top Wisdom of Sirach ch 39

Chapter 39

1 Πλὴν τοῦ ἐπιδιδόντος τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ διανοουμένου ἐν νόμῳ ὑψίστου, σοφίαν πάντων ἀρχαίων ἐκζητήσει καὶ ἐν προφητείαις ἀσχοληθήσεται, 1 But he that giveth his mind to the law of the most High, and is occupied in the meditation thereof, will seek out the wisdom of all the ancient, and be occupied in prophecies.
2 διήγησιν ἀνδρῶν ὀνομαστῶν συντηρήσει καὶ ἐν στροφαῖς παραβολῶν συνεισελεύσεται, 2 He will keep the sayings of the renowned men: and where subtil parables are, he will be there also.
3 ἀπόκρυφα παροιμιῶν ἐκζητήσει καὶ ἐν αἰνίγμασι παραβολῶν ἀναστραφήσεται. 3 He will seek out the secrets of grave sentences, and be conversant in dark parables.
4 ἀνὰ μέσον μεγιστάνων ὑπηρετήσει καὶ ἔναντι ἡγουμένων ὀφθήσεται· ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίων ἐθνῶν διελεύσεται, ἀγαθὰ γὰρ καὶ κακὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπείρασεν. 4 He shall serve among great men, and appear before princes: he will travel through strange countries; for he hath tried the good and the evil among men.
5 τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπιδώσει ὀρθρίσαι πρὸς κύριον τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸν καὶ ἔναντι ὑψίστου δεηθήσεται· καὶ ἀνοίξει στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ δεηθήσεται. 5 He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and will pray before the most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and make supplication for his sins.
6 ἐὰν κύριος ὁ μέγας θελήσῃ, πνεύματι συνέσεως ἐμπλησθήσεται· αὐτὸς ἀνομβρήσει ῥήματα σοφίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν προσευχῇ ἐξομολογήσεται κυρίῳ· 6 When the great Lord will, he shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: he shall pour out wise sentences, and give thanks unto the Lord in his prayer.
7 αὐτὸς κατευθυνεῖ βουλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμην καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσεται· 7 He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.
8 αὐτὸς ἐκφανεῖ παιδείαν διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν νόμῳ διαθήκης κυρίου καυχήσεται. 8 He shall shew forth that which he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
9 αἰνέσουσιν τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ πολλοί, καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται· οὐκ ἀποστήσεται τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ζήσεται εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν· 9 Many shall commend his understanding; and so long as the world endureth, it shall not be blotted out; his memorial shall not depart away, and his name shall live from generation to generation.
10 τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ διηγήσονται ἔθνη καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον αὐτοῦ ἐξαγγελεῖ ἐκκλησία· 10 Nations shall shew forth his wisdom, and the congregation shall declare his praise.
11 ἐὰν ἐμμείνῃ, ὄνομα καταλείψει ἢ χίλιοι, καὶ ἐὰν ἀναπαύσηται, ἐκποιεῖ αὐτῷ 11 If he die, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: and if he live, he shall increase it.
12 ἔτι διανοηθεὶς ἐκδιηγήσομαι καὶ ὡς διχομηνία ἐπληρώθην. 12 Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; for I am filled as the moon at the full.
13 εἰσακούσατέ μου υἱοὶ ὅσιοι, καὶ βλαστήσατε ὡς ῥόδον φυόμενον ἐπὶ ῥεύματος ὑγροῦ 13 Hearken unto me, ye holy children, and bud forth as a rose growing by the brook of the field:
14 καὶ ὡς λίβανος εὐωδιάσατε ὀσμὴν καὶ ἀνθήσατε ἄνθος ὡς κρίνον. διάδοτε ὀσμὴν καὶ αἰνέσατε ᾆσμα, εὐλογήσατε κύριον ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔργοις, 14 And give ye a sweet savour as frankincense, and flourish as a lily, send forth a smell, and sing a song of praise, bless the Lord in all his works.
15 δότε τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μεγαλωσύνην καὶ ἐξομολογήσασθε ἐν αἰνέσει αὐτοῦ ἐν ᾠδαῖς χειλέων καὶ ἐν κινύραις καὶ οὕτως ἐρεῖτε ἐν ἐξομολογήσει 15 Magnify his name, and shew forth his praise with the songs of your lips, and with harps, and in praising him ye shall say after this manner:
16 τὰ ἔργα κυρίου πάντα ὅτι καλὰ σφόδρα, καὶ πᾶν πρόσταγμα ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ἔσται· οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν τί τοῦτο; εἰς τί τοῦτο πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ζητηθήσεται. 16 All the works of the Lord are exceeding good, and whatsoever he commandeth shall be accomplished in due season.
