51:1 I will thank you, Yahweh, O King, I will praise you, O God of my salvation; I will declare your name, You are the strength of my life;
51:2 For you have redeemed my soul from death, You have kept back my flesh from the Pit, And have delivered my feet from the hand of Sheol. You preserved me from the slander of the people, from the scourge of a slanderous tongue, And from the lips of those who turn aside to lying, You were with me in the presence of those who rose up against me.
51:3 You helped me, according to the abundance of your mercy, Out of the snare of those watching for my downfall, And from the hand of those who seek my soul; Out of many troubles you have saved me,
51:4 And from the straits of the flame [round about me], From the midst of the fire that I did not kindle,
51:5 From the deep of the belly of Sheol, From wickedly devising lips, And from those who plaster falsehood,
51:6 And [from] the arrows of a deceitful tongue. My soul drew near to death, And my life to the nethermost Sheol;
51:7 And I turned about on every side, and there was none who helped me; Yes, I looked for one to uphold, but there was none.
51:8 Then I remembered the lovingkindnesses of Yahweh, And his mercies which have been from of old; He delivers those who put their trust in him, And redeems them from all evil.
51:9 And I lifted up my voice from the earth, And from the gates of Sheol I cried;
51:10 Yes, I cried: "Yahweh, you are my Father, My God, and the strength of my salvation, Do not forsake me in the day of trouble, In the day of wasteness and desolation.
51:11 I will praise your name continually, And will remember you in prayer." Then Yahweh heard my voice, And gave ear to my supplication.
51:12 And he redeemed from all evil, And delivered me in the day of trouble; Therefore will I give thanks [to him] and praise [him], And I will bless the name of Yahweh: i. Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, For his mercy endures forever. ii. Give thanks to the God of praises, For his mercy endures forever. iii. Give thanks to the Keeper of Israel, For his mercy endures forever. iv. Give thanks to the Framer of all, For his mercy endures forever. v. Give thanks to the Redeemer of Israel, For his mercy endures forever. vi. Give thanks to him who gathers the outcasts of Israel, For his mercy endures forever. vii. Give thanks to him who builds his City and his Sanctuary, For his mercy endures forever. viii. Give thanks to him who causes a horn to sprout for the house of David, For his mercy endures forever. ix. Give thanks to him who chooses the sons of Zadok for priests, For his mercy endures forever. x. Give thanks to the Shield of Abraham, For his mercy endures forever. xi. Give thanks to the Rock of Isaac, For his mercy endures forever. xii. Give thanks to the Mighty One of Jacob, For his mercy endures forever. xiii. Give thanks to him who chooses Zion, For his mercy endures forever. xiv. Give thanks to the King of the kings of kings, For his mercy endures forever. xv. And he has exalted the horn of his people, The praise of all his pious ones, xvi. For the children of Israel, a people near to him; Hallelujah.
51:13 I was a youth When I desired her and sought her out.
51:14 In my youth I made supplication and prayer, And I will seek her out even to the end.
51:15 She blossomed like a ripening grape, My heart rejoiced in her; My foot trod in her footstep; From my youth I learned wisdom.
51:16 I bowed down my ear a little and received her, And I found much knowledge.
51:17 And her yoke was a glory to me; And to my teacher I offer thanks.
51:18 I purposed to do good with her, And I will not turn back, for I will find her.
51:19 My soul was attached to her, And I did not turn my face away from her. I spread forth my hands to the heaven above, And forever and ever I will not swerve from her. My hand opened her gates, And to her I entered, and looked upon her.
51:20 I directed my soul after her, And in her purity I found her; I obtained understanding through her guidance, Therefore I will not be forsaken.
51:21 My inward parts were troubled like an oven [yearning] to look upon her, Therefore I have obtained her as a good possession.
51:22 Yahweh gave me the reward of my lips, And with my tongue I praise him.
51:23 Turn in to me, you+ unlearned, And lodge in my house of instruction.
51:24 How long will you+ lack these things, And your soul be very thirsty?
51:25 I open my mouth and speak of her, Get wisdom for yourselves without money.
51:26 Bring your necks under her yoke, And let your soul bear her burden; She is near to those who seek her, And he who yearns [for her] finds her.
51:27 See with your eyes that but a short time I labored for her, And found abundance of peace.
51:28 Hearken to my teaching in [however small] a number, And will you+ acquire much silver and gold by it.
51:29 May my soul delight in my Yeshibah, And you+ will not be ashamed to sing my praise.
51:30 Work your work before the time, And he will give you your reward in its time. Blessed be Yahweh, and praised be his name to generations. Thus far the words of Simeon, the son of Jeshua, who is called Ben-Sira. The Wisdom of Simeon, the son of Jeshua, the son of Eleazar, the son of Sira. May the name of Yahweh be blessed from now even to eternity.