The Book of Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus)
Chapter 15
1 – He that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice, shall lay hold on her,
2 – And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
3 – With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved:
4 – And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours.
5 – And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory.
6 – She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
7 – But foolish men shall not obtain her, and wise men shall meet her, foolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit.
8 – Lying men shall not be mindful of her: but men that speak truth shall be found with her, and shall advance, even till they come to the sight of God.
9 – Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner:
10 – For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with the wisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth, and the sovereign Lord will give praise unto it.
11 – Say not: It is through God, that she is not with me: for do not thou the things that he hateth.
12 – Say not: He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of wicked men.
13 – The Lord hateth all abomination of error, and they that fear him shall not love it.
14 – God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his own counsel.
15 – He added his commandments and precepts.
16 – If thou wilt keep the commandments and perform acceptable fidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee.
17 – He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy hand to which thou wilt.
18 – Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he shall choose shall be given him:
19 – For the wisdom of God is great, and he is strong in power, seeing all men without ceasing.
20 – The eyes of the Lord are towards them that fear him, and he knoweth all the work of man.
21 – He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given no man license to sin:
22 – For he desireth not a multitude of faithless and unprofitable children.
The Catholic Bible Online. Scriptures are from The Douay Rheims Catholic Bible 1582-1610 a.d. Version In the Public Domain. The Douay Rheims Bible is a translation of the Bible from the Latin Vulgate into English undertaken by members of the English College, Douai in the service of the Catholic Church.