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Sirach · Brenton's English Septuagint

Sirach 12 Brenton's English Septuagint

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About Brenton
  • Individual translator
  • OT: Septuagint (Greek)
  • Septuagint Old Testament (no New Testament)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 1844
  • Public domain
Notes on this text (2)

Sirach is not in RV1909.

Brenton Brenton's English Septuagint
RV1909 Reina-Valera 1909
1 When thou wilt do good, know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits.
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2 Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High.
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3 There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms.
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4 Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner.
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5 Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for [else] thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him.
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6 For the most High hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment.
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7 Give unto the good, and help not the sinner.
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8 A friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.
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9 In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart.
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10 Never trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness.
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11 Though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst wiped a looking-glass, and thou shalt know that his rust hath not been altogether wiped away.
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12 Set him not by thee, lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place; neither let him sit at thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and thou at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith.
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13 Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come nigh wild beasts?
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14 So one that goeth to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?
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15 For a while he will abide with thee, but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry.
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16 An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood.
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17 If adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first; and though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he undermine thee.
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18 He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.
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What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Quotes verse 12:4 Augustine of Hippo, On Christian Doctrine (Book III, Chapters 12–16)

    It is written: "Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner." The latter clause of this sentence seems to forbid benevolence; for it says, "help not a sinner." Understand, therefore, that "sinner" is put figuratively for sin, so that it is his sin you are not to help.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)

  2. Quotes verse 12:13 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily IX)

    "But who," it is said, "will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent?" For we ought, knowing its cruel tyranny, to flee that slavery, and destroy that grievous longing.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)

  3. Quotes verse 12:4 Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm CII)

    "Help not a sinner:" and, "give not to the ungodly;" and yet, "give unto every man that asketh of thee." But it is a sinner who asketh of me.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)