top Wisdom of Sirach ch 14

Chapter 14

1 μακάριος ἀνήρ, ὃς οὐκ ὠλίσθησεν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ κατενύγη ἐν λύπῃ ἁμαρτιῶν· 1 Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.
2 μακάριος οὗ οὐ κατέγνω ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἔπεσεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ. 2 Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.
3 ἀνδρὶ μικρολόγῳ οὐ καλὸς ὁ πλοῦτος, καὶ ἀνθρώπῳ βασκάνῳ ἵνα τί χρήματα; 3 Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an envious man do with money?
4 ὁ συνάγων ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ συνάγει ἄλλοις, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς αὐτοῦ τρυφήσουσιν ἕτεροι. 4 He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.
5 ὁ πονηρὸς ἑαυτῷ τίνι ἀγαθὸς ἔσται; καὶ οὐ μὴ εὐφρανθήσεται ἐν τοῖς χρήμασιν αὐτοῦ. 5 He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.
6 τοῦ βασκαίνοντος ἑαυτὸν οὐκ ἔστιν πονηρότερος, καὶ τοῦτο ἀνταπόδομα τῆς κακίας αὐτοῦ· 6 There is none worse than he that envieth himself; and this is a recompence of his wickedness.
7 κἂν εὖ ποιῇ, ἐν λήθῃ ποιεῖ, καὶ ἐπ' ἐσχάτων ἐκφαίνει τὴν κακίαν αὐτοῦ. 7 And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.
8 πονηρὸς ὁ βασκαίνων ὀφθαλμῷ, ἀποστρέφων πρόσωπον καὶ ὑπερορῶν ψυχάς. 8 The envious man hath a wicked eye; he turneth away his face, and despiseth men.
9 πλεονέκτου ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ ἐμπίπλαται μερίδι, καὶ ἀδικία πονηρὰ ἀναξηραίνει ψυχήν. 9 A covetous man's eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.
10 ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρὸς φθονερὸς ἐπ' ἄρτῳ καὶ ἐλλιπὴς ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης αὐτοῦ. 10 A wicked eye envieth his bread, and he is a niggard at his table.
11 τέκνον, καθὼς ἐὰν ἔχῃς, εὖ ποίει σεαυτὸν καὶ προσφορὰς κυρίῳ ἀξίως πρόσαγε· 11 My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, and give the Lord his due offering.
12 μνήσθητι ὅτι θάνατος οὐ χρονιεῖ καὶ διαθήκη ᾅδου οὐχ ὑπεδείχθη σοι· 12 Remember that death will not be long in coming, and that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee.
13 πρίν σὲ τελευτῆσαι εὖ ποίει φίλῳ καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἰσχύν σου ἔκτεινον καὶ δὸς αὐτῷ. 13 Do good unto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability stretch out thy hand and give to him.
14 μὴ ἀφυστερήσῃς ἀπὸ ἀγαθῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ μερὶς ἐπιθυμίας ἀγαθῆς μή σὲ παρελθάτω. 14 Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire overpass thee.
15 οὐχὶ ἑτέρῳ καταλείψεις τοὺς πόνους σου καὶ τοὺς κόπους σου εἰς διαίρεσιν κλήρου; 15 Shalt thou not leave thy travails unto another? and thy labours to be divided by lot?
16 δὸς καὶ λαβὲ καὶ ἀπάτησον τὴν ψυχήν σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ᾅδου ζητῆσαι τρυφήν. 16 Give, and take, and sanctify thy soul; for there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.
17 πᾶσα σὰρξ ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιοῦται· ἡ γὰρ διαθήκη ἀπ' αἰῶνος θανάτῳ ἀποθανῇ. 17 All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death.
18 ὡς φύλλον θάλλον ἐπὶ δένδρου δασέος, τὰ μὲν καταβάλλει, ἄλλα δὲ φύει, οὕτως γενεὰ σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος, ἡ μὲν τελευτᾷ, ἑτέρα δὲ γεννᾶται. 18 As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.
19 πᾶν ἔργον σηπόμενον ἐκλείπει, καὶ ὁ ἐργαζόμενος αὐτὸ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἀπελεύσεται. 19 Every work rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker thereof shall go withal.
20 μακάριος ἀνήρ, ὃς ἐν σοφίᾳ μελετήσει καὶ ὃς ἐν συνέσει αὐτοῦ διαλεχθήσεται, 20 Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding.
21 ὁ διανοούμενος τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῆς ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτῆς ἐννοηθήσεται. 21 He that considereth her ways in his heart shall also have understanding in her secrets.
22 ἔξελθε ὀπίσω αὐτῆς ὡς ἰχνευτὴς καὶ ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῆς ἐνέδρευε. 22 Go after her as one that traceth, and lie in wait in her ways.
23 ὁ παρακύπτων διὰ τῶν θυρίδων αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θυρωμάτων αὐτῆς ἀκροάσεται, 23 He that prieth in at her windows shall also hearken at her doors.
24 ὁ καταλύων σύνεγγυς τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς καὶ πήξει πάσσαλον ἐν τοῖς τοίχοις αὐτῆς, 24 He that doth lodge near her house shall also fasten a pin in her walls.
25 στήσει τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ κατὰ χεῖρας αὐτῆς καὶ καταλύσει ἐν καταλύματι ἀγαθῶν, 25 He shall pitch his tent nigh unto her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.
26 θήσει τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκέπῃ αὐτῆς καὶ ὑπὸ τοὺς κλάδους αὐτῆς αὐλισθήσεται, 26 He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches.
27 σκεπασθήσεται ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἀπὸ καύματος καὶ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτῆς καταλύσει. 27 By her he shall be covered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.