Sirach 15
1 He that feareth the Lord will do
good; and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her;
2 and as a mother shall she meet him,
and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
3 With the bread of understanding
shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
4 He shall be stayed upon her, and
shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.
5 She shall exalt him above his
neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.
6 He shall find joy and a crown of
gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
7 But foolish men shall not attain
unto her, and sinners shall not see her.
8 For she is far from pride, and men
that are liars cannot remember her.
9 Praise is not seemly in the mouth of
a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.
10 For praise shall be uttered in
wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.
11 Say not thou, It is through the
Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.
12 Say not thou, He hath caused me to
err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.
13 The Lord hateth all abomination;
and they that fear God love it not.
14 He himself made man from the
beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;
15 if thou wilt, to keep the
commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.
16 He hath set fire and water before
thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.
17 Before man is life and death; and
whether he liketh shall be given him.
18 For the wisdom of the Lord is
great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:
19 and his eyes are upon them that
fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.
20 He hath commanded no man to do
wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.