Ecclesiasticus, 51

1. The prayer of Jesus, the son of Sirach: I will confess to you, O Lord and King, and I will give praise to you, O God my Saviour.

1. Slavit æu te, Gospodaru, Kralju, i hvalit æu te, Bože, Spasitelju moj. Zahvaljujem imenu tvojem,

2. I will acknowledge your name. For you have been my Helper and Protector.

2. jer ti si bio zaštitnik i pomoænik moj i spasio si tijelo moje od propasti, od zamke prijevarna jezika, od usana što laži kuju i pred onima što su okolo mene bio si zaštitnik i pomoænik moj.

3. And you have freed my body from perdition, from the snare of the iniquitous tongue, and from the lips of those who forge lies. And you have been my Helper in the sight of those who stood nearby.

3. Po velikom milosrðu i imenu svom izbavio si me od ujeda onih koji bi me proždrli, iz ruku onih koji mi o glavi rade, od mnogih kušnja koje pretrpjeh,

4. And you have freed me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name: from those who roared and prepared to devour,

4. od gušenja u vatri koja me okružila, iz središta ognja koji nisam potpalio,

5. from the hands of those who sought my life, and from the gates of tribulation that surrounded me,

5. iz duboke utrobe Podzemlja, od neèista jezika i lažljive rijeèi,

6. from the oppression of the flames that surrounded me, and so I was not burned in the midst of the fire,

6. od potvore nepravedna jezika pred kraljem. Duša moja bijaše blizu smrti i život moj na pragu Podzemlja.

7. from the depths of the bowels of hell, and from the defiled tongue, and from lying words, from an iniquitous king, and from an unjust tongue.

7. Okruživahu me sa svih strana i nije bilo nikoga da mi pomogne; pogledom sam pomoæ ljudi tražio, ali uzalud.

8. My soul shall praise the Lord, even unto death.

8. Tad se sjetih milosrða tvojeg, o Gospode, i djela tvojih još odiskona, kako izbavljaš one koji te strpljivo èekaju i spasavaš ih iz ruku neprijateljskih.

9. For my life was drawing near to hell below.

9. Tad podigoh sa zemlje glas svoj i zamolih spas od smrti,

10. And they surrounded me on every side. And there was no one who would help me. I looked around for the assistance of men, and there was none.

10. zazvah Gospodina, oca mojega Gospodina: "Ne ostavi me u dan nevoljni, u vrijeme moje nemoæi protiv oholih. - Slavit æu ime tvoje bez prestanka i zahvalnu ti hvalu pjevati."

11. Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your works, which are from the very beginning.

11. I bi molba moja uslišana, izbavio si me od propasti, spasio me od vremena zloæe.

12. For you rescue those who persevere for you, O Lord, and you free them from the hands of the Gentiles.

12. I stoga æu te hvaliti i slaviti i blagoslivljati ime Gospodnje.

13. You exalted my habitation upon the earth, and I made supplication that death would pass away.

13. Kad još bijah mladiæ, prije svojih putovanja molio sam otvoreno za mudrost u molitvama.

14. I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, so that he would not abandon me in the day of my tribulation, nor in the time of arrogance without assistance.

14. Pred vratima Svetišta za nju sam molio i do posljednjeg æu dana tragati za njom.

15. I will praise your name unceasingly, and I will praise it with thanksgiving, for my prayer was heeded.

15. Od njena cvata pa do sazrela grozda radovalo joj se srce moje. Noga je moja kroèila pravim putem i tražio sam mudrost od svoje mladosti.

16. And you freed me from perdition, and you rescued me from the time of iniquity.

16. Prignuvši malo uho, nauèih je i stekoh mnogu pouku.

17. Because of this, I will give thanks and praise to you, and I will bless the name of the Lord.

17. Po njoj uznapredovah i slavu æu dati onomu koji me podari mudrošæu.

18. When I was still young, before I wandered astray, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

18. Jer odluèih u djelo je provesti, žarko za dobrom tragah i neæu se stidjeti.

19. I asked for her before the temple, and even to the very end, I will inquire after her. And she flourished like a newly-ripened grape.

19. Duša se moja za nju borila, pomno sam se držao Zakona. Pružao sam ruke prema nebu i oplakivao što je ne poznam.

20. My heart rejoiced in her. My feet walked in the right path. From my youth, I pursued her.

20. Usmjerih svoju dušu prema njoj i naðoh je u èistoæi. Od poèetka joj posvetih svoje srce, i neæu nikad biti napušten.

21. I bent my ear a little and accepted her.

21. I utroba mi uzdrhta od èežnje za njom, i stoga stekoh valjano blago.

22. I found much wisdom within myself, and I benefited greatly by her.

22. Za plaæu mi je Gospod jezik podario: njime æu ga slaviti.

23. I will give glory to him who gives wisdom to me.

23. Priðite k meni, vi nepouèeni, u mojoj školi sjedite.

24. For I have decided that I should act according to wisdom. I have been zealous for what is good, and so I will not be confounded.

24. Zašto da u tom oskudijevate, i da vam duše toliko žeðaju?

25. My soul has struggled for wisdom, and in doing so, I have been confirmed.

25. Otvorih svoja usta i rekoh: "Kupujte je bez novaca,

26. I extended my hands on high, and I mourned my ignorance of her.

26. podmetnite vrat svoj pod njen jaram i neka vam duše prihvate pouku. Tko je traži - blizu mu je, i èovjek odan nalazi je.

27. I directed my soul toward her, and I found her within knowledge.

27. Pogledajte oèima svojim: kako sam se malo trudio, a mnogo spokoja stekao.

28. From the beginning, I held my heart to wisdom. Because of this, I will not be forsaken.

28. Kupujte pouku velikom svotom novca, njome æete steæi mnogo zlata.

29. My stomach was stirred up while seeking her. Because of her, I will hold a good possession.

29. Nek' se duša vaša raduje u milosrðu Gospodnjem, i nikad se ne stidite hvaliti ga.

30. The Lord has given me a tongue as my reward, and I will praise him with it.

30. Uèinite djelo svoje prije odreðena vremena: u svoje vrijeme dat æe vam on vašu plaæu." Mudrost Isusa, sina Sirahova.

31. Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and gather yourselves into the house of discipline.

31.

32. Why are you reluctant? And what do you have to say about these things? Your souls are exceedingly thirsty!

32.

33. I have opened my mouth, and I have spoken. Buy wisdom for yourselves without silver,

33.

34. and subject your neck to her yoke, and let your soul accept her discipline. For she is close enough to be found.

34.

35. See with your own eyes how I have labored only a little, and have found much rest for myself.

35.

36. Take up discipline, as if it were a great sum of money, and possess an abundance of gold in her.

36.

37. Let your soul rejoice in his mercy. For you will not be confounded by his praise.

37.

38. Accomplish your work before the time. And he will give you your reward in his time.

38.