My LORD’s BibleSirach (Ecclesiasticus) 33
1There shall no evil happen unto him that feareth the Lord; but in temptation even again he will deliver him.
τῷ φοβουμένῳ κύριον οὐκ ἀπαντήσει κακόν ἀλλ' ἐν πειρασμῷ καὶ πάλιν ἐξελεῖται
2A wise man hateth not the law; but he that is an hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm.
ἀνὴρ σοφὸς οὐ μισήσει νόμον ὁ δὲ ὑποκρινόμενος ἐν αὐτῷ ὡς ἐν καταιγίδι πλοῖον
3A man of understanding trusteth in the law; and the law is faithful unto him, as an oracle.
ἄνθρωπος συνετὸς ἐμπιστεύσει νόμῳ καὶ ὁ νόμος αὐτῷ πιστὸς ὡς ἐρώτημα δήλων
4Prepare what to say, and so thou shalt be heard: and bind up instruction, and then make answer.
ἑτοίμασον λόγον καὶ οὕτως ἀκουσθήσῃ σύνδησον παιδείαν καὶ ἀποκρίθητι
5The heart of the foolish is like a cartwheel; and his thoughts are like a rolling axletree.
τροχὸς ἁμάξης σπλάγχνα μωροῦ καὶ ὡς ἄξων στρεφόμενος ὁ διαλογισμὸς αὐτοῦ
6A stallion horse is as a mocking friend, he neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.
ἵππος εἰς ὀχείαν ὡς φίλος μωκός ὑποκάτω παντὸς ἐπικαθημένου χρεμετίζει
7Why doth one day excel another, when as all the light of every day in the year is of the sun?
διὰ τί ἡμέρα ἡμέρας ὑπερέχει καὶ πᾶν φῶς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀφ' ἡλίου
8By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished: and he altered seasons and feasts.
ἐν γνώσει κυρίου διεχωρίσθησαν καὶ ἠλλοίωσεν καιροὺς καὶ ἑορτάς
9Some of them hath he made high days, and hallowed them, and some of them hath he made ordinary days.
ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἡγίασεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἔθηκεν εἰς ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν
10And all men are from the ground, and Adam was created of earth:
καὶ ἄνθρωποι πάντες ἀπὸ ἐδάφους καὶ ἐκ γῆς ἐκτίσθη αδαμ
11In much knowledge the Lord hath divided them, and made their ways diverse.
ἐν πλήθει ἐπιστήμης κύριος διεχώρισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἠλλοίωσεν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν
12Some of them hath he blessed and exalted and some of them he sanctified, and set near himself: but some of them hath he cursed and brought low, and turned out of their places.
ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐλόγησεν καὶ ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἡγίασεν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἤγγισεν ἀπ' αὐτῶν κατηράσατο καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ στάσεως αὐτῶν
13As the clay is in the potter’s hand, to fashion it at his pleasure: so man is in the hand of him that made him, to render to them as liketh him best.
ὡς πηλὸς κεραμέως ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ οὕτως ἄνθρωποι ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς ἀποδοῦναι αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτοῦ
14Good is set against evil, and life against death: so is the godly against the sinner, and the sinner against the godly.
ἀπέναντι τοῦ κακοῦ τὸ ἀγαθόν καὶ ἀπέναντι τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ζωή οὕτως ἀπέναντι εὐσεβοῦς ἁμαρτωλός
15So look upon all the works of the most High; and there are two and two, one against another.
καὶ οὕτως ἔμβλεψον εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ὑψίστου δύο δύο ἓν κατέναντι τοῦ ἑνός
16I awaked up last of all, as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers: by the blessing of the Lord I profited, and filled my winepress like a gatherer of grapes.
κἀγὼ ἔσχατος ἠγρύπνησα ὡς καλαμώμενος ὀπίσω τρυγητῶν
17Consider that I laboured not for myself only, but for all them that seek learning.
