Wisdom of Sirach 50

Σοφία Σειράχ

1 ΣΙΜΩΝ Ὀνίου υἱὸς ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας, ὃς ἐν ζωῇ αὐτοῦ ὑπέρραψεν οἶκον καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἐστερέωσε τὸν ναόν·

Simon the high priest, the son of Onias, who in his life repaired the house again, and in his days fortified the temple:

2 καὶ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐθεμελιώθη ὕψος διπλῆς, ἀνάλημμα ὑψηλὸν περιβόλου ἱεροῦ·

And by him was built from the foundation the double height, the high fortress of the wall about the temple:

3 ἐν ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἠλαττώθη ἀποδοχεῖον ὑδάτων, λάκκος ὡσεὶ θαλάσσης τὸ περίμετρον·

In his days the cistern to receive water, being in compass as the sea, was covered with plates of brass:

4 ὁ φροντίζων τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πτώσεως καὶ ἐνισχύσας πόλιν ἐν πολιορκήσει.

He took care of the temple that it should not fall, and fortified the city against besieging:

5 ὡς ἐδοξάσθη ἐν περιστροφῇ λαοῦ, ἐν ἐξόδῳ οἴκου καταπετάσματος·

How was he honoured in the midst of the people in his coming out of the sanctuary!

6 ὡς ἀστὴρ ἑωθινὸς ἐν μέσῳ νεφελῶν, ὡς σελήνη πλήρης ἐν ἡμέραις,

He was as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full:

7 ὡς ἥλιος ἐκλάμπων ἐπὶ ναὸν Ὑψίστου καὶ ὡς τόξον φωτίζον ἐν νεφέλαις δόξης,

As the sun shining upon the temple of the most High, and as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds:

8 ὡς ἄνθος ρόδων ἐν ἡμέραις νέων, ὡς κρίνα ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ ὕδατος, ὡς βλαστὸς λιβάνου ἐν ἡμέραις θέρους,

And as the flower of roses in the spring of the year, as lilies by the rivers of waters, and as the branches of the frankincense tree in the time of summer:

9 ὡς πῦρ καὶ λίβανος ἐπὶ πυρίου, ὡς σκεῦος χρυσίου ὁλοσφύρητον κεκοσμημένον παντὶ λίθῳ πολυτελεῖ,

As fire and incense in the censer, and as a vessel of beaten gold set with all manner of precious stones:

10 ὡς ἐλαία ἀναθάλλουσα καρποὺς καὶ ὡς κυπάρισσος ὑψουμένη ἐν νεφέλαις.

And as a fair olive tree budding forth fruit, and as a cypress tree which grows up to the clouds.

11 ἐν τῷ ἀναλαμβάνειν αὐτὸν στολὴν δόξης καὶ ἐνδιδύσκεσθαι αὐτὸν συντέλειαν καυχήματος, ἐν ἀναβάσει θυσιαστηρίου ἁγίου ἐδόξασε περιβολὴν ἁγιάσματος·

When he put on the robe of honour, and was clothed with the perfection of glory, when he went up to the holy altar, he made the garment of holiness honourable.

12 ἐν δὲ τῷ δέχεσθαι μέλη ἐκ χειρῶν ἱερέων, καὶ αὐτὸς ἑστὼς παρ᾿ ἐσχάρᾳ βωμοῦ κυκλόθεν αὐτοῦ στέφανος ἀδελφῶν, ὡς βλάστημα κέδρου ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ· καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν αὐτὸν ὡς στελέχη φοινίκων·

When he took the portions out of the priests' hands, he himself stood by the hearth of the altar, compassed about, as a young cedar in Libanus; and as palm trees compassed they him round about.

13 καὶ πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ Ἀαρὼν ἐν δόξῃ αὐτῶν καὶ προσφορὰ Κυρίου ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν ἔναντι πάσης ἐκκλησίας Ἰσραήλ·

So were all the sons of Aaron in their glory, and the oblations of the Lord in their hands, before all the congregation of Israel.

14 καὶ συντέλειαν λειτουργῶν ἐπὶ βωμῶν κοσμῆσαι προσφορὰν Ὑψίστου παντοκράτορος·

And finishing the service at the altar, that he might adorn the offering of the most high Almighty,

15 ἐξέτεινεν ἐπὶ σπονδείου χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσπεισεν ἐξ αἵματος σταφυλῆς, ἐξέχεεν εἰς θεμέλια θυσιαστηρίου ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας Ὑψίστῳ παμβασιλεῖ.

