Sirach 18 He that liueth for euer, made all things together: the Lord who onely is iust, and there is none other but he, and he remaineth a victorious King for euer.

Geneva⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ He that liueth for euer, made all things together: the Lord who onely is iust, and there is none other but he, and he remaineth a victorious King for euer. ² He ordereth the world with the power of his hand, and all things obey his will: for he gouerneth all things by his power, and deuideth the holy things from the prophane. ³ To whom hath hee giuen power to expresse his workes? who will seeke out the grounde of his noble actes? ⁴ Who shall declare the power of his greatnesse? or who will take vpon him to tell out his mercie? ⁵ As for the wonderous workes of the Lorde, there may nothing bee taken from them, neither can any thing bee put vnto them, neither may the ground of them be found out. ⁶ But when a man hath done his best, he must beginne againe, and when he thinketh to come to an ende, he must go againe to his labour. ⁷ What is man? whereto serueth hee? what good or euill can he doe? ⁸ If the number of a mans dayes be an hundreth yeere, it is much: and no man hath certaine knowledge of his death. ⁹ As droppes of raine are vnto the sea, and as a grauel stone is in comparison of the sand, so are a thousand yeres to the dayes euerlasting. ¹⁰ Therefore is God pacient with them, and powreth out his mercie vpon them. ¹¹ He sawe and perceiued, that the arrogancie of their heart, and their ruine was euill: therefore heaped hee vp his mercie vpon them, and shewed them the way of righteousnesse. ¹² The mercie that a man hath, reacheth to his neighbour: but the mercy of the Lorde is vpon all flesh: he chasteneth, and nurtureth, and teacheth, and bringeth backe, as a shepheard his flocke. ¹³ He hath mercy of the that receiue discipline, and that diligently seeke after his iudgements. ¹⁴ My sonne, when thou doest good, reproue not: and whatsoeuer thou giuest, vse no discomfortable words. ¹⁵ Shall not the dewe asswage the heate? so is a word better then a gift. ¹⁶ Loe, is not a worde better then a good gift? but a gratious man giueth them both. ¹⁷ A foole will reproch churlishly, and a gift of the enuious putteth out the eyes. ¹⁸ Get thee righteousnesse before thou come to iudgement: learne before thou speake, and vse physicke or euer thou be sicke. ¹⁹ Examine thy selfe, before thou bee iudged, and in the day of the visitation thou shalt finde mercy. ²⁰ Humble thy selfe before thou bee sicke, and whilest thou mayst yet sinne, shew thy conuersion. ²¹ Let nothing let thee to pay thy vow in time, and deferre not vnto death to bee reformed: for the reward of God endureth for euer. ²² Before thou prayest, prepare thy selfe, and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. ²³ Thinke vpon the wrath, that shalbe at the ende, and the houre of vengeance, when hee shall turne away his face. ²⁴ When thou hast inough, remember the time of hunger: and when thou art rich, thinke vpon pouertie and neede. ²⁵ From the morning vntill the euening ye time is changed, and all such things are soone done before the Lord. ²⁶ A wise man feareth in all thinges, and in the dayes of transgressio he keepeth himselfe fro sinne: but the foole doeth not obserue the time. ²⁷ Euery wise man knoweth wisedome, and knowledge, and prayseth him that findeth her. ²⁸ They that haue vnderstanding, deale wisely in words: they vnderstande the trueth and righteousnesse, and powre out with modestie graue sentences for mans life. ²⁹ The chiefe authoritie of speaking is of the Lorde alone: for a mortall man hath but a dead heart. ³⁰ Followe not thy lustes, but turne thee from thine owne appetites. ³¹ For if thou giuest thy soule her desires, it shal make thine enemies that enuy thee, to laugh thee to scorne. ³² Take not thy pleasure in great voluptuousnes, and intangle not thy selfe with such company. ³³ Become not a begger by making bankets of that that thou hast borrowed, and so leaue nothing in thy purse: else thou shouldest slaunderously lye in waite for thine owne life.