Wisdom of Sirach 2

1 ΤΕΚΝΟΝ, εἰ προσέρχῃ δουλεύειν Κυρίῳ Θεῷ, ἑτοίμασον τὴν ψυχήν σου εἰς πειρασμόν·

1 My son, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation.

2 εὔθυνον τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ καρτέρησον καὶ μὴ σπεύσῃς ἐν καιρῷ ἐπαγωγῆς·

2 Set your heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble.

3 κολλήθητι αὐτῷ καὶ μὴ ἀποστῇς, ἵνα αὐξηθῇς ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων σου.

3 Cleave to him, and depart not away, that you may be increased at your last end.

4 πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν ἐπαχθῇ σοι, δέξαι καὶ ἐν ἀλλάγμασι ταπεινώσεώς σου μακροθύμησον·

4 Whatsoever is brought upon you take cheerfully, and be patient when you are changed to a low estate.

5 ὅτι ἐν πυρὶ δοκιμάζεται χρυσὸς καὶ ἄνθρωποι δεκτοὶ ἐν καμίνῳ ταπεινώσεως.

5 For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.

6 πίστευσον αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀντιλήψεταί σου· εὔθυνον τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ ἔλπισον ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν.

6 Believe in him, and he will help you; order your way aright, and trust in him.

7 οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον ἀναμείνατε τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ ἐκκλίνητε, ἵνα μὴ πέσητε.

7 You⌃ that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest you⌃ fall.

8 οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον πιστεύσατε αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐ μὴ πταίσῃ ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν.

8 You⌃ that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail.

9 οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον ἐλπίσατε εἰς ἀγαθὰ καὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην αἰῶνος καὶ ἐλέους.

9 You⌃ that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy.

10 ἐμβλέψατε εἰς ἀρχαίας γενεὰς καὶ ἴδετε· τίς ἐνεπίστευσε Κυρίῳ καὶ κατῃσχύνθη; ἢ τίς ἐνέμεινε τῷ φόβῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγκατελείφθη; ἢ τίς ἐπεκαλέσατο αὐτόν, καὶ ὑπερεῖδεν αὐτόν;

10 Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?

11 διότι οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων ὁ Κύριος καὶ ἀφίησιν ἁμαρτίας καὶ σώζει ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως.

11 For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, longsuffering, and very pitiful, and forgives sins, and saves in time of affliction.

12 οὐαὶ καρδίαις δειλαῖς καὶ χερσὶ παρειμέναις καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἐπιβαίνοντι ἐπὶ δύο τρίβους.

12 Woe be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the sinner that goes two ways!

13 οὐαὶ καρδίᾳ παρειμένῃ, ὅτι οὐ πιστεύει· διὰ τοῦτο οὐ σκεπασθήσεται.

13 Woe to him that is faint-hearted! for he believes not; therefore shall he not be defended.

14 οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἀπολωλεκόσι τὴν ὑπομονήν· καὶ τί ποιήσετε ὅταν ἐπισκέπτηται ὁ Κύριος;

14 Woe to you that have lost patience! and what will you⌃ do when the Lord shall visit you?

15 οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον οὐκ ἀπειθήσουσι ρημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτὸν συντηρήσουσι τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ.

15 They that fear the Lord will not disobey his Word; and they that love him will keep his ways.

16 οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον ζητήσουσιν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτὸν ἐμπλησθήσονται τοῦ νόμου.

16 They that fear the Lord will seek that which is well, pleasing to him; and they that love him shall be filled with the law.

17 οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον ἑτοιμάσουσι καρδίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ταπεινώσουσι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν.

17 They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight,

18 ἐμπεσούμεθα εἰς χεῖρας Κυρίου καὶ οὐκ εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων· ὡς γὰρ ἡ μεγαλωσύνη αὐτοῦ, οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.

18 Saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his majesty is, so is his mercy.