Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe.

The LI. Chapter. A prayer of Iesus the sonne of Sirac.

I Thanke the O LORDE and kynge, [ A] and praise the O God my Sauioure, I wil yelde prayse vnto y^e name: for thou art my defender and helper, & hast pre∣serued my body from destruccion, from y^e sna¦re of traytorous tōges, and from the lippes that are occupied with leyes. Thou hast be∣ne my helper, from soch as stode vp agaynst me, and hast delyuered me after the multitu¦de of thy mercy, and for thy holy names sa∣ke. Thou hast delyuered me from the roarin∣ge of them, that prepared them selues to de¦uoure me, out of y^e handes of soch as sought after my life: from the multitude of them y^t troubled me, & wente aboute to set fyre vpon me on euery syde, so y^t I am not brent in the myddest of the fyre: From the depe of hell, from an vncleane tōge, from lyenge wordes, from the wicked kynge, and from an vnrigh¦teous tonge. My soule shal prayse y^e LORDE vnto death, for my life drew nye vnto hell.

They cōpased me rounde aboute on euery [ B] syde, & there was no mā to helpe me. I loked aboute me, yf there were eny man that wol¦de socoure me: but there was none. Then thought I vpon thy mercy O LORDE, and vpon thy actes that thou hast done euer of olde: namely, y^t thou delyuerest soch as putt their trust in the, and ryddest them out of y^e handes of the Heithen. Thus lift I vp my prayer from the earth, and prayed for dely∣ueraunce from death. I called vpon the LOR¦DE my father, that he wolde not leaue me w^t out helpe, in the daye of my trouble & in the tyme of the proude. I praysed thy name con¦tynually, yeldinge honoure and thākes vnto

it: and so my prayer was herde. Thou saue∣dest me from destruccion, and delyueredest me frō y^e vnrighteous tyme. Therfore wil I aknowlege and praise the, and magnifie y^e na¦me of the LORDE.

[ C] Whā I was yet but yonge, or euer I wē¦te astraye, I desyred wyszdome openly in my prayer. I came therfore before the temple, & sought her vnto the last. Then florished she vnto me, as a grape that is soone rype. My hert reioysed in her, then wente my fote the right waye, yee from youth vp sought I af∣ter her: I bowed downe myne eare and recea¦ued her. I founde me moch wyszdome, and prospered greatly in her. Therfore wyll Ia∣scrybe the glory vnto him, that geueth me wyszdome: for I am aduysed to do therafter. I will be gelous to cleue vnto the thinge y^t is good, so shal I not be cōfounded. My sou¦le hath wrestled with her, and I haue bene diligent to be occupied in her. I lift vp my∣ne handes an hye, then was my soule lighte¦ned thorow wiszdome, that I knowleged my foolishnes. I ordred my soule after her, she & I were one hert from the begynninge, and I founde her in clennesse. And therfore shal I not be forsaken.

[ D] My hert longed after her, and I gat a good treasure. Thorow her y^e LORDE hath geuen me a new tonge, wherwith I wil prai¦se him. O come vnto me ye vnlerned, & dwell in y^e house of wyszdome: withdrawe not you¦re selues from her, but talke & comon of these thinges, for youre soules are very thirstie. I opened my mouth,* 1.1 and spake: O come & bye wyszdome without money, bowe downe you¦re neck vnder hir yock, and youre soule shall receaue wyszdome. She is harde at hande, & is content to be founde. Beholde with you∣re eyes,* 1.2 how that I haue had but litle labou¦re, and yet haue founde moch rest. O receaue wyszdome, and ye shall haue plenteousnes of syluer and golde in possession. Let you∣re mynde reioyse in his mercy, & be not ashamed of his pray¦se. Wyrke his worke by tymes, & he shal geue you youre rewarde in due tyme.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esa. 35. a
• * 1.2

  Eccli. 6. c