Sirach 51 I wil confesse thee, O Lorde and King, and praise thee, O God my sauiour: I giue thankes vnto thy name.

Geneva⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ I wil confesse thee, O Lorde and King, and praise thee, O God my sauiour: I giue thankes vnto thy name. ² For thou art my defender & helper, and hast preserued my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lippes that are occupied with lies: thou hast holpen me against mine aduersaries, ³ And hast deliuered me according to the multitude of thy mercie, and for thy Names sake, from the roaring of them that were readie to deuoure me, and out of the hands of such as sought after my life, and from the manifold afflictions, which I had, ⁴ And from the fire that choked me round about, & from the mids of ye fire that I burned not, ⁵ And from the bottome of the bellie of hell, from an vncleane tongue, from lying wordes, from false accusation to the king, and from the slaunder of an vnrighteous tongue. ⁶ My soule shal praise the Lord vnto death: for my soule drewe neere vnto death: my life was neere to the hell beneath. ⁷ They compassed me on euery side, and there was no man to helpe mee: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none. ⁸ Then thought I vpon thy mercie, O Lorde, and vpon thine actes of olde, howe thou deliuerest such as waite for thee, and sauest them out of the hands of the enemies. ⁹ Then lifted I vp my praier from the earth, and praied for deliuerance from death. ¹⁰ I called vpon the Lorde the Father of my Lord, that he would not leaue me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of ye proude without helpe. ¹¹ I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praise with thanksgiuing: and my praier was heard. ¹² Thou sauedst mee from destruction, and deliueredst mee from the euill time: therefore will I giue thankes, and praise thee, and blesse the Name of the Lorde. ¹³ When I was yet young, or euer I went abroade, I desired wisedome openly in my praier. ¹⁴ I praied for her before the Temple, & sought after her vnto farre countreis, & shee was as a grape that waxeth ripe out of the flower. ¹⁵ Mine heart reioyced in her: my foote walked in the right way, & from my youth vp sought I after her. ¹⁶ I bowed somewhat downe mine eare, and receiued her, and gate me much wisedome: ¹⁷ And I profited by her: therefore wil I ascribe the glory vnto him, that giueth me wisedome. ¹⁸ For I am aduised to doe thereafter: I wil be ielous of that that is good: so shall I not bee confounded. ¹⁹ My soule hath wrestled with her, and I haue examined my works: I lifted vp mine hands on hie, and considered the ignorances thereof. ²⁰ I directed my soule vnto her, and I founde her in purenesse: I haue had mine heart ioyned with her from the beginning: therefore shall I not bee forsaken. ²¹ My bowels are troubled in seeking her: therefore haue I gotten a good possession. ²² The Lord hath giuen me a tongue for my reward, wherewith I will praise him. ²³ Draw neere vnto me, ye vnlearned, and dwel in the house of learning. ²⁴ Wherefore are yee slowe? and what say you of these things, seeing your soules are very thirstie? ²⁵ I opened my mouth, and saide, Bye her for you without money. ²⁶ Bowe downe your necke vnder the yoke, and your soule shall receiue instruction: shee is readie that yee may finde her. ²⁷ Beholde with your eyes, howe that I haue had but litle labour, and haue gotten vnto mee much rest. ²⁸ Get learning with a great summe of money: for by her yee shall possesse much golde. ²⁹ Let your soule reioyce in the mercie of the Lord, and be not ashamed of his praise. ³⁰ Doe your duetie betimes, and he wil giue you a reward at his time.