Sirach

¹He who fears the Lord will do this. He who has possession of the law will obtain her. ²She will meet him like a mother, and receive him like a wife married in her virginity. ³She will feed him with bread of understanding and give him water of wisdom to drink. ⁴He will be stayed upon her, and will not be moved. He will rely upon her, and will not be confounded. ⁵She will exalt him above his neighbors. She will open his mouth in the midst of the congregation. ⁶He will inherit joy, a crown of gladness, and an everlasting name. ⁷Foolish men will not obtain her. Sinners will not see her. ⁸She is far from pride. Liars will not remember her. ⁹Praise is not attractive in the mouth of a sinner; for it was not sent to him from the Lord. ¹⁰For praise will be spoken in wisdom; The Lord will prosper it. ¹¹Don’t say, “It is through the Lord that I fell away;” for you shall not do the things that he hates. ¹²Don’t say, “It is he that caused me to err;” for he has no need of a sinful man. ¹³The Lord hates every abomination; and those who fear him don’t love them. ¹⁴He himself made man from the beginning and left him in the hand of his own counsel. ¹⁵If you choose, you can keep the commandments. To be faithful is a matter of your choice. ¹⁶He has set fire and water before you. You will stretch forth your hand to whichever you desire. ¹⁷Before man is life and death. Whichever he likes, it will be given to him. ¹⁸For the wisdom of the Lord is great. He is mighty in power, and sees all things. ¹⁹His eyes are upon those who fear him. He knows every act of man. ²⁰He has not commanded any man to be ungodly. He has not given any man license to sin.