CHAPTER
XIX

On the other side, the flames wasted not the flesh of the
corruptible living things, though they walked therin,
Neither melted they the ycie kind of heavenly meate, that
was of nature apt to melt.

For in all things, O Lord, thou didst magnifie thy people,
And glorifie them, neither didst thou lightly regard them:
But didst assist them in every time and place.

The WISDOME of IESUS the SONNE OF SIRACH,

OR

ECCLESIASTICUS

A Prologue made by an uncertaine Authour.

HIS Iesus was the sonne of Sirach, and grandchilde to Iesus of the same name with him; This man therefore lived in the latter times, after the people had bene led away captive, and called home againe, and almost after all the Prophets. Now his grandfather Iesus (as he himselfe witnesseth) was a man of great diligence and wisedome among the Hebrewes, who did not onely gather the grave and short Sentences of wise men, that had bene before him, but himselfe also uttered some of his owne, full of much understanding and wisedome. When as therefore the first Iesus died, leaving this booke almost perfected, Sirach his sonne receiving it after him, left it to his owne sonne Iesus, who having gotten it into his hands, compiled it all orderly into one Volume, and called it Wisdome, Intituling it, both by his owne name, his fathers name, and his grandfathers, alluring the hearer by the very name of Wisedome, to have a greater love to the studie of this Booke. It conteineth therefore wise Sayings, darke Sentences, and Parables, and certaine particular ancient godly stories of men that pleased God. Also his Prayer and Song. Moreover, what benefits God had vouchsafed his people, and what plagues he had heaped upon their enemies. This Iesus did imitate Solomon, and was no lesse famous for Wisedome, and learning, both being indeed a man of great learning, and so reputed also.

The Prologue of the Wisdome of Jesus

W

the sonne of Sirach.

HEREAS many and great things have bene delivered unto us by the Law and the Prophets, and by others that have followed their steps, for the which things Israel ought to be commended for learning and Wisedome, and whereof not onely the Readers must needs become skilful themselves, but also they that desire to learne, be able to profit them which are without, both by speaking and writing: My grandfather Iesus, when he had much given himselfe to the reading of the Law, and the Prophets, and other Bookes of our fathers, and had gotten therein good iudgement, was drawen on also himselfe, to write something pertayning to learning and Wisedome, to the intent that those which are desirous to learne, and are addicted to these things, might profit much more in living according to the Law. Wherefore, let me intreat you to reade it with favour and attention, and to pardon Us, wherein wee may seeme to come short of some words which we have laboured to interprete. For the same things uttered in Hebrew, and translated into an other tongue, have not the same force in them: and not onely these things, but the Law it selfe, and the Prophets, and the rest of the Bookes, have no small difference, when they are spoken in their owne language. For in the eight and thirtieth yeere comming into Egypt, when Euergetes was King, and continuing there some time, I found a Booke of no small learning, therefore I thought it most necessary for mee, to bestow some diligence and travaile to interprete it: Using great watchfulnesse, and skill in that space, to bring the Booke to an end, and set it foorth for them also, which in a strange countrey are willing to learne, being prepared before in maners to live after the Law.

CHAPTER I

LL wisedome commeth from the Lord,
And is with him for ever.

ALL

Who can number the sand of the sea,

And the drops of raine,

And the dayes of eternity?

Who can find out the height of heaven,

All wisedome is from God.

CHAPTER
I

He giveth it to them that love

him.

The feare of God is full of many blessings.

And the breadth of the earth, and the deepe, and wisedome?
Wisedome hath beene created before all things,

And the understanding of prudence from everlasting.

The word of God most high, is the fountaine of wisdome,
And her wayes are everlasting commandements.

To whom hath the root of wisdome beene revealed?

Or who hath knowen her wise counsels?

[Unto whom hath the knowledge of wisedome beene made manifest?

And who hath understood her great experience ?]

There is one wise and greatly to bee feared;

The Lord sitting upon his Throne.

He created her, and saw her, and numbred her,
And powred her out upon all his workes.
Shee [is] with all flesh according to his gift,
And hee hath given her to them that love him.
The feare of the Lord is honour, and glory,
And gladnesse, and a crowne of reioycing.
The feare of the Lord maketh a merrie heart,
And giveth ioy and gladnesse, and a long life.

