Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible Apocrypha

3:24 O Israel, how great is the house of God! and how large is the place of his possession!

3:25 Great, and hath none end; high, and unmeasurable.

3:26 There were the giants famous from the beginning, that were of so great stature, and so expert in war.

3:27 Those did not the Lord choose, neither gave he the way of knowledge unto them:

3:28 But they were destroyed, because they had no wisdom, and perished through their own foolishness.

3:29 Who hath gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds?

3:30 Who hath gone over the sea, and found her, and will bring her for pure gold?

3:31 No man knoweth her way, nor thinketh of her path.

3:32 But he that knoweth all things knoweth her, and hath found her out with his understanding: he that prepared the earth for evermore hath filled it with fourfooted beasts:

3:33 He that sendeth forth light, and it goeth, calleth it again, and it obeyeth him with fear.

3:34 The stars shined in their watches, and rejoiced: when he calleth them, they say, Here we be; and so with cheerfulness they shewed light unto him that made them.

3:35 This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of him

3:36 He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved.

3:37 Afterward did he shew himself upon earth, and conversed with men.

4:1 This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endureth for ever: all they that keep it shall come to life; but such as leave it shall die.

4:2 Turn thee, O Jacob, and take hold of it: walk in the presence of the light thereof, that thou mayest be illuminated.

4:3 Give not thine honour to another, nor the things that are profitable unto thee to a strange nation.

4:4 O Israel, happy are we: for things that are pleasing to God are made known unto us.

4:5 Be of good cheer, my people, the memorial of Israel.

4:6 Ye were sold to the nations, not for [your] destruction: but because ye moved God to wrath, ye were delivered unto the enemies.

4:7 For ye provoked him that made you by sacrificing unto devils, and not to God.

4:8 Ye have forgotten the everlasting God, that brought you up; and ye have grieved Jerusalem, that nursed you.

4:9 For when she saw the wrath of God coming upon you, she said, Hearken, O ye that dwell about Sion: God hath brought upon me great mourning;

4:10 For I saw the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting brought upon them.

4:11 With joy did I nourish them; but sent them away with weeping and mourning.

4:12 Let no man rejoice over me, a widow, and forsaken of many, who for the sins of my children am left desolate; because they departed from the law of God.

4:13 They knew not his statutes, nor walked in the ways of his commandments, nor trod in the paths of discipline in his righteousness.

4:14 Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember ye the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting hath brought upon them.

4:15 For he hath brought a nation upon them from far, a shameless nation, and of a strange language, who neither reverenced old man, nor pitied child.

4:16 These have carried away the dear beloved children of the widow, and left her that was alone desolate without daughters.

4:17 But what can I help you?

4:18 For he that brought these plagues upon you will deliver you from the hands of your enemies.

4:19 Go your way, O my children, go your way: for I am left desolate.

4:20 I have put off the clothing of peace, and put upon me the sackcloth of my prayer: I will cry unto the Everlasting in my days.

4:21 Be of good cheer, O my children, cry unto the Lord, and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemies.

4:22 For my hope is in the Everlasting, that he will save you; and joy is come unto me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which shall soon come unto you from the Everlasting our Saviour.

4:23 For I sent you out with mourning and weeping: but God will give you to me again with joy and gladness for ever.

4:24 Like as now the neighbours of Sion have seen your captivity: so shall they see shortly your salvation from our God which shall come upon you with great glory, and brightness of the Everlasting.

4:25 My children, suffer patiently the wrath that is come upon you from God: for thine enemy hath persecuted thee; but shortly thou shalt see his destruction, and shalt tread upon his neck.

4:26 My delicate ones have gone rough ways, and were taken away as a flock caught of the enemies.