1  All wisdom is from the Lord God, and has always been with him, and is before all time.

1  All wisdom cometh from the Lord, and is with him for ever.

2  Who has numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of the rain, and the days of the world? Who has measured the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss?

2  Who can number the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain, and the days of eternity?

3  Who has examined the wisdom of God, which precedes all things?

3  Who can find out the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the deep, and wisdom?

4  Wisdom was created before all things, and the understanding of prudence is before all time.

5  The Word of God on high is the source of wisdom, whose steps are eternal commandments.

6  To whom has the root of wisdom been revealed, and who has recognized her astuteness?

7  To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed and made manifest? And who has understood the multiplicity of her steps?

7  Unto whom hath the knowledge of wisdom been made manifest? and who hath understood her great experience?

8  The most high omnipotent Creator is One, and he is the mighty King, and he is exceedingly to be feared, sitting upon his throne, and he is the sovereign God.

8  There is one wise and greatly to be feared, the Lord sitting upon his throne.

9  He created wisdom through the Holy Spirit, and he saw her, and numbered her, and measured her.

10  And he poured her over all his works, and over all flesh, to the extent of his favor, and he has offered her to those who love him.

10  She is with all flesh according to his gift, and he hath given her to them that love him.

11  The fear of the Lord is glory, and honor, and rejoicing, and a crown of exultation.

12  The fear of the Lord will delight the heart, and will give joy and gladness and length of days.

13  It will be well, in the very end, for him who fears the Lord, and on the day that he passes away, he will be blessed.

13  Whoso feareth the Lord, it shall go well with him at the last, and he shall find favour in the day of his death.

14  The love of God is honorable wisdom.

15  And those to whom she will appear for their consideration love her because of what they see and know of her great works.

16  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and was created with the faithful in the womb, and walks with elect women, and is known by the just and the faithful.

Sir1:14  To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and it was created with the faithful in the womb.

17  The fear of the Lord is the sanctity of knowledge.

Sir1:15  She hath built an everlasting foundation with men, and she shall continue with their seed.

18  Sanctity will guard and justify the heart, and will bestow happiness and joy.

19  It will be well with him who fears the Lord, and at the consummation of his days, he will be blessed.

20  To fear God is the fullness of wisdom, and it is a fullness from its fruits.

21  She will fill her entire house from her offspring, and storehouses from her treasures.

Sir1:17  She filleth all their house with things desirable, and the garners with her increase.

22  The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, the completion of peace, and the fruit of salvation.

Sir1:18  The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect health to flourish; both which are the gifts of God: and it enlargeth their rejoicing that love him.

23  And the fear of the Lord has seen and numbered wisdom; but both are gifts of God.

24  Wisdom will distribute knowledge and an understanding of prudence; and she lifts up the glory of those who hold to her.

Sir1:19  Wisdom raineth down skill and knowledge of understanding standing, and exalteth them to honour that hold her fast.

25  The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and its branches are long-lived.

26  In the treasures of wisdom is understanding and the sanctity of knowledge. But to sinners, wisdom is an abomination.

27  The fear of the Lord expels sin.

Sir1:21  The fear of the Lord driveth away sins: and where it is present, it turneth away wrath.

28  For he who is without fear is not able to be justified. For the disposition of his spirit is his undoing.

Sir1:22  A furious man cannot be justified; for the sway of his fury shall be his destruction.

29  Those who are patient will suffer for a brief time, and afterwards, happiness will return.

Sir1:23  A patient man will tear for a time, and afterward joy shall spring up unto him.

30  A noble mind will hide his words for a brief time, and then the lips of many will declare his understanding.

Sir1:24  He will hide his words for a time, and the lips of many shall declare his wisdom.

31  Among the treasures of wisdom is the outward sign of discipline.

Sir1:25  The parables of knowledge are in the treasures of wisdom: but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.

32  But to those who sin, the worship of God is an abomination.

33  Son, if you desire wisdom, observe justice, and then God will offer her to you.

Sir1:26  If thou desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord shall give her unto thee.

34  For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline.

35  And what pleases him is faith and meekness. And so shall he complete his treasures.

36  You should not be incredulous to the fear of the Lord. And you should not draw close to him with a duplicitous heart.

Sir1:28  Distrust not the fear of the Lord when thou art poor: and come not unto him with a double heart.

37  You should not be a hypocrite in the sight of men. And you should not scandalize with your lips.

Sir1:29  Be not an hypocrite in the sight of men, and take good heed what thou speakest.

