Sirach 1

Wycliffe Bible

1 All wisdom is of (or from) the Lord God, and was ever with him, and is before the world.

² Who numbered the gravel of the sea, and the drops of rain, and the days of the world?

³ Who measured the highness [or the height] of heaven, and the breadth of (the) earth, and the depth of the sea? Who ensearched (or searched for) the wisdom of God, that goeth before all things?

⁴ Wisdom was formed first of all things, and the understanding of prudence, from the world, that is, from without beginning.

⁵ The well of wisdom is the son of God in high things; and the entering of that wisdom is (the) everlasting commandments. [The well of wisdom (is) the word of God in heights; and the in-going of it (is) everlasting commandments.]

⁶ To whom was the root of wisdom showed? and who knew the subtleties thereof?

⁷ To whom was the lore [or the discipline] of wisdom showed, and made open? and who understood the multiplying of the entering thereof, that is, of the work thereof?

⁸ One is the highest Creator of all things, almighty, and a mighty king, and worthy to be dreaded full much (or greatly to be feared and revered), sitting on the throne of that wisdom, and God having lordship. [One is the highest maker (out) of nought of all things, almighty, and a mighty king, and worthy to be dreaded full much, sitting upon the throne of him, and God lordshipping.]

⁹ He formed it in the Holy Ghost, and he saw, and numbered, and he measured (it). And he shedded out it on all his works, [He formed it in the Holy Ghost, and he saw, and distinctly numbered, and measured; and poured out it upon all his works,]

¹⁰ and on each flesh by his gift; he giveth it to them that love him. [and upon all flesh after his gift; he giveth it to men loving itself.]

¹¹ The dread of the Lord is glory, and glorying [or joying], and gladness, and a crown of full out joying.

¹² The dread of the Lord shall delight the heart; and shall give gladness and joy into [the] length of days.

¹³ To him that dreadeth God, it shall be well in the last things, or in the last days, [or in the last ends]; and he shall be blessed in the day of his death. Forsooth they to whom wisdom appeareth in sight, that is, by (the) revelation of prophecy, love it in sight, and in (the) knowing of his great things [or To whom forsooth it shall appear in sight, they love it in (the) seeing (of it), and in (the) knowing of his great things]. The love of God is honourable wisdom.

¹⁴ The beginning of wisdom is the dread of the Lord; and it is formed together in the womb with faithful men, and it goeth with chosen women, and it is known with just men and faithful. [The beginning of wisdom dread of the Lord; and with faithful men in the womb he is together formed, and with chosen women he goeth, and with rightwise and faithful men he is known.]

¹⁵ The dread of the Lord is religiosity of cunning (or of knowing, or of knowledge). Religiosity shall keep, and shall justify the heart; and shall give mirth and joy. It shall be well to him that dreadeth God; and he shall be blessed in the days of his comfort [or and in the days of (the) ending of him he shall be blessed].

¹⁶ The fullness of wisdom is for to dread God; and fullness is of the fruits thereof.

¹⁷ It shall fill each gift of him of (or for) generations, and (the) receipts of (or the receptacles with) the treasures thereof. [Each house of him it shall fulfill from generations, and the receiving places from the treasures of him.]

¹⁸ The crown of wisdom is the dread of the Lord, and filleth peace [or fulfilling peace], and the fruit of health. And he saw, and numbered it; forsooth ever either be the gifts of God.

¹⁹ Wisdom shall part the cunning (or the knowing) and understanding of prudence; and it enhanceth the glory of them, that hold it.

²⁰ The root of wisdom is for to dread God; forsooth the branches thereof be long (en)during [or The root of wisdom is to dread God; the branches forsooth of it long living]. Understanding and religiosity of cunning (or of knowing) be in the treasures of wisdom; but wisdom is abomination to sinners.

²¹ The dread of the Lord putteth away sin, for he that is without dread of God, may not be justified [or shall not be able to be justified];

²² for why the wrathfulness of his pride [or of (his) willfulness] is the destroying of him.

²³ A patient man shall suffer the dis-eases of a proud man till into (a) time; and afterward there shall be yielding of mirth. [Unto (a) time the patient shall suffer; and afterward is yielding again of full mirth.]

²⁴ Good wit shall hide the words of him till into a time; and the lips of many men shall tell out the wit of him.

²⁵ In the treasures of wisdom is signifying of cunning (or of knowing); but the worshipping of God is abomination to a sinner. [In the treasures of wisdom is tokening of discipline; cursing forsooth to the sinner is the praising of God.]

²⁶ A! (O!) son, coveting wisdom, keep thou rightfulness [or keep rightwiseness], and God shall give it to thee.

²⁷ For why the dread of the Lord is wisdom, and cunning, (or knowing), and that that is well pleasant (or well-pleasing) to him is faith and mildness (or meekness); and God shall fill the treasures of him. [Wisdom forsooth and discipline the dread of the Lord, and that well-pleased is to him, faith and debonairness; and it shall full-fill the treasures of him.]

²⁸ Be thou not rebel(lious), and unbelieveful to the dread of the Lord; and nigh (or approach) thou not to him in (a) double heart. [Be thou not rebel, and mis-believeful to the dread of the Lord; and not nigh thou to him with double heart.]

²⁹ Be thou not an hypocrite in the sight of men; and be thou not slandered in (or caused to stumble by) thy lips.

³⁰ Take thou keep (or care) to those (things), lest thou fall, and bring dishonor to thy soul; and lest God show thy privates (or thy secrets), and hurtle thee down in the midst of the synagogue, that is, of (the) gathering together of faithful men; for thou nighedest (or approachedest) wickedly to the Lord, and thine heart was full of guile and of falseness. [Take heed in those things, lest peradventure thou fall, and bring to thy soul unworshipping; and God openeth in hid things, and in the middle of the synagogue he hurtle thee; for thou nighedest (or approachedest) maliciously to the Lord, and thine heart is full of treachery and deceit.]