My LORD’s BibleSirach (Ecclesiasticus) 41
1O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions, unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things: yea, unto him that is yet able to receive meat!
ὦ θάνατε ὡς πικρόν σου τὸ μνημόσυνόν ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ εἰρηνεύοντι ἐν τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν αὐτοῦ ἀνδρὶ ἀπερισπάστῳ καὶ εὐοδουμένῳ ἐν πᾶσιν καὶ ἔτι ἰσχύοντι ἐπιδέξασθαι τροφήν
2O death, acceptable is thy sentence unto the needy, and unto him whose strength faileth, that is now in the last age, and is vexed with all things, and to him that despaireth, and hath lost patience!
ὦ θάνατε καλόν σου τὸ κρίμα ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπῳ ἐπιδεομένῳ καὶ ἐλασσουμένῳ ἰσχύι ἐσχατογήρῳ καὶ περισπωμένῳ περὶ πάντων καὶ ἀπειθοῦντι καὶ ἀπολωλεκότι ὑπομονήν
3Fear not the sentence of death, remember them that have been before thee, and that come after; for this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh.
μὴ εὐλαβοῦ κρίμα θανάτου μνήσθητι προτέρων σου καὶ ἐσχάτων
4And why art thou against the pleasure of the most High? there is no inquisition in the grave, whether thou have lived ten, or an hundred, or a thousand years.
τοῦτο τὸ κρίμα παρὰ κυρίου πάσῃ σαρκί καὶ τί ἀπαναίνῃ ἐν εὐδοκίᾳ ὑψίστου εἴτε δέκα εἴτε ἑκατὸν εἴτε χίλια ἔτη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ᾅδου ἐλεγμὸς ζωῆς
5The children of sinners are abominable children, and they that are conversant in the dwelling of the ungodly.
τέκνα βδελυρὰ γίνεται τέκνα ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ συναναστρεφόμενα παροικίαις ἀσεβῶν
6The inheritance of sinners’ children shall perish, and their posterity shall have a perpetual reproach.
τέκνων ἁμαρτωλῶν ἀπολεῖται κληρονομία καὶ μετὰ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῶν ἐνδελεχιεῖ ὄνειδος
7The children will complain of an ungodly father, because they shall be reproached for his sake.
πατρὶ ἀσεβεῖ μέμψεται τέκνα ὅτι δι' αὐτὸν ὀνειδισθήσονται
8Woe be unto you, ungodly men, which have forsaken the law of the most high God! for if ye increase, it shall be to your destruction:
οὐαὶ ὑμῖν ἄνδρες ἀσεβεῖς οἵτινες ἐγκατελίπετε νόμον θεοῦ ὑψίστου
9And if ye be born, ye shall be born to a curse: and if ye die, a curse shall be your portion.
καὶ ἐὰν γεννηθῆτε εἰς κατάραν γεννηθήσεσθε καὶ ἐὰν ἀποθάνητε εἰς κατάραν μερισθήσεσθε
10All that are of the earth shall turn to earth again: so the ungodly shall go from a curse to destruction.
πάντα ὅσα ἐκ γῆς εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσεται οὕτως ἀσεβεῖς ἀπὸ κατάρας εἰς ἀπώλειαν
11The mourning of men is about their bodies: but an ill name of sinners shall be blotted out.
πένθος ἀνθρώπων ἐν σώμασιν αὐτῶν ὄνομα δὲ ἁμαρτωλῶν οὐκ ἀγαθὸν ἐξαλειφθήσεται
12Have regard to thy name; for that shall continue with thee above a thousand great treasures of gold.
φρόντισον περὶ ὀνόματος αὐτὸ γάρ σοι διαμενεῖ ἢ χίλιοι μεγάλοι θησαυροὶ χρυσίου
13A good life hath but few days: but a good name endureth for ever.
ἀγαθῆς ζωῆς ἀριθμὸς ἡμερῶν καὶ ἀγαθὸν ὄνομα εἰς αἰῶνα διαμενεῖ
14My children, keep discipline in peace: for wisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen, what profit is in them both?
παιδείαν ἐν εἰρήνῃ συντηρήσατε τέκνα σοφία δὲ κεκρυμμένη καὶ θησαυρὸς ἀφανής τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν ἀμφοτέροις
15A man that hideth his foolishness is better than a man that hideth his wisdom.
κρείσσων ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν μωρίαν αὐτοῦ ἢ ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ
16Therefore be shamefaced according to my word: for it is not good to retain all shamefacedness; neither is it altogether approved in every thing.
τοιγαροῦν ἐντράπητε ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματί μου οὐ γάρ ἐστιν πᾶσαν αἰσχύνην διαφυλάξαι καλόν καὶ οὐ πάντα πᾶσιν ἐν πίστει εὐδοκιμεῖται
17Be ashamed of whoredom before father and mother: and of a lie before a prince and a mighty man;
αἰσχύνεσθε ἀπὸ πατρὸς καὶ μητρὸς περὶ πορνείας καὶ ἀπὸ ἡγουμένου καὶ δυνάστου περὶ ψεύδους
18Of an offence before a judge and ruler; of iniquity before a congregation and people; of unjust dealing before thy partner and friend;
ἀπὸ κριτοῦ καὶ ἄρχοντος περὶ πλημμελείας καὶ ἀπὸ συναγωγῆς καὶ λαοῦ περὶ ἀνομίας
19And of theft in regard of the place where thou sojournest, and in regard of the truth of God and his covenant; and to lean with thine elbow upon the meat; and of scorning to give and take;
ἀπὸ κοινωνοῦ καὶ φίλου περὶ ἀδικίας καὶ ἀπὸ τόπου οὗ παροικεῖς περὶ κλοπῆς
20And of silence before them that salute thee; and to look upon an harlot;
ἀπὸ ἀληθείας θεοῦ καὶ διαθήκης καὶ ἀπὸ πήξεως ἀγκῶνος ἐπ' ἄρτοις
21And to turn away thy face from thy kinsman; or to take away a portion or a gift; or to gaze upon another man’s wife.
ἀπὸ σκορακισμοῦ λήμψεως καὶ δόσεως καὶ ἀπὸ ἀσπαζομένων περὶ σιωπῆς
22Or to be overbusy with his maid, and come not near her bed; or of upbraiding speeches before friends; and after thou hast given, upbraid not;
ἀπὸ ὁράσεως γυναικὸς ἑταίρας καὶ ἀπὸ ἀποστροφῆς προσώπου συγγενοῦς
23Or of iterating and speaking again that which thou hast heard; and of revealing of secrets.
ἀπὸ ἀφαιρέσεως μερίδος καὶ δόσεως καὶ ἀπὸ κατανοήσεως γυναικὸς ὑπάνδρου
24So shalt thou be truly shamefaced and find favour before all men.
ἀπὸ περιεργίας παιδίσκης αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ ἐπιστῇς ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην αὐτῆς