Sirach 47

¹ For whi the hope of hem is in to God sauynge hem; and the iyen of the Lord ben in to hem, that louen hym. ² He that dredith God, schal not tremble for ony thing, and he schal not drede; for whi God is his hope. ³ The soule of hym that dredith the Lord, is blessid. ⁴ To whom biholdith he, and who is his strengthe? ⁵ The iyen of the Lord ben on hem that dreden hym. God is a defendere of myyt, stidfastnesse of vertu, hilyng of heete, and a schadewyng place of myddai; ⁶ bisechyng of offendyng, and help of fallyng, enhaunsynge the soule, and liytnynge the iyen, and yyuynge heelthe, and lijf, and blessyng. ⁷ The offryng of hym that offrith of wickid thing, is defoulid; and the scornyngis of vniust men ben not wel plesaunt. ⁸ The Lord aloone is to hem that abiden hym in the weie of treuthe, and of riytfulnesse. ⁹ The hiyeste appreueth not the yiftis of wickid men, nethir biholdith in the offryngis of wickid men, nether in the multitude of her sacrifices he schal do mercy to synnes. ¹⁰ He that offrith sacrifice of the catel of pore men, is as he that sleeth the sone in the siyt of his fadir. ¹¹ The breed of nedi men is the lijf of a pore man; he that defraudith hym, is a man of blood. ¹² He that takith awei breed in swoot, is as he that sleeth his neiybore. ¹³ He that schedith out blood, and he that doith fraude to an hirid man, ben britheren. ¹⁴ Oon bildynge, and oon distriynge; what profitith it to hem, no but trauel? ¹⁵ Oon preiynge, and oon cursynge; whos vois schal the Lord here? ¹⁶ What profitith the waischyng of hym, that is waischun for a deed bodi, and touchith eft a deed bodi? ¹⁷ So a man that fastith in hise synnes, and eft doynge the same synnes, what profitith he in mekynge hym silf? who schal here his preyer? ¹⁹ He that kepith the word, multiplieth preier. ²⁰ Heelful sacrifice is to take heede to the comaundementis, and to departe fro al wickidnesse. ²¹ And to offre the plesyng of sacrifice for vnriytfulnesses, and bisechyng for synnes, is to go awey fro vnriytfulnesse. ²² He that offrith purest flour of wheete, schal yelde grace; and he that doith merci, offrith a sacrifice. ²³ It is wel plesaunt to the Lord, to go awei fro wickidnesse; and preier is to go awei fro vnriytfulnesse. ²⁴ Thou schalt not appere voide bifore the siyt of God; ²⁵ for whi alle these thingis ben doon for the heestis of God.