Sirach 50:19–29

¹⁹And the people implored the Lord Most High, in prayer before him who is merciful, until the worship of the Lord was finished, and so they accomplished his service.↗

²⁰Then he went down, and lifted up his hands over the whole congregation of the children of Israel, to give blessing to the Lord with his lips, and to glory in his name.↗

²¹He bowed himself down in worship the second time, to declare the blessing from the Most High.↗

²²Now bless the God of all, who everywhere does great things, who exalts our days from the womb, and deals with us according to his mercy.↗

²³May he grant us joyfulness of heart, and that peace may be in our days in Israel for the days of eternity,↗

²⁴to entrust his mercy with us, and let him deliver us in his time!↗

²⁵With two nations my soul is vexed, and the third is no nation:↗

²⁶Those who sit on the mountain of Samaria, the Philistines, and the foolish people who live in Shechem.↗

²⁷I have written in this book the instruction of understanding and knowledge, I Jesus, the son of Sirach Eleazar, of Jerusalem, who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.↗

²⁸Blessed is he who will exercise these things. He who lays them up in his heart will become wise.↗

²⁹For if he does them, he will be strong in all things, for the light of the Lord is his guide.↗