Sirach · Church Slavonic Bible (Elizabeth Bible)
Sirach 12 Church Slavonic Bible (Elizabeth Bible)
Notes on this text (3)
- Not shown: the lectionary pericope numbers (зача́ло) and the marginal glosses of the digital source. The Prayer of Manasseh stands at the end of 2 Chronicles (36:24), as in the Slavonic Bible; the prologue of Sirach and the opening verse of Lamentations are joined to verse 1.
- Church Slavonic in its traditional (Synodal) spelling, with accents, breathings and titlo abbreviations, shown in the Ponomar font (SIL Open Font License).
- Exodus 36–39 follow the Septuagint's order; the digital source has no verse divisions there, so Exodus 36:8–end and chapters 37, 38 and 39 each appear as one block.
Slavonic Church Slavonic Bible (Elizabeth Bible)
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 А҆́ще добро̀ твори́ши, разꙋмѣ́й, комꙋ̀ твори́ши, и҆ бꙋ́детъ благода́ть благи̑мъ твои̑мъ.
1 If you do good, know to whom you do it, and your good deeds will have thanks.
2 Добро̀ сотворѝ благочести́вомꙋ, и҆ ѡ҆брѧ́щеши воздаѧ́нїе, и҆ а҆́ще не ѿ негѡ̀, то̀ ѿ вы́шнѧгѡ.
2 Do good to a godly man, and you will find a reward— if not from him, then from the Most High.
3 Не бꙋ́детъ добро̀ прилѣжа́щемꙋ во ѕлы́хъ и҆ не подаю́щемꙋ ми́лостыни.
3 No good will come to him who continues to do evil, nor to him who gives no alms.
4 Да́ждь благочести́вомꙋ и҆ не застꙋпа́й грѣ́шника.
4 Give to the godly man, and don’t help the sinner.
5 Добро̀ сотворѝ смире́нномꙋ и҆ не да́ждь нечести́вомꙋ: возбранѝ хлѣ́бы твоѧ̑ и҆ не да́ждь є҆мꙋ̀, да не тѣ́ми тѧ̀ премо́жетъ:
5 Do good to one who is lowly. Don’t give to an ungodly man. Keep back his bread, and don’t give it to him, lest he subdue you with it; for you would receive twice as much evil for all the good you would have done to him.
6 сꙋгꙋ̑ба бо ѕла̑ ѡ҆брѧ́щеши во всѣ́хъ благи́хъ, ꙗ҆̀же а҆́ще сотвори́ши є҆мꙋ̀: ꙗ҆́кѡ и҆ вы́шнїй возненави́дѣ грѣ́шники и҆ нечести̑вымъ возда́стъ ме́сть.
6 For the Most High also hates sinners, and will repay vengeance to the ungodly.
7 Да́ждь благо́мꙋ и҆ не застꙋпа́й грѣ́шника.
7 Give to the good man, and don’t help the sinner.
8 Не позна́нъ бꙋ́детъ во благи́хъ дрꙋ́гъ и҆ не скры́етсѧ во ѕлы́хъ вра́гъ.
8 A man’s friend won’t be fully tried in prosperity. His enemy won’t be hidden in adversity.
9 Є҆гда̀ во благи́хъ бꙋ́детъ мꙋ́жъ, вразѝ є҆гѡ̀ во печа́ли сꙋ́ть, во ѕлы́хъ же є҆гѡ̀ и҆ дрꙋ́гъ разлꙋчи́тсѧ.
9 In a man’s prosperity, his enemies are grieved. In his adversity, even his friend leaves.
10 Не и҆мѝ вѣ́ры врагꙋ̀ твоемꙋ̀ во вѣ́ки: ꙗ҆́коже бо мѣ́дь ржа́вѣетъ, та́кѡ и҆ ѕло́ба є҆гѡ̀:
10 Never trust your enemy, for his wickedness is like corrosion in copper.
11 и҆ а҆́ще смири́тсѧ и҆ по́йдетъ пони́кнꙋвъ, наста́ви дꙋ́шꙋ твою̀ и҆ храни́сѧ ѿ негѡ̀, и҆ бꙋ́деши є҆мꙋ̀ ꙗ҆́кѡ ѡ҆чище́но зерца́ло, и҆ ᲂу҆разꙋмѣ́еши, ꙗ҆́кѡ не до конца̀ ѡ҆торжа́вѣ:
11 Though he humbles himself and walks bowed down, still be careful and beware of him. You will be to him as one who has wiped a mirror, to be sure it doesn’t completely tarnish.
12 не поста́ви є҆го̀ при себѣ̀, да не когда̀ и҆зри́нꙋвъ тѧ̀ ста́нетъ на мѣ́стѣ твое́мъ: не посадѝ є҆го̀ ѡ҆деснꙋ́ю себє̀, да не пои́щетъ когда̀ сѣда́лища твоегѡ̀, и҆ на послѣ́докъ ᲂу҆разꙋмѣ́еши словеса̀ моѧ̑ и҆ ѡ҆ глаго́лѣхъ мои́хъ ᲂу҆мили́шисѧ.
12 Don’t set him next to you, lest he overthrow you and stand in your place. Don’t let him sit on your right hand, lest he seek to take your seat, and at the last you acknowledge my words, and be pricked with my sayings.
13 Кто̀ поми́лꙋетъ ѡ҆баѧ́нника ѕмі́емъ ᲂу҆сѣ́кнена и҆ всѣ́хъ пристꙋпа́ющихъ ко ѕвѣрє́мъ; та́кожде ходѧ́щаго съ мꙋ́жемъ грѣ́шникомъ и҆ примѣша́ющагосѧ грѣхѡ́мъ є҆гѡ̀:
13 Who will pity a charmer that is bitten by a snake, or any who come near wild beasts?
14 ча́съ съ тобо́ю пребꙋ́детъ, и҆ а҆́ще ᲂу҆клони́шисѧ, не стерпи́тъ.
14 Even so, who will pity him who goes to a sinner, and is associated with him in his sins?
15 Оу҆стна́ма свои́ма ᲂу҆слади́тъ вра́гъ, и҆ мно́гѡ поше́пчетъ и҆ рече́тъ добро̀ глаго́лѧ: ѻ҆чи́ма свои́ма прослези́тсѧ, а҆ се́рдцемъ свои́мъ ᲂу҆совѣ́тꙋетъ ври́нꙋти тѧ̀ въ ро́въ, и҆ є҆гда̀ ѡ҆брѧ́щетъ вре́мѧ, не насы́титсѧ кро́ве.
15 For a while he will stay with you, and if you falter, he will not stay.
16 А҆́ще срѧ́щꙋтъ тѧ̀ ѕла̑ѧ, тꙋ̀ ѡ҆брѧ́щеши є҆го̀ пе́рвѣе себє̀,
16 The enemy will speak sweetly with his lips, and in his heart plan to throw you into a pit. The enemy may weep with his eyes, but if he finds opportunity, he will want more blood.
17 и҆ ꙗ҆́кѡ помага́ѧй подсѣче́тъ пѧ́тꙋ твою̀:
17 If adversity meets you, you will find him there before you. Pretending to help you, he will trip you.
18 покива́етъ главо́ю свое́ю и҆ воспле́щетъ рꙋка́ма свои́ма, и҆ мно́гѡ поше́пчетъ и҆ и҆змѣни́тъ лицѐ своѐ.
18 He will shake his head, clap his hands, whisper much, and change his countenance.
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).
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)
"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)
"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)