operamini opus vestrum ante tempus, et dabit vobis mercedem vestram in tempore suo.]

1The prayer of Jesus, the son of Sirach: I will confess to you, O Lord and King, and I will give praise to you, O God my Savior.

2I will acknowledge your name. For you have been my Helper and Protector.

3And you have freed my body from perdition, from the snare of the iniquitous tongue, and from the lips of those who forge lies. And you have been my Helper in the sight of those who stood nearby.

4And you have freed me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name: from those who roared and prepared to devour,

5from the hands of those who sought my life, and from the gates of tribulation that surrounded me,

6from the oppression of the flames that surrounded me, and so I was not burned in the midst of the fire,

7from the depths of the bowels of hell, and from the defiled tongue, and from lying words, from an iniquitous king, and from an unjust tongue.

8My soul shall praise the Lord, even unto death.

9For my life was drawing near to hell below.

10And they surrounded me on every side. And there was no one who would help me. I looked around for the assistance of men, and there was none.

11Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your works, which are from the very beginning.

12For you rescue those who persevere for you, O Lord, and you free them from the hands of the Gentiles.

13You exalted my habitation upon the earth, and I made supplication that death would pass away.

14I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, so that he would not abandon me in the day of my tribulation, nor in the time of arrogance without assistance.

15I will praise your name unceasingly, and I will praise it with thanksgiving, for my prayer was heeded.

16And you freed me from perdition, and you rescued me from the time of iniquity.

17Because of this, I will give thanks and praise to you, and I will bless the name of the Lord.

18When I was still young, before I wandered astray, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

19I asked for her before the temple, and even to the very end, I will inquire after her. And she flourished like a newly-ripened grape.

20My heart rejoiced in her. My feet walked in the right path. From my youth, I pursued her.

21I bent my ear a little and accepted her.

22I found much wisdom within myself, and I benefited greatly by her.

23I will give glory to him who gives wisdom to me.

24For I have decided that I should act according to wisdom. I have been zealous for what is good, and so I will not be confounded.

25My soul has struggled for wisdom, and in doing so, I have been confirmed.

26I extended my hands on high, and I mourned my ignorance of her.

27I directed my soul toward her, and I found her within knowledge.

28From the beginning, I held my heart to wisdom. Because of this, I will not be forsaken.

29My stomach was stirred up while seeking her. Because of her, I will hold a good possession.

30The Lord has given me a tongue as my reward, and I will praise him with it.

31Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and gather yourselves into the house of discipline.

32Why are you reluctant? And what do you have to say about these things? Your souls are exceedingly thirsty!

33I have opened my mouth, and I have spoken. Buy wisdom for yourselves without silver,

34and subject your neck to her yoke, and let your soul accept her discipline. For she is close enough to be found.

35See with your own eyes how I have labored only a little, and have found much rest for myself.

36Take up discipline, as if it were a great sum of money, and possess an abundance of gold in her.

37Let your soul rejoice in his mercy. For you will not be confounded by his praise.

38Accomplish your work before the time. And he will give you your reward in his time.