Sefarim
Ben Sira15
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 15
He that feareth the master will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the torah shall obtain her.
And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.
She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.
He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.
For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.
Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the master.
For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the master will prosper it.
Say not thou, It is through the master that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.
Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.
The master hateth all abomination; and they that fear Elohim love it not.
He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;
If thou wilt, to keep the mitsvot, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.
He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.
Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.
For the wisdom of the master is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:
And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.
He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.
Sefarim
Ben Sira16
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 16
Desire not a multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight in ungodly sons.
Though they multiply, rejoice not in them, except the fear of the master be with them.
Trust not thou in their life, neither respect their multitude: for one that is just is better than a thousand; and better it is to die without children, than to have them that are ungodly.
For by one that hath understanding shall the city be replenished: but the kindred of the wicked shall speedily become desolate.
Many such things have I seen with mine eyes, and mine ear hath heard greater things than these.
In the congregation of the ungodly shall a fire be kindled; and in a rebellious nation wrath is set on fire.
He was not pacified toward the old giants, who fell away in the strength of their foolishness.
Neither spared he the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for their pride.
He pitied not the people of perdition, who were taken away in their sins:
Nor the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts.
And if there be one stiffnecked among the people, it is marvel if he escape unpunished: for mercy and wrath are with him; he is mighty to forgive, and to pour out displeasure.
As his mercy is great, so is his correction also: he judgeth a man according to his works
The sinner shall not escape with his spoils: and the patience of the godly shall not be frustrate.
Make way for every work of mercy: for every man shall find according to his works.
The master hardened Pharaoh, that he should not know him, that his powerful works might be known to the world.
His mercy is manifest to every creature; and he hath separated his light from the darkness with an adamant.
Say not thou, I will hide myself from the master: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my nephesh among such an infinite number of creatures?
Behold, the shamayim, and the shamayim of shamayim, the deep, and the earth, and all that therein is, shall be moved when he shall visit.
The mountains also and foundations of the earth be shaken with trembling, when the master looketh upon them.
No heart can think upon these things worthily: and who is able to conceive his ways?
It is a tempest which no man can see: for the most part of his works are hid.
Who can declare the works of his justice? or who can endure them? for his b'rit is afar off, and the trial of all things is in the end.
He that wanteth understanding will think upon vain things: and a foolish man erring imagineth follies.
by son, hearken unto me, and learn knowledge, and mark my words with thy heart.
I will shew forth doctrine in weight, and declare his knowledge exactly.
The works of the master are done in judgment from the beginning: and from the time he made them he disposed the parts thereof.
He garnished his works for ever, and in his hand are the chief of them unto all generations: they neither labour, nor are weary, nor cease from their works.
None of them hindereth another, and they shall never disobey his word.
After this the master looked upon the earth, and filled it with his blessings.
With all manner of living things hath he covered the face thereof; and they shall return into it again.
Sefarim
Ben Sira17
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus · Chapter 17
The master created man of the earth, and turned him into it again.
He gave them few days, and a short time, and power also over the things therein.
He endued them with strength by themselves, and made them according to his image,
And put the fear of man upon all flesh, and gave him dominion over beasts and fowls.
They received the use of the five operations of the master, and in the sixth place he imparted them understanding, and in the seventh speech, an interpreter of the cogitations thereof.
Counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, ears, and a heart, gave he them to understand.
Withal he filled them with the knowledge of understanding, and shewed them good and evil.
He set his eye upon their hearts, that he might shew them the greatness of his works.
He gave them to glory in his marvellous acts for ever, that they might declare his works with understanding.
And the elect shall praise his holy name.
Beside this he gave them knowledge, and the torah of life for an heritage.
He made an everlasting b'rit with them, and shewed them his judgments.
Their eyes saw the majesty of his glory, and their ears heard his glorious voice.
And he said unto them, Beware of all unrighteousness; and he gave every man mitsvah concerning his neighbour.
Their ways are ever before him, and shall not be hid from his eyes.
Every man from his youth is given to evil; neither could they make to themselves fleshy hearts for stony.
For in the division of the nations of the whole earth he set a ruler over every people; but Yisra'el is the master’s portion:
Whom, being his firstborn, he nourisheth with discipline, and giving him the light of his love doth not forsake him.
Therefore all their works are as the sun before him, and his eyes are continually upon their ways.
None of their unrighteous deeds are hid from him, but all their sins are before the master
But the master being gracious and knowing his workmanship, neither left nor forsook them, but spared them.
The alms of a man is as a signet with him, and he will keep the good deeds of man as the apple of the eye, and give repentance to his sons and daughters.
Afterwards he will rise up and reward them, and render their recompence upon their heads.
But unto them that repent, he granted them return, and comforted those that failed in patience.
Return unto the master, and forsake thy sins, make thy prayer before his face, and offend less.
Turn again to the most High, and turn away from iniquity: for he will lead thee out of darkness into the light of health, and hate thou abomination vehemently.
Who shall praise the most High in the grave, instead of them which live and give thanks?
Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead, as from one that is not: the living and sound in heart shall praise the master.
How great is the lovingkindness of the master our Elohim, and his compassion unto such as turn unto him in holiness!
For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is not immortal.
What is brighter than the sun? yet the light thereof faileth; and flesh and blood will imagine evil.
He vieweth the power of the height of shamayim; and all men are but earth and ashes.