Liber Ecclesiasticus, 24

1. Laus sapientiae. Sapientia laudabit animam suam et in Deo honorabitur et in medio populi sui gloriabitur

1. O Lord, Father and Ruler of my life, do not abandon me to their counsel, and let me not fall because of them!

2. et in ecclesia Altissimi aperiet os suum et in conspectu virtutis illius gloriabitur

2. O that whips were set over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over my mind! That they may not spare me in my errors, and that it may not pass by my sins;

3. et in medio populi sui exaltabitur et in plenitudine sancta admirabitur

3. in order that my mistakes may not be multiplied, and my sins may not abound; then I will not fall before my adversaries, and my enemy will not rejoice over me.

4. et in multitudine electorum habebit laudem et inter benedictos benedicetur dicens:

4. O Lord, Father and God of my life, do not give me haughty eyes,

5. “Ego ex ore Altissimi prodivi, primogenita ante omnem creaturam.

5. and remove from me evil desire.

6. Ego feci in caelis, ut oriretur lumen indeficiens, et sicut nebula texi omnem terram.

6. Let neither gluttony nor lust overcome me, and do not surrender me to a shameless soul.

7. Ego in altissimis habitavi, et thronus meus in columna nubis.

7. Listen, my children, to instruction concerning speech; the one who observes it will never be caught.

8. Gyrum caeli circuivi sola et in profundum abyssi ambulavi,

8. The sinner is overtaken through his lips, the reviler and the arrogant are tripped by them.

9. in fluctibus maris et in omni terra steti

9. Do not accustom your mouth to oaths, and do not habitually utter the name of the Holy One;

10. et in omni populo et in omni gente primatum habui

10. for as a servant who is continually examined under torture will not lack bruises, so also the man who always swears and utters the Name will not be cleansed from sin.

11. et omnium excellentium et humilium corda virtute calcavi. In his omnibus requiem quaesivi: cuius in hereditate morabor?

11. A man who swears many oaths will be filled with iniquity, and the scourge will not leave his house; if he offends, his sin remains on him, and if he disregards it, he sins doubly; if he has sworn needlessly, he will not be justified, for his house will be filled with calamities.

12. Tunc praecepit et dixit mihi Creator omnium, et, qui creavit me, quietem dedit tabernaculo meo

12. There is an utterance which is comparable to death; may it never be found in the inheritance of Jacob! For all these errors will be far from the godly, and they will not wallow in sins.

13. et dixit mihi: “In Iacob inhabita et in Israel hereditare et in electis meis mitte radices”.

13. Do not accustom your mouth to lewd vulgarity, for it involves sinful speech.

14. Ab initio ante saecula creata sum et usque ad futurum saeculum non desinam.

14. Remember your father and mother when you sit among great men; lest you be forgetful in their presence, and be deemed a fool on account of your habits; then you will wish that you had never been born, and you will curse the day of your birth.

15. Et in tabernaculo sancto coram ipso ministravi, et sic in Sion firmata sum et in civitate similiter dilecta requievi, et in Ierusalem potestas mea.

15. A man accustomed to use insulting words will never become disciplined all his days.

16. Et radicavi in populo honorificato et in parte Domini, in hereditate illius, et in plenitudine sanctorum detentio mea.

16. Two sorts of men multiply sins, and a third incurs wrath. The soul heated like a burning fire will not be quenched until it is consumed; a man who commits fornication with his near of kin will never cease until the fire burns him up.

17. Quasi cedrus exaltata sum in Libano, et quasi cupressus in montibus Hermon.

17. To a fornicator all bread tastes sweet; he will never cease until he dies.

18. Quasi palma exaltata sum in Engaddi, et quasi plantatio rosae in Iericho.

18. A man who breaks his marriage vows says to himself, "Who sees me? Darkness surrounds me, and the walls hide me, and no one sees me. Why should I fear? The Most High will not take notice of my sins."

19. Quasi oliva speciosa in campis, et quasi platanus exaltata sum iuxta aquam in plateis.

19. His fear is confined to the eyes of men, and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun; they look upon all the ways of men, and perceive even the hidden places.

20. Sicut cinnamomum et balsamum aromatizans odorem dedi; quasi myrrha electa dedi suavitatem odoris.

20. Before the universe was created, it was known to him; so it was also after it was finished.

21. Et quasi storax et galbanus et ungula et gutta, et quasi libani vapor in tabernaculo.

21. This man will be punished in the streets of the city, and where he least suspects it, he will be seized.

22. Ego quasi terebinthus extendi ramos meos, et rami mei rami honoris et gratiae.

22. So it is with a woman who leaves her husband and provides an heir by a stranger.

23. Ego quasi vitis germinavi gratiam, et flores mei fructus honoris et honestatis.

23. For first of all, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High; second, she has committed an offense against her husband; and third, she has committed adultery through harlotry and brought forth children by another man.

24. Ego mater pulchrae dilectionis et timoris et agnitionis et sanctae spei.

24. She herself will be brought before the assembly, and punishment will fall on her children.

25. In me gratia omnis viae et veritatis, in me omnis spes vitae et virtutis.

25. Her children will not take root, and her branches will not bear fruit.

26. Transite ad me, omnes, qui concupiscitis me, et a generationibus meis implemini.

26. She will leave her memory for a curse, and her disgrace will not be blotted out.

27. Doctrina enim mea super mel dulcis, et hereditas mea super mel et favum;

27. Those who survive her will recognize that nothing is better than the fear of the Lord, and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.

28. memoria mea in generationes saeculorum.

28.

29. Qui edunt me, adhuc esurient; et, qui bibunt me, adhuc sitient.

29.

30. Qui audit me, non confundetur; et, qui operantur in me, non peccabunt:

30.

31. qui elucidant me, vitam aeternam habebunt”.

31.

32. Haec omnia liber testamenti Altissimi,

32.

33. lex, quam mandavit nobis Moyses, hereditas domui Iacob.

33.

34. Posuit David puero suo excitare regem ex ipso fortissimum, et in throno honoris sedentem in sempiternum.

34.

35. Lex, quae implet quasi Phison sapientiam et sicut Tigris in diebus novorum,

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36. quae adimplet quasi Euphrates sensum et quasi Iordanis in tempore messis,

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37. quae redundavit disciplina sicut Nilus et assistens quasi Geon in die vindemiae.

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38. Non perfecit primus scire ipsam, sic nec ultimus investigavit eam.

38.

39. Super mare enim abundavit cogitatio eius, et consilium illius super abyssum magnam.

39.

40. Ego sapientia effudi flumina,

40.

41. ego quasi trames aquae immensae de fluvio et sicut aquaeductus exivi in paradisum.

41.

42. Dixi: “Rigabo hortum meum plantationum et inebriabo prati mei fructum”.

42.

43. Et ecce factus est mihi trames in fluvium, et fluvius meus appropinquavit ad mare.

43.

44. Quoniam doctrinam quasi antelucanum illuminabo et enarrabo illam usque ad longinquum.

44.

45. Penetrabo omnes inferiores partes terrae et inspiciam omnes dormientes et illuminabo omnes sperantes in Domino;

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46. adhuc doctrinam quasi prophetiam effundam et relinquam illam in generationes saeculorum et non desinam in progenies illorum usque in aevum sanctum.

46.

47. Videte quoniam non soli mihi laboravi, sed omnibus exquirentibus illam.

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