Chapter 51

51. I will thank you, O Lord and King, and praise you, O God my Saviour, I do give praise unto your name, for you have been my defender and helper, and have preserved my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lips of those that forge lies, and in the sight of those that stood by, you have been my helper. You preserved me according to the multitude of your mercies and greatness of your name, from the teeth of them that were ready to devour me, and delivered me from the hands of such as sought my life, and from the manifold afflictions which I had, and from the power of the fire, and from the deep of the water, and from the grievous sickness, and from the teeth of wild beasts, and from the power of the wicked, and from the oppression of the rich, and from the great trouble of mind. I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the days of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, when there was no helper, for I praised your name, O Lord, and you did hear my prayer, for you saved me from destruction, and delivered me from the evil time, and you delivered me from the hands of them that sought my life. Therefore I will thank you, and praise you, and bless your name, O Lord, and I will be wise, and I will seek after wisdom, and I will be temperate in my life, and I will be wise. When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer, and I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end, for I stretched forth my hands to the heaven, and wept for her, and I called upon the Lord, and I found her, for I called upon the Lord, and I found her. My foot went the right way, from my youth up sought I after her, I bowed down my ear, and received her, and got much learning, for I profited in her, therefore I will give glory unto him that gives me wisdom, for I have determined to practise it. Gather yourselves together unto me, you unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning, for why are you slow, and what do you say to these things? Your soul is greatly impoverished, and you are very thirsty, for you have not labored, and you have not been troubled, and you have not been grieved, for you have not labored, and you have not been troubled. Shew yourselves not slack to be taught, and labor in your time, and be not ashamed to write, for great is the labor of the Lord, and a great reward shall be given you, and a great reward shall be given you.