Morning Prayer

A Reading from the Wisdom of Ben Sira.

1 A wise magistrate educates his people,    and the rule of an intelligent person is well ordered. 2 As the people’s judge is, so are his officials;    as the ruler of the city is, so are all its inhabitants. 3 An undisciplined king ruins his people,    but a city becomes fit to live in through the understanding of its rulers. 4 The government of the earth is in the hand of the Lord,    and over it he will raise up the right leader for the time. 5 Human success is in the hand of the Lord, and it is he who confers honour upon the lawgiver. 6 Do not get angry with your neighbour for every injury,    and do not resort to acts of insolence. 7 Arrogance is hateful to the Lord and to mortals,    and injustice is outrageous to both. 8 Sovereignty passes from nation to nation    on account of injustice and insolence and wealth. 12 The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;    the heart has withdrawn from its Maker. 13 For the beginning of pride is sin,    and the one who clings to it pours out abominations. Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,    and destroys them completely. 14 The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,    and enthrones the lowly in their place. 15 The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,    and plants the humble in their place. 16 The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,    and destroys them to the foundations of the earth. 17 He removes some of them and destroys them,    and erases the memory of them from the earth. 18 Pride was not created for human beings, or violent anger for those born of women.