The Bible Wisdom of Sirach Chapter 33
Wisdom of Sirach 33
Σοφία Σειράχ
1 Τ† φοβουμένῳ Κύριον οὐκ ἀπαντήσει κακόν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐν πειρασμῷ καὶ πάλιν ἐξελεῖται.
There shall no evil happen to him that fears the Lord; but in temptation even again he will deliver him.
2 ἀνὴρ σοφὸς οὐ μισήσει νόμον, ὁ δὲ ὑποκρινόμενος ἐν αὐτῷ, ὡς ἐν καταιγίδι πλοῖον.
A wise man hates not the law; but he that is an hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm.
3 ἄνθρωπος συνετὸς ἐμπιστεύσει νόμῳ, καὶ ὁ νόμος αὐτῷ πιστὸς ὡς ἐρώτημα δήλων.
A man of understanding trusts in the law; and the law is faithful to him, as an oracle.
4 ἑτοίμασον λόγον καὶ οὕτως ἀκουσθήσῃ, σύνδησον παιδείαν καὶ ἀποκρίθητι.
Prepare what to say, and so you shall be heard: and bind up instruction, and then make answer.
5 τροχὸς ἁμάξης σπλάγχνα μωροῦ, καὶ ὡς ἄξων στρεφόμενος ὁ διαλογισμὸς αὐτοῦ.
The heart of the foolish is like a cartwheel; and his thoughts are like a rolling axle tree.
6 ἵππος εἰς ὀχείαν ὡς φίλος μωκός, ὑποκάτω παντὸς ἐπικαθημένου χρεμετίζει.
A stallion horse is as a mocking friend, he neighs under every one that sits upon him.
7 Διατί ἡμέρα ἡμέρας ὑπερέχει, καὶ πᾶν φῶς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀφ᾿ ἡλίου;
Why does one day excel another, when as all the light of every day in the year is of the sun?
8 ἐν γνώσει Κυρίου διεχωρίσθησαν, καὶ ἠλλοίωσε καιροὺς καὶ ἑορτάς·
By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished: and he altered seasons and feasts.
9 ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀνύψωσε καὶ ἡγίασε καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἔθηκεν εἰς ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν.
Some of them has he made high days, and hallowed them, and some of them has he made ordinary days.
10 καὶ ἄνθρωποι πάντες ἀπὸ ἐδάφους, καὶ ἐκ γῆς ἐκτίσθη Ἀδάμ.
And all men are from the ground, and Adam was created of earth:
11 ἐν πλήθει ἐπιστήμης Κύριος διεχώρισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἠλλοίωσε τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν.
In much knowledge the Lord has divided them, and made their ways diverse.
12 ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐλόγησε καὶ ἀνύψωσε καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἡγίασε, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἤγγισεν· ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν κατηράσατο καὶ ἐταπείνωσε καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ στάσεως αὐτῶν.
Some of them has he blessed and exalted and some of them he sanctified, and set near himself: but some of them has he cursed and brought low, and turned out of their places.
13 ὡς πηλὸς κεραμέως ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ , οὕτως ἄνθρωποι ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς ἀποδοῦναι αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτοῦ.
This verse is not in Brenton's English, which follows another reading of the Greek.
14 ἀπέναντι τοῦ κακοῦ τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἀπέναντι τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ζωή· οὕτως ἀπέναντι εὐσεβοῦς ἁμαρτωλός.
Good is set against evil, and life against death: so is the godly against the sinner, and the sinner against the godly.
15 καὶ οὕτως ἔμβλεψον εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ὑψίστου, δύο δύο, ἓν κατέναντι τοῦ ἑνός.
So look upon all the works of the most High; and there are two and two, one against another.
16 Κἀγὼ ἔσχατος ἠγρύπνησα ὡς καλαμώμενος ὀπίσω τρυγητῶν·
This verse is not in Brenton's English, which follows another reading of the Greek.
17 ἐν εὐλογίᾳ Κυρίου ἔφθασα καὶ ὡς τρυγῶν ἐπλήρωσα ληνόν.
I awaked up last of all, as one that gathers after the grape gatherers: by the blessing of the Lord I profited, and filled my winepress like a gatherer of grapes. (verse 16 in Brenton's English)
18 κατανοήσατε ὅτι οὐκ ἐμοὶ μόνῳ ἐκοπίασα, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι τοῖς ζητοῦσι παιδείαν.
Consider that I laboured not for myself only, but for all them that seek learning. (verse 17 in Brenton's English)
19 ἀκούσατέ μου, μεγιστάνες λαοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἡγούμενοι ἐκκλησίας, ἐνωτίσασθε·
Hear me, O you⌃ great men of the people, and listen with your ears, you⌃ rulers of the congregation. (verse 18 in Brenton's English)
20 υἱῷ καὶ γυναικί, ἀδελφῷ καὶ φίλῳ μὴ δῷς ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ σὲ ἐν ζωῇ σου· καὶ μὴ δῷς ἑτέρῳ τὰ χρήματά σου, ἵνα μὴ μεταμεληθεὶς δέῃ περὶ αὐτῶν.
Give not your son and wife, your brother and friend, power over you while you live, and give not your goods to another: lest it repent you, and you entreat for the same again. (verse 19 in Brenton's English)
As long as you live and have breath in you, give not yourself over to any. (Brenton's 33:20, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
21 ἕως ἔτι ζῇς καὶ πνοὴ ἐν σοί, μὴ ἀλλάξῃς σεαυτὸν πάσῃ σαρκί.
But be not excessive towards any; and without discretion do nothing. (verse 29 in Brenton's English)
If you have a servant, let him be to you as yourself, because you have bought him with a price. (Brenton's 33:30, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
If you have a servant, entreat him as a brother: for you have need of him, as of your own soul: if you entreat him evil, and he run from you, which way will you go to seek him? (Brenton's 33:31, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
22 κρείσσων γάρ ἐστι τὰ τέκνα δεηθῆναί σου ἢ σὲ ἐμβλέπειν εἰς χεῖρας υἱῶν σου.
For better it is that your children should seek to you, than that you should stand to their courtesy. (verse 21 in Brenton's English)
23 ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου γίνου ὑπεράγων, μὴ δῷς μῶμον ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου.
In all your works keep to yourself the preeminence; leave not a stain in your honour. (verse 22 in Brenton's English)
24 ἐν ἡμέρᾳ συντελείας ἡμερῶν ζωῆς σου καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τελευτῆς διάδος κληρονομίαν.
At the time when you shall end your days, and finish your life, distribute your inheritance. (verse 23 in Brenton's English)
Fodder, a wand, and burdens, are for the ass; and bread, correction, and work, for a servant. (Brenton's 33:24, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
If you set your servant to labour, you shall find rest: but if you let him go idle, he shall seek liberty. (Brenton's 33:25, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
A yoke and a collar do bow the neck: so are tortures and torments for an evil servant. (Brenton's 33:26, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
Send him to labour, that he be not idle; for idleness teaches much evil. (Brenton's 33:27, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
Set him to work, as is fit for him: if he be not obedient, put on more heavy fetters. (Brenton's 33:28, which the Greek of this edition does not have)
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.