Who so feareth the Lord, it shall goe well with him at the
last,

And he shall finde favour in the day of his death.
To feare the Lord, is the beginning of wisedome :
And it was created with the faithfull in the wombe.
Shee hath built an everlasting foundation with men,
And she shal continue with their seede.

To feare the Lord, is fulnesse of wisedome,

And filleth men with her fruits.

Shee filleth all their house with things desireable,

And the garners with her increase.

The feare of the Lord is a crowne of wisedome,

Making peace and perfect health to flourish, both which are

the gifts of God:

And it enlargeth their reioycing that love him.

Wisedome raineth downe skill and knowledge of under

For the sway of his fury shalbe his destruction.
A patient man will beare for a time,

And afterward ioy shall spring up unto him.

He wil hide his words for a time,

And the lippes of many shall declare his wisedome.

The parables of knowledge are in the treasures of wisedome :

But godlines is an abomination to a sinner.

If thou desire wisedome, keepe the commaundements,

And the Lord shall give her unto thee.

For the feare of the Lord is wisdome, and instruction :
And faith and meekenesse are his delight.

Distrust not the feare of the Lord when thou art poore:
And come not unto him with a double heart.
Be not an hypocrite in the sight of men,
And take good heede what thou speakest.
Exalt not thy selfe, lest thou fall,

And bring dishonour upon thy soule,

And so God discover thy secrets,

And cast thee downe in the midst of the congregation,
Because thou camest not in trueth, to the feare of the

Lord :

But thy heart is full of deceit.

CHAPTER
I

To feare God without hypocrisie.

CHAPTER II

Y sonne, if thou come to serve the Lorde,
Prepare thy soule for temptation.

M*

Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure,

And make not haste in time of trouble.

Cleave unto him, and depart not away,

That thou mayest be increased at thy last end.

Whatsoever is brought upon thee, take cheerefully,

And bee patient when thou art changed to a lowe estate.
For gold is tried in the fire,

And acceptable men in the furnace of adversitie.✓

Beleeve in him, and he will helpe thee,
Order thy way aright, and trust in him.

Ye that feare the Lord, waite for his mercie,

And goe not aside, lest

ye

fall.

Yee that feare the Lord, beleeve him,

And your reward shall not faile.

Ye that feare the Lord, hope for good, 5: U

153

Gods servants

must looke for trouble,

and be patient, and trust in him.

CHAPTER

II

For woe to them that

doe not so.

But they that feare the Lord, will doe so.

And for everlasting ioy and mercy.

Looke at the generations of old, and see,

Did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded?

Or did any abide in his feare, and was forsaken?

Or whom did hee ever despise, that called upon him?

For the Lord is full of compassion, and mercie, long suffering, and very pitifull,

And forgiveth sinnes, and saveth in time of affliction.

Woe be to fearefull hearts, and faint hands,

And the sinner that goeth two wayes.

Woe unto him that is faint hearted, for he beleeveth

not,

Therefore shall he not be defended.

Woe unto you that have lost patience :

And what will ye doe when the Lord shall visite you?
They that feare the Lord, will not disobey his word,

And they that love him, will keepe his wayes.

They that feare the Lord, will seeke that which is well
pleasing unto him,

And they that love him, shall bee filled with the Law.
They that feare the Lord, will prepare their hearts,

And humble their soules in his sight:

Saying, We wil fal into the hands of the Lord, and not into

the hands of men:

For as his maiestie is, so is his mercie.

Children must honour, and helpe both

their parents.

H

CHAPTER III

EARE mee your father, O children,

And doe thereafter, that ye may be safe.

For the Lord hath given the father honour over the children,

And hath confirmed the authoritie of the mother over the

sonnes.

Who so honoureth his father, maketh an atonement for his

sinnes.

And he that honoureth his mother, is as one that layeth up.

treasure.

Who so honoureth his father, shal have ioy of his owne

children,

And when he maketh his prayer, hee shall bee heard.
He that honoureth his father, shal have a long life,