ἐν εὐλογίᾳ κυρίου ἔφθασα καὶ ὡς τρυγῶν ἐπλήρωσα ληνόν
18Hear me, O ye great men of the people, and hearken with your ears, ye rulers of the congregation.
κατανοήσατε ὅτι οὐκ ἐμοὶ μόνῳ ἐκοπίασα ἀλλὰ πᾶσιν τοῖς ζητοῦσιν παιδείαν
19Give not thy son and wife, thy brother and friend, power over thee while thou livest, and give not thy goods to another: lest it repent thee, and thou intreat for the same again.
ἀκούσατέ μου μεγιστᾶνες λαοῦ καὶ οἱ ἡγούμενοι ἐκκλησίας ἐνωτίσασθε
20As long as thou livest and hast breath in thee, give not thyself over to any.
υἱῷ καὶ γυναικί ἀδελφῷ καὶ φίλῳ μὴ δῷς ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ σὲ ἐν ζωῇ σου καὶ μὴ δῷς ἑτέρῳ τὰ χρήματά σου ἵνα μὴ μεταμεληθεὶς δέῃ περὶ αὐτῶν
21For better it is that thy children should seek to thee, than that thou shouldest stand to their courtesy.
ἕως ἔτι ζῇς καὶ πνοὴ ἐν σοί μὴ ἀλλάξῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν πάσῃ σαρκί
22In all thy works keep to thyself the preeminence; leave not a stain in thine honour.
κρεῖσσον γάρ ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα δεηθῆναί σου ἢ σὲ ἐμβλέπειν εἰς χεῖρας υἱῶν σου
23At the time when thou shalt end thy days, and finish thy life, distribute thine inheritance.
ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου γίνου ὑπεράγων μὴ δῷς μῶμον ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου
24Fodder, a wand, and burdens, are for the ass; and bread, correction, and work, for a servant.
ἐν ἡμέρᾳ συντελείας ἡμερῶν ζωῆς σου καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τελευτῆς διάδος κληρονομίαν
25If thou set thy servant to labour, thou shalt find rest: but if thou let him go idle, he shall seek liberty.
χορτάσματα καὶ ῥάβδος καὶ φορτία ὄνῳ ἄρτος καὶ παιδεία καὶ ἔργον οἰκέτῃ
26A yoke and a collar do bow the neck: so are tortures and torments for an evil servant.
ἔργασαι ἐν παιδί καὶ εὑρήσεις ἀνάπαυσιν ἄνες χεῖρας αὐτῷ καὶ ζητήσει ἐλευθερίαν
27Send him to labour, that he be not idle; for idleness teacheth much evil.
ζυγὸς καὶ ἱμὰς τράχηλον κάμψουσιν καὶ οἰκέτῃ κακούργῳ στρέβλαι καὶ βάσανοι
28Set him to work, as is fit for him: if he be not obedient, put on more heavy fetters.
ἔμβαλε αὐτὸν εἰς ἐργασίαν ἵνα μὴ ἀργῇ πολλὴν γὰρ κακίαν ἐδίδαξεν ἡ ἀργία
29But be not excessive toward any; and without discretion do nothing.
εἰς ἔργα κατάστησον καθὼς πρέπει αὐτῷ κἂν μὴ πειθαρχῇ βάρυνον τὰς πέδας αὐτοῦ
30If thou have a servant, let him be unto thee as thyself, because thou hast bought him with a price.
καὶ μὴ περισσεύσῃς ἐπὶ πάσῃ σαρκὶ καὶ ἄνευ κρίσεως μὴ ποιήσῃς μηδέν
31If thou have a servant, entreat him as a brother: for thou hast need of him, as of thine own soul: if thou entreat him evil, and he run from thee, which way wilt thou go to seek him?
εἰ ἔστιν σοι οἰκέτης ἔστω ὡς σύ ὅτι ἐν αἵματι ἐκτήσω αὐτόν