Sir 15:13 The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear G.o.d love it not.

Sir 15:14 He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;

Sir 15:15 If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.

Sir 15:16 He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.

Sir 15:17 Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.

Sir 15:18 For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:

Sir 15:19 And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.

Sir 15:20 He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.

Sir 16:1 Desire not a mult.i.tude of unprofitable children, neither delight in unG.o.dly sons.

Sir 16:2 Though they multiply, rejoice not in them, except the fear of the Lord be with them.

Sir 16:3 Trust not thou in their life, neither respect their mult.i.tude: for one that is just is better than a thousand; and better it is to die without children, than to have them that are unG.o.dly.

Sir 16:4 For by one that hath understanding shall the city be replenished: but the kindred of the wicked shall speedily become desolate.

Sir 16:5 Many such things have I seen with mine eyes, and mine ear hath heard greater things than these.

Sir 16:6 In the congregation of the unG.o.dly shall a fire be kindled; and in a rebellious nation wrath is set on fire.

Sir 16:7 He was not pacified toward the old giants, who fell away in the strength of their foolishness.

Sir 16:8 Neither spared he the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for their pride.

Sir 16:9 He pitied not the people of perdition, who were taken away in their sins:

Sir 16:10 Nor the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts.

Sir 16:11 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.

Sir 16:12 As his mercy is great, so is his correction also: he judgeth a man according to his works

Sir 16:13 The sinner shall not escape with his spoils: and the patience of the G.o.dly shall not be frustrate.

Sir 16:14 Make way for every work of mercy: for every man shall find according to his works.

Sir 16:15 The Lord hardened Pharaoh, that he should not know him, that his powerful works might be known to the world.

Sir 16:16 His mercy is manifest to every creature; and he hath separated his light from the darkness with an adamant.

Sir 16:17 Say not thou, I will hide myself from the Lord: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my soul among such an infinite number of creatures?

Sir 16:18 Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the deep, and the earth, and all that therein is, shall be moved when he shall visit.

Sir 16:19 The mountains also and foundations of the earth be shaken with trembling, when the Lord looketh upon them.

Sir 16:20 No heart can think upon these things worthily: and who is able to conceive his ways?

Sir 16:21 It is a tempest which no man can see: for the most part of his works are hid.

Sir 16:22 Who can declare the works of his justice? or who can endure them? for his covenant is afar off, and the trial of all things is in the end.

Sir 16:23 He that wanteth understanding will think upon vain things: and a foolish man erring imagineth follies.

Sir 16:24 by son, hearken unto me, and learn knowledge, and mark my words with thy heart.

Sir 16:25 I will shew forth doctrine in weight, and declare his knowledge exactly.

Sir 16:26 The works of the Lord are done in judgment from the beginning: and from the time he made them he disposed the parts thereof.

Sir 16:27 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.

Sir 16:28 None of them hindereth another, and they shall never disobey his word.

Sir 16:29 After this the Lord looked upon the earth, and filled it with his blessings.

Sir 16:30 With all manner of living things hath he covered the face thereof; and they shall return into it again.

Sir 17:1 The Lord created man of the earth, and turned him into it again.

Sir 17:2 He gave them few days, and a short time, and power also over the things therein.

Sir 17:3 He endued them with strength by themselves, and made them according to his image,

Sir 17:4 And put the fear of man upon all flesh, and gave him dominion over beasts and fowls.

Sir 17:5 They received the use of the five operations of the Lord, and in the sixth place he imparted them understanding, and in the seventh speech, an interpreter of the cogitations thereof.]

Sir 17:6 Counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, ears, and a heart, gave he them to understand.

Sir 17:7 Withal he filled them with the knowledge of understanding, and shewed them good and evil.

Sir 17:8 He set his eye upon their hearts, that he might shew them the greatness of his works.

Sir 17:9 He gave them to glory in his marvellous acts for ever, that they might declare his works with understanding.

Sir 17:10 And the elect shall praise his holy name.

Sir 17:11 Beside this he gave them knowledge, and the law of life for an heritage.

Sir 17:12 He made an everlasting covenant with them, and shewed them his judgments.