Wisdom of Sirach 7

1 ΜΗ ποίει κακά, καὶ οὐ μή σε καταλάβῃ κακόν·

1 Do no evil, so shall no harm come to you.

2 ἀπόστηθι ἀπὸ ἀδίκου, καὶ ἐκκλινεῖ ἀπὸ σοῦ.

2 Depart from the unjust, and iniquity shall turn away from you.

3 υἱέ, μὴ σπεῖρε ἐπ᾿ αὔλακας ἀδικίας, καὶ οὐ μὴ θερίσῃς αὐτὰς ἑπταπλασίως.

3 My son, sow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and you shall not reap them sevenfold.

4 μὴ ζήτει παρὰ Κυρίου ἡγεμονίαν, μηδὲ παρὰ βασιλέως καθέδραν δόξης.

4 Seek not of the Lord preeminence, neither of the king the seat of honour.

5 μὴ δικαιοῦ ἔναντι Κυρίου καὶ παρὰ βασιλεῖ μὴ σοφίζου.

5 justify not yourself before the Lord; and boast not of your wisdom before the king.

6 μὴ ζήτει γενέσθαι κριτής, μὴ οὐκ ἐξισχύσεις ἐξᾶραι ἀδικίας· μή ποτε εὐλαβηθῇς ἀπὸ προσώπου δυνάστου καὶ θήσεις σκάνδαλον ἐν εὐθύτητί σου.

6 Seek not to be judge, being not able to take away iniquity; lest at any time you fear the person of the mighty, an stumbling block in the way of your uprightness.

7 μὴ ἁμάρτανε εἰς πλῆθος πόλεως καὶ μὴ καταβάλῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν ὄχλῳ.

7 Offend not against the multitude of a city, and then you shall not cast yourself down amongst the people.

8 μὴ καταδεσμεύσῃς δὶς ἁμαρτίαν, ἐν γὰρ τῇ μιᾷ οὐκ ἀθῷος ἔσῃ.

8 Bind not one sin upon another; for in one you shall not be unpunished.

9 μὴ εἴπῃς· τῷ πλήθει τῶν δώρων μου ἐπόψεται καὶ ἐν τῷ προσενέγκαι με Θεῷ Ὑψίστῳ προσδέξεται.

9 Say not, God will look upon the multitude of my oblations, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept it.

10 μὴ ὀλιγοψυχήσῃς ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ σου καὶ ἐλεημοσύνην ποιῆσαι μὴ παρίδῃς.

10 Be not faint-hearted when you make your prayer, and neglect not to give alms.

11 μὴ καταγέλα ἄνθρωπον ὄντα ἐν πικρίᾳ ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, ἔστι γὰρ ὁ ταπεινῶν καὶ ἀνυψῶν.

11 Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one which humbles and exalts.

12 μὴ ἀροτρία ψεῦδος ἐπ᾿ ἀδελφῷ σου, μηδὲ φίλῳ τὸ ὅμοιον ποίει.

12 Devise not a lie against your brother; neither do the like to your friend.

13 μὴ θέλε ψεύδεσθαι πᾶν ψεῦδος, ὁ γὰρ ἐνδελεχισμὸς αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἰς ἀγαθόν.

13 Use not to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.

14 μὴ ἀδελέσχει ἐν πλήθει πρεσβυτέρων καὶ μὴ δευτερώσῃς λόγον ἐν προσευχῇ σου.

14 Use not many words in a multitude of elders, and make not much babbling when you pray.

15 μὴ μισήσῃς ἐπίπονον ἐργασίαν καὶ γεωργίαν ὑπὸ Ὑψίστου ἐκτισμένην.

15 Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry, which the most High has ordained.

16 μὴ προσλογίζου σεαυτὸν ἐν πλήθει ἁμαρτωλῶν. μνήσθητι ὅτι ὀργὴ οὐ χρονιεῖ.

16 Number not yourself amongst the multitude of sinners, but remember that wrath will not wait long.

17 ταπείνωσον σφόδρα τὴν ψυχήν σου, ὅτι ἐκδίκησις ἀσεβοῦς πῦρ καὶ σκώληξ.

17 Humble yourself greatly: for the vengeance of the ungodly is fire and worms.

18 Μὴ ἀλλάξῃς φίλον ἕνεκεν διαφόρου, μηδ᾿ ἀδελφὸν γνήσιον ἐν χρυσίῳ Σουφείρ.

