Sirach 51

Revised Standard Version

51 I will give thanks to thee, O Lord and King,
    and will praise thee as God my Savior.
I give thanks to thy name,
²     for thou hast been my protector and helper
and hast delivered my body from destruction
    and from the snare of a slanderous tongue,
    from lips that utter lies.
Before those who stood by
    thou wast my helper, ³ and didst deliver me,
    in the greatness of thy mercy and of thy name,
from the gnashings of teeth about to devour me,^[a]
    from the hand of those who sought my life,
    from the many afflictions that I endured,
⁴ from choking fire on every side
    and from the midst of fire which I did not kindle,
⁵ from the depths of the belly of Hades,
    from an unclean tongue and lying words—
⁶     the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king.
My soul drew near to death,
    and my life was very near to Hades beneath.
⁷ They surrounded me on every side,
    and there was no one to help me;
I looked for the assistance of men,
    and there was none.
⁸ Then I remembered thy mercy, O Lord,
    and thy work from of old,
that thou dost deliver those who wait for thee
    and dost save them from the hand of their enemies.
⁹ And I sent up my supplication from the earth,
    and prayed for deliverance from death.
¹⁰ I appealed to the Lord, the Father of my lord,
    not to forsake me in the days of affliction,
    at the time when there is no help against the proud.
¹¹ I will praise thy name continually,
    and will sing praise with thanksgiving.
My prayer was heard,
¹²     for thou didst save me from destruction
    and rescue me from an evil plight.
Therefore I will give thanks to thee and praise thee,
    and I will bless the name of the Lord.

²³ Draw near to me, you who are untaught,
    and lodge in my school.
²⁴ Why do you say you are lacking in these things,^[g]
    and why are your souls very thirsty?
²⁵ I opened my mouth and said,
    Get these things^[h] for yourselves without money.
²⁶ Put your neck under the yoke,
    and let your souls receive instruction;
    it is to be found close by.
²⁷ See with your eyes that I have labored little
    and found for myself much rest.
²⁸ Get instruction with a large sum of silver,
    and you will gain by it much gold.
²⁹ May your soul rejoice in his mercy,
    and may you not be put to shame when you praise him.
³⁰ Do your work before the appointed time,
    and in God’s^[i] time he will give you your reward.