Wisdom of Sirach 21

1 ΤΕΚΝΟΝ, ἥμαρτες, μὴ προσθῇς μηκέτι καὶ περὶ τῶν προτέρων σου δεήθητι.

1 My son, have you sinned? do so no more, but ask pardon for your former sins.

2 ὡς ἀπὸ προσώπου ὄφεως φεῦγε ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας, ἐὰν γὰρ προσέλθῃς, δήξεταί σε· ὀδόντες λέοντος οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτῆς ἀναιροῦντες ψυχὰς ἀνθρώπων.

2 Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent: for if you come too near it, it will bite you: the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a lion, slaying the souls of men.

3 ὡς ρομφαία δίστομος πᾶσα ἀνομία, τῇ πληγῇ αὐτῆς οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις.

3 All iniquity is as a two edged sword, the wounds whereof can’t be healed.

4 καταπληγμὸς καὶ ὕβρις ἐρημώσουσι πλοῦτον· οὕτως οἶκος ὑπερηφάνου ἐρημωθήσεται.

4 To terrify and do wrong will waste riches: thus the house of proud men shall be made desolate.

5 δέησις πτωχοῦ ἐκ στόματος ἕως ὠτίων αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ κρίμα αὐτοῦ κατὰ σπουδὴν ἔρχεται.

5 A prayer out of a poor man's mouth reaches to the ears of God, and his judgement comes speedily.

6 μισῶν ἐλεγμὸν ἐν ἴχνει ἁμαρτωλοῦ, καὶ ὁ φοβούμενος Κύριον ἐπιστρέψει ἐν καρδίᾳ.

6 He that hates to be reproved is in the way of sinners: but he that fears the Lord will repent from his heart.

7 γνωστὸς μακρόθεν ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν γλώσσῃ, ὁ δὲ νοήμων οἶδεν ἐν τῷ ὀλισθαίνειν αὐτόν.

7 An eloquent man is known far and near; but a man of understanding knows when he slips.

8 ὁ οἰκοδομῶν τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν χρήμασιν ἀλλοτρίοις, ὡς ὁ συνάγων αὐτοῦ τοὺς λίθους εἰς χειμῶνα.

8 He that builds his house with other men's money is like one that gathers himself stones for the tomb of his burial.

9 στυππεῖον συνηγμένον συναγωγὴ ἀνόμων, καὶ ἡ συντέλεια αὐτῶν φλὸξ πυρός.

9 The congregation of the wicked is like tow wrapped together: and the end of them is a flame of fire to destroy them.

10 ὁδὸς ἁμαρτωλῶν ὡμαλισμένη ἐκ λίθων, καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτῳ αὐτῆς βόθρος ᾅδου.

10 The way of sinners is made plain with stones, but at the end thereof is the pit of hell.

11 Ὁ φυλάσσων νόμον κατακρατεῖ τοῦ ἐννοήματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ συντέλεια τοῦ φόβου Κυρίου σοφία.

11 He that keeps the law of the Lord gets the understanding thereof: and the perfection of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.

12 οὐ παιδευθήσεται ὃς οὐκ ἔστι πανοῦργος· ἔστι πανουργία πληθύνουσα πικρίαν.

12 He that is not wise will not be taught: but there is a wisdom which multiplies bitterness.

13 γνῶσις σοφοῦ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς πληθυνθήσεται καὶ ἡ βουλὴ αὐτοῦ ὡς πηγὴ ζωῆς.

13 The knowledge of a wise man shall abound like a flood: and his counsel is like a pure fountain of life.

14 ἔγκατα μωροῦ ὡς ἀγγεῖον συντετριμμένον καὶ πᾶσαν γνῶσιν οὐ κρατήσει.

14 The inner parts of a fool are like a broken vessel, and he will hold no knowledge as long as he lives.

15 λόγον σοφὸν ἐὰν ἀκούσῃ ἐπιστήμων, αἰνέσει αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν προσθήσει· ἤκουσεν ὁ σπαταλῶν καὶ ἀπήρεσεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν αὐτὸν ὀπίσω τοῦ νώτου αὐτοῦ.

15 If a skilful man hear a wise word, he will commend it, and add to it: but as soon as one of no understanding hears it, it displeases him, and he casts it behind his back.

16 ἐξήγησις μωροῦ ὡς ἐν ὁδῷ φορτίον, ἐπὶ δὲ χείλους συνετοῦ εὑρεθήσεται χάρις.

16 The talking of a fool is like a burden in the way: but grace shall be found in the lips of the wise.

17 στόμα φρονίμου ζητηθήσεται ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσονται ἐν καρδίᾳ.

17 They enquire at the mouth of the wise man in the congregation, and they shall ponder his words in their heart.

18 ὡς οἶκος ἠφανισμένος οὕτως μωρῷ σοφία, καὶ γνῶσις ἀσυνέτου ἀδιεξέταστοι λόγοι.

18 As is a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool: and the knowledge of the unwise is as talk without sense.

19 πέδαι ἐν ποσὶν ἀνοήτοις παιδεία καὶ ὡς χειροπέδαι ἐπὶ χειρὸς δεξιᾶς.

19 Doctrine to fools is as fetters on the feet, and like manacles on the right hand.

20 μωρὸς ἐν γέλωτι ἀνυψοῖ φωνὴν αὐτοῦ, ἀνὴρ δὲ πανοῦργος μόλις ἡσυχῇ μειδιάσει.

20 A fool lifts up his voice with laughter; but a wise man does scarce smile a little.

21 ὡς κόσμος χρυσοῦ φρονίμῳ παιδεία καὶ ὡς χλιδὼν ἐπὶ βραχίονι δεξιῷ.

21 Learning is to a wise man as an ornament of gold, and like a bracelet upon his right arm.

22 ποὺς μωροῦ ταχὺς εἰς οἰκίαν, ἄνθρωπος δὲ πολύπειρος αἰσχυνθήσεται ἀπὸ προσώπου.

22 A foolish man's foot is soon in his [neighbour's] house: but a man of experience is ashamed of him.

23 ἄφρων ἀπὸ θύρας παρακύπτει εἰς οἰκίαν, ἀνὴρ δὲ πεπαιδευμένος ἔξω στήσεται.

23 A fool will peep in at the door into the house: but he that is well nurtured will stand without.

24 ἀπαιδευσία ἀνθρώπου ἀκροᾶσθαι παρὰ θύραν, ὁ δὲ φρόνιμος βαρυνθήσεται ἀτιμίᾳ.

24 It is the rudeness of a man to listen at the door: but a wise man will be grieved with the disgrace.

25 χείλη ἀλλοτρίων ἐν τούτοις βαρυνθήσεται, λόγοι δὲ φρονίμων ἐν ζυγῷ σταθήσονται.

25 The lips of talkers will be telling such things as pertain not to them: but the words of such as have understanding are weighed in the balance.

26 ἐν στόματι μωρῶν ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν, καρδία δὲ σοφῶν στόμα αὐτῶν.

26 The heart of fools is in their mouth: but the mouth of the wise is in their heart.

27 ἐν τῷ καταρᾶσθαι ἀσεβῆ τὸν σατανᾶν αὐτὸς καταρᾶται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν.

27 When the ungodly curses Satan, he curses his own soul.

28 μολύνει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ὁ ψιθυρίζων καὶ ἐν παροικήσει μισηθήσεται.

28 A whisperer defiles his own soul, and is hated wherever he dwells.