Sirach 51:1–9

¹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, O King, and will praise you, O God my Savior. I give thanks to your name,↗

²for you have been my protector and helper, and delivered my body out of destruction, and out of the snare of a slanderous tongue, from lips that fabricate lies. You were my helper before those who stood by,↗

³and delivered me, according to the abundance of your mercy and of your name, from the gnashings of teeth ready to devour, out of the hand of those seeking my life, out of the many afflictions I endured,↗

⁴from the choking of a fire on every side, and out of the midst of fire that I hadn’t kindled,↗

⁵out of the depth of the belly of Hades, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words—↗

⁶the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king. My soul drew near to death. My life was near to Hades.↗

⁷They surrounded me on every side. There was no one to help me. I was looking for human help, and there was none.↗

⁸Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your working which has been from everlasting, how you deliver those who wait for you, and save them out of the hand of their enemies.↗

⁹I lifted up my prayer from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.↗