Sirach 2 My sonne yf thou wylt come into the seruice of God, stande fast in righteousnesse & feare, and arme thy soule to temptation.

Bishops⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ My sonne yf thou wylt come into the seruice of God, stande fast in righteousnesse & feare, and arme thy soule to temptation. ² Settle thyne heart and be patient, bowe downe thine eare, receaue the wordes of vnderstandyng, and shrynke not away when thou art assaulted. ³ Holde thee fast vpon God, ioyne thy selfe vnto hym, and suffer that thy lyfe may encrease at the last. ⁴ Whatsoeuer happeneth vnto thee, receaue it: suffer in heauinesse, & be patient in thy trouble. ⁵ For lyke as golde and siluer are tryed in the fire, euen so are acceptable men in the furnace of aduersitie. ⁶ Beleue in God and he shall helpe thee: order thy way a right, and put thy trust in hym: Holde fast his feare and growe therin, ⁷ O ye that feare the Lorde, take sure holde of his mercie, shrynke not away from hym, that ye fall not. ⁸ O ye that feare the Lorde, beleue him, and your rewarde shall not be emptie. ⁹ O ye that feare the Lorde, trust in good thynges, and mercie shall come vnto you for pleasure. ¹⁰ O ye that feare the Lorde, set your loue vpon him, and your heartes shalbe lyghtened. ¹¹ Consider the olde generations of men (O ye children) and marke them well: Was there euer any one confounded that put his trust in the Lorde? Who euer continued in his feare, and was forsaken? Or whom dyd he euer dispise that called faythfully vpon hym? ¹² For God is gratious and mercifull, he forgeueth sinnes in the tyme of trouble, and is a defendour for al them that seke hym in the trueth. ¹³ Wo be vnto them that haue a fearefull heart, wicked lippes, and euyll occupied handes, and to the sinner that goeth two maner of wayes. ¹⁴ Wo be vnto them that are faint harted, which put not their trust in God, and therfore shall they not be defended of hym. ¹⁵ Wo be vnto you that haue lost patience, forsaken the ryght wayes, and are turned backe into frowarde wayes: What wyll you do when the Lord shall begin to visite you? ¹⁶ They that feare the Lorde, wyll not disobey his worde: and they that loue him, wyll kepe his commaundementes. ¹⁷ They that feare the Lorde wyll seke out the thinges that are pleasaunt vnto him: and they that loue him, be fulfylled with his lawe. ¹⁸ They that feare the Lorde wyll prepare their heartes, and humble their soules in his syght. ¹⁹ They that feare the Lorde kepe his comaundementes, and wyll be patient tyll they see hym selfe, ²⁰ Saying: If we do not repent, we shall fall into the handes of the Lorde, and not into the handes of men. ²¹ For his mercie is as great as him selfe.