top Wisdom of Sirach ch 28

Chapter 28

1 Ὁ ἐκδικῶν παρὰ κυρίου εὑρήσει ἐκδίκησιν, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ διατηρῶν διατηρήσει. 1 He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance.
2 ἄφες ἀδίκημα τῷ πλησίον σου, καὶ τότε δεηθέντος σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου λυθήσονται. 2 Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest.
3 ἄνθρωπος ἀνθρώπῳ συντηρεῖ ὀργήν, καὶ παρὰ κυρίου ζητεῖ ἴασιν; 3 One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from the Lord?
4 ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον ὅμοιον αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔχει ἔλεος, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ δεῖται; 4 He sheweth no mercy to a man, which is like himself: and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins?
5 αὐτὸς σὰρξ ὢν διατηρεῖ μῆνιν, τίς ἐξιλάσεται τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ; 5 If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sins?
6 μνήσθητι τὰ ἔσχατα καὶ παῦσαι ἐχθραίνων, καταφθορὰν καὶ θάνατον, καὶ ἔμμενε ἐντολαῖς. 6 Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; remember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.
7 μνήσθητι ἐντολῶν καὶ μὴ μηνίσῃς τῷ πλησίον, καὶ διαθήκην ὑψίστου καὶ πάριδε ἄγνοιαν. 7 Remember the commandments, and bear no malice to thy neighbour: remember the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance.
8 ἀπόσχου ἀπὸ μάχης, καὶ ἐλαττώσεις ἁμαρτίας· ἄνθρωπος γὰρ θυμώδης ἐκκαύσει μάχην, 8 Abstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins: for a furious man will kindle strife,
9 καὶ ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλὸς ταράξει φίλους καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον εἰρηνευόντων ἐμβαλεῖ διαβολήν. 9 A sinful man disquieteth friends, and maketh debate among them that be at peace.
10 κατὰ τὴν ὕλην τοῦ πυρὸς οὕτως ἐκκαυθήσεται, καὶ κατὰ τὴν στερέωσιν τῆς μάχης ἐκκαυθήσεται· κατὰ τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ ἔσται, καὶ κατὰ τὸν πλοῦτον ἀνυψώσει ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ. 10 As the matter of the fire is, so it burneth: and as a man's strength is, so is his wrath; and according to his riches his anger riseth; and the stronger they are which contend, the more they will be inflamed.
11 ἔρις κατασπευδομένη ἐκκαίει πῦρ, καὶ μάχη κατασπεύδουσα ἐκχέει αἷμα. 11 An hasty contention kindleth a fire: and an hasty fighting sheddeth blood.
12 ἐὰν φυσήσῃς εἰς σπινθῆρα, ἐκκαήσεται, καὶ ἐὰν πτύσῃς ἐπ' αὐτόν, σβεσθήσεται· καὶ ἀμφότερα ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου ἐκπορεύεται. 12 If thou blow the spark, it shall burn: if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these come out of thy mouth.
13 ψίθυρον καὶ δίγλωσσον καταράσασθε· πολλοὺς γὰρ εἰρηνεύοντας ἀπώλεσεν. 13 Curse the whisperer and doubletongued: for such have destroyed many that were at peace.
14 γλῶσσα τρίτη πολλοὺς ἐσάλευσεν καὶ διέστησεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ ἔθνους εἰς ἔθνος καὶ πόλεις ὀχυρὰς καθεῖλεν καὶ οἰκίας μεγιστάνων κατέστρεψεν. 14 A backbiting tongue hath disquieted many, and driven them from nation to nation: strong cities hath it pulled down, and overthrown the houses of great men.
15 γλῶσσα τρίτη γυναῖκας ἀνδρείας ἐξέβαλεν καὶ ἐστέρεσεν αὐτὰς τῶν πόνων αὐτῶν. 15 A backbiting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labours.
16 ὁ προσέχων αὐτῇ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐδὲ κατασκηνώσει μεθ' ἡσυχίας. 16 Whoso hearkeneth unto it shall never find rest, and never dwell quietly.
17 πληγὴ μάστιγος ποιεῖ μώλωπα, πληγὴ δὲ γλώσσης συγκλάσει ὀστᾶ. 17 The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones.
18 πολλοὶ ἔπεσαν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας, καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ πεπτωκότες διὰ γλῶσσαν. 18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.
19 μακάριος ὁ σκεπασθεὶς ἀπ' αὐτῆς, ὃς οὐ διῆλθεν ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτῆς, ὃς οὐχ εἵλκυσεν τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἐδέθη· 19 Well is he that is defended through the venom thereof; who hath not drawn the yoke thereof, nor hath been bound in her bands.
20 ὁ γὰρ ζυγὸς αὐτῆς ζυγὸς σιδηροῦς, καὶ οἱ δεσμοὶ αὐτῆς δεσμοὶ χάλκειοι· 20 For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands of brass.
21 θάνατος πονηρὸς ὁ θάνατος αὐτῆς, καὶ λυσιτελὴς μᾶλλον ὁ ᾅδης αὐτῆς, 21 The death thereof is an evil death, the grave were better than it.
22 οὐ μὴ κρατήσῃ εὐσεβῶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ φλογὶ αὐτῆς οὐ καήσονται. 22 It shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burned with the flame thereof.
23 οἱ καταλείποντες κύριον ἐμπεσοῦνται εἰς αὐτήν, καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐκκαήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ σβεσθῇ· ἐπαποσταλήσεται αὐτοῖς ὡς λέων καὶ ὡς πάρδαλις λυμανεῖται αὐτούς. 23 Such as forsake the Lord shall fall into it; and it shall burn in them, and not be quenched; it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and devour them as a leopard.
24 ἰδὲ περίφραξον τὸ κτῆμά σου ἀκάνθαις, τὸ ἀργύριόν σου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον κατάδησον· 24 Look that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns, and bind up thy silver and gold,
25 καὶ τοῖς λόγοις σου ποίησον ζυγὸν καὶ σταθμὸν καὶ τῷ στόματί σου ποίησον θύραν καὶ μοχλόν. 25 And weigh thy words in a balance, and make a door and bar for thy mouth.
26 πρόσεχε μήπως ὀλίσθῃς ἐν αὐτῇ, μὴ πέσῃς κατέναντι ἐνεδρεύοντος. 26 Beware thou slide not by it, lest thou fall before him that lieth in wait.