Sirach 38:26-28

Common English Bible

²⁶ Their hearts are given over
to plowing furrows,
    and they lose sleep
    because they’re concerned
    about supplying heifers with food.
²⁷ So it is also with every craftsperson
and master artisan
    who carries over the day’s work
    into the night,
        who carves figures on seals
    and works diligently
    to make diverse ornamentations.
They will devote themselves
to producing a lifelike painting,
    and they lose sleep
    in order to finish their work.
²⁸ So it is with smiths who sit near an anvil
        and who closely examine works of iron.
    The blast of the fire
    will melt their flesh,
        and they will struggle
        with the heat of the furnace.
    The sound of the hammer
    will strike their ears again and again,
        and their eyes are focused
        on the pattern of the object.
        They will devote themselves
        to finishing the work,
        and they lose sleep
        in order to complete its decoration.