Wisdom of Sirach 15

1 ΟΦΟΒΟΥΜΕΝΟΣ Κύριον ποιήσει αὐτό, καὶ ὁ ἐγκρατὴς τοῦ νόμου καταλήψεται αὐτήν·

1 He that fears the Lord will do good, and he that has the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.

2 καὶ ὑπαντήσεται αὐτῷ ὡς μήτηρ καὶ ὡς γυνὴ παρθενίας προσδέξεται αὐτόν.

2 And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.

3 ψωμιεῖ αὐτὸν ἄρτον συνέσεως καὶ ὕδωρ σοφίας ποτίσει αὐτόν.

3 With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.

4 στηριχθήσεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν καὶ οὐ μὴ κλιθῇ, καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς ἐφέξει καὶ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ·

4 He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.

5 καὶ ὑψώσει αὐτὸν παρὰ τοὺς πλησίον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ἀνοίξει στόμα αὐτοῦ.

5 She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.

6 εὐφροσύνην καὶ στέφανον ἀγαλλιάματος καὶ ὄνομα αἰώνιον κατακληρονομήσει.

6 He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

7 οὐ μὴ καταλήψονται αὐτὴν ἄνθρωποι ἀσύνετοι, καὶ ἄνδρες ἁμαρτωλοὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδωσιν αὐτήν·

7 But foolish men shall not attain to her, and sinners shall not see her.

8 μακράν ἐστιν ὑπερηφανίας, καὶ ἄνδρες ψεῦσται οὐ μὴ μνησθήσονται αὐτῆς.

8 For she is far from pride, and men that are liars can’t remember her.

9 Οὐχ ὡραῖος αἶνος ἐν στόματι ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ὅτι οὐ παρὰ Κυρίου ἀπεστάλη·

9 Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.

10 ἐν γὰρ σοφίᾳ ρηθήσεται αἶνος, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εὐοδώσει αὐτόν.

10 For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.

11 μὴ εἴπῃς ὅτι διὰ Κύριον ἀπέστην· ἃ γὰρ ἐμίσησεν, οὐ ποιήσεις.

11 Say not you, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for you ought not to do the things that he hates.

12 μὴ εἴπῃς ὅτι αὐτός με ἐπλάνησεν· οὐ γὰρ χρείαν ἔχει ἀνδρὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ.

12 Say not you, He has caused me to err: for he has no need of the sinful man.

13 πᾶν βδέλυγμα ἐμίσησε Κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαπητὸν τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν.

13 The Lord hates all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.

14 αὐτὸς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐποίησεν ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ἐν χειρὶ διαβουλίου αὐτοῦ.

14 He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;

15 ἐὰν θέλῃς, συντηρήσεις ἐντολὰς καὶ πίστιν ποίησαι εὐδοκίας.

15 If you will, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.

16 παρέθηκέ σοι πῦρ καὶ ὕδωρ· οὗ ἐὰν θέλῃς, ἐκτενεῖς τὴν χεῖρά σου.

16 He has set fire and water before you: stretch forth your hand to whether you will.

17 ἔναντι ἀνθρώπων ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ὁ θάνατος, καὶ ὃ ἐὰν εὐδοκήσῃ, δοθήσεται αὐτῷ.

17 Before man is life and death; and whether him likes shall be given him.

18 ὅτι πολλὴ σοφία τοῦ Κυρίου· ἰσχυρὸς ἐν δυναστείᾳ καὶ βλέπων τὰ πάντα,

18 For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and sees all things:

19 καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιγνώσεται πᾶν ἔργον ἀνθρώπου.

19 And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knows every work of man.

20 καὶ οὐκ ἐνετείλατο οὐδενὶ ἀσεβεῖν καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκεν ἄνεσιν οὐδενὶ ἁμαρτάνειν.

20 He has commanded no man to do wickedly, neither has he given any man licence to sin.