39 They seek out the wisdom of all the ancients
and are concerned with prophecies;(A)
2 they preserve the sayings of the famous
and penetrate the subtleties of parables;
3 they seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs
and are at home with the obscurities of parables.(B)
4 They serve among the great
and appear before rulers;
they travel in foreign nations
and learn what is good and evil in the human lot.(C)
5 They set their hearts to rise early
to seek the Lord who made them
and to petition the Most High;
they open their mouths in prayer
and ask pardon for their sins.(D)
6 If the great Lord is willing,
they will be filled with the spirit of understanding;
they will pour forth words of wisdom of their own
and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.(E)
7 The Lord[a] will direct their counsel and knowledge
as they meditate on his mysteries.(F)
8 They will show the discipline of their training
and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.
9 Many will praise their understanding;
it will never be blotted out.
Their memory will not disappear,
and their names will live through all generations.(G)
10 Nations will speak of their wisdom,
and the congregation will proclaim their praise.(H)
11 If they live long, they will leave a name greater than a thousand,
and if they go to rest, it is enough for them.
A Hymn of Praise to God
12 I have more on my mind to express;
I am full like the full moon.
13 Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom
like a rose growing by a stream of water.(I)
14 Send out fragrance like incense
and put forth blossoms like a lily.
Raise your voice[b] and sing a hymn of praise;
bless the Lord for all his works.(J)
15 Ascribe majesty to his name
and give thanks to him with praise,
with songs on your lips and with harps;
this is what you shall say in thanksgiving:(K)
16 “All the works of the Lord are very good,
and whatever he commands will be done at the appointed time.(L)
17 No one can say, ‘What is this?’ or ‘Why is that?’—
for at the appointed time everything will be made known.
At his word the waters stood in a heap
and the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.(M)
18 At his command, his purpose is fulfilled,
and none can limit his saving power.(N)
19 The works of all are before him,
and nothing can be hidden from his eyes.(O)
20 From age to age he observes all,
and nothing is too marvelous for him.
21 No one can say, ‘What is this?’ or ‘Why is that?’—
for everything has been created for its own purpose.(P)
22 “His blessing covers the dry land like a river
and drenches it like a flood.
23 The nations will inherit his wrath,
as when he turned a watered land into salt.
24 To the faithful his ways are straight
but full of pitfalls for the lawless.(Q)
25 From the beginning good things were created for the good
but for sinners good things and bad.[c](R)
26 The basic necessities of human life
are water and fire and iron and salt
and wheat flour and milk and honey,
the blood of the grape and oil and clothing.(S)
27 All these are good for the godly,
but for sinners they turn into evils.(T)
28 “There are winds created for vengeance,
and in their anger they can dislodge mountains;[d]
on the day of reckoning they will pour out their strength
and calm the anger of their Maker.(U)
29 Fire and hail and famine and pestilence—
all these have been created for vengeance;(V)
30 the fangs of wild animals and scorpions and vipers
and the sword that punishes the ungodly with destruction.(W)
31 They take delight in doing his bidding,
always ready for his service on earth,
and when their time comes they never disobey his command.”(X)
32 So from the beginning I have been steadfast
and have thought it out and left it in writing:
33 All the works of the Lord are good,
and he will supply every need in its time.(Y)
34 No one can say, “This is not as good as that,”
for everything proves good in its appointed time.(Z)
35 So now sing praise with all your heart and voice,
and bless the name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- 39.7Gk He himself
- 39.14Syr: Gk fragrance
- 39.25Heb Lat: Gk sinners bad things
- 39.28Heb Syr: Gk can scourge mightily
Cross references
- 39.1 : Josh 1.8; Ps 1.2; 119.97; Sir 44.3
- 39.3 : Sir 6.35; 47.15
- 39.4 : Eccl 1.13; 7.25; Sir 11.1; 34.11
- 39.5 : Sir 32.14
- 39.6 : Wis 7.7; Sir 18.29; Jas 1.5
- 39.7 : Ps 25.14
- 39.9 : Sir 44.13
- 39.10 : Sir 44.15
- 39.13 : Sir 24.14; 50.8
- 39.14 : Sir 50.8
- 39.15 : Ps 98.5; 147.7
- 39.16 : v 33; Gen 1.31; Num 23.19
- 39.17 : v 21; Ex 14.29; Ps 33.7; 147.18; Rom 9.20
- 39.18 : Ps 135.6; 147.15
- 39.19 : Sir 15.19; Heb 4.13
- 39.21 : v 17; Rom 9.20
- 39.24 : Hos 14.9
- 39.25 : Sir 40.10
- 39.26 : Gen 49.11; Deut 32.14; Sir 29.21; 50.15
- 39.27 : Rom 8.28; 1 Tim 4.4
- 39.28 : Ps 148.8
- 39.29 : Ps 148.8; Sir 40.9, 10
- 39.30 : Deut 8.15; 32.24
- 39.31 : Ps 147.15–18; 148.8
- 39.33 : v 16; Gen 1.31
- 39.34 : Eccl 7.10