17 ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ ἔστη ὡς θιμωνιὰ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐν ῥήματι στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀποδοχεῖα ὑδάτων. 17 And none may say, What is this? wherefore is that? for at time convenient they shall all be sought out: at his commandment the waters stood as an heap, and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters.
18 ἐν προστάγματι αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ εὐδοκία, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐλαττώσει τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ. 18 At his commandment is done whatsoever pleaseth him; and none can hinder, when he will save.
19 ἔργα πάσης σαρκὸς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν κρυβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ· 19 The works of all flesh are before him, and nothing can be hid from his eyes.
20 ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐπέβλεψεν, καὶ οὐθέν ἐστιν θαυμάσιον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ. 20 He seeth from everlasting to everlasting; and there is nothing wonderful before him.
21 οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν τί τοῦτο εἰς τί τοῦτο; πάντα γὰρ εἰς χρείας αὐτῶν ἔκτισται. 21 A man need not to say, What is this? wherefore is that? for he hath made all things for their uses.
22 ἡ εὐλογία αὐτοῦ ὡς ποταμὸς ἐπεκάλυψεν καὶ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς ξηρὰν ἐμέθυσεν· 22 His blessing covered the dry land as a river, and watered it as a flood.
23 οὕτως ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη κληρονομήσει, ὡς μετέστρεψεν ὕδατα εἰς ἅλμην. 23 As he hath turned the waters into saltness: so shall the heathen inherit his wrath.
24 αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὁσίοις εὐθεῖαι, οὕτως τοῖς ἀνόμοις προσκόμματα· 24 As his ways are plain unto the holy; so are they stumblingblocks unto the wicked.
25 ἀγαθὰ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔκτισται ἀπ' ἀρχῆς, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς κακά 25 For the good are good things created from the beginning: so evil things for sinners.
26 ἀρχὴ πάσης χρείας εἰς ζωὴν ἀνθρώπου, ὕδωρ καὶ πῦρ καὶ σίδηρος καὶ ἅλας καὶ σεμίδαλις πυροῦ καὶ γάλα καὶ μέλι, αἷμα σταφυλῆς καὶ ἔλαιον καὶ ἱμάτιον· 26 The principal things for the whole use of man's life are water, fire, iron, and salt, flour of wheat, honey, milk, and the blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing.
27 ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν εἰς ἀγαθά, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς τραπήσεται εἰς κακά. 27 All these things are for good to the godly: so to the sinners they are turned into evil.
28 ἔστιν πνεύματα, ἃ εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται καὶ ἐν θυμῷ αὐτοῦ ἐστερέωσεν μάστιγας αὐτῶν· ἐν καιρῷ συντελείας ἰσχὺν ἐκχεοῦσιν καὶ τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς κοπάσουσιν. 28 There be spirits that are created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction they pour out their force, and appease the wrath of him that made them.
29 πῦρ καὶ χάλαζα καὶ λιμὸς καὶ θάνατος, πάντα ταῦτα εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται· 29 Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance;
30 θηρίων ὀδόντες καὶ σκορπίοι καὶ ἔχεις καὶ ῥομφαία ἐκδικοῦσα εἰς ὄλεθρον ἀσεβεῖς· 30 Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, serpents, and the sword punishing the wicked to destruction.
31 ἐν τῇ ἐντολῇ αὐτοῦ εὐφρανθήσονται καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἰς χρείας ἑτοιμασθήσονται καὶ ἐν καιροῖς αὐτῶν οὐ παραβήσονται λόγον. 31 They shall rejoice in his commandment, and they shall be ready upon earth, when need is; and when their time is come, they shall not transgress his word.
32 διὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐστηρίχθην καὶ διενοήθην καὶ ἐν γραφῇ ἀφῆκα 32 Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and thought upon these things, and have left them in writing.
33 τὰ ἔργα κυρίου πάντα ἀγαθὰ καὶ πᾶσαν χρείαν ἐν ὥρᾳ αὐτῆς χορηγήσει, 33 All the works of the Lord are good: and he will give every needful thing in due season.
34 καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν τοῦτο τούτου πονηρότερον, πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ εὐδοκιμηθήσεται. 34 So that a man cannot say, This is worse than that: for in time they shall all be well approved.
35 καὶ νῦν ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ καὶ στόματι ὑμνήσατε καὶ εὐλογήσατε τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου. 35 And therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth, and bless the name of the Lord.