Sirach · Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Sirach 39 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 σοφίαν πάντων ἀρχαίων ἐκζητήσει, καὶ ἐν προφητείαις ἀσχοληθήσεται.
1 Not so he who has applied his soul and meditates in the law of the Most High. He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients and will be occupied with prophecies.
2 Διηγήσεις ἀνδρῶν ὀνομαστῶν συντηρήσει, καὶ ἐν στροφαῖς παραβολῶν συνεισελεύσεται.
2 He will keep the sayings of the men of renown and will enter in amidst the subtleties of parables.
3 Ἀπόκρυφα παροιμιῶν ἐκζητήσει, καὶ ἐν αἰνίγμασι παραβολῶν ἀναστραφήσεται.
3 He will seek out the hidden meaning of proverbs and be conversant in the dark sayings of parables.
4 Ἀναμέσον μεγιστάνων ὑπηρετήσει, καὶ ἔναντι ἡγουμένου ὀφθήσεται· ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίων ἐθνῶν διελεύσεται, ἀγαθὰ γὰρ καὶ κακὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπείρασε.
4 He will serve among great men and appear before him who rules. He will travel through the land of foreign nations, for he has learned what is good and evil among men.
5 Τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπιδώσει ὀρθρίσαι πρὸς Κύριον τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔναντι ὑψίστου δεηθήσεται· καὶ ἀνοίξει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐν προσευχῇ, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ δεηθήσεται.
5 He will apply his heart to return early to the Lord who made him, and will make supplication before the Most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and will ask for pardon for his sins.
6 Ἐὰν Κύριος ὁ μέγας θελήσῃ, πνεύματι συνέσεως ἐμπλησθήσεται· αὐτὸς ἀνομβρήσει ῥήματα σοφίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν προσευχῇ ἐξομολογήσεται Κυρίῳ.
6 If the great Lord wills, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; he will pour forth the words of his wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the Lord.
7 Αὐτὸς κατευθύνει βουλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμην, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσεται.
7 He will direct his counsel and knowledge, and he will meditate in his secrets.
8 Αὐτὸς ἐκφανεῖ παιδείαν διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν νόμῳ διαθήκης Κυρίου καυχήσεται.
8 He will show the instruction which he has been taught and will glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
9 Αἰνέσουσι τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ πολλοὶ, ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται· οὐκ ἀποστήσεται τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ζήσεται εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν.
9 Many will commend his understanding. So long as the world endures, it won’t be blotted out. His memory won’t depart. His name will live from generation to generation.
10 Τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ διηγήσονται ἔθνη, καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον αὐτοῦ ἐξαγγελεῖ ἐκκλησία.
10 Nations will declare his wisdom. The congregation will proclaim his praise.
11 Ἐὰν ἐμμείνῃ ὄνομα καταλείψει ἢ χίλιοι, καὶ ἐὰν ἀναπαύσηται ἐμποιεῖ αὐτῷ.
11 If he continues, he will leave a greater name than a thousand. If he finally rests, it is enough for him.
12 Ἔτι διανοηθεὶς ἐκδιηγήσομαι, καὶ ὡς διχομηνία ἐπληρώθην.
12 Yet more I will utter, which I have thought about. I am filled like the full moon.
13 Εἰσακούσετέ μου υἱοὶ ὅσιοι, καὶ βλαστήσατε ὡς ῥόδον φυόμενον ἐπὶ ῥεύματος ἀγροῦ·
13 Listen to me, you holy children, and bud forth like a rose growing by a brook of water.
14 καὶ ὡς λίβανος εὐωδιάσατε ὀσμὴν, καὶ ἀνθήσατε ἄνθος ὡς κρίνον· διάδοτε ὀσμὴν καὶ αἰνέσατε ᾆσμα· εὐλογήσατε Κύριον ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις.
14 Give a sweet fragrance like frankincense. Put forth flowers like a lily. Scatter a sweet smell and sing a song of praise. Bless the Lord for all his works!
15 Δότε τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μεγαλωσύνην, καὶ ἐξομολογήσασθε ἐν αἰνέσει αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾠδαῖς χειλέων καὶ ἐν κινύραις, καὶ οὕτως ἐρεῖτε ἐν ἐξομολογήσει,
15 Magnify his name and give utterance to his praise with the songs on your lips and with harps! Say this when you utter his praise:
16 Τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου πάντα ὅτι καλὰ σφόδρα, καὶ πᾶν πρόσταγμα ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ἔσται.
16 All the works of the Lord are exceedingly good, and every command will be done in its time.
17 Πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ζητηθήσεται· ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ ἔστη ὡς θημωνία ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐν ῥήματι στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀποδοχεῖα ὑδάτων.
17 No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?” for at the proper time they will all be sought out. At his word, the waters stood as a heap, as did the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.
18 Ἐν προστάγματι αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ εὐδοκία, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐλαττώσει τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ.
18 At his command all his good pleasure is fulfilled. There is no one who can hinder his salvation.
19 Ἔργα πάσης σαρκὸς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κρυβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ.
19 The works of all flesh are before him. It’s impossible to be hidden from his eyes.
20 Ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐπέβλεψε, καὶ οὐθέν ἐστι θαυμάσιον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ.
20 He sees from everlasting to everlasting. There is nothing too wonderful for him.
21 Οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, τί τοῦτο; εἰς τί τοῦτο; πάντα γὰρ εἰς χρείας αὐτῶν ἔκτισται.
21 No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?” for all things are created for their own uses.
22 Ἡ εὐλογία αὐτοῦ ὡς ποταμὸς ἐπεκάλυψε, καὶ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς ξηρὰν ἐμέθυσεν.
22 His blessing covered the dry land as a river and saturated it as a flood.
23 Οὕτως ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη κληρονομήσει, ὡς μετέστρεψεν ὕδατα εἰς ἅλμην.
23 As he has made the waters salty, so the heathen will inherit his wrath.
24 Αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὁσίοις εὐθεῖαι, οὕτως τοῖς ἀνόμοις προσκόμματα.
24 His ways are plain to the holy. They are stumbling blocks to the wicked.
25 Ἀγαθὰ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔκτισται ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς κακά.
25 Good things are created from the beginning for the good. So are evil things for sinners.
26 Ἀρχὴ πάσης χρείας εἰς ζωὴν ἀνθρώπου, ὕδωρ, πῦρ, καὶ σίδηρος, καὶ ἅλα, καὶ σεμίδαλις πυροῦ, καὶ μέλι, καὶ γάλα, αἷμα σταφυλῆς, καὶ ἔλαιον, καὶ ἱμάτιον.
26 The main things necessary for the life of man are water, fire, iron, salt, wheat flour, and honey, milk, the blood of the grape, oil, and clothing.
27 Ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν εἰς ἀγαθὰ, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς τραπήσεται εἰς κακά.
27 All these things are for good to the godly, but for sinners, they will be turned into evils.
28 Ἔστι πνεύματα ἃ εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται, καὶ ἐν θυμῷ αὐτῶν ἐστερέωσαν μάστιγας αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐν καιρῷ συντελείας ἰσχὺν ἐκχέουσι, καὶ τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς κοπάσουσι.
28 There are winds that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on their scourges heavily. In the time of reckoning, they pour out their strength, and will appease the wrath of him who made them.
29 Πῦρ καὶ χάλαζα καὶ λιμὸς καὶ θάνατος, πάντα ταῦτα εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται.
29 Fire, hail, famine, and death— all these are created for vengeance—
30 Θηρίων ὁδόντες καὶ σκορπίοι καὶ ἔχεις καὶ ῥομφαία ἐκδικοῦσα εἰς ὄλεθρον ἀσεβεῖς,
30 wild beasts’ teeth, scorpions, adders, and a sword punishing the ungodly to destruction.
31 ἐν τῇ ἐντολῇ αὐτοῦ εὐφρανθήσονται, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἰς χρείας ἑτοιμασθήσονται, καὶ ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν οὐ παραβήσονται λόγον.
31 They will rejoice in his commandment, and will be made ready upon earth when needed. In their seasons, they won’t disobey his command.
32 Διὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐστηρίχθην, καὶ διενοήθην, καὶ ἐν γραφῇ ἀφῆκα.
32 Therefore from the beginning I was convinced, and I thought it through and left it in writing:
33 Τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου πάντα ἀγαθὰ, καὶ πᾶσαν χρείαν ἐν ὥρᾳ αὐτῆς χορηγήσει.
33 All the works of the Lord are good. He will supply every need in its time.
34 Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, τοῦτο τούτου πονηρότερον, πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ εὐδοκιμηθήσεται.
34 No one can say, “This is worse than that,” for they will all be well approved in their time.
35 Καὶ νῦν ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ καὶ στόματι ὑμνήσατε, καὶ εὐλογήσατε τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου.
35 Now with all your hearts and voices, sing praises and bless the Lord’s name!
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).
… and a new....But in many places of holy Scriptures we have already made known to you that confession is also put for praise: as in this passage it is, "These words ye shall say in confession, That the works of the Lord are very good.'" And especially that which the Saviour Himself saith, who had not any sin at all, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)