Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

1My child, if you will draw near to the work of the Lord, prepare your soul for all manner of trials.

ወልድየ እመሰ ትቀርብ ለግብረ እግዚአብሔር አዘጋጅ ነፍስከ ለመከራ።

2Prepare your heart and be strengthened, and do not panic on the day of destruction.

3Cleave unto God and do not turn away, that you may have a great future.

4Receive all who come to you, and be of open spirit with your provisions.

5For gold is tested in fire, and humanity is matured by poverty.

6Have faith in God and God will strengthen you, firm your path and have hope in God.

7Let those who fear the Lord anticipate God's grace, and not incline lest you fall.

8Let those who fear the Lord trust in God, and God will not tarry in your reward.

9Let those who fear the Lord (wait for) goodness, and for eternal joy and grace.

10Look to the earlier generations, was there any that trusted in the Lord and was disgraced? (10) Or any who relied on God and was abandoned, or any who called on God and was not answered?

11For compassionate and merciful is the Lord, forgiving transgressions and granting deliverance in an hour of need.

12Woe to the weak-willed and those quick to give up, and to the wicked one with twisted ways.

13Woe to the untrusting heart, it will surely not rise up.

14Woe to you who lost hope, what will you do at the reckoning of the Lord?!

15Those who fear the Lord will not change [boast] in his ways, and those who love him will preserve his paths.

16Those who fear the Lord will seek his will, and those who love him will learn his law.

17Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and before him humble their spirit.

18We will fall by the hands of the Lord and not by the hands of humanity; for as he is great, so is his kindness.