1 I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:

1 Oratio Jesu filii Sirach. Confitebor tibi, Domine rex,
et collaudabo te Deum salvatorem meum.

2 For thou art my defender and helper, and hast preserved my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lips that forge lies, and hast been mine helper against mine adversaries:

2 Confitebor nomini tuo,
quoniam adjutor et protector factus es mihi,

3 And hast delivered me, according to the multitude of thy mercies and greatness of thy name, from the teeth of them that were ready to devour me, and out of the hands of such as sought after my life, and from the manifold afflictions which I had;

3 et liberasti corpus meum a perditione:
a laqueo linguæ iniquæ, et a labiis operantium mendacium:
et in conspectu astantium factus es mihi adjutor.

4 From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;

4 Et liberasti me, secundum multitudinem misericordiæ nominis tui,
a rugientibus præparatis ad escam:

5 From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words.

5 de manibus quærentium animam meam,
et de portis tribulationum quæ circumdederunt me;

6 By an accusation to the king from an unrighteous tongue my soul drew near even unto death, my life was near to the hell beneath.

6 a pressura flammæ quæ circumdedit me,
et in medio ignis non sum æstuatus;

7 They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none.

7 de altitudine ventris inferi,
et a lingua coinquinata, et a verbo mendacii,
a rege iniquo, et a lingua injusta.

8 Then thought I upon thy mercy, O Lord, and upon thy acts of old, how thou deliverest such as wait for thee, and savest them out of the hands of the enemies.

8 Laudabit usque ad mortem anima mea Dominum,

9 Then lifted I up my supplication from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.

9 et vita mea appropinquans erat in inferno deorsum.

10 I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the days of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, when there was no help.

10 Circumdederunt me undique, et non erat qui adjuvaret:
respiciens eram ad adjutorium hominum, et non erat.

11 I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praise with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:

11 Memoratus sum misericordiæ tuæ Domine,
et operationis tuæ, quæ a sæculo sunt:

12 For thou savedst me from destruction, and deliveredst me from the evil time: therefore will I give thanks, and praise thee, and bless thy name, O Lord.

12 quoniam eruis sustinentes te, Domine,
et liberas eos de manibus gentium.

13 When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.

13 Exaltasti super terram habitationem meam,
et pro morte defluente deprecatus sum.

14 I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.

14 Invocavi Dominum patrem Domini mei,
ut non derelinquat me in die tribulationis meæ,
et in tempore superborum, sine adjutorio.

15 Even from the flower till the grape was ripe hath my heart delighted in her: my foot went the right way, from my youth up sought I after her.

15 Laudabo nomen tuum assidue,
et collaudabo illud in confessione:
et exaudita est oratio mea,

16 I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much learning.

16 et liberasti me de perditione,
et eripuisti me de tempore iniquo.

17 I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe the glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.

17 Propterea confitebor, et laudem dicam tibi,
et benedicam nomini Domini.

18 For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.

18 ¶ Cum adhuc junior essem, priusquam oberrarem,
quæsivi sapientiam palam in oratione mea.

19 My soul hath wrestled with her, and in my doings I was exact: I stretched forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.

19 Ante templum postulabam pro illa,
et usque in novissimis inquiram eam:
et effloruit tamquam præcox uva.

20 I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be forsaken.

20 Lætatum est cor meum in ea:
ambulavit pes meus iter rectum:
a juventute mea investigabam eam.

21 My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good possession.

21 Inclinavi modico aurem meam,
et excepi illam.

22 The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith.

22 Multam inveni in meipso sapientiam,
et multum profeci in ea.

23 Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.

23 Danti mihi sapientiam dabo gloriam:

24 Wherefore are ye slow, and what say ye of these things, seeing your souls are very thirsty?

24 consiliatus sum enim ut facerem illam.
Zelatus sum bonum, et non confundar.

25 I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.

25 Colluctata est anima mea in illa,
et in faciendo eam confirmatus sum.

26 Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: she is hard at hand to find.

26 Manus meas extendi in altum,
et insipientiam ejus luxi;

27 Behold with your eyes, how that I have had but little labour, and have gotten unto me much rest.

27 animam meam direxi ad illam,
et in agnitione inveni eam.

28 Get learning with a great sum of money, and get much gold by her.

28 Possedi cum ipsa cor ab initio:
propter hoc, non derelinquar.

29 Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his praise.

29 Venter meus conturbatus est quærendo illam:
propterea bonam possidebo possessionem.

30 Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward.

30 Dedit mihi Dominus linguam mercedem meam,
et in ipsa laudabo eum.

31 Appropiate ad me, indocti,
et congregate vos in domum disciplinæ.

32 Quid adhuc retardatis? et quid dicitis in his?
animæ vestræ sitiunt vehementer.

33 Aperui os meum, et locutus sum:
Comparate vobis sine argento,

34 et collum vestrum subjicite jugo:
et suscipiat anima vestra disciplinam:
in proximo est enim invenire eam.

35 Videte oculis vestris, quia modicum laboravi,
et inveni mihi multam requiem.

36 Assumite disciplinam in multo numero argenti,
et copiosum aurum possidete in ea.

37 Lætetur anima vestra in misericordia ejus,
et non confundemini in laude ipsius.

38 Operamini opus vestrum ante tempus,
et dabit vobis mercedem vestram in tempore suo.