Sirach · Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Sirach 51 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 Ἐξομολογήσομαι σοι Κύριε βασιλεῦ, καὶ αἰνέσω σε Θεὸν τὸν σωτῆρά μου· ἐξομολογοῦμαι τῷ ὀνόματί σου,
1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, O King, and will praise you, O God my Savior. I give thanks to your name,
2 ὅτι σκεπαστὴς καὶ βοηθὸς ἐγένου μοι, καὶ ἐλυτρώσω τὸ σῶμά μου ἐξ ἀπωλείας, καὶ ἐκ παγίδος διαβολῆς γλώσσης· ἀπὸ χειλέων ἐργαζομένων ψεῦδος, καὶ ἔναντι τῶν παρεστηκότων ἐγένου μοι βοηθὸς,
2 for you have been my protector and helper, and delivered my body out of destruction, and out of the snare of a slanderous tongue, from lips that fabricate lies. You were my helper before those who stood by,
3 καὶ ἐλυτρώσω με, κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος ἐλέους καὶ ὀνόματός σου, ἐκ βρυγμῶν ἑτοίμων εἰς βρῶμα, ἐκ χειρὸς ζητούντων τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἐκ πλειόνων θλίψεων ὧν ἔσχον,
3 and delivered me, according to the abundance of your mercy and of your name, from the gnashings of teeth ready to devour, out of the hand of those seeking my life, out of the many afflictions I endured,
4 ἀπὸ πνιγμοῦ πυρὸς κυκλόθεν, καὶ ἐκ μέσου πυρὸς οὗ οὐκ ἐξέκαυσα,
4 from the choking of a fire on every side, and out of the midst of fire that I hadn’t kindled,
5 ἐκ βάθους κοιλίας ᾅδου, καὶ ἀπὸ γλώσσης ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ λόγου ψευδοῦς.
5 out of the depth of the belly of Hades, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words—
6 Βασιλεῖ διαβολὴ γλώσσης ἀδίκου· ᾔγγισεν ἕως θανάτου ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ ἡ ζωή μου ἦν σύνεγγυς ᾅδου κάτω.
6 the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king. My soul drew near to death. My life was near to Hades.
7 Περιέσχον με πάντοθεν, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ βοηθῶν· ἐμβλέπων εἰς ἀντίληψιν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ οὐκ ἦν.
7 They surrounded me on every side. There was no one to help me. I was looking for human help, and there was none.
8 Καὶ ἐμνήσθην τοῦ ἐλέους σου Κύριε, καὶ τῆς ἐργασίας σου τῆς ἀπʼ αἰῶνος· ὅτι ἐξελῇ τοὺς ὑπομένοντάς σε, καὶ σώζεις αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς ἐθνῶν.
8 Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your working which has been from everlasting, how you deliver those who wait for you, and save them out of the hand of their enemies.
9 Καὶ ἀνύψωσα ἐπὶ γῆς ἱκετείαν μου, καὶ ὑπὲρ θανάτου ῥύσεως ἐδεήθην.
9 I lifted up my prayer from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.
10 Ἐπεκαλεσάμην Κύριον πατέρα Κυρίου μου, μή με ἐγκαταλιπεῖν ἐν ἡμέραις θλίψεως, ἐν καιρῷ ὑπερηφάνων ἀβοηθησίας.
10 I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not forsake me in the days of affliction, in the time when there was no help against the proud.
11 Αἰνέσω τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐνδελεχῶς, καὶ ὑμνήσω ἐν ἐξομολογήσει· καὶ εἰσηκούσθη ἡ δέησίς μου.
11 I will praise your name continually. I will sing praise with thanksgiving. My prayer was heard.
12 Ἔσωσας γάρ με ἐξ ἀπωλείας, καὶ ἐξείλου με ἐκ καιροῦ πονηροῦ· διὰ τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαι καὶ αἰνέσω σοι, καὶ εὐλογήσω τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου·
12 You saved me from destruction and delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks and praise to you, and bless the name of the Lord.
13 Ἔτι ὢν νεώτερος, πρινὴ πλανηθῆναί με, ἐζήτησα σοφίαν προφανῶς ἐν προσευχῇ μου.
13 When I was yet young, before I went abroad, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
14 Ἔναντι ναοῦ ἠξίουν περὶ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτων ἐκζητήσω αὐτὴν,
14 Before the temple I asked for her. I will seek her out even to the end.
15 ἐξ ἄνθους ὡς περκαζούσης σταφυλῆς· εὐφράνθη ἡ καρδία μου ἐν αὐτῇ, ἐπέβη ὁ πούς μου ἐν εὐθύτητι, ἐκ νεότητός μου ἴχνευσα αὐτήν.
15 From the first flower to the ripening grape my heart delighted in her. My foot walked in uprightness. From my youth I followed her steps.
16 Ἔκλινα ὀλίγον τὸ οὖς μου, καὶ ἐδεξάμην, καὶ πολλὴν εὗρον ἐμαυτῷ παιδείαν.
16 I inclined my ear a little, and received her, and found for myself much instruction.
17 Προκοπὴ ἐγένετό μοι ἐν αὐτῇ· τῷ διδόντι μοι σοφίαν, δώσω δόξαν.
17 I profited in her. I will give glory to him who gives me wisdom.
18 Διενοήθην γὰρ τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐζήλωσα τὸ ἀγαθὸν, καὶ οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ.
18 For I determined to practice her. I was zealous for that which is good. I will never be put to shame.
19 Διαμεμάχηται ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ ἐν ποιήσει λιμοῦ διηκριβωσάμην· τὰς χεῖράς μου ἐξεπέτασα πρός ὕψος, καὶ τὰ ἀγνοήματα αὐτῆς ἐπένθησα,
19 My soul has wrestled with her. In my conduct I was exact. I spread out my hands to the sky above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.
20 τὴν ψυχήν μου κατεύθυνα εἰς αὐτὴν, καρδίαν ἐκτησάμην μετʼ αὐτῶν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐν καθαρισμῷ εὗρον αὐτήν· διὰ τοῦτο οὐ μὴ ἐγκαταλειφθῶ.
20 I directed my soul to her. In purity I found her. I got myself a heart joined with her from the beginning. Therefore I won’t be forsaken.
21 Καὶ ἡ κοιλία μου ἐταράχθη ἐκζητῆσαι αὐτήν· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκτησάμην ἀγαθὸν κτῆμα.
21 My belly also was troubled to seek her. Therefore I have gained a good possession.
22 Ἔδωκε Κύριος γλῶσσάν μοι μισθόν μου, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ αἰνέσω αὐτόν.
22 The Lord gave me a tongue for my reward. I will praise him with it.
23 Ἐγγίσατε πρὸς μὲ ἀπαίδευτοι, καὶ αὐλίσθητε ἐν οἴκῳ παιδείας.
23 Draw near to me, all you who are uneducated, and live in the house of instruction.
24 Διότι ὑστερεῖτε ἐν τούτοις, καὶ αἱ ψυχαὶ ὑμῶν διψῶσι σφόδρα;
24 Why therefore are you all lacking in these things, and your souls are very thirsty?
25 Ἤνοιξα τὸ στὸμα μου, καὶ ἐλάλησα, κτήσασθε ἑαυτοῖς ἄνευ ἀργυριου.
25 I opened my mouth and spoke, “Get her for yourselves without money.”
26 Τὸν τράχηλον ὑμῶν ὑπόθετε ὑπὸ ζυγὸν, καὶ ἐπιδεξάσθω ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν παιδείαν, ἐγγύς ἐστιν εὑρεῖν αὐτήν.
26 Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction. She is near to find.
27 Ἴδετε ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν ὅτι ὀλίγον ἐκοπίασα, καὶ εὗρον ἐμαυτῷ πολλὴν ἀνάπαυσιν.
27 See with your eyes how I labored just a little and found for myself much rest.
28 Μετάσχετε παιδείας ἐν πολλῷ ἀριθμῷ ἀργυρίου, καὶ πολὺν χρυσὸν κτήσασθε ἐν αὐτῇ.
28 Get instruction with a great sum of silver, and gain much gold by her.
29 Εὐφρανθείη ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν ἐν τῷ ἐλέει αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθείητε ἐν αἰνέσει αὐτοῦ.
29 May your soul rejoice in his mercy, and may you all not be put to shame in praising him.
30 Ἐργάζεσθε τὸ ἔργον ὑμῶν πρὸ καιροῦ, καὶ δώσει τὸν μισθὸν ὑμῶν ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ.
30 Work your work before the time comes, and in his time he will give you your reward.