top Wisdom of Sirach ch 31

Chapter 31

1 Ἀγρυπνία πλούτου ἐκτήκει σάρκας, καὶ ἡ μέριμνα αὐτοῦ ἀφιστᾷ ὕπνον. 1 Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the care thereof driveth away sleep.
2 μέριμνα ἀγρυπνίας ἀποστήσει νυσταγμόν, καὶ ἀρρώστημα βαρὺ ἐκνήψει ὕπνον. 2 Watching care will not let a man slumber, as a sore disease breaketh sleep,
3 ἐκοπίασεν πλούσιος ἐν συναγωγῇ χρημάτων καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀναπαύσει ἐμπίμπλαται τῶν τρυφημάτων αὐτοῦ. 3 The rich hath great labour in gathering riches together; and when he resteth, he is filled with his delicates.
4 ἐκοπίασεν πτωχὸς ἐν ἐλαττώσει βίου καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀναπαύσει ἐπιδεὴς γίνεται. 4 The poor laboureth in his poor estate; and when he leaveth off, he is still needy.
5 ὁ ἀγαπῶν χρυσίον οὐ δικαιωθήσεται, καὶ ὁ διώκων διάφορα ἐν αὐτοῖς πλανηθήσεται. 5 He that loveth gold shall not be justified, and he that followeth corruption shall have enough thereof.
6 πολλοὶ ἐδόθησαν εἰς πτῶμα χάριν χρυσίου, καὶ ἐγενήθη ἡ ἀπώλεια αὐτῶν κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν. 6 Gold hath been the ruin of many, and their destruction was present.
7 ξύλον προσκόμματός ἐστιν τοῖς ἐνθουσιάζουσιν αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ἄφρων ἁλώσεται ἐν αὐτῷ. 7 It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it, and every fool shall be taken therewith.
8 μακάριος πλούσιος, ὃς εὑρέθη ἄμωμος καὶ ὃς ὀπίσω χρυσίου οὐκ ἐπορεύθη· 8 Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold.
9 τίς ἐστιν; καὶ μακαριοῦμεν αὐτόν· ἐποίησεν γὰρ θαυμάσια ἐν λαῷ αὐτοῦ. 9 Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things hath he done among his people.
10 τίς ἐδοκιμάσθη ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐτελειώθη; καὶ ἔσται αὐτῷ εἰς καύχησιν. τίς ἐδύνατο παραβῆναι καὶ οὐ παρέβη, καὶ ποιῆσαι κακὰ καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησεν; 10 Who hath been tried thereby, and found perfect? then let him glory. Who might offend, and hath not offended? or done evil, and hath not done it?
11 στερεωθήσεται τὰ ἀγαθὰ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰς ἐλεημοσύνας αὐτοῦ ἐκδιηγήσεται ἐκκλησία. 11 His goods shall be established, and the congregation shall declare his alms.
12 ἐπὶ τραπέζης μεγάλης ἐκάθισας; μὴ ἀνοίξῃς ἐπ' αὐτῆς φάρυγγά σου καὶ μὴ εἴπῃς πολλά γε τὰ ἐπ' αὐτῆς· 12 If thou sit at a bountiful table, be not greedy upon it, and say not, There is much meat on it.
13 μνήσθητι ὅτι κακὸν ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός. πονηρότερον ὀφθαλμοῦ τί ἔκτισται; διὰ τοῦτο ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου δακρύει. 13 Remember that a wicked eye is an evil thing: and what is created more wicked than an eye? therefore it weepeth upon every occasion.
14 οὗ ἐὰν ἐπιβλέψῃ, μὴ ἐκτείνῃς χεῖρα καὶ μὴ συνθλίβου αὐτῷ ἐν τρυβλίῳ. 14 Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looketh, and thrust it not with him into the dish.
15 νόει τὰ τοῦ πλησίον ἐκ σεαυτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ παντὶ πράγματι διανοοῦ. 15 Judge not thy neighbour by thyself: and be discreet in every point.
16 φάγε ὡς ἄνθρωπος τὰ παρακείμενά σοὶ καὶ μὴ διαμασῶ, μὴ μισηθῇς. 16 Eat as it becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and devour note, lest thou be hated.
17 παῦσαι πρῶτος χάριν παιδείας καὶ μὴ ἀπληστεύου, μήποτε προσκόψῃς· 17 Leave off first for manners' sake; and be not unsatiable, lest thou offend.
