Ben Sira 39:1-8

1 He seeks out the wisdom of all the ancients, and is concerned with prophecies;

2 he preserves the sayings of the famous and penetrates the subtleties of parables;

3 he seeks out the hidden meanings of proverbs and is at home with the obscurities of parables.

4 He serves among the great and appears before rulers; he travels in foreign lands and learns what is good and evil in the human lot.

5 He sets his heart to rise early to seek the Lord who made him, and to petition the Most High; he opens his mouth in prayer and asks pardon for his sins.

6 If the great Lord is willing, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; he will pour forth words of wisdom of his own and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.

7 The Lord will direct his counsel and knowledge, as he meditates on his mysteries.

8 He will show the wisdom of what he has learned, and will glory in the law of the Lord's covenant.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gk [He himself]