Sirach 39
aligned by seat — same row, same verse, whatever each bible numbers it
| v | Wycliffe |
|---|---|
| 1 | A wijs man schal seke out the wisdom of alle elde men; and he schal yyue tent in profetis. |
| 2 | He schal kepe the tellyng of named men; and he schal entre togidere in to the hard sentensis of parablis. |
| 3 | He schal seke out the pryuy thingis of prouerbis; and he schal be conuersaunt in the hid thingis of parablis. |
| 4 | He schal mynystre in the myddis of grete men; and he schal appere in the siyt of the cheef iuge. |
| 5 | He schal passe in to the lond of alien folkis; for he schal asaie goodis, and yuels in alle thingis. |
| 6 | He schal yyue his herte to wake eerli to the Lord that made hym; and he schal biseche in the siyt of the hiyeste. |
| 7 | He schal opene his mouth in preier; and he schal biseche for hise trespassis. |
| 8 | For if the grete Lord wole, he schal fille hym with the spirit of vndurstondyng. |
| 9 | And he schal sende the wordis of his wisdom, as reynes; and in preier he schal knouleche to the Lord. |
| 10 | And he schal dresse his counsel, and techyng; and schal councele in hise hid thingis. |
| 11 | He schal make opene the wisdom of his techyng; and he schal haue glorie in the lawe of the testament of the Lord. |
| 12 | Many men schulen preyse his wisdom; and it schal not be don awey til in to the world. |
| 13 | His mynde schal not go awei; and his name schal be souyt fro generacioun in to generacioun. |
| 14 | Folkis schulen telle out his wisdom; and the chirche schal telle his preisyng. |
| 15 | If his name dwellith, he schal leeue more than a thousynde; and if he restith, it schal profite to hym. |
| 16 | Yit Y schal take councel to telle out, for Y am fillid as with woodnesse; |
| 17 | and myn ynnere spirit seith in vois, Ye fruytis of God, here me, and make ye fruyt, as roosis plauntide on the ryuers of watris. |
| 18 | Haue ye odour of swetnesse, as the Liban hath. |
| 19 | Bringe forth flouris, as a lilee; yyue ye odour, and make ye boowis in to grace. And preise ye togidere a song; and blesse ye the Lord in hise werkis. |
| 20 | Yyue ye greet onour to his name, and knouleche ye to him in the vois of youre lippis, in songis of lippis, and in harpis; and thus ye schulen seie in knouleching, |
| 21 | Alle the werkis of the Lord ben ful goode. |
| 22 | Forsothe watir as an heepe of stoonys stood at his word; and as resettis of watris in the word of his mouth. |
| 23 | For whi pesiblenesse is maad in his comaundement; and no defaute is in the heelthe of hym. |
| 24 | The werkis of ech fleisch ben bifore hym; and no thing is hid fro hise iyen. |
| 25 | He biholdith fro the world til in to the world; and no thing is wondurful in his siyt. |
| 26 | It is not to seie, What is this thing, ether, What is that thing? for whi alle thingis schulen be souyt in her tyme. |
| 27 | The blessyng of hym schal flowe as a flood; |
| 28 | and as the grete flood fillide greteli the erthe, so his yre schal enherite in folkis, that souyten not hym. |
| 29 | As he turnede watris in to drynessis, and the erthe was dried, and hise weies weren dressid to the weies of hem; so offenciouns in his ire ben dressid to synneris. |
| 30 | Goode thingis weren maad at the bigynnyng to goode men; so goode thingis and yuele ben maad to worste men. |
| 31 | The bigynnyng of nedeful thing to the lijf of men, watir, fier, and yrun, and salt, and mylk, and breed of cleene flour of whete, and hony, and a clustre of grape, and oile, and cloth. |
| 32 | Alle these thingis schulen turne to hooli men in to goodis; so and to vnfeithful men and synneris in to yuels. |
| 33 | Spiritis ben that ben maad to veniaunce; and in her woodnesse thei confermyden her turmentis. |
| 34 | And in the tyme of endyng thei schulen schede out vertu; and thei schulen confounde the strong veniaunce of hym that made hem. |
| 35 | Fier, hail, hungur, and deth; alle these thingis ben maad to veniaunce; the teeth of beestis, |
| 36 | and scorpiouns, and serpentis, and a swerd punyschynge wickid men in to destriyng. |
| 37 | In the comaundementis of hym tho schulen ete, and tho schulen be maad redi on the erthe in nede; and in her tymes tho schulen not passe o word. |
| 38 | Therfor fro the bigynnyng Y was confermed; and Y counselide, and thouyte, and lefte writun. |
| 39 | Alle the werkis of the Lord ben goode; and ech werk schal serue in his our. |
| 40 | It is not to seie, This is worse than that; for whi alle thingis schulen be preued in her tyme. |
| 41 | And now in al the herte and mouth preise ye togidere, and blesse ye the name of the Lord. |