Sirach 51:1-9

Common English Bible

51 I will give thanks to you,
Lord and King,
    and I will praise you, God my savior.
    I give thanks to your name,
²     because you have been
    my protector and helper.
    You have rescued my body
    from destruction,
        from the trap set
        by a slanderous tongue,
        from lips that fabricate lies.
In the presence of those who stood around me,
³ you were my helper.
    In line with your abundant mercy
    and your great name,
    you rescued me from grinding teeth prepared to devour me,
    from the power of those
    who wanted to take my life,
    from the many troubles that I have had,
⁴     from choking fire all around me,
    from the midst of a fire
    that I didn’t start,
⁵     from the depths of the belly
    of the grave,^[b]
    and from a polluted tongue
    and lying words,
⁶     as well as the arrowlike
    tongue of the unrighteous.
My soul approached death,
    and my life was on the edge of the grave^[c] below.
⁷ People surrounded me on every side,
and no one helped;
    I looked for assistance from human beings, and there was none.
⁸ Then I remembered your mercy, Lord,
    and your charity^[d] from long ago,
    that you raise up those who wait for you
    and save them from the hands
    of the wicked.
⁹ I sent up my prayer from the earth,
    and I begged to be rescued from death.