Wisdom of Sirach 11

Σοφία Σειράχ

1 ΣΟΦΙΑ ταπεινοῦ ἀνυψώσει κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ μεγιστάνων καθίσει αὐτόν.

Wisdom lifts up the head of him that is of low degree, and makes him to sit amongst great men.

2 μὴ αἰνέσῃς ἄνδρα ἐν κάλλει αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ βδελύξῃ ἄνθρωπον ἐν ὁράσει αὐτοῦ.

Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.

3 μικρὰ ἐν πετεινοῖς μέλισσα, καὶ ἀρχὴ γλυκασμάτων ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῆς.

The bee is little amongst such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.

4 ἐν περιβολῇ ἱματίων μὴ καυχήσῃ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ δόξης μὴ ἐπαίρου· ὅτι θαυμαστὰ τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου, καὶ κρυπτὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀνθρώποις.

Boast not of your clothing and raiment, and exalt not yourself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works amongst men are hidden.

5 πολλοὶ τύραννοι ἐκάθισαν ἐπὶ ἐδάφους, ὁ δὲ ἀνυπονόητος ἐφόρεσε διάδημα.

Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of has worn the crown.

6 πολλοὶ δυνάσται ἠτιμάσθησαν σφόδρα, καὶ ἔνδοξοι παρεδόθησαν εἰς χεῖρας ἑτέρων.

Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men's hands.

7 πρὶν ἐξετάσῃς, μὴ μέμψῃ· νόησον πρῶτον καὶ τότε ἐπιτίμα.

Blame not before you have examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.

8 πρὶν ἢ ἀκοῦσαι, μὴ ἀποκρίνου καὶ ἐν μέσῳ λόγων μὴ παρεμβάλλου.

Answer not before you have heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.

9 περὶ πράγματος, οὗ οὐκ ἔστι σοι χρεία, μὴ ἔριζε καὶ ἐν κρίσει ἁμαρτωλῶν μὴ συνέδρευε.

Strive not in a matter that concerns you not; and sit not in judgement with sinners.

10 Τέκνον, μὴ περὶ πολλὰ ἔστωσαν αἱ πράξεις σου· ἐὰν πληθυνῇς, οὐκ ἀθωωθήσῃ· καὶ ἐὰν διώκῃς, οὐ μὴ καταλάβῃς, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκφύγῃς διαδράς.

My son, meddle not with many matters: for if you meddle much, you shall not be innocent; and if you follow after, you shall not obtain, neither shall you escape by fleeing.

11 ἔστι κοπιῶν καὶ πονῶν καὶ σπεύδων, καὶ τόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑστερεῖται.

There is one that labores, and takes pains, and makes haste, and is so much the more behind.

12 ἔστι νωθρὸς καὶ προσδεόμενος ἀντιλήψεως, ὑστερῶν ἰσχύϊ καὶ πτωχείᾳ περισσεύει· καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπέβλεψαν αὐτῷ εἰς ἀγαθά, καὶ ἀνώρθωσεν αὐτὸν ἐκ ταπεινώσεως αὐτοῦ.

Again, there is another that is slow, and has need of help, lacking ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate,

13 καὶ ἀνύψωσε κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπεθαύμασαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ πολλοί.

And lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw from him is peace over all the

14 ἀγαθὰ καὶ κακά, ζωὴ καὶ θάνατος, πτωχεία καὶ πλοῦτος παρὰ Κυρίου ἐστί.

Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord.

Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord: love, and the way of good works, are from him. (Brenton's 11:15, which the Greek of this edition does not have)

Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein. (Brenton's 11:16, which the Greek of this edition does not have)

17 δόσις Κυρίου παραμένει εὐσεβέσι, καὶ ἡ εὐδοκία αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα εὐοδωθήσεται.

The gift of the Lord remains with the ungodly, and his favour brings prosperity for ever.

18 ἔστι πλουτῶν ἀπὸ προσοχῆς καὶ σφιγγίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὕτη ἡ μερὶς τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ.

