‏ Sirach 51

1Lord kyng, Y schal knouleche to thee; and Y schal togidere herie thee, my sauyour. 2Y schal knouleche to thi name, for thou art maad an helpere and defendere to me; 3and thou hast delyuered my bodi fro perdicioun, fro the snare of a wickid tunge, and fro the lippis of hem that worchen a leesyng; and in the siyt of hem that stonden nyy thou art maad an helpere to me. 4And thou hast delyuered me, bi the multitude of merci of thi name, fro roreris maad redi to mete; 5fro the hondis of hem that souyten my soule, and fro many tribulaciouns that cumpassiden me; 6fro ouerleiyng of flawme that cumpasside me, and in the myddis of fier Y was not brent; 7fro the depthe of the wombe of helle, and fro a tunge defoulyd, and fro a word of leesyng; fro a wickid kyng, and fro a tunge vniust. 8`Til to the deth my soule schal preise thee, Lord; 9and my lijf was neiyynge in helle bynethe. 10Thei cumpassiden me on ech side, and noon was that helpide; Y was biholdynge to the help of men, and noon was. 11Lord, Y hadde mynde on thi merci, and on thi worchyng togidere, that ben fro the world; 12for thou delyuerst hem that abiden thee, and thou delyuerst hem fro the hond of hethene men. 13Thou enhaunsidist my dwellyng on erthe; and Y bisouyte for deth fletynge doun. 14Y clepyde to help the Lord, fadir of my Lord, that he forsake not me in the dai of my tribulacioun, and forsake not me with outen help, in the tyme of hem that ben proude. 15Y schal preise thi name contynueli, and Y schal herie it togidere in knoulechyng; and my preier is herd. 16And thou hast delyuered me fro perdicioun, and thou hast delyuered me fro the wickid tyme. 17Therfor Y schal knouleche, and Y schal seie heriyng to thee; and Y schal blesse the name of the Lord. 18Whanne yit Y was yongere, bifore that Y erride, Y souyte wisdom opynli in my preier. 19Bifore the tyme of eelde Y axide for it, and `til in to the laste thingis Y schal enquere it; and it schal flour as a grape ripe bifore othere. 20Myn herte was glad ther ynne, my foot yede a riytful weye; fro my yongthe Y souyte it. 21Y bowide doun a litil myn eere, and Y took it. 22Y foonde myche wisdom in my silf, and Y profitide myche ther ynne. 23Y schal yyue glorie to hym, that yyueth wisdom to me. 24For whi Y took councel to do it; Y loued feruentli good, and Y schal not be schent. 25My soule wrastlide togidere ther ynne; and Y was confermyd in doynge it. 26Y stretchide forth myn hondis an hiy; and my soule schynede in the wisdom of hym, and he liytnyde myn vnkunnyngis. 27Y dresside my soule to it; and Y foond it in knowyng. 28Y hadde pesibli fro the bigynnyng an herte with tho; for this thing Y schal not be forsakun. 29My soule was disturblid in sekynge it; therfor Y schal haue pesibli a good possessioun. 30For whi the Lord yaf to me a tunge my meede; and in it Y schal preise hym. 31Ye vntauyt men, neiye to me; and gadere ye you in to the hous of techyng. 32What tarien ye yit? and what seien ye in these thingis? youre soules thristen greetli. 33Y openyde my mouth, and Y spak, Bie ye wisdom to you with out siluer, 34and make youre necke suget to the yok therof, and youre soule resseyue techyng; for whi it is in the nexte to fynde it. 35Se ye with youre iyen, that Y trauelide a litil, and Y foond myche reste to me. 36Take ye techyng in myche noumbre of siluere, and welde ye plenteuouse gold ther ynne. 37Youre soule be glad in the merci of hym; and ye schulen not be schent in the preysing of hym. 38Worche ye youre werk bifore the tyme; and he schal yyue to you youre meede in his tyme.