Sirach 23 O Lorde, father and gouernour of my lyfe, leaue me not in their imagination and counsell: Oh let me not fall in such reproofe.

Bishops⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ O Lorde, father and gouernour of my lyfe, leaue me not in their imagination and counsell: Oh let me not fall in such reproofe. ² Who wyll keepe my thought with the scourge, and the doctrine of wysdome in myne heart? that he spare not myne ignoraunce, that I fall not with them: ³ Lest myne ignoraunces increase, that myne offences be not many in number, and that my sinnes exceede not: lest I fall before myne enemies, and so my aduersarie reioyce, whose hope is farre fro thy mercie. ⁴ O Lorde thou father and God of my lyfe, leaue me not in their imagination: O let me not haue a proude looke, but turne away all voluptuousnesse fro me. ⁵ Take from me the lustes of the body, let not the desires of vnclennesse take holde vpon me, ⁶ And geue me not ouer into an vnshamefast and obstinate minde. ⁷ Heare me O ye children, I wyll geue you a doctrine how ye shall order your mouth: whoso kepeth it shal not perishe through his lippes, nor be hurt through wicked workes. ⁸ As for the sinner, he shalbe taken in his owne vanitie: he that is proude and cursed, shall fall therein. ⁹ Let not thy mouth be accustomed with swearing, for in it there are many fals: let not the naming of God be continually in thy mouth, and meddle not with the names of sainctes, for thou shalt not be excused of them. ¹⁰ For lyke as a seruaunt which is oft punished, can not be without some sore: euen so whatsoeuer he be that sweareth and nameth God, shall not be cleane purged from sinne. ¹¹ A man that vseth much swearing shal be filled with wickednesse, & the plague shall neuer go from his house: if he beguile his brother, his fault shalbe vpon him, if he knowledge not his sinne, he maketh a double offence, & if he sweare in vaine, he shall not be founde righteous: for his house shalbe full of plagues. ¹² The wordes of the swearer bringeth death, God graunt that it be not founde in the house of Iacob: but they that feare God eschue all such, and lye not weltering in sinne. ¹³ Use not thy mouth to vnhonest & filthy talking, for in it is the word of sinne. ¹⁴ Remember thy father and thy mother when thou art set among great men: lest God forget thee in their sight, and lest thou doting in thy custome, suffer rebuke, and wishe not to haue ben borne, and so curse the day of thy natiuitie. ¹⁵ The man that is accustomed with the wordes of blasphemie, will neuer be refourmed all the dayes of his lyfe. ¹⁶ To sinne twise is to much, but the third bringeth wrath and destruction: An hot stomacke can not be quenched (euen like a burning fire) til it haue swalowed vp some thing: euen so an vnchaste man hath no rest in his fleshe, till he haue kindled a fire. ¹⁷ All bread is sweete to an whoremonger, he will not leaue of till he dye. ¹⁸ A man that breaketh wedlocke, and regardeth not his soule, but sayth, Tushe who seeth me? I am compassed about with darkenesse, the walles couer me, no body seeth me, whom neede I to feare? the hyghest will not remember my sinnes: ¹⁹ He vnderstandeth not that his eyes see all thinges, for all such feare of men dryueth away the feare of God from hym: for he feareth onely the eyes of men, and considereth not that the eyes of the Lord are clearer then the sunne, beholding all the wayes of men, & the ground of the deepe, and loking euen to mens heartes in secrete places. ²⁰ The Lorde God knewe all thinges or euer they were made, and after they be brought to passe also he loketh vpon them all. ²¹ The same man shalbe openly punished in the streetes of the citie, & shalbe chased abrode lyke a young horse foale: and when he thinketh least vpon it, he shalbe taken. ²² Thus shall he be put to shame of euery man, because he woulde not vnderstand the feare of the Lorde: And thus shal it go also with euery wyfe that leaueth her husbande, and getteth inheritaunce by a straunge mariage. ²³ First, she hath ben vnfaythful vnto the lawe of the hyghest: secondly, she hath forsaken her owne husbande: thyrdly, she hath played the whore in adultrie, & gotten her children by an other man. ²⁴ She shalbe brought out of the congregation, and her children shalke loked vpon. ²⁵ Her children shal not take roote: and as for fruite her braunches shall bring foorth none. ²⁶ A shamefull report shall she leaue behinde her, and her dishonour shall not be put out. ²⁷ And they that remayne, shall knowe that there is nothing better then the feare of God, and that there is nothing sweeter then to take heed vnto the commaundementes of the Lorde. ²⁸ A great worship is it to folow the Lord: for long lyfe shalbe receaued of hym.