Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) Chapter 15

1 Qui ?? timet ?? Deum ?? faciet ?? bona ?? , et ?? qui ?? continens ?? est ?? justitiæ ?? apprehendet ?? illam ?? : He that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice, shall lay hold on her,

2 et ?? obviabit ?? illi ?? quasi ?? mater ?? honorificata ?? , et ?? quasi ?? mulier ?? a ?? virginitate ?? suscipiet ?? illum ?? . And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin.

3 Cibabit ?? illum ?? pane ?? vitæ ?? et ?? intellectus ?? , et ?? aqua ?? sapientiæ ?? salutaris ?? potabit ?? illum ?? : et ?? firmabitur ?? in ?? illo ?? , et ?? non ?? flectetur ?? : With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved.

4 et ?? continebit ?? illum ?? , et ?? non ?? confundetur ?? : et ?? exaltabit ?? illum ?? apud ?? proximos ?? suos ?? , And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours.

5 et ?? in ?? medio ?? ecclesiæ ?? aperiet ?? os ?? ejus ?? , et ?? adimplebit ?? illum ?? spiritu ?? sapientiæ ?? et ?? intellectus ?? , et ?? stola ?? gloriæ ?? vestiet ?? illum ?? . And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory.

6 Jucunditatem ?? et ?? exsultationem ?? thesaurizabit ?? super ?? illum ?? , et ?? nomine ?? æterno ?? hæreditabit ?? illum ?? . She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

7 Homines ?? stulti ?? non ?? apprehendent ?? illam ?? , et ?? homines ?? sensati ?? obviabunt ?? illi ?? . Homines ?? stulti ?? non ?? videbunt ?? eam ?? : longe ?? enim ?? abest ?? a ?? superbia ?? et ?? dolo ?? . But foolish men shall not obtain her, and wise men shall meet her, foolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit.

8 Viri ?? mendaces ?? non ?? erunt ?? illius ?? memores ?? : et ?? viri ?? veraces ?? invenientur ?? in ?? illa ?? , et ?? successum ?? habebunt ?? usque ?? ad ?? inspectionem ?? Dei ?? . Lying men shall be mindful of her: but men that speak truth shall be found with her, and shall advance, even till they come to the sight of God.

9 Non ?? est ?? speciosa ?? laus ?? in ?? ore ?? peccatoris ?? , Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner:

10 quoniam ?? a ?? Deo ?? profecta ?? est ?? sapientia ?? . Sapientiæ ?? enim ?? Dei ?? astabit ?? laus ?? , et ?? in ?? ore ?? fideli ?? abundabit ?? , et ?? Dominator ?? dabit ?? eam ?? illi ?? . For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with the wisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth, and the sovereign Lord will give praise unto it.

11 Non ?? dixeris ?? : Per ?? Deum ?? abest ?? : quæ ?? enim ?? odit ?? ne ?? feceris ?? . Say not: It is through God, that she is not with me: for do not thou the things that he hateth.

12 Non ?? dicas ?? : Ille ?? me ?? implanavit ?? : non ?? enim ?? necessarii ?? sunt ?? ei ?? homines ?? impii ?? . Say not: He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of wicked men.

13 Omne ?? execramentum ?? erroris ?? odit ?? Dominus ?? , et ?? non ?? erit ?? amabile ?? timentibus ?? eum ?? . The Lord hateth all abomination of error, and they that fear him shall not love it.

14 Deus ?? ab ?? initio ?? constituit ?? hominem ?? , et ?? reliquit ?? illum ?? in ?? manu ?? consilii ?? sui ?? : God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his own counsel.

15 adjecit ?? mandata ?? et ?? præcepta ?? sua ?? . He added his commandments and precepts.

16 Si ?? volueris ?? mandata ?? servare ?? , conservabunt ?? te ?? , et ?? in ?? perpetuum ?? fidem ?? placitam ?? facere ?? . If thou wilt keep the commandments and perform acceptable fidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee.

17 Apposuit ?? tibi ?? aquam ?? et ?? ignem ?? , ad ?? quod ?? volueris ?? porrige ?? manum ?? tuam ?? . He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy hand to which thou wilt.

18 Ante ?? hominem ?? vita ?? et ?? mors ?? , bonum ?? et ?? malum ?? : quod ?? placuerit ?? ei ?? dabitur ?? illi ?? : Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he shall choose shall be given him:

19 quoniam ?? multa ?? sapientia ?? Dei ?? , et ?? fortis ?? in ?? potentia ?? , videns ?? omnes ?? sine ?? intermissione ?? . For the wisdom of God is great, and he is strong in power, seeing all men without ceasing.

20 Oculi ?? Domini ?? ad ?? timentes ?? eum ?? , et ?? ipse ?? agnoscit ?? omnem ?? operam ?? hominis ?? . The eyes of the Lord are towards them that fear him, and he knoweth all the work of man.

21 Nemini ?? mandavit ?? impie ?? agere ?? , et ?? nemini ?? dedit ?? spatium ?? peccandi ?? : He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given no man license to sin:

22 non ?? enim ?? concupiscit ?? multitudinem ?? filiorum ?? infidelium ?? et ?? inutilium ?? . For he desireth not a multitude of faithless and unprofitable children.