top Wisdom of Sirach ch 17

Chapter 17

1 Κύριος ἔκτισεν ἐκ γῆς ἄνθρωπον καὶ πάλιν ἀπέστρεψεν αὐτὸν εἰς αὐτήν. 1 The Lord created man of the earth, and turned him into it again.
2 ἡμέρας ἀριθμοῦ καὶ καιρὸν ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τῶν ἐπ' αὐτῆς. 2 He gave them few days, and a short time, and power also over the things therein.
3 καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἐνέδυσεν αὐτοὺς ἰσχὺν καὶ κατ' εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς. 3 He endued them with strength by themselves, and made them according to his image,
4 ἔθηκεν τὸν φόβον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάσης σαρκὸς καὶ κατακυριεύειν θηρίων καὶ πετεινῶν. 4 And put the fear of man upon all flesh, and gave him dominion over beasts and fowls.
5  ἔλαβον χρῆσιν τῶν πέντε τοῦ Κυρίου ἐνεργημάτων, ἕκτον δὲ νοῦν αὐτοῖς ἐδωρήσατο μερίζων καὶ τὸν ἕβδομον λόγον ἑρμηνέα τῶν ἐνεργημάτων αὐτοῦ 5 They received the use of the five operations of the Lord, and in the sixth place he imparted them understanding, and in the seventh speech, an interpreter of the cogitations thereof.
6 διαβούλιον καὶ γλῶσσαν καὶ ὀφθαλμούς, ὦτα καὶ καρδίαν ἔδωκεν διανοεῖσθαι αὐτοῖς. 6 Counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, ears, and a heart, gave he them to understand.
7 ἐπιστήμην συνέσεως ἐνέπλησεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀγαθὰ καὶ κακὰ ὑπέδειξεν αὐτοῖς. 7 Withal he filled them with the knowledge of understanding, and shewed them good and evil.
8 ἔθηκεν τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν δεῖξαι αὐτοῖς τὸ μεγαλεῖον τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, 8 He set his eye upon their hearts, that he might shew them the greatness of his works.
9 καὶ ὄνομα ἁγιασμοῦ αἰνέσουσιν, 9 He gave them to glory in his marvellous acts for ever, that they might declare his works with understanding.
10 ἵνα διηγῶνται τὰ μεγαλεῖα τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ. 10 And the elect shall praise his holy name.
11 προσέθηκεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιστήμην καὶ νόμον ζωῆς ἐκληροδότησεν αὐτοῖς. 11 Beside this he gave them knowledge, and the law of life for an heritage.
12 διαθήκην αἰῶνος ἔστησεν μετ' αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ ὑπέδειξεν αὐτοῖς. 12 He made an everlasting covenant with them, and shewed them his judgments.
13 μεγαλεῖον δόξης εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν, καὶ δόξαν φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἤκουσεν τὸ οὖς αὐτῶν. 13 Their eyes saw the majesty of his glory, and their ears heard his glorious voice.
14 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς προσέχετε ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀδίκου· καὶ ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς ἑκάστῳ περὶ τοῦ πλησίον. 14 And he said unto them, Beware of all unrighteousness; and he gave every man commandment concerning his neighbour.
15 αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτῶν ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ διὰ παντός, οὐ κρυβήσονται ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ. 15 Their ways are ever before him, and shall not be hid from his eyes.
16  16 Every man from his youth is given to evil; neither could they make to themselves fleshy hearts for stony.
17 ἑκάστῳ ἔθνει κατέστησεν ἡγούμενον, καὶ μερὶς κυρίου Ἰσραὴλ ἐστίν. 17 For in the division of the nations of the whole earth he set a ruler over every people; but Israel is the Lord's portion:
18  18 Whom, being his firstborn, he nourisheth with discipline, and giving him the light of his love doth not forsake him.
19 ἅπαντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ὡς ὁ ἥλιος ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐνδελεχεῖς ἐπὶ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν. 19 Therefore all their works are as the sun before him, and his eyes are continually upon their ways.
20 οὐκ ἐκρύβησαν αἱ ἀδικίαι αὐτῶν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν ἔναντι κυρίου. 20 None of their unrighteous deeds are hid from him, but all their sins are before the Lord
21  21 But the Lord being gracious and knowing his workmanship, neither left nor forsook them, but spared them.
22 ἐλεημοσύνη ἀνδρὸς ὡς σφραγὶς μετ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ χάριν ἀνθρώπου ὡς κόρην συντηρήσει. 22 The alms of a man is as a signet with him, and he will keep the good deeds of man as the apple of the eye, and give repentance to his sons and daughters.
23 μετὰ ταῦτα ἐξαναστήσεται καὶ ἀνταποδώσει αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸ ἀνταπόδομα αὐτῶν εἰς κεφαλὴν αὐτῶν ἀποδώσει· 23 Afterwards he will rise up and reward them, and render their recompence upon their heads.
24 πλὴν μετανοοῦσιν ἔδωκεν ἐπάνοδον καὶ παρεκάλεσεν ἐκλείποντας ὑπομονήν. 24 But unto them that repent, he granted them return, and comforted those that failed in patience.
25 ἐπίστρεφε ἐπὶ κύριον καὶ ἀπόλειπε ἁμαρτίας, δεήθητι κατὰ πρόσωπον καὶ σμίκρυνον πρόσκομμα· 25 Return unto the Lord, and forsake thy sins, make thy prayer before his face, and offend less.
26 ἐπάναγε ἐπὶ ὕψιστον καὶ ἀπόστρεφε ἀπὸ ἀδικίας καὶ σφόδρα μίσησον βδέλυγμα, 26 Turn again to the most High, and turn away from iniquity: for he will lead thee out of darkness into the light of health, and hate thou abomination vehemently.
27 ὑψίστῳ τίς αἰνέσει ἐν ᾅδου ἀντὶ ζώντων καὶ διδόντων ἀνθομολόγησιν; 27 Who shall praise the most High in the grave, instead of them which live and give thanks?
28 ἀπὸ νεκροῦ ὡς μηδὲ ὄντος ἀπόλλυται ἐξομολόγησις· ζῶν καὶ ὑγιὴς αἰνέσει τὸν κύριον. 28 Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead, as from one that is not: the living and sound in heart shall praise the Lord.
29 ὡς μεγάλη ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἐξιλασμὸς τοῖς ἐπιστρέφουσιν ἐπ' αὐτόν. 29 How great is the lovingkindness of the Lord our God, and his compassion unto such as turn unto him in holiness!
30 οὐ γὰρ δύναται πάντα εἶναι ἐν ἀνθρώποις, ὅτι οὐκ ἀθάνατος υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου. 30 For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is not immortal.
31 τί φωτεινότερον ἡλίου; καὶ τοῦτο ἐκλείπει· καὶ πονηρὸν ἐνθυμηθήσεται σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα. 31 What is brighter than the sun? yet the light thereof faileth; and flesh and blood will imagine evil.
32 δύναμιν ὕψους οὐρανοῦ αὐτὸς ἐπισκέπτεται, καὶ ἄνθρωποι πάντες γῆ καὶ σποδός. 32 He vieweth the power of the height of heaven; and all men are but earth and ashes.