18 καὶ εἰ ἀνὰ μέσον πλειόνων ἐκάθισας, πρότερος αὐτῶν μὴ ἐκτείνῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου. 18 When thou sittest among many, reach not thine hand out first of all.
19 ὡς ἱκανὸν ἀνθρώπῳ πεπαιδευμένῳ τὸ ὀλίγον, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀσθμαίνει. 19 A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured, and he fetcheth not his wind short upon his bed.
20 ὕπνος ὑγιείας ἐπὶ ἐντέρῳ μετρίῳ· ἀνέστη πρωί, καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ. μετ' αὐτοῦ πόνος ἀγρυπνίας καὶ χολέρας καὶ στρόφος μετὰ ἀνδρὸς ἀπλήστου· 20 Sound sleep cometh of moderate eating: he riseth early, and his wits are with him: but the pain of watching, and choler, and pangs of the belly, are with an unsatiable man.
21 καὶ εἰ ἐβιάσθης ἐν ἐδέσμασιν, ἀνάστα ἔμεσον πόρρω, καὶ ἀναπαύσῃ. 21 And if thou hast been forced to eat, arise, go forth, vomit, and thou shalt have rest.
22 ἄκουσόν μου, τέκνον, καὶ μὴ ἐξουδενήσῃς με, καὶ ἐπ' ἐσχάτων εὑρήσεις τοὺς λόγους μου· ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου γίνου ἐντρεχής, καὶ πᾶν ἀρρώστημα οὐ μή σοὶ ἀπαντήσῃ. 22 My son, hear me, and despise me not, and at the last thou shalt find as I told thee: in all thy works be quick, so shall there no sickness come unto thee.
23 λαμπρὸν ἐπ' ἄρτοις εὐλογήσει χείλη, καὶ ἡ μαρτυρία τῆς καλλονῆς αὐτοῦ πιστή. 23 Whoso is liberal of his meat, men shall speak well of him; and the report of his good housekeeping will be believed.
24 πονηρῷ ἐπ' ἄρτῳ διαγογγύσει πόλις, καὶ ἡ μαρτυρία τῆς πονηρίας αὐτοῦ ἀκριβής. 24 But against him that is a niggard of his meat the whole city shall murmur; and the testimonies of his niggardness shall not be doubted of.
25 ἐν οἴνῳ μὴ ἀνδρίζου· πολλοὺς γὰρ ἀπώλεσεν ὁ οἶνος. 25 Shew not thy valiantness in wine; for wine hath destroyed many.
26 κάμινος δοκιμάζει στόμωμα ἐν βαφῇ, οὕτως οἶνος καρδίας ἐν μάχῃ ὑπερηφάνων. 26 The furnace proveth the edge by dipping: so doth wine the hearts of the proud by drunkenness.
27 ἔφισον ζωῆς οἶνος ἀνθρώποις, ἐὰν πίνῃς αὐτὸν ἐν μέτρῳ αὐτοῦ. τίς ζωὴ ἐλασσουμένῳ οἴνῳ; καὶ αὐτὸς ἔκτισται εἰς εὐφροσύνην ἀνθρώποις. 27 Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk moderately: what life is then to a man that is without wine? for it was made to make men glad.
28 ἀγαλλίαμα καρδίας καὶ εὐφροσύνη ψυχῆς οἶνος πινόμενος ἐν καιρῷ αὐτάρκης· 28 Wine measurably drunk and in season bringeth gladness of the heart, and cheerfulness of the mind:
29 πικρία ψυχῆς οἶνος πινόμενος πολὺς ἐν ἐρεθισμῷ καὶ ἀντιπτώματι. 29 But wine drunken with excess maketh bitterness of the mind, with brawling and quarrelling.
30 πληθύνει μέθη θυμὸν ἄφρονος εἰς πρόσκομμα ἐλαττῶν ἰσχὺν καὶ προσποιῶν τραύματα. 30 Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool till he offend: it diminisheth strength, and maketh wounds.
31 ἐν συμποσίῳ οἴνου μὴ ἐλέγξῃς τὸν πλησίον καὶ μὴ ἐξουθενήσῃς αὐτὸν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ αὐτοῦ· λόγον ὀνειδισμοῦ μὴ εἴπῃς αὐτῷ καὶ μὴ αὐτὸν θλίψῃς ἐν ἀπαιτήσει. 31 Rebuke not thy neighbour at the wine, and despise him not in his mirth: give him no despiteful words, and press not upon him with urging him to drink.