Chapter 39

¹ Will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients,

Sir 39:1

² He will keep the sayings of the renowned men:

Sir 39:2

³ He will seek out the secrets of grave sentences,

Sir 39:3

⁴ He shall serve among great men,

Sir 39:4

⁵ He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him,

Sir 39:5

⁶ When the great Lord will,

Sir 39:6

⁷ He shall direct his counsel and knowledge,

Sir 39:7

⁸ He shall show forth that which he hath learned,

Sir 39:8

⁹ Many shall commend his understanding;

Sir 39:9

¹⁰ Nations shall show forth his wisdom,

Sir 39:10

¹¹ If he die, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand:

Sir 39:11

¹² Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon;

Sir 39:12

¹³ Hearken unto me, ye holy children,

Sir 39:13

¹⁴ And give ye a sweet savor as frankincense,

Sir 39:14

¹⁵ Magnify his name,

Sir 39:15

¹⁶ All the works of the Lord are exceeding good,

Sir 39:16

¹⁷ For at time convenient they shall all be sought out:

Sir 39:17

¹⁸ At his commandment is done whatsoever pleaseth him;

Sir 39:18

¹⁹ The works of all flesh are before him,

Sir 39:19

²⁰ He seeth from everlasting to everlasting;

Sir 39:20

²¹ A man need not to say, What is this? wherefore is that?

Sir 39:21

²² His blessing covered the dry land as a river,

Sir 39:22

²³ As he hath turned the waters into saltness:

Sir 39:23

²⁴ As his ways are plain unto the holy;

Sir 39:24

²⁵ For the good are good things created from the beginning:

Sir 39:25

²⁶ The principal things for the whole use of man’s life

Sir 39:26

²⁷ All these things are for good to the godly:

Sir 39:27

²⁸ There be spirits that are created for vengeance,

Sir 39:28

²⁹ Fire, and hail, and famine, and death,

Sir 39:29

³⁰ Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, serpents,

Sir 39:30

³¹ Shall rejoice in his commandment,

Sir 39:31

³² Therefore from the beginning I was resolved,

Sir 39:32

³³ All the works of the Lord are good:

Sir 39:33

³⁴ So that a man cannot say, This is worse than that:

Sir 39:34

³⁵ And therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth,

Sir 39:35