Sirach 15

Wycliffe Bible

15 He that dreadeth God, shall do good works; and he that holdeth rightfulness [or rightwiseness], shall take (or shall receive) it, that is, wisdom.

² And it as a mother honoured shall meet him, and as a woman from virginity [or from maidenhood] it shall take him (or shall receive him).

³ It shall feed him with the bread of life, and of understanding; and it shall give drink to him with water of healful [or of wholesome] wisdom;

⁴ it shall be made steadfast in him, and he shall not be bowed (or turned away) from the evenness of rightfulness. And it shall hold him, and he shall not be shamed [or be confounded];

⁵ and it shall enhance him at (or it shall exalt him above) his neighbours. And in the midst of the church he shall open his mouth; and God shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, and shall clothe him with the stole of glory. [and it shall enhance him with his neighbours. And in the middle of the church it shall open his mouth, and shall fulfill him with the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding; and with (the) stole of glory it shall clothe him.]

⁶ God shall treasure on him mirth, and full out joying; and shall inherit him with (an) everlasting name. [Mirth and full out joying it shall treasure upon him; and in everlasting name it shall heritage him.]

⁷ Fond (or Foolish) men shall not take that wisdom, and (or but) witty men shall meet it. (Yea,) Fond men shall not see it; [Men fools shall not take it, and (or but) men well feeling shall meet to (or with) it. Men fools shall not see it,]

⁸ for why it goeth away far from pride, and guile. Men leasing-mongers shall not be mindful thereof, and soothfast men be found therein; and shall have prosperity unto the beholding of God. [far forsooth it is, far away from pride, and from treachery. Men liars shall not be mindful of it; and soothfast men be found in it; and welsome after-coming they shall have unto the looking of God.]

⁹ Praising is not fair in the mouth of a sinner, for he is not sent of the Lord (or it was not sent to him from the Lord).

¹⁰ For why wisdom went forth from God; forsooth praising shall stand nigh (to) the wisdom of God, and it shall be plenteous [or abound] in a faithful mouth, and the Lord shall give it to him.

¹¹ Say thou not, It goeth away by God; for why do thou not those things, which God hateth. [Thou shalt not say, By God it is away; those things forsooth it hateth, thou shalt not do.]

¹² Say thou not, He made me for to err; for why wicked men be not needful to him. [Not say thou, He made me deceived; forsooth unpious men be not needful to him.]

¹³ The Lord hateth all cursedness of error, and it (also) shall not be amiable [or loveful] to them, that dread him.

¹⁴ At the beginning God made man, and left him (or let him go) in the hand of his counsel. [God from the beginning ordained man, and left him in the hand of his counsel.]

¹⁵ He added his commandments, and laws; if thou wilt keep the commandments, those shall keep thee, and keep pleasant (or pleasing) faith without end. [He laid to commandments, and his behests; if thou wilt the commandments keep, they shall keep thee, and to keep pleased faith into without end.]

¹⁶ He hath set to thee water and fire; (ad)dress, (or direct), [or put forth] thine hand to that, that thou wilt.

¹⁷ Before man is life and death, good and evil; that, that pleaseth him, shall be given to him.

¹⁸ For why the wisdom of God is much, and he is strong in power [or in might], and seeth all men without ceasing.

¹⁹ The eyes of the Lord be to them, that dread him; and he knoweth all the travail [or all the work] of man.

²⁰ He commanded not to any man to do wickedly [or unpiously]; and he gave not to any man space to do sin.