Sirach 4

Apo

1 My son, defraud not the poor of his living, and make not the needy eyes to wait long.

2 Make not an hungry soul sorrowful; neither provoke a man in his distress.

3 Add not more trouble to an heart that is vexed; and defer not to give to him that is in need.

4 Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; neither turn away thy face from a poor man.

5 Turn not away thine eye from the needy, and give him none occasion to curse thee:

6 For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul, his prayer shall be heard of him that made him.

7 Get thyself the love of the congregation, and bow thy head to a great man.

8 Let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear to the poor, and give him a friendly answer with meekness.

9 Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor; and be not fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment.

10 Be as a father unto the fatherless, and instead of an husband unto their mother: so shalt thou be as the son of the most High, and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.

11 Wisdom exalteth her children, and layeth hold of them that seek her.

12 He that loveth her loveth life; and they that seek to her early shall be filled with joy.

13 He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; and wheresoever she entereth, the Lord will bless.

14 They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One: and them that love her the Lord doth love.

15 Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations: and he that attendeth unto her shall dwell securely.

16 If a man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her; and his generation shall hold her in possession.

17 For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline, until she may trust his soul, and try him by her laws.

18 Then will she return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets.

19 But if he go wrong, she will forsake him, and give him over to his own ruin.

20 Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; and be not ashamed when it concerneth thy soul.

21 For there is a shame that bringeth sin; and there is a shame which is glory and grace.

22 Accept no person against thy soul, and let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall.

23 And refrain not to speak, when there is occasion to do good, and hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.

24 For by speech wisdom shall be known: and learning by the word of the tongue.

25 In no wise speak against the truth; but be abashed of the error of thine ignorance.

26 Be not ashamed to confess thy sins; and force not the course of the river.

27 Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man; neither accept the person of the mighty.

28 Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord shall fight for thee.

29 Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss.

30 Be not as a lion in thy house, nor frantick among thy servants.

31 Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest repay.

Sep

1 τέκνον τὴν ζωὴν τοῦ πτωχοῦ μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς καὶ μὴ παρελκύσῃς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπιδεεῖς

2 ψυχὴν πεινῶσαν μὴ λυπήσῃς καὶ μὴ παροργίσῃς ἄνδρα ἐν ἀπορίᾳ αὐτοῦ

3 καρδίαν παρωργισμένην μὴ προσταράξῃς καὶ μὴ παρελκύσῃς δόσιν προσδεομένου

4 ἱκέτην θλιβόμενον μὴ ἀπαναίνου καὶ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ πτωχοῦ

5 ἀπὸ δεομένου μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ μὴ δῷς τόπον ἀνθρώπῳ καταράσασθαί σε

6 καταρωμένου γάρ σε ἐν πικρίᾳ ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ τῆς δεήσεως αὐτοῦ ἐπακούσεται ὁ ποιήσας αὐτόν

7 προσφιλῆ συναγωγῇ σεαυτὸν ποίει καὶ μεγιστᾶνι ταπείνου τὴν κεφαλήν σου

8 κλῖνον πτωχῷ τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἀποκρίθητι αὐτῷ εἰρηνικὰ ἐν πραΰτητι

9 ἐξελοῦ ἀδικούμενον ἐκ χειρὸς ἀδικοῦντος καὶ μὴ ὀλιγοψυχήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνειν σε

10 γίνου ὀρφανοῖς ὡς πατὴρ καὶ ἀντὶ ἀνδρὸς τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ἔσῃ ὡς υἱὸς ὑψίστου καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε μᾶλλον ἢ μήτηρ σου

11 ἡ σοφία υἱοὺς αὐτῆς ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἐπιλαμβάνεται τῶν ζητοῦντων αὐτήν

12 ὁ ἀγαπῶν αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾷ ζωήν καὶ οἱ ὀρθρίζοντες πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐμπλησθήσονται εὐφροσύνης

13 ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς κληρονομήσει δόξαν καὶ οὗ εἰσπορεύεται εὐλογεῖ κύριος

14 οἱ λατρεύοντες αὐτῇ λειτουργήσουσιν ἁγίῳ καὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾷ ὁ κύριος

15 ὁ ὑπακούων αὐτῆς κρινεῖ ἔθνη καὶ ὁ προσέχων αὐτῇ κατασκηνώσει πεποιθώς

16 ἐὰν ἐμπιστεύσῃ κατακληρονομήσει αὐτήν καὶ ἐν κατασχέσει ἔσονται αἱ γενεαὶ αὐτοῦ

17 ὅτι διεστραμμένως πορεύσεται μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν πρώτοις φόβον καὶ δειλίαν ἐπάξει ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ βασανίσει αὐτὸν ἐν παιδείᾳ αὐτῆς ἕως οὗ ἐμπιστεύσῃ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ καὶ πειράσει αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασιν αὐτῆς

18 καὶ πάλιν ἐπανήξει κατ᾽ εὐθεῖαν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εὐφρανεῖ αὐτὸν καὶ ἀποκαλύψει αὐτῷ τὰ κρυπτὰ αὐτῆς

19 ἐὰν ἀποπλανηθῇ ἐγκαταλείψει αὐτὸν καὶ παραδώσει αὐτὸν εἰς χεῖρας πτώσεως αὐτοῦ

