Sirach · Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Sirach 18 Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Notes on this text (1)
- Ezra and Nehemiah form one book (2 Esdras) in this edition; the reader shows them as Ezra 1–10 and Nehemiah 1–13.
1 Ὁ ζῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔκτισε τὰ πάντα κοινῇ.
1 He who lives forever created the whole universe.
2 Κύριος μόνος δικαιωθήσεται.
2 The Lord alone is just. 3 Not in this translation
4 Οὐθενὶ ἐξεποίησεν ἐξαγγεῖλαι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ· καὶ τίς ἐξιχνιάσει τὰ μεγαλεῖα αὐτοῦ;
4 He has given power to declare his works to no one. Who could trace out his mighty deeds?
5 Κράτος μεγαλωσύνης αὐτοῦ τίς ἐξαριθμήσεται; καὶ τίς προσθήσει ἐκδιηγήσασθαι τὰ ἐλέη αὐτοῦ;
5 Who could measure the strength of his majesty? Who could also proclaim his mercies?
6 Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλαττῶσαι οὐδὲ προσθεῖναι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξιχνιάσαι τὰ θαυμάσια τοῦ Κυρίου.
6 As for the wondrous works of the Lord, it is not possible to take from them nor add to them, neither is it possible to explore them.
7 Ὅταν συντελέσῃ ἄνθρωπος τότε ἄρχεται, καὶ ὅταν παύσηται τότε ἀπορηθήσεται.
7 When a man has finished, then he is just at the beginning. When he stops, then he will be perplexed.
8 Τί ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τί ἡ χρῆσις αὐτοῦ; τί τὸ ἀγαθὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τί τὸ κακὸν αὐτοῦ;
8 What is mankind, and what purpose do they serve? What is their good, and what is their evil?
9 Ἀριθμὸς ἡμερῶν ἀνθρώπου πολλὰ ἔτη ἑκατόν.
9 The number of man’s days at the most are a hundred years.
10 Ὡς σταγὼν ὕδατος ἀπὸ θαλάσσης καὶ ψῆφος ἄμμου, οὕτως ὀλίγα ἔτη ἐν ἡμέρᾳ αἰῶνος.
10 As a drop of water from the sea, and a pebble from the sand, so are a few years in the day of eternity.
11 Διὰ τοῦτο ἐμακροθύμησε Κύριος ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐξέχεεν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
11 For this cause the Lord was patient over them, and poured out his mercy upon them.
12 Εἶδε καὶ ἐπέγνω τὴν καταστροφὴν αὐτῶν ὅτι πονηρὰ, διὰ τοῦτο ἐπλήθυνε τὸν ἐξιλασμὸν αὐτοῦ.
12 He saw and perceived their end, that it is evil. Therefore he multiplied his forgiveness.
13 Ἔλεος ἄνθρώπου ἐπὶ τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ, ἔλεος δὲ Κυρίου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, ἐλέγχων καὶ παιδεύων καὶ διδάσκων καὶ ἐπιστρέφων ὡς ποιμὴν τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ.
13 The mercy of a man is on his neighbor; but the mercy of the Lord is on all flesh: reproving, chastening, teaching, and bringing back, as a shepherd does his flock.
14 Τοὺς ἐκδεχομένους παιδείαν ἐλεεῖ, καὶ τοὺς κατασπεύδοντας ἐπὶ τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ.
14 He has mercy on those who accept chastening, and that diligently seek after his judgments.
15 Τέκνον, ἐν ἀγαθοῖς μὴ δῷς μῶμον, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ δόσει λύπην λόγων.
15 My son, don’t add reproach to your good deeds, and no harsh words in any of your giving.
16 Οὐχὶ καύσωνα ἀναπαύσει δρόσος; οὕτως κρείσσων λόγος ἢ δόσις.
16 Doesn’t the dew relieve the scorching heat? So a word is better than a gift.
17 Οὐκ ἰδοὺ λόγος ὑπὲρ δόμα ἀγαθόν; καὶ ἀμφότερα παρὰ ἀνδρὶ κεχαριτωμένῳ.
17 Behold, isn’t a word better than a gift? Both are with a gracious person.
18 Μωρὸς ἀχαρίστως ὀνειδιεῖ, καὶ δόσις βασκάνου ἐκτήκει ὀφθαλμούς.
18 A fool is ungracious and abusive. The gift of a grudging person consumes the eyes.
19 Πρινὴ λαλῆσαι μάνθανε, καὶ πρὸ ἀῤῥωστίας θεραπεύου.
19 Learn before you speak. Take care of your health before you get sick.
20 Πρὸ κρίσεως ἐξέταζε σεαυτόν, καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ ἐπισκοπῆς εὑρήσεις ἐξιλασμόν.
