| | | English | Latin |
| 51 | 1 | A prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my Saviour. | oratio Iesu filii Sirach confitebor tibi Domine rex et conlaudabo te Deum salvatorem meum |
| 51 | 2 | I will give glory to thy name: for thou hast been a helper and protector to me. | confiteor nomini tuo quoniam adiutor et protector factus es mihi |
| 51 | 3 | And hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that stood by, thou hast been my helper. | et liberasti corpus meum a perditione a laqueo linguae iniquae et a labiis operantium mendacium et in conspectu adstantium factus es mihi adiutor |
| 51 | 4 | And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour. | et liberasti me secundum multitudinem misericordiae nominis tui a rugientibus paratis ad escam |
| 51 | 5 | Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about: | de manibus quaerentium animam meam et de portis tribulationis quae circumdederunt me |
| 51 | 6 | From the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the fire I was not burnt. | a pressura flammae quae circumdedit me et in medio ignis non sum aestuatus |
| 51 | 7 | From the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue, and from lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue: | de altitudine ventris inferi et a lingua coinquinata et verbo mendacii a rege iniquo et lingua iniusta |
| 51 | 8 | My soul shall praise the Lord even to death. | laudavit usque ad mortem anima mea Dominum |
| 51 | 9 | And my life was drawing near to hell beneath. | et vita mea adpropinquans erat infero deorsum |
| 51 | 10 | They compassed me on every side, and there was no one that would help me. I looked for the succour of men, and there was none. | circumdederunt me undique et non erat qui adiuvaret respiciens eram ad adiutorium meum et non erat |
| 51 | 11 | I remembered thy mercy, O Lord, and thy works, which are from the beginning of the world. | memoratus sum misericordiae tuae Domine et operationis tuae quae a saeculo sunt |
| 51 | 12 | How thou deliverest them that wait for thee, O Lord, and savest them out of the hands of the nations. | quoniam erues sustinentes te et liberas eos de manibus gentium |
| 51 | 13 | Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for death to pass away. | exaltasti super terram habitationem meam et pro morte defluenti deprecatus sum |
| 51 | 14 | I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help. | invocavi Dominum patrem Domini mei ut non derelinquat me in die tribulationis meae et in tempore superborum sine adiutorio |
| 51 | 15 | I will praise thy name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and my prayer was heard. | laudabo nomen tuum adsidue et conlaudabo illum in confessione exaudita est oratio mea |
| 51 | 16 | And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil time. | liberasti me de perditione et eripuisti me de tempore iniquo |
| 51 | 17 | Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name of the Lord. | propterea confitebor et laudem dicam tibi et benedicam nomen Domini |
| 51 | 18 | When I was yet young, before I wandered about, I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer. | cum adhuc iunior sum priusquam oberrem quaesivi sapientiam palam in oratione mea |
| 51 | 19 | I prayed for her before the temple, and unto the very end I will seek after her, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe. | ante tempus postulabam pro illa et usque in novissimis inquiram eam defloriet tamquam praecox uva |
| 51 | 20 | My heart delighted in her, my foot walked in the right way, from my youth up I sought after her. | laetatum est cor meum in ea ambulavit pes meus iter rectum a iuventute mea investigabam eam |
| 51 | 21 | I bowed down my ear a little, and received her. | inclinavi modice aurem meam et excepi illam |
| 51 | 22 | I found much wisdom in myself, and profited much therein. | multam inveni in me ipso sapientiam multum profeci in ea |
| 51 | 23 | To him that giveth me wisdom, will I give glory. | dans mihi sapientiam dabo gloriam |
| 51 | 24 | For I have determined to follow her: I have had a zeal for good, and shall not be confounded. | consiliatus sum enim ut facerem illam zelatus sum bonum et non confundor |
| 51 | 25 | My soul hath wrestled for her, and in doing it I have been confirmed. | conluctata est anima mea in illa et in faciendo eam confirmatus sum |
| 51 | 26 | I stretched forth my hands on high, and I bewailed my ignorance of her. | manus meas extendi in altum et insapientia eius luxi |
| 51 | 27 | I directed my soul to her, and in knowledge I found her. | animam meam direxi ad illam et in agnitione inveni eam |
| 51 | 28 | I possessed my heart with her from the beginning: therefore I shall not be forsaken. | possedi cum ipsis cor ab initio propter hoc non derelinquar |
| 51 | 29 | My entrails were troubled in seeking her: therefore shall I possess a good possession. | venter meus conturbatus est quaerendo illam propterea possidebo bonam possessionem |
| 51 | 30 | The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward: and with it I will praise him. | dedit enim mihi Dominus linguam mercedem meam et in ipsa laudabo eum |
| 51 | 31 | Draw near to me, ye unlearned, and gather yourselves together into the hours of discipline. | adpropiate ad me indocti et congregate vos in domum disciplinae |
| 51 | 32 | Why are ye slow and what do you say of these things? your souls are exceeding thirsty. | quid adhuc retardatis et quid dicitis in his animae vestrae sitiunt vehementer |
| 51 | 33 | I have opened my mouth, and have spoken: buy her for yourselves without silver, | aperui os meum et locutus sum conparate vobis sine argento |
| 51 | 34 | And submit your neck to the yoke, and let your soul receive discipline: for she is near at hand to be found. | et collum vestrum subicite sub iugo et suscipiat anima vestra disciplinam in proximo est enim invenire eam |
| 51 | 35 | Behold with your eyes how I have laboured a little, and have found much rest to myself. | videte oculis vestris quoniam modice laboravi et inveni mihi multam requiem |
| 51 | 36 | Receive ye discipline as a great sum of money, and possess abundance of gold by her. | adsumite disciplinam in multo numero argenti et copiosum aurum possidete in ea |
| 51 | 37 | Let your soul rejoice in his mercy and you shall not be confounded in his praise. | laetetur anima vestra in misericordia eius et non confundemini in laude ipsius |
| 51 | 38 | Work your work before the time, and he will give you your reward in his time. | operamini opus vestrum ante tempus et dabit vobis mercedem vestram in tempore suo |