There is that waxes rich by his wariness and pinching, and this his the portion of his reward:

19 ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν αὐτόν· εὗρον ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ νῦν φάγομαι ἐκ τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδε τίς καιρὸς παρελεύσεται καὶ καταλείψει αὐτὰ ἑτέροις καὶ ἀποθανεῖται.

Whereas he says, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knows not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die.

20 στῆθι ἐν διαθήκῃ σου καὶ ὁμίλει ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ σου παλαιώθητι.

Be stedfast in your covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in your work.

21 μὴ θαύμαζε ἐν ἔργοις ἁμαρτωλοῦ, πίστευε τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἔμμενε τῷ πόνῳ σου· ὅτι κοῦφον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου διὰ τάχους ἐξάπινα πλουτίσαι πένητα.

Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in your labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.

22 εὐλογία Κυρίου ἐν μισθῷ εὐσεβοῦς, καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ ταχινῇ ἀναθάλλει εὐλογίαν αὐτοῦ.

The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he makes his blessing flourish.

23 μὴ εἴπῃς· τίς ἐστί μου χρεία, καὶ τίνα ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἔσται μου τὰ ἀγαθά;

Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter?

24 μὴ εἴπῃς· αὐτάρκη μοί ἐστι, καὶ τί ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν κακωθήσομαι;

Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil shall I have hereafter?

25 ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθῶν ἀμνησία κακῶν, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῶν οὐ μνησθήσεται ἀγαθῶν·

In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.

26 ὅτι κοῦφον ἔναντι Κυρίου ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τελευτῆς ἀποδοῦναι ἀνθρώπῳ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ.

For it is an easy thing to the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways.

27 κάκωσις ὥρας ἐπιλησμονὴν ποιεῖ τρυφῆς, καὶ ἐν συντελείᾳ ἀνθρώπου ἀποκάλυψις ἔργων αὐτοῦ.

The affliction of an hour makes a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be revealed.

28 πρὸ τελευτῆς μὴ μακάριζε μηδένα, καὶ ἐν τέκνοις αὐτοῦ γνωσθήσεται ἀνήρ.

Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.

29 Μὴ πάντα ἄνθρωπον εἴσαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου, πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ ἔνεδρα τοῦ δολίου.

Bring not every man into your house: for the deceitful man has many trains.

30 πέρδιξ θηρευτὴς ἐν καρτάλλῳ, οὕτως καρδία ὑπερηφάνου, καὶ ὡς ὁ κατάσκοπος ἐπιβλέπει πτῶσιν·

Like as a partridge taken [and kept] in a cage, so is the heart of the proud; and like as a spy, watches he for your fall:

31 τὰ γὰρ ἀγαθὰ εἰς κακὰ μεταστρέφων ἐνεδρεύει καὶ ἐν τοῖς αἱρετοῖς ἐπιθήσει μῶμον.

For he lies in wait, and turns good into evil, and in things worthy praise will lay blame upon you.

32 ἀπὸ σπινθῆρος πυρὸς πληθύνεται ἀνθρακιά, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτωλὸς εἰς αἷμα ἐνεδρεύει.

Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man lays wait for blood.

33 πρόσεχε ἀπὸ κακούργου, πονηρὰ γὰρ τεκταίνει, μήποτε μῶμον εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα δῷ σοι.

Take heed of a mischievous man, for he works wickedness; lest he bring upon you a perpetual blot.

34 ἐνοίκισον ἀλλότριον καὶ διαστρέψει σε ἐν ταραχαῖς, καὶ ἀπαλλοτριώσει σε τῶν ἰδίων σου.

Receive a stranger into your house, and he will disturb you, and turn you out of your own.

Greek: the Septuagint as the Orthodox Media Network published it (Mount Athos); 2 Maccabees and the Prayer of Manasseh from Brenton's edition (1851). English: Brenton's translation (1851), its spelling updated by Michael Paul Johnson; public domain. About these texts.