Sirach 18 He that lyueth for euermore, made al thinges together: God onely is righteous, and there is none other but he, and remaineth a victorious king for euer.

Bishops⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ He that lyueth for euermore, made al thinges together: God onely is righteous, and there is none other but he, and remaineth a victorious king for euer. ² He ordereth the worlde with the power of his hande, and all thinges obey his wyl: for he gouerneth all thinges by his power, and deuideth the holy thinges from the prophane. ³ Who shalbe able to expresse the workes of him? who wyll seeke out the grounde of his noble actes? ⁴ Who shall declare the power of his greatnesse? or who wyll take vpon him to tell out his mercie? ⁵ As for the wonderous workes of the Lord, there may nothing be taken from them, nothing may be put vnto them, neither may the grounde of them be founde out. ⁶ But when a man hath done his best, he must beginne againe: and when he thinketh to be come to an ende, he must go againe to his labour. ⁷ What is man? whereto is he worth? what good or euill can he do? ⁸ If the number of a mans dayes be almost an hundred yeres, it is much: and no man hath certaine knowledge of his death. ⁹ Lyke as the droppes of rayne are vnto the sea, and as a grauell stone is in comparison of the sande: so are these fewe yeres to the dayes of euerlasting. ¹⁰ Therefore is the Lorde pacient with them, and powreth out his mercie vpon them. ¹¹ He sawe and perceaued the thoughtes and imaginations of their heart that they were euill, therefore heaped he vp his mercifull goodnesse vpon them, and shewed them the way of righteousnes. ¹² The mercie that a man hath reacheth to his neighbour, but the mercie of god is vpon all fleshe: He chasteneth, he teacheth and nurtureth: yea euen as a sheephearde turneth againe his flocke, so doth he all them that receaue chastening, nurture, and doctrine. ¹³ Mercyfull is he vnto them that diligently seeke after his iudgementes. ¹⁴ My sonne, when thou doest good, make no grudging at it: and whatsoeuer thou geuest, speake no discomfortable wordes. ¹⁵ Shall not the deawe coole the heate? euen so is a worde better then a gift. ¹⁶ Is not a friendly worde a good honest gifte? but a gratious man geueth them both. ¹⁷ A foole shall cast a man in the teeth and that roughly: and a gift of the nigarde putteth out the eyes. ¹⁸ Get thee righteousnes before thou come to iudgement, learne before thou speake, and go to phisicke or euer thou be sicke. ¹⁹ Examine and iudge thy selfe before the iudgement come, and so shalt thou finde grace in the sight of God. ²⁰ Humble thy selfe afore thou be sicke: and whilest thou mayst sinne, shew thy conuersation. ²¹ Be not let to pay thy vowe in good time, and tary not to be iustified vnto thy death: for the rewarde of God endureth for euer. ²² Before thou prayest, prepare thy soule, and be not as one that tempteth God. ²³ Thinke vpon the wrathfull indignation that shalbe at the ende, and the houre of vengeauce when he shall turne away his face. ²⁴ When thou hast inough, remember the time of hunger: and when thou art rich, thinke vpon the time of pouertie and scarsenesse. ²⁵ From the morning vntyl the euening the time is chaunged, & all such thinges are soone done in the sight of God. ²⁶ A wyse man feareth God in al thinges, and in the dayes of transgression he kepeth him selfe from sinne: but the foole doth not obserue the time. ²⁷ A discreete man hath pleasure in wysdome, and he that findeth her, maketh much of her. ²⁸ They that haue had vnderstanding haue dealt wysely in wordes, haue vnderstand the trueth and righteousnesse, and haue sought out wyse sentences and iudgementes. ²⁹ The chiefe aucthoritie of speaking, is of the Lorde alone: for a mortall man hath but a dead heart. ³⁰ Folowe not thy lustes, but turne thee from thyne owne wyll. ³¹ For if thou geuest thy soule her desires, it shall make thyne enemies to laugh thee to scorne. ³² Take not thy pleasure in great voluptuousnesse, and meddle not to much withall. ³³ Make not to great cheare of the thing that thou hast wonne by aduauntage, lest thou fall into pouertie and haue nothing in thy purse, els thou shouldest sclaunderously lye in wayte for thyne owne lyfe.