20 Before judgment, examine yourself, and in the hour of scrutiny you will find forgiveness.
21 Πρὶν ἀῤῥωστῆσαί σε ταπεινώθητι, καὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἁμαρτημάτων δεῖξον ἐπιστροφήν.
21 Humble yourself before you get sick. In the time of sins, repent.
22 Μὴ ἐμποδισθῇς τοῦ ἀποδοῦναι εὐχὴν εὐκαίρως, καὶ μὴ μείνῃς ἕως θανάτου δικαιωθῆναι.
22 Let nothing hinder you to pay your vow in due time. Don’t wait until death to be released.
23 Πρὶν εὔξασθαι ἑτοίμασον σεαυτὸν, και μὴ γίνου ὡς ἄνθρωπος πειράζων τὸν Κύριον.
23 Before you make a vow, prepare yourself. Don’t be like a man who tests the Lord.
24 Μνήσθητι θυμοῦ ἐν ἡμέραις τελευτῆς, καὶ καιρὸν ἐκδικήσεως ἐν ἀποστροφῇ προσώπου.
24 Think about the wrath coming in the days of the end, and the time of vengeance, when he turns away his face.
25 Μνήσθητι καιρὸν λιμοῦ ἐν καιρῷ πλησμονῆς, πτωχείαν καὶ ἔνδειαν ἐν ἡμέραις πλούτου.
25 In the days of fullness remember the time of hunger. Remember poverty and lack in the days of wealth.
26 Ἀπὸ πρωΐθεν ἕως ἑσπέρας μεταβάλλει καιρὸς, καὶ πάντα ἐστὶ ταχινὰ ἔναντι Κυρίου.
26 From morning until evening, the time changes. All things are speedy before the Lord.
27 Ἄνθρωπος σοφὸς ἐν παντὶ εὐλαβηθήσεται, καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις ἁμαρτιῶν προσέξει ἀπὸ πλημμελείας·
27 A wise man is cautious in everything. In days of sinning, he will beware of offense.
28 πᾶς συνετὸς ἔγνω σοφίαν, καὶ τῷ εὑρόντι αὐτὴν δώσει ἐξομολόγησιν.
28 Every man of understanding knows wisdom. He will give thanks to him who found her.
29 Συνετοὶ ἐν λόγοις καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐσοφίσαντο, καὶ ἀνώμβρησαν παροιμίας ἀκριβεῖς. ἘΓΚΡΑΤΕΙΑ ΨΥΧΗΣ.
29 They who were of understanding in sayings also became wise themselves, and poured out apt proverbs.
30 Ὀπίσω τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν σου μὴ πορεύου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρέξεών σου κωλύου.
30 Don’t go after your lusts. Restrain your appetites.
31 Ἐὰν χορηγήσεῃς τῇ ψυχῇ σου εὐδοκίαν ἐπιθυμίας, ποιήσει σε ἐπίχαρμα τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου.
31 If you give fully to your soul the delight of her desire, she will make you the laughing stock of your enemies.
32 Μὴ εὐφραίνου ἐπὶ πολλῇ τρυφῇ, μηδὲ προσδεθῇς συμβολῇ αὐτῆς.
32 Don’t make merry in much luxury, and don’t be tied to its expense.
33 Μὴ γίνου πτωχὸς συμβολοκοπῶν ἐκ δανεισμοῦ, καὶ οὐδέν σοι ἐστὶν ἐν μαρσυπείῳ.
33 Don’t be made a beggar by banqueting with borrowed money when you have nothing in your purse.
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).
I heard another voice of Thine, "Go not after thy lusts, but refrain thyself from thine appetites." And by Thy favour have I heard this saying likewise, which I have much delighted in, "Neither if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse;" which is to say, that neither shall the one make …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
"For a word," it is said, "is better than a gift." Dost thou not consider that thou art thrusting the sword into thyself, and art receiving a more grievous wound, when he, being reviled, silently withdraws, with groans and many tears?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
"For a word is a better thing than a gift," and "answer the poor man peaceably with meekness." And all the rest of thy time too adorn it with the rehearsing of the laws of God; "Yea, let all thy communication be in the law of the Most High." Having thus adorned ourselves, let us come to our King, and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
"Go not," it is said, "after thy lusts, and refrain thyself from thine appetites." And, touching an harlot again, it is said in opposition to this proverb, "Give not heed to a bad woman: for honey droppeth from the lips of a woman that is an harlot, which, for a season, is luscious unto thy throat; but afterwards thou shalt …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)