18 Change not a friend for any good by no means; neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir.

19 μὴ ἀστόχει γυναικὸς σοφῆς καὶ ἀγαθῆς, ἡ γὰρ χάρις αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ τὸ χρυσίον.

19 Forego not a wise and good woman: for her grace is above gold.

20 μὴ κακώσῃς οἰκέτην ἐργαζόμενον ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, μηδὲ μίσθιον διδόντα ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ.

20 Whereas your servant works truly, entreat him not evil. nor the hireling that gives himself wholly for you.

21 οἰκέτην συνετὸν ἀγαπάτω σου ἡ ψυχή, μὴ στερήσῃς αὐτὸν ἐλευθερίας.

21 Let your soul love a good servant, and defraud him not of liberty.

22 κτήνη σοί ἐστιν, ἐπισκέπτου αὐτὰ καὶ εἰ ἔστι σοι χρήσιμα, ἐμμενέτω σοι.

22 Have you cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for your profit, keep them with you.

23 τέκνα σοί ἐστι, παίδευσον αὐτά, καὶ κάμψον ἐκ νεότητος τὸν τράχηλον αὐτῶν.

23 Have you children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth.

24 θυγατέρες σοί εἰσι, πρόσεχε τῷ σώματι αὐτῶν, καὶ μὴ ἱλαρώσῃς πρὸς αὐτὰς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου.

24 Have you daughters? have a care of their body, and show not yourself cheerful towards them.

25 ἔκδου θυγατέρα, καὶ ἔσῃ τετελεκὼς ἔργον μέγα, καὶ ἀνδρὶ συνετῷ δώρησαι αὐτήν.

25 Marry your daughter, and so shall you have performed a weighty matter: but give her to a man of understanding.

26 γυνή σοί ἐστι κατὰ ψυχήν, μὴ ἐκβάλῃς αὐτήν· καὶ μισουμένῃ μὴ ἐμπιστεύσῃς σεαυτόν.

26 Have you a wife after your mind? forsake her not: but give not yourself over to a light woman.

27 Ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ δόξασον τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ μητρὸς ὠδῖνας μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ·

27 Honour your father with your whole heart, and forget not the sorrows of your mother.

28 μνήσθητι ὅτι δι᾿ αὐτῶν ἐγεννήθης, καὶ τί ἀνταποδώσεις αὐτοῖς καθὼς αὐτοί σοι;

28 Remember that you were begotten of them; and how can you recompense them the things that they have done for you?

29 ἐν ὅλῃ ψυχῇ σου εὐλαβοῦ τὸν Κύριον καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ θαύμαζε.

29 Fear the Lord with all your soul, and reverence his priests.

30 ἐν ὅλῃ δυνάμει ἀγάπησον τὸν ποιήσαντά σε καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς.

30 Love him that made you with all your strength, and forsake not his ministers.

31 φοβοῦ τὸν Κύριον καὶ δόξασον ἱερέα καὶ δῷς τὴν μερίδα αὐτῷ, καθὼς ἐντέταλταί σοι, ἀπαρχὴν καὶ περὶ πλημμελείας καὶ δόσιν βραχιόνων καὶ θυσίαν ἁγιασμοῦ καὶ ἀπαρχὴν ἁγίων.

31 Fear the Lord, and honour the priest; and give him his portion, as it is commanded you; the first fruits, and the trespass offering, and the gift of the shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of the holy things.

32 Καὶ πτωχῷ ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου, ἵνα τελειωθῇ ἡ εὐλογία σου.

32 And stretch your hand to the poor, that your blessing may be perfected.

33 χάρις δόματος ἔναντι παντὸς ζῶντος, καὶ ἐπὶ νεκρῷ μὴ ἀποκωλύσῃς χάριν.

33 A gift has grace in the sight of every man living; and for the dead detain it not.

34 μὴ ὑστέρει ἀπὸ κλαιόντων καὶ μετὰ πενθούντων πένθησον.

34 Fail not to be with them that weep, and mourn with them that mourn.

35 μὴ ὄκνει ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ἄρρωστον, ἐκ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ἀγαπηθήσῃ.

35 Be not slow to visit the sick: fir that shall make you to be beloved.

36 ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς λόγοις σου μιμνήσκου τὰ ἔσχατά σου, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεις.

36 Whatsoever you take in hand, remember the end, and you shall never do amiss.