The Book of Jesus Sirach

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- Kapitel 51 -

A prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

A 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.

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

And 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.

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

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

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

From 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:

My soul shall praise the Lord even to death.

And my life was drawing near to hell beneath.

They 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.

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

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

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

I 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, O King, and will praise you, O God my Savior. I give thanks to your name,

for you have been my protector and helper, and delivered my body out of destruction, and out of the snare of a slanderous tongue, from lips that fabricate lies. You were my helper before those who stood by,

and delivered me, according to the abundance of your mercy and of your name, from the gnashings of teeth ready to devour, out of the hand of those seeking my life, out of the many afflictions I endured,

from the choking of a fire on every side, and out of the midst of fire that I hadn’t kindled,

out of the depth of the belly of Hades, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words—

the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king. My soul drew near to death. My life was near to Hades.

They surrounded me on every side. There was no one to help me. I was looking for human help, and there was none.

Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your working which has been from everlasting, how you deliver those who wait for you, and save them out of the hand of their enemies.

I lifted up my prayer from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.

I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not forsake me in the days of affliction, in the time when there was no help against the proud.

I will praise your name continually. I will sing praise with thanksgiving. My prayer was heard.

You saved me from destruction and delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks and praise to you, and bless the name of the Lord.

When I was yet young, before I went abroad, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

Before the temple I asked for her. I will seek her out even to the end.

From the first flower to the ripening grape my heart delighted in her. My foot walked in uprightness. From my youth I followed her steps.

I inclined my ear a little, and received her, and found for myself much instruction.

I profited in her. I will give glory to him who gives me wisdom.

For I determined to practice her. I was zealous for that which is good. I will never be put to shame.

My soul has wrestled with her. In my conduct I was exact. I spread out my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.

I directed my soul to her. In purity I found her. I got myself a heart joined with her from the beginning. Therefore I won’t be forsaken.

My belly also was troubled to seek her. Therefore I have gained a good possession.

The Lord gave me a tongue for my reward. I will praise him with it.

Draw near to me, all you who are uneducated, and live in the house of instruction.

Why therefore are you all lacking in these things, and your souls are very thirsty?

I opened my mouth and spoke, “Get her for yourselves without money.”

Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction. She is near to find.

See with your eyes how that I labored just a little and found for myself much rest.

Get instruction with a great sum of silver, and gain much gold by her.

May your soul rejoice in his mercy, and may you all not be put to shame in praising him.

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