38  Attend to these things, otherwise you may fall and bring dishonor to your soul.

Sir1:30  Exalt not thyself, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon thy soul, and so God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the midst of the congregation, because thou camest not in truth to the fear of the Lord, but thy heart is full of deceit.

39  And then God may uncover your secrets, and he may cast you down forcefully in the midst of the congregation.

40  For you drew near to the Lord wickedly, and your heart was filled with deceit and falseness.

2:1  Son, when you apply yourself to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare your soul for temptation.

1  My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation.

2:2  Humble your heart, and persevere. Incline your ear, and accept words of understanding. And you should not hurry away in the time of distress.

2  Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble.

2:3  Endure steadfastly for God. Join yourself to God, and persevere, so that your life may increase in the very end.

3  Cleave unto him, and depart not away, that thou mayest be increased at thy last end.

2:4  Accept everything that will happened to you, and persevere in your sorrow, and have patience in your humiliation.

4  Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate.

2:5  For gold and silver are tested in fire, yet truly, acceptable men are tested in the furnace of humiliation.

5  For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.

2:6  Believe God, and he will restore you to health. And straighten your way, and hope in him. Observe his fear, and grow old in it.

6  Believe in him, and he will help thee; order thy way aright, and trust in him.

2:7  You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy. And do not turn away from him, lest you fall.

7  Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest ye fall.

2:8  You who fear the Lord, believe in him. And your reward will not be taken away.

8  Ye that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail.

2:9  You who fear the Lord, hope in him. And mercy will approach you, to your delight.

9  Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy.

2:10  You who fear the Lord, love him. And your hearts will be illuminated.

2:11  My sons, consider the nations of men, and know that not one of them hoped in the Lord and was confounded.

Sir2:10  Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?

2:12  For who has remained in his commandment and been abandoned? Or who has called upon him, and yet he despised him?

2:13  For God is upright and merciful, and he will forgive sins in the day of tribulation. And he is the Protector to all those who seek him in truth.

Sir2:11  For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, longsuffering, and very pitiful, and forgiveth sins, and saveth in time of affliction.

2:14  Woe to the duplicitous heart, and to the wicked lips, and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner who walks the earth by two ways!

Sir2:12  Woe be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the sinner that goeth two ways!

2:15  Woe to the dissolute in heart, who do not trust God! For, as a result, they will not be protected by him.

Sir2:13  Woe unto him that is fainthearted! for he believeth not; therefore shall he not be defended.

2:16  Woe to those who have lost endurance, and who have abandoned upright ways, and who have turned aside to depraved ways!

Sir2:14  Woe unto you that have lost patience! and what will ye do when the Lord shall visit you?

2:17  And what will they do when the Lord begins to examine them?

2:18  Those who fear the Lord will not be unbelieving toward his Word. And those who love him will keep to his way.

Sir2:15  They that fear the Lord will not disobey his Word; and they that love him will keep his ways.

2:19  Those who fear the Lord will seek the things that are well-pleasing to him. And those who love him will be filled with his law.

Sir2:16  They that fear the Lord will seek that which is well, pleasing unto him; and they that love him shall be filled with the law.

2:20  Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and they will sanctify their souls in his sight.

Sir2:17  They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight,

2:21  Those who fear the Lord keep his commandments, and they will have patience even until his examination,

2:22  saying: “If we do not do penance, then we will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.”

Sir2:18  Saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his majesty is, so is his mercy.

2:23  For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with him.

3:1  The sons of wisdom are the Church of the just: and their generation is obedience and love.

3:2  Sons, listen to the judgment of your father, and act accordingly, so that you may be saved.

Sir3:1  Hear me your father, O children, and do thereafter, that ye may be safe.

3:3  For God has honored the father in the sons, and, when seeking the judgment of the mother, he has confirmed it in the children.

Sir3:2  For the Lord hath given the father honour over the children, and hath confirmed the authority of the mother over the sons.

3:4  He who loves God will plead with him on behalf of sins, and will keep himself away from sin, and will be heeded in the prayers of his days.

Sir3:3  Whoso honoureth his father maketh an atonement for his sins

3:5  And, like one who stores up treasure, so also is he who honors his mother.

Sir3:4  And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up treasure.

3:6  He who honors his father will find happiness in his own children, and he will be heeded in the day of his prayer.

Sir3:5  Whoso honoureth his father shall have joy of his own children; and when he maketh his prayer, he shall be heard.

3:7  He who honors his father will live a long life. And he who obeys his father will be a refreshment to his mother.

Sir3:6  He that honoureth his father shall have a long life; and he that is obedient unto the Lord shall be a comfort to his mother.

3:8  He who fears the Lord honors his parents, and he will serve them as masters, for it is they who conceived him.

