The Bible Wisdom of Sirach Chapter 25
Wisdom of Sirach 25
Σοφία Σειράχ
1 ΕΝ τρισὶν ὡραΐσθην καὶ ἀνέστην ὡραία ἔναντι Κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων· ὁμόνοια ἀδελφῶν, καὶ φιλία τῶν πλησίον, καὶ γυνὴ καὶ ἀνὴρ ἑαυτοῖς συμπεριφερόμενοι.
In three things I was beautified, and stood up beautiful both before God and men: the unity of brethren, the love of neighbours, a man and a wife that agree together.
2 τρία δὲ εἴδη ἐμίσησεν ἡ ψυχή μου καὶ προσώχθισα σφόδρα τῇ ζωῇ αὐτῶν· πτωχὸν ὑπερήφανον, καὶ πλούσιον ψεύστην, γέροντα μοιχὸν ἐλαττούμενον συνέσει.
Three sorts of men my soul hates, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man that is proud, a rich man that is a liar, and an old adulterer that doats.
3 Ἐν νεότητι οὐ συναγήοχας, καὶ πῶς ἂν εὕροις ἐν τῷ γήρᾳ σου;
If you have gathered nothing in your youth, how can you find any thing in your age?
4 ὡς ὡραῖον πολιαῖς κρίσις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις ἐπιγνῶναι βουλήν.
O how comely a thing is judgement for grey hairs, and for ancient men to know counsel!
5 ὡς ὡραία γερόντων σοφία καὶ δεδοξασμένοις διανόημα καὶ βουλή.
O how comely is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men of honour.
6 στέφανος γερόντων πολυπειρία, καὶ τὸ καύχημα αὐτῶν φόβος Κυρίου.
Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.
7 Ἐννέα ὑπονοήματα ἐμακάρισα ἐν καρδίᾳ καὶ τὸ δέκατον ἐρῶ ἐπὶ γλώσσης· ἄνθρωπος εὐφραινόμενος ἐπὶ τέκνοις, ζῶν καὶ βλέπων ἐπὶ πτώσει ἐχθρῶν·
There be nine things which I have judged in my heart to be happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that has joy of his children; and he that lives to see the fall of his enemy:
8 μακάριος ὁ συνοικῶν γυναικὶ συνετῇ, καὶ ὃς ἐν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ὠλίσθησε, καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἐδούλευσεν ἀναξίῳ αὐτοῦ·
Well is him that dwells with a wife of understanding, and that has not slipped with his tongue, and that has not served a man more unworthy than himself:
9 μακάριος ὃς εὗρε φρόνησιν, καὶ ὁ διηγούμενος εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων·
Well is him that has found prudence, and he that speaks in the ears of them that will hear:
10 ὡς μέγας ὁ εὑρὼν σοφίαν· ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἔστιν ὑπὲρ τὸν φοβούμενον τὸν Κύριον·
O how great is he that finds wisdom! yet is there none above him that fears the Lord.
11 φόβος Κυρίου ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὑπερέβαλεν, ὁ κρατῶν αὐτοῦ τίνι ὁμοιωθήσεται; [12 φόβος Κυρίου ἀρχὴ ἀγαπήσεως αὐτοῦ, πίστις δὲ ἀρχὴ κολλήσεως αὐτοῦ].
But the love of the Lord passes all things for illumination: he that holds it, whereto shall he be likened?
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of his love: and faith is the beginning of cleaving to him. (Brenton's 25:12, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
13 Πᾶσαν πληγὴν καὶ μὴ πληγὴν καρδίας, καὶ πᾶσαν πονηρίαν καὶ μὴ πονηρίαν γυναικός·
[Give me] any plague, but the plague of the heart: and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:
14 πᾶσαν ἐπαγωγὴν καὶ μὴ ἐπαγωγὴν μισούντων, καὶ πᾶσαν ἐκδίκησιν καὶ μὴ ἐκδίκησιν ἐχθρῶν.
And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate me: and any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.
15 οὐκ ἔστι κεφαλὴ ὑπὲρ κεφαλὴν ὄφεως, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι θυμὸς ὑπὲρ θυμὸν ἐχθροῦ.
There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.
16 συνοικῆσαι λέοντι καὶ δράκοντι εὐδοκήσω ἢ ἐνοικῆσαι μετὰ γυναικὸς πονηρᾶς.
I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.
17 πονηρία γυναικὸς ἀλλοιοῖ τὴν ὅρασιν αὐτῆς καὶ σκοτοῖ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς ὡς ἄρκος.
The wickedness of a woman changes her face, and darkens her countenance like sackcloth.
18 ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἀναπεσεῖται ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀκούσας ἀνεστέναξε πικρά.
Her husband shall sit amongst his neighbours; and when he hears it shall sigh bitterly.
19 μικρὰ πᾶσα κακία πρὸς κακίαν γυναικός, κλῆρος ἁμαρτωλοῦ ἐπιπέσοι αὐτῇ.
All wickedness is but little to the wickedness of a woman: let the portion of a sinner fall upon her.
20 ἀνάβασις ἀμμώδης ἐν ποσὶ πρεσβυτέρου, οὕτως γυνὴ γλωσσώδης ἀνδρὶ ἡσύχῳ.
As the climbing up a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.
21 μὴ προσπέσῃς ἐπὶ κάλλος γυναικὸς καὶ γυναῖκα μὴ ἐπιποθήσῃς.
Stumble not at the beauty of a woman, and desire her not for pleasure.
22 ὀργὴ καὶ ἀναίδεια καὶ αἰσχύνη μεγάλη γυνὴ ἐὰν ἐπιχορηγῇ τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς.
A woman, if she maintain her husband, is full of anger, impudence, and much reproach.
23 καρδία ταπεινὴ καὶ πρόσωπον σκυθρωπὸν καὶ πληγὴ καρδίας γυνὴ πονηρά· χεῖρες παρειμέναι καὶ γόνατα παραλελυμένα ἥτις οὐ μακαριεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς.
A wicked woman abates the courage, makes an heavy countenance and a wounded heart: a woman that will not comfort her husband in distress makes weak hands and feeble knees.
24 ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἀρχὴ ἁμαρτίας, καὶ δι᾿ αὐτὴν ἀποθνήσκομεν πάντες.
Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.
25 μὴ δῷς ὕδατι διέξοδον μηδὲ γυναικὶ πονηρᾷ ἐξουσίαν.
Give the water no passage; neither a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.
26 εἰ μὴ πορεύεται κατὰ χεῖρά σου, ἀπὸ τῶν σαρκῶν σου ἀπότεμε αὐτήν.
If she go not as you would have her, cut her off from your flesh, and give her a bill of divorce, and let her go.
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.