20 συντήρησον καιρὸν καὶ φύλαξαι ἀπὸ πονηροῦ καὶ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς σου μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς

21 ἔστιν γὰρ αἰσχύνη ἐπάγουσα ἁμαρτίαν καὶ ἔστιν αἰσχύνη δόξα καὶ χάρις

22 μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ μὴ ἐντραπῇς εἰς πτῶσίν σου

23 μὴ κωλύσῃς λόγον ἐν καιρῷ χρείας

24 ἐν γὰρ λόγῳ γνωσθήσεται σοφία καὶ παιδεία ἐν ῥήματι γλώσσης

25 μὴ ἀντίλεγε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀπαιδευσίας σου ἐντράπηθι

26 μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς ὁμολογῆσαι ἐφ᾽ ἁμαρτίαις σου καὶ μὴ βιάζου ῥοῦν ποταμοῦ

27 καὶ μὴ ὑποστρώσῃς ἀνθρώπῳ μωρῷ σεαυτὸν καὶ μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον δυνάστου

28 ἕως θανάτου ἀγώνισαι περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ κύριος ὁ θεὸς πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ

29 μὴ γίνου θρασὺς ἐν γλώσσῃ σου καὶ νωθρὸς καὶ παρειμένος ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου

30 μὴ ἴσθι ὡς λέων ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου καὶ φαντασιοκοπῶν ἐν τοῖς οἰκέταις σου

31 μὴ ἔστω ἡ χείρ σου ἐκτεταμένη εἰς τὸ λαβεῖν καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποδιδόναι συνεσταλμένη

Vul

1 [Fili, eleemosynam pauperis ne defraudes,
et oculos tuos ne transvertas a paupere.

2 Animam esurientem ne despexeris,
et non exasperes pauperem in inopia sua.

3 Cor inopis ne afflixeris,
et non protrahas datum angustianti.

4 Rogationem contribulati ne abjicias,
et non avertas faciem tuam ab egeno.

5 Ab inope ne avertas oculos tuos propter iram:
et non relinquas quærentibus tibi retro maledicere.

6 Maledicentis enim tibi in amaritudine animæ,
exaudietur deprecatio illius:
exaudiet autem eum qui fecit illum.

7 Congregationi pauperum affabilem te facito:
et presbytero humilia animam tuam,
et magnato humilia caput tuum.

8 Declina pauperi sine tristitia aurem tuam,
et redde debitum tuum,
et responde illi pacifica in mansuetudine.

9 Libera eum qui injuriam patitur de manu superbi,
et non acide feras in anima tua.

10 In judicando esto pupillis misericors ut pater,
et pro viro matri illorum:

11 et eris tu velut filius Altissimi obediens,
et miserebitur tui magis quam mater.]

12 [Sapientia filiis suis vitam inspirat:
et suscipit inquirentes se,
et præibit in via justitiæ.

13 Et qui illam diligit, diligit vitam,
et qui vigilaverint ad illam complectentur placorem ejus.

14 Qui tenuerint illam, vitam hæreditabunt:
et quo introibit benedicet Deus.

15 Qui serviunt ei obsequentes erunt sancto:
et eos qui diligunt illam, diligit Deus.

16 Qui audit illam judicabit gentes:
et qui intuetur illam permanebit confidens.

17 Si crediderit ei, hæreditabit illam,
et erunt in confirmatione creaturæ illius:

18 quoniam in tentatione ambulat cum eo,
et in primis eligit eum.

19 Timorem, et metum, et probationem inducet super illum:
et cruciabit illum in tribulatione doctrinæ suæ,
donec tentet eum in cogitationibus suis,
et credat animæ illius.

20 Et firmabit illum, et iter adducet directum ad illum,
et lætificabit illum:

21 et denudabit absconsa sua illi,
et thesaurizabit super illum scientiam et intellectum justitiæ.

22 Si autem oberraverit, derelinquet eum,
et tradet eum in manus inimici sui.]

23 [Fili, conserva tempus,
et devita a malo.

24 Pro anima tua ne confundaris dicere verum:

25 est enim confusio adducens peccatum,
et est confusio adducens gloriam et gratiam.

26 Ne accipias faciem adversus faciem tuam,
nec adversus animam tuam mendacium.

27 Ne reverearis proximum tuum in casu suo,

28 nec retineas verbum in tempore salutis.
Non abscondas sapientiam tuam in decore suo:

29 in lingua enim sapientia dignoscitur:
et sensus, et scientia, et doctrina in verbo sensati,
et firmamentum in operibus justitiæ.

30 Non contradicas verbo veritatis ullo modo,
et de mendacio ineruditionis tuæ confundere.

31 Non confundaris confiteri peccata tua,
et ne subjicias te omni homini pro peccato.

32 Noli resistere contra faciem potentis,
nec coneris contra ictum fluvii.

33 Pro justitia agonizare pro anima tua,
et usque ad mortem certa pro justitia:
et Deus expugnabit pro te inimicos tuos.

34 Noli citatus esse in lingua tua,
et inutilis, et remissus in operibus tuis.

35 Noli esse sicut leo in domo tua,
evertens domesticos tuos, et opprimens subjectos tibi.

36 Non sit porrecta manus tua ad accipiendum,
et ad dandum collecta.]