Douay Rheims Challoner - Ecclesiasticus, 2

[1] Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation.

[2] Humble thy heart, and endure: incline thy ear, and receive the words of understanding: and make not haste in the time of clouds.

[3] Wait on God with patience: join thyself to God, and endure, that thy life may be increased in the latter end.

[4] Take all that shall be brought upon thee: and in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience.

[5] For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.

[6] Believe God, and he will recover thee: and direct thy way, and trust in him. Keep his fear, and grow old therein.

[7] Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy: and go not aside from him lest ye fall.

[8] Ye that fear the Lord, believe him: and your reward shall not be made void.

[9] Ye that fear the Lord hope in him, and mercy shall come to you for your delight.

[10] Ye that fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts shall be enlightened.

[11] My children behold the generations of men: and know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded.

[12] For who hath continued in his commandment, and hath been forsaken? or who hath called upon him, and he despised him?

[13] For God is compassionate and merciful, and will forgive sins in the day of tribulation: and he is a protector to all that seek him in truth.

[14] Woe to them that are of a double heart and to wicked lips, and to the hands that do evil, and to the sinner that goeth on the earth two ways.

[15] Woe to them that are fainthearted, who believe not God: and therefore they shall not be protected by him.

[16] Woe to them that have lost patience, and that have forsaken the right ways, and have gone aside into crooked ways.

[17] And what will they do, when the Lord shall begin to examine?

[18] They that fear the Lord, will not be incredulous to his word: and they that love him, will keep his way.

[19] They that fear the Lord, will seek after the things that are well pleasing to him: and they that love him, shall be filled with his law.

[20] They that fear the Lord, will prepare their hearts, and in his sight will sanctify their souls,

[21] They that fear the Lord, keep his commandments, and will have patience even until his visitation,

[22] Saying: If we do not penance, we shall fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men.

[23] For according to his greatness, so also is his mercy with him.