Sir 35

1 He that kepith the word, multiplieth preier. 2 Heelful sacrifice is to take heede to the comaundementis, and to departe fro al wickidnesse. 3 And to offre the plesyng of sacrifice for vnriytfulnesses, and bisechyng for synnes, is to go awey fro vnriytfulnesse. 4 He that offrith purest flour of wheete, schal yelde grace; and he that doith merci, offrith a sacrifice. 5 It is wel plesaunt to the Lord, to go awei fro wickidnesse; and preier is to go awei fro vnriytfulnesse. 6 Thou schalt not appere voide bifore the siyt of God; 7 for whi alle these thingis ben doon for the heestis of God. 8 The offryng of a iust man makith fat the auter, and is odour of swetnesse in the siyt of the hiyeste. 9 The sacrifice of a iust man is acceptable, and the Lord schal not foryete the mynde of hym. 10 With good wille yelde thou glorie to God, and make thou not lesse the firste fruytis of thin hondis. 11 In ech yifte make glad thi cheer, and in ful out ioiyng halewe thi tithis. 12 Yyue thou to the hiyeste aftir his yifte; and with good iye make thou the fyndyng of thin hondis. 13 For whi the Lord is a yeldere, and he schal yelde seuene fold so myche to thee. 14 Nyle thou offre schrewid yiftis; for he schal not resseyue tho. 15 And nyle thou biholde an vniust sacrifice; for the Lord is iuge, and glorie of persoone is not at hym. 16 The Lord schal not take a persoone ayens a pore man; and he schal here the preier of hym that is hirt. 17 He schal not dispise the preyeris of a fadirles child, nether a widewe, if sche schedith out speche of weilyng. 18 Whether the teeris of a widew goen not doun to the cheke, and the criyng of hir on hym that ledith forth tho teeris? 19 For whi tho stien fro the cheke `til to heuene, and the Lord herere schal not delite in tho. 20 He that worschipith God in delityng, schal be resseyued; and his preyer schal neiye `til to the clowdis. 21 The preier of hym that mekith hym silf schal perse clowdis, and til it neiyeth, he schal not be coumfortid, and he schal not go awey, til the hiyeste biholde. 22 And the Lord schal not be fer, but he schal iuge iust men, and schal make doom; and the strongeste schal not haue pacience in tho, that he troble the bak of hem. 23 And he schal yelde veniaunce to folkis, til he take awei the fulnesse of proude men, and troble togidere the ceptris of wickid men; 24 til he yelde to men aftir her dedis, and aftir the werkis of Adam, and aftir the presumpcioun of hym; 25 til he deme the dome of his puple, and schal delite iust men in his merci. 26 The merci of God is fair in the tyme of tribulacioun, as clowdis of reyn in the tyme of drynesse.