Wisdom of Sirach 39

will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and be occupied in prophecies.

σοφίαν πάντων ἀρχαίων ἐκζητήσει, καὶ ἐν προφητείαις ἀσχοληθήσεται.

He will keep the sayings of the renowned men: and where subtil parables are, he will be there also.

Διηγήσεις ἀνδρῶν ὀνομαστῶν συντηρήσει, καὶ ἐν στροφαῖς παραβολῶν συνεισελεύσεται.

He will seek out the secrets of grave sentences, and be conversant in dark parables.

Ἀπόκρυφα παροιμιῶν ἐκζητήσει, καὶ ἐν αἰνίγμασι παραβολῶν ἀναστραφήσεται.

He shall serve among great men, and appear before princes: he will travel through strange countries; for he hath tried the good and the evil among men.

Ἀναμέσον μεγιστάνων ὑπηρετήσει, καὶ ἔναντι ἡγουμένου ὀφθήσεται· ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίων ἐθνῶν διελεύσεται, ἀγαθὰ γὰρ καὶ κακὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπείρασε.

He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and will pray before the most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and make supplication for his sins.

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.

When the great Lord will, he shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: he shall pour out wise sentences, and give thanks unto the Lord in his prayer.

Ἐὰν Κύριος ὁ μέγας θελήσῃ, πνεύματι συνέσεως ἐμπλησθήσεται· αὐτὸς ἀνομβρήσει ῥήματα σοφίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν προσευχῇ ἐξομολογήσεται Κυρίῳ.

He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, and on his secrets shall he meditate.

Αὐτὸς κατευθύνει βουλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμην, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσεται.

He shall shew forth that which he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

Αὐτὸς ἐκφανεῖ παιδείαν διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν νόμῳ διαθήκης Κυρίου καυχήσεται.

Many shall commend his understanding; and so long as the world endureth, it shall not be blotted out; his memorial shall not depart away, and his name shall live from generation to generation.

Αἰνέσουσι τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ πολλοὶ, ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται· οὐκ ἀποστήσεται τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ζήσεται εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν.

Nations shall shew forth his wisdom, and the congregation shall declare his praise.

Τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ διηγήσονται ἔθνη, καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον αὐτοῦ ἐξαγγελεῖ ἐκκλησία.

If he die, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: and if he live, he shall increase it.

Ἐὰν ἐμμείνῃ ὄνομα καταλείψει ἢ χίλιοι, καὶ ἐὰν ἀναπαύσηται ἐμποιεῖ αὐτῷ.

Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; for I am filled as the moon at the full.

Ἔτι διανοηθεὶς ἐκδιηγήσομαι, καὶ ὡς διχομηνία ἐπληρώθην.

Hearken unto me, ye holy children, and bud forth as a rose growing by the brook of the field:

Εἰσακούσετέ μου υἱοὶ ὅσιοι, καὶ βλαστήσατε ὡς ῥόδον φυόμενον ἐπὶ ῥεύματος ἀγροῦ·

and give ye a sweet savour as frankincense, and flourish as a lily, send forth a smell, and sing a song of praise, bless the Lord in all his works.

καὶ ὡς λίβανος εὐωδιάσατε ὀσμὴν, καὶ ἀνθήσατε ἄνθος ὡς κρίνον· διάδοτε ὀσμὴν καὶ αἰνέσατε ᾆσμα· εὐλογήσατε Κύριον ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις.

Magnify his name, and shew forth his praise with the songs of your lips, and with harps, and in praising him ye shall say after this manner:

Δότε τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μεγαλωσύνην, καὶ ἐξομολογήσασθε ἐν αἰνέσει αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾠδαῖς χειλέων καὶ ἐν κινύραις, καὶ οὕτως ἐρεῖτε ἐν ἐξομολογήσει,

All the works of the Lord are exceeding good, and whatsoever he commandeth shall be accomplished in due season.

Τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου πάντα ὅτι καλὰ σφόδρα, καὶ πᾶν πρόσταγμα ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ἔσται.

For at time convenient they shall all be sought out: at his commandment the waters stood as an heap, and at the words of his mouth, the receptacles of waters.

Πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ζητηθήσεται· ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ ἔστη ὡς θημωνία ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐν ῥήματι στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀποδοχεῖα ὑδάτων.

At his commandment is done whatsoever pleaseth him; and none can hinder, when he will save.

Ἐν προστάγματι αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ εὐδοκία, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐλαττώσει τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ.

The works of all flesh are before him, and nothing can be hid from his eyes.

Ἔργα πάσης σαρκὸς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κρυβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ.

He seeth from everlasting to everlasting; and there is nothing wonderful before him.

Ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐπέβλεψε, καὶ οὐθέν ἐστι θαυμάσιον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ.

A man need not to say, What is this? wherefore is that? for he hath made all things for their uses.

Οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, τί τοῦτο; εἰς τί τοῦτο; πάντα γὰρ εἰς χρείας αὐτῶν ἔκτισται.

His blessing covered the dry land as a river, and watered it as a flood.

Ἡ εὐλογία αὐτοῦ ὡς ποταμὸς ἐπεκάλυψε, καὶ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς ξηρὰν ἐμέθυσεν.

As he hath turned the waters into saltness: so shall the heathen inherit his wrath.

Οὕτως ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη κληρονομήσει, ὡς μετέστρεψεν ὕδατα εἰς ἅλμην.

As his ways are plain unto the holy; so are they stumbling-blocks unto the wicked.

Αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὁσίοις εὐθεῖαι, οὕτως τοῖς ἀνόμοις προσκόμματα.

For the good are good things created from the beginning: so evil things for sinners.

Ἀγαθὰ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔκτισται ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς κακά.

The principal things for the whole use of man's life are water, fire, iron, and salt, flour of wheat, honey, milk, and the blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing.

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.

All these things are for good to the godly: so to the sinners they are turned into evil.

Ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν εἰς ἀγαθὰ, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς τραπήσεται εἰς κακά.

There be spirits that are created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction they pour out their force, and appease the wrath of him that made them.

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.

Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance;

Πῦρ καὶ χάλαζα καὶ λιμὸς καὶ θάνατος, πάντα ταῦτα εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται.

teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, serpents, and the sword, punishing the wicked to destruction,

Θηρίων ὁδόντες καὶ σκορπίοι καὶ ἔχεις καὶ ῥομφαία ἐκδικοῦσα εἰς ὄλεθρον ἀσεβεῖς,

shall rejoice in his commandment, and they shall be ready upon earth, when need is; and when their time is come, they shall not go beyond his word.

ἐν τῇ ἐντολῇ αὐτοῦ εὐφρανθήσονται, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἰς χρείας ἑτοιμασθήσονται, καὶ ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν οὐ παραβήσονται λόγον.

Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and thought upon these things, and have left them in writing.

Διὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐστηρίχθην, καὶ διενοήθην, καὶ ἐν γραφῇ ἀφῆκα.

All the works of the Lord are good: and he will give every needful thing in due season.

Τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου πάντα ἀγαθὰ, καὶ πᾶσαν χρείαν ἐν ὥρᾳ αὐτῆς χορηγήσει.

So that a man cannot say, This is worse than that: for in time they shall all be well approved.

Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, τοῦτο τούτου πονηρότερον, πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ εὐδοκιμηθήσεται.

And therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth, and bless the name of the Lord.

Καὶ νῦν ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ καὶ στόματι ὑμνήσατε, καὶ εὐλογήσατε τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου.