top Wisdom of Sirach ch 11

Chapter 11

1 σοφία ταπεινοῦ ἀνυψώσει κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν μέσῳ μεγιστάνων καθίσει αὐτόν. 1 Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men.
2 μὴ αἰνέσῃς ἄνδρα ἐν κάλλει αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ βδελύξῃ ἄνθρωπον ἐν ὁράσει αὐτοῦ. 2 Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.
3 μικρὰ ἐν πετεινοῖς μέλισσα, καὶ ἀρχὴ γλυκασμάτων ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῆς. 3 The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.
4 ἐν περιβολῇ ἱματίων μὴ καυχήσῃ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ δόξης μὴ ἐπαίρου· ὅτι θαυμαστὰ τὰ ἔργα κυρίου, καὶ κρυπτὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἀνθρώποις. 4 Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden.
5 πολλοὶ τύραννοι ἐκάθισαν ἐπὶ ἐδάφους, ὁ δὲ ἀνυπονόητος ἐφόρεσεν διάδημα. 5 Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.
6 πολλοὶ δυνάσται ἠτιμάσθησαν σφόδρα, καὶ ἔνδοξοι παρεδόθησαν εἰς χεῖρας ἑτέρων. 6 Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men's hands.
7 πρὶν ἐξετάσῃς, μὴ μέμψῃ· νόησον πρῶτον καὶ τότε ἐπιτίμα. 7 Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.
8 πρὶν ἢ ἀκοῦσαι μὴ ἀποκρίνου καὶ ἐν μέσῳ λόγων μὴ παρεμβάλλου. 8 Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.
9 περὶ πράγματος, οὗ οὐκ ἔστιν σοὶ χρεία, μὴ ἔριζε καὶ ἐν κρίσει ἁμαρτωλῶν μὴ συνέδρευε. 9 Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and sit not in judgment with sinners.
10 τέκνον, μὴ περὶ πολλὰ ἔστωσαν αἱ πράξεις σου· ἐὰν πληθύνῃς, οὐκ ἀθῳωθήσῃ· καὶ ἐὰν διώκῃς, οὐ μὴ καταλάβῃς· καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκφύγῃς διαδράς. 10 My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.
11 ἔστιν κοπιῶν καὶ πονῶν καὶ σπεύδων, καὶ τόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑστερεῖται. 11 There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much the more behind.
12 ἔστιν νωθρὸς προσδεόμενος ἀντιλήμψεως, ὑστερῶν ἰσχύϊ καὶ πτωχείᾳ περισσεύει· καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπέβλεψαν αὐτῷ εἰς ἀγαθά, καὶ ἀνώρθωσεν αὐτὸν ἐκ ταπεινώσεως αὐτοῦ 12 Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate,
13 καὶ ἀνύψωσεν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπεθαύμασαν ἐπ' αὐτῷ πολλοί. 13 And lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw from him is peace over all the
14 ἀγαθὰ καὶ κακά, ζωὴ καὶ θάνατος, πτωχεία καὶ πλοῦτος παρὰ κυρίου ἐστίν. 14 Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord.
15  15 Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord: love, and the way of good works, are from him.
16  16 Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein.
17 δόσις κυρίου παραμένει εὐσεβέσιν, καὶ ἡ εὐδοκία αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα εὐοδωθήσεται. 17 The gift of the Lord remaineth with the devout, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever.
18 ἔστιν πλουτῶν ἀπὸ προσοχῆς καὶ σφιγγίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὕτη ἡ μερὶς τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ· 18 There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this his the portion of his reward:
19 ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν αὐτόν εὗρον ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ νῦν φάγομαι ἐκ τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδεν τίς καιρὸς παρελεύσεται καὶ καταλείψει αὐτὰ ἑτέροις καὶ ἀποθανεῖται. 19 Whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die.
20 στῆθι ἐν διαθήκῃ σου καὶ ὁμίλει ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ σου παλαιώθητι. 20 Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in thy work.
21 μὴ θαύμαζε ἐν ἔργοις ἁμαρτωλοῦ, πίστευε δὲ κυρίῳ καὶ ἔμμενε τῷ πόνῳ σου· ὅτι κοῦφον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κυρίου διὰ τάχους ἐξάπινα πλουτίσαι πένητα. 21 Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.
22 εὐλογία κυρίου ἐν μισθῷ εὐσεβοῦς, καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ ταχινῇ ἀναθάλλει εὐλογίαν αὐτοῦ. 22 The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his blessing flourish.
23 μὴ εἴπῃς τίς ἐστίν μου χρεία, καὶ τίνα ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἔσται μου τὰ ἀγαθά; 23 Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter?
24 μὴ εἴπῃς αὐτάρκη μοί ἐστιν, καὶ τί ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν κακωθήσομαι; 24 Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil shall I have hereafter?
25 ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθῶν ἀμνησία κακῶν, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῶν οὐ μνησθήσεται ἀγαθῶν· 25 In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.
26 ὅτι κοῦφον ἔναντι κυρίου ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τελευτῆς ἀποδοῦναι ἀνθρώπῳ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ. 26 For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways.
27 κάκωσις ὥρας ἐπιλησμονὴν ποιεῖ τρυφῆς, καὶ ἐν συντελείᾳ ἀνθρώπου ἀποκάλυψις ἔργων αὐτοῦ. 27 The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be discovered.
28 πρὸ τελευτῆς μὴ μακάριζε μηδένα, καὶ ἐν τέκνοις αὐτοῦ γνωσθήσεται ἀνήρ. 28 Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.
29 μὴ πάντα ἄνθρωπον εἴσαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου· πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ ἔνεδρα τοῦ δολίου. 29 Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains.
30 πέρδιξ θηρευτὴς ἐν καρτάλλῳ, οὕτως καρδία ὑπερηφάνου, καὶ ὡς ὁ κατάσκοπος ἐπιβλέπει πτῶσιν· 30 Like as a partridge taken and kept in a cage, so is the heart of the proud; and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:
31 τὰ γὰρ ἀγαθὰ εἰς κακὰ μεταστρέφων ἐνεδρεύει καὶ ἐν τοῖς αἱρετοῖς ἐπιθήσει μῶμον. 31 For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee.
32 ἀπὸ σπινθῆρος πυρὸς πληθύνεται ἀνθρακιά, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτωλὸς εἰς αἷμα ἐνεδρεύει. 32 Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man layeth wait for blood.
33 πρόσεχε ἀπὸ κακούργου, πονηρὰ γὰρ τεκταίνει, μήποτε μῶμον εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα δῷ σοὶ. 33 Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness; lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot.
34 ἐνοίκισον ἀλλότριον, καὶ διαστρέψει σὲ ἐν ταραχαῖς καὶ ἀπαλλοτριώσει σὲ τῶν ἰδίων σου. 34 Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own.