Sir3:7  He that feareth the Lord will honour his father, and will do service unto his parents, as to his masters.

3:9  In word and deed, and in all things, honor your father with patience,

Sir3:8  Honour thy father and mother both in word and deed, that a blessing may come upon thee from them.

3:10  so that a blessing may come to you from him, and so that his blessing may remain to the very end.

3:11  The blessing of the father strengthens the houses of the sons; but the curse of the mother uproots even its foundation.

Sir3:9  For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of children; but the curse of the mother rooteth out foundations.

3:12  Do not boast in the disgrace of your father; for his shame is not your glory.

Sir3:10  Glory not in the dishonour of thy father; for thy father’s dishonour is no glory unto thee.

3:13  For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a father without honor is a discredit to the son.

3:14  Son, support your father in his old age, and do not grieve him in his life.

Sir3:12  My son, help thy father in his age, and grieve him not as long as he liveth.

3:15  And if his mind should fail, show kindness; and do not spurn him when you are in your strength. For almsgiving to the father will never be forgotten.

Sir3:13  And if his understanding fail, have patience with him; and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength.

3:16  For even in return for the sin of the mother, good will be repaid to you.

Sir3:14  For the relieving of thy father shall not be forgotten: and instead of sins it shall be added to build thee up.

3:17  And you will be built up in justice, and you will be remembered in the day of tribulation. And your sins will dissolve like ice in warm weather.

Sir3:15  In the day of thine affliction it shall be remembered; thy sins also shall melt away, as the ice in the fair warm weather.

3:18  What an evil form has he who forsakes his father! And whoever exasperates his mother is accursed by God.

Sir3:16  He that forsaketh his father is as a blasphemer; and he that angereth his mother is cursed: of God.

3:19  Son, perform your works in meekness, and you shall be loved beyond the glory of men.

Sir3:17  My son, go on with thy business in meekness; so shalt thou be beloved of him that is approved.

3:20  However great you may be, humble yourself in all things, and you will find grace in the presence of God.

Sir3:18  The greater thou art, the more humble thyself, and thou shalt find favour before the Lord.

3:21  Many are in high place, and of renown: but mysteries are revealed unto the meek.

3:22  For only the power of God is great, and he is honored by the humble.

3:23  You should not seek the things that are too high for you, and you should not examine the things that are beyond your ability. But as for the things that God has entrusted to you, consider these always. But you should not be curious in too many of his works.

Sir3:21  Seek not out things that are too hard for thee, neither search the things that are above thy strength.

3:24  For it is not necessary for you to see with your own eyes the things that are hidden.

Sir3:22  But what is commanded thee, think thereupon with reverence, for it is not needful for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are in secret.

3:25  In unnecessary matters, do not choose to be an examiner of many different things, and you should not be curious about too many of his works.

Sir3:23  Be not curious in unnecessary matters: for more things are shewed unto thee than men understand.

3:26  For many things have been revealed to you, beyond the understanding of men.

Sir3:24  For many are deceived by their own vain opinion; and an evil suspicion hath overthrown their judgement.

3:27  Yet uncertainty in these things has also undermined many persons and has detained their minds in vanity.

Sir3:25  Without eyes thou shalt want light: profess not the knowledge therefore that thou hast not.

3:28  A hardened heart will have evil in the very end, and he who loves peril will perish in it.

Sir3:26  A stubborn heart shall fare evil at the last; and he that loveth danger shall perish therein.

3:29  A heart advancing in two directions will not have success, and the depraved heart will be scandalized in this way.

3:30  A wicked heart will be burdened with sorrows, and a sinner will add further sins.

Sir3:27  An obstinate heart shall be laden with sorrows; and the wicked man shall heap sin upon sin.

3:31  The synagogue of the arrogant will not be healed. For the stalk of sinfulness will take root in them, and it will not be understood.

Sir3:28  In the punishment of the proud there is no remedy; for the plant of wickedness hath taken root in him.

3:32  The heart of the wise is understood by wisdom, and a good ear will listen to wisdom with all its desire.

Sir3:29  The heart of the prudent will understand a parable; and an attentive ear is the desire of a wise man.

3:33  A wise and understanding heart will abstain from sins, and will have success in works of justice.

3:34  Water extinguishes a burning fire, and almsgiving withstands sins.

Sir3:30  Water will quench a flaming fire; and alms maketh an atonement for sins.

3:35  And God is the watchman for him who repays a kindness. He remembers him afterwards, and in the time of his fall, he will find a firm support.

Sir3:31  And he that requiteth good turns is mindful of that which may come hereafter; and when he falleth, he shall find a stay.