The Book of Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus) [The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus]
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Anonymous
35:15 Do not the tears run down the widow’s cheeks? and is not her cry against him that causeth them to fall?
35:16 He that serveth the Lord shall be accepted with favour, and his prayer shall reach unto the clouds.
35:17 The prayer of the humble pierceth the clouds: and till it come nigh, he will not be comforted; and will not depart, till the most High shall behold to judge righteously, and execute judgment.
35:18 For the Lord will not be slack, neither will the Mighty be patient toward them, till he have smitten in sunder the loins of the unmerciful, and repayed vengeance to the heathen; till he have taken away the multitude of the proud, and broken the sceptre of the unrighteous;
35:19 Till he have rendered to every man according to his deeds, and to the works of men according to their devices; till he have judged the cause of his people, and made them to rejoice in his mercy.
35:20 Mercy is seasonable in the time of affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.
36:1 Have mercy upon us, O Lord God of all, and behold us:
36:2 And send thy fear upon all the nations that seek not after thee.
36:3 Lift up thy hand against the strange nations, and let them see thy power.
36:4 As thou wast sanctified in us before them: so be thou magnified among them before us.
36:5 And let them know thee, as we have known thee, that there is no God but only thou, O God.
36:6 Shew new signs, and make other strange wonders: glorify thy hand and thy right arm, that they may set forth thy wondrous works.
36:7 Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath: take away the adversary, and destroy the enemy.
36:8 Sake the time short, remember the covenant, and let them declare thy wonderful works.
36:9 Let him that escapeth be consumed by the rage of the fire; and let them perish that oppress the people.
36:10 Smite in sunder the heads of the rulers of the heathen, that say, There is none other but we.
36:11 Gather all the tribes of Jacob together, and inherit thou them, as from the beginning.
36:12 O Lord, have mercy upon the people that is called by thy name, and upon Israel, whom thou hast named thy firstborn.
36:13 O be merciful unto Jerusalem, thy holy city, the place of thy rest.
36:14 Fill Sion with thine unspeakable oracles, and thy people with thy glory:
36:15 Give testimony unto those that thou hast possessed from the beginning, and raise up prophets that have been in thy name.
36:16 Reward them that wait for thee, and let thy prophets be found faithful.
36:17 O Lord, hear the prayer of thy servants, according to the blessing of Aaron over thy people, that all they which dwell upon the earth may know that thou art the Lord, the eternal God.
36:18 The belly devoureth all meats, yet is one meat better than another.
36:19 As the palate tasteth divers kinds of venison: so doth an heart of understanding false speeches.
36:20 A froward heart causeth heaviness: but a man of experience will recompense him.
36:21 A woman will receive every man, yet is one daughter better than another.
36:22 The beauty of a woman cheereth the countenance, and a man loveth nothing better.
36:23 If there be kindness, meekness, and comfort, in her tongue, then is not her husband like other men.
36:24 He that getteth a wife beginneth a possession, a help like unto himself, and a pillar of rest.
36:25 Where no hedge is, there the possession is spoiled: and he that hath no wife will wander up and down mourning.
36:26 Who will trust a thief well appointed, that skippeth from city to city? so [who will believe] a man that hath no house, and lodgeth wheresoever the night taketh him?
37:1 Every friend saith, I am his friend also: but there is a friend, which is only a friend in name.
37:2 Is it not a grief unto death, when a companion and friend is turned to an enemy?
37:3 O wicked imagination, whence camest thou in to cover the earth with deceit?
37:4 There is a companion, which rejoiceth in the prosperity of a friend, but in the time of trouble will be against him.
37:5 There is a companion, which helpeth his friend for the belly, and taketh up the buckler against the enemy.
37:6 Forget not thy friend in thy mind, and be not unmindful of him in thy riches.
37:7 Every counsellor extolleth counsel; but there is some that counselleth for himself.
37:8 Beware of a counsellor, and know before what need he hath; for he will counsel for himself; lest he cast the lot upon thee,