Jesus Sirach 2

1Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation.

2Humble thy heart, and endure: incline thy ear, and receive the words of understanding: and make not haste in the time of clouds.

3Wait on God with patience: join thyself to God, and endure, that thy life may be increased in the latter end.

4Take all that shall be brought upon thee: and in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience.

5For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.

6Believe God, and he will recover thee: and direct thy way, and trust in him. Keep his fear, and grow old therein.

7Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy: and go not aside from him, lest ye fall.

8Ye that fear the Lord, believe him: and your reward shall not be made void.

9Ye that fear the Lord, hope in him: and mercy shall come to you for your delight.

10Ye that fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts shall be enlightened.

11My children behold the generations of men: and know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded.

12For who hath continued in his commandment, and hath been forsaken? or who hath called upon him, and he despised him?

13For God is compassionate and merciful, and will forgive sins in the day of tribulation: and he is a protector to all that seek him in truth.

14Woe to them that are of a double heart and to wicked lips, and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner that goeth on the earth two ways.

15Woe to them that are fainthearted, who believe not God: and therefore they shall not be protected by him.

16Woe to them that have lost patience, and that have forsaken the right ways, and have gone aside into crooked ways.

17And what will they do, when the Lord shall begin to examine?

18They that fear the Lord, will not be incredulous to his word: and they that love him, will keep his way.

19They that fear the Lord, will seek after the things that are well pleasing to him: and they that love him, shall be filled with his law.

20They that fear the Lord, will prepare their hearts, and in his sight will sanctify their souls.

21They that fear the Lord, keep his Commandments, and will have patience even until his visitation,

22Saying: If we do not penance, we shall fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.

23For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with him.

1[Fili, accedens ad servitutem Dei sta in justitia et timore, et præpara animam tuam ad tentationem.

2Deprime cor tuum, et sustine: inclina aurem tuam, et suscipe verba intellectus: et ne festines in tempore obductionis.

3Sustine sustentationes Dei: conjungere Deo, et sustine, ut crescat in novissimo vita tua.

4Omne quod tibi applicitum fuerit accipe: et in dolore sustine, et in humilitate tua patientiam habe:

5quoniam in igne probatur aurum et argentum, homines vero receptibiles in camino humiliationis.

6Crede Deo, et recuperabit te: et dirige viam tuam, et spera in illum: serva timorem illius, et in illo veterasce.]

7[Metuentes Dominum, sustinete misericordiam ejus: et non deflectatis ab illo, ne cadatis.

8Qui timetis Dominum, credite illi, et non evacuabitur merces vestra.

9Qui timetis Dominum, sperate in illum, et in oblectationem veniet vobis misericordia.

10Qui timetis Dominum, diligite illum, et illuminabuntur corda vestra.

11Respicite, filii, nationes hominum: et scitote quia nullus speravit in Domino et confusus est.

12Quis enim permansit in mandatis ejus, et derelictus est? aut quis invocavit eum, et despexit illum?

13Quoniam pius et misericors est Deus, et remittet in die tribulationis peccata, et protector est omnibus exquirentibus se in veritate.]

14[Væ duplici corde, et labiis scelestis, et manibus malefacientibus, et peccatori terram ingredienti duabus viis !

15Væ dissolutis corde, qui non credunt Deo, et ideo non protegentur ab eo !

16Væ his qui perdiderunt sustinentiam, et qui dereliquerunt vias rectas, et diverterunt in vias pravas !

17Et quid facient cum inspicere cœperit Dominus?

18Qui timent Dominum non erunt incredibiles verbo illius: et qui diligunt illum conservabunt viam illius.

19Qui timent Dominum inquirent quæ beneplacita sunt ei, et qui diligunt eum replebuntur lege ipsius.

20Qui timent Dominum præparabunt corda sua, et in conspectu illius sanctificabunt animas suas.

21Qui timent Dominum custodiunt mandata illius, et patientiam habebunt usque ad inspectionem illius,

22dicentes: Si pœnitentiam non egerimus, incidemus in manus Domini, et non in manus hominum.

23Secundum enim magnitudinem ipsius, sic et misericordia illius cum ipso est.]

1Son, when you apply yourself to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare your soul for temptation.

2Humble your heart, and persevere. Incline your ear, and accept words of understanding. And you should not hurry away in the time of distress.

3Endure steadfastly for God. Join yourself to God, and persevere, so that your life may increase in the very end.

4Accept everything that will happen to you, and persevere in your sorrow, and have patience in your humiliation.

5For gold and silver are tested in fire, yet truly, acceptable men are tested in the furnace of humiliation.

6Believe God, and he will restore you to health. And straighten your way, and hope in him. Observe his fear, and grow old in it.

7You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy. And do not turn away from him, lest you fall.

8You who fear the Lord, believe in him. And your reward will not be taken away.

9You who fear the Lord, hope in him. And mercy will approach you, to your delight.

10You who fear the Lord, love him. And your hearts will be illuminated.

11My sons, consider the nations of men, and know that not one of them hoped in the Lord and was confounded.

12For who has remained in his commandment and been abandoned? Or who has called upon him, and yet he despised him?

13For God is upright and merciful, and he will forgive sins in the day of tribulation. And he is the Protector to all those who seek him in truth.

14Woe to the duplicitous heart, and to the wicked lips, and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner who walks the earth by two ways!

15Woe to the dissolute in heart, who do not trust God! For, as a result, they will not be protected by him.

16Woe to those who have lost endurance, and who have abandoned upright ways, and who have turned aside to depraved ways!

17And what will they do when the Lord begins to examine them?

18Those who fear the Lord will not be unbelieving toward his Word. And those who love him will keep to his way.

19Those who fear the Lord will seek the things that are well-pleasing to him. And those who love him will be filled with his law.

20Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and they will sanctify their souls in his sight.

21Those who fear the Lord keep his commandments, and they will have patience even until his examination,

22saying: “If we do not do penance, then we will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.”

23For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with him.