He stretched out his hand to the cup, and poured of the blood of the grape, he poured out at the foot of the altar a sweet smelling savour to the most high King of all.

16 τότε ἀνέκραγον υἱοὶ Ἀαρών, ἐν σάλπιγξιν ἐλαταῖς ἤχησαν, ἀκουστὴν ἐποίησαν φωνὴν μεγάλην εἰς μνημόσυνον ἔναντι Ὑψίστου.

Then shouted the sons of Aaron, and sounded the silver trumpets, and made a great noise to be heard, for a remembrance before the most High.

17 τότε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς κοινῇ κατέσπευσε καὶ ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν προσκυνῆσαι τῷ Κυρίῳ αὐτῶν παντοκράτορι Θεῷ τῷ Ὑψίστῳ·

Then all the people together hasted, and fell down to the earth upon their faces to worship their Lord God Almighty, the most High.

18 καὶ ᾔνεσαν οἱ ψαλμῳδοὶ ἐν φωναῖς αὐτῶν, ἐν πλείστῳ οἴκῳ ἐγλυκάνθη μέλος.

The singers also sang praises with their voices, with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody.

19 καὶ ἐδεήθη ὁ λαὸς Κυρίου Ὑψίστου ἐν προσευχῇ κατέναντι ἐλεήμονος, ἕως συντελεσθῇ κόσμος Κυρίου, καὶ τὴν λειτουργίαν αὐτοῦ ἐτελείωσαν.

And the people implored the Lord, the most High, by prayer before him that is merciful, till the solemnity of the Lord was ended, and they had finished his service.

20 τότε καταβὰς ἐπῇρε χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἐκκλησίαν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ δοῦναι εὐλογίαν Κυρίῳ ἐκ χειλέων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ καυχᾶσθαι.

Then he went down, and lifted up his hands over the whole congregation of the children of Israel, to give the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to rejoice in his name.

21 καὶ ἐδευτέρωσεν ἐν προσκυνήσει ἐπιδείξασθαι τὴν εὐλογίαν παρὰ Ὑψίστου.

And they bowed themselves down to worship the second time, that they might receive a blessing from the most High.

22 Καὶ νῦν εὐλογήσατε τῷ Θεῷ πάντων τῷ μεγαλοποιοῦντι πάντη, τὸν ὑψοῦντα ἡμέρας ἡμῶν ἐκ μήτρας καὶ ποιοῦντα μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν κατὰ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.

Now therefore bless you⌃ the God of all, which only does wondrous things every where, which exalts our days from the womb, and deals with us according to his mercy.

23 δῴῃ ἡμῖν εὐφροσύνην καρδίας καὶ γενέσθαι εἰρήνην ἐν ἡμέραις ἡμῶν ἐν Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ αἰῶνος·

He grant us joyfulness of heart, and that peace may be in our days in Israel for ever:

24 ἐμπιστεύσαι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ λυτρωσάσθω ἡμᾶς.

That he would confirm his mercy with us, and deliver us at his time!

25 Ἐν δυσὶν ἔθνεσι προσώχθισεν ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ τὸ τρίτον οὐκ ἔστιν ἔθνος.

There be two manner of nations which my heart abhorrs, and the third is no nation:

26 οἱ καθήμενοι ἐν ὄρει Σαμαρείας καὶ Φυλιστιεὶμ καὶ ὁ λαὸς μωρὸς ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν Σικίμοις.

They that sit upon the mountain of Samaria, and they that dwell amongst the Philistines, and that foolish people that dwell in Sichem.

27 Παιδείαν συνέσεως καὶ ἐπιστήμης ἐχάραξα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ, Ἰησοῦς υἱὸς Σειρὰχ Ἱεροσολυμίτης, ὃς ἀνώμβρησε σοφίαν ἀπὸ καρδίας αὐτοῦ.

Jesus the son of Sirach of Jerusalem has written in this book the instruction of understanding and knowledge, who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.

28 μακάριος ὃς ἐν τούτοις ἀναστραφήσεται, καὶ θεὶς αὐτὰ ἐπὶ καρδίαν αὐτοῦ σοφισθήσεται·

Blessed is he that shall be exercised in these things; and he that lays them up in his heart shall become wise.

29 ἐὰν γὰρ αὐτὰ ποιήσῃ, πρὸς πάντα ἰσχύσει, ὅτι φῶς Κυρίου τὸ ἴχνος αὐτοῦ.

For if he do them, he shall be strong to all things: for the light of the Lord leads him, who gives wisdom to the godly. Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. Amen, Amen.

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.