Sirach 6

Apo

1 Instead of a friend become not an enemy; for [thereby] thou shalt inherit an ill name, shame, and reproach: even so shall a sinner that hath a double tongue.

2 Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart; that thy soul be not torn in pieces as a bull [straying alone.]

3 Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and lose thy fruit, and leave thyself as a dry tree.

4 A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and shall make him to be laughed to scorn of his enemies.

5 Sweet language will multiply friends: and a fairspeaking tongue will increase kind greetings.

6 Be in peace with many: nevertheless have but one counsellor of a thousand.

7 If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first and be not hasty to credit him.

8 For some man is a friend for his own occasion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble.

9 And there is a friend, who being turned to enmity, and strife will discover thy reproach.

10 Again, some friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of thy affliction.

11 But in thy prosperity he will be as thyself, and will be bold over thy servants.

12 If thou be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide himself from thy face.

13 Separate thyself from thine enemies, and take heed of thy friends.

14 A faithfull friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure.

15 Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is invaluable.

16 A faithful friend is the medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord shall find him.

17 Whoso feareth the Lord shall direct his friendship aright: for as he is, so shall his neighbour be also.

18 My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age.

19 Come unto her as one that ploweth and soweth, and wait for her good fruits: for thou shalt not toil much in labouring about her, but thou shalt eat of her fruits right soon.

20 She is very unpleasant to the unlearned: he that is without understanding will not remain with her.

21 She will lie upon him as a mighty stone of trial; and he will cast her from him ere it be long.

22 For wisdom is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto many.

23 Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refuse not my counsel,

24 And put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain.

25 Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds.

26 Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with all thy power.

27 Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee: and when thou hast got hold of her, let her not go.

28 For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be turned to thy joy.

29 Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chains a robe of glory.

30 For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are purple lace.

31 Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy.

32 My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent.

33 If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding: and if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt be wise,

34 Stand in the multitude of the elders; and cleave unto him that is wise.

35 Be willing to hear every godly discourse; and let not the parables of understanding escape thee.

36 And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door.

37 Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord and meditate continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine owns desire.

Sep

2 μὴ ἐπάρῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν βουλῇ ψυχῆς σου ἵνα μὴ διαρπαγῇ ὡς ταῦρος ἡ ψυχή σου

3 τὰ φύλλα σου καταφάγεσαι καὶ τοὺς καρπούς σου ἀπολέσεις καὶ ἀφήσεις σεαυτὸν ὡς ξύλον ξηρόν

4 ψυχὴ πονηρὰ ἀπολεῖ τὸν κτησάμενον αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπίχαρμα ἐχθρῶν ποιήσει αὐτόν

5 λάρυγξ γλυκὺς πληθυνεῖ φίλους αὐτοῦ καὶ γλῶσσα εὔλαλος πληθυνεῖ εὐπροσήγορα

6 οἱ εἰρηνεύοντές σοι ἔστωσαν πολλοί οἱ δὲ σύμβουλοί σου εἷς ἀπὸ χιλίων

7 εἰ κτᾶσαι φίλον ἐν πειρασμῷ κτῆσαι αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ ταχὺ ἐμπιστεύσῃς αὐτῷ

8 ἔστιν γὰρ φίλος ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ παραμείνῃ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεώς σου

9 καὶ ἔστιν φίλος μετατιθέμενος εἰς ἔχθραν καὶ μάχην ὀνειδισμοῦ σου ἀποκαλύψει

10 καὶ ἔστιν φίλος κοινωνὸς τραπεζῶν καὶ οὐ μὴ παραμείνῃ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεώς σου

11 καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς σου ἔσται ὡς σὺ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας σου παρρησιάσεται

12 ἐὰν ταπεινωθῇς ἔσται κατὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσεται

13 ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου διαχωρίσθητι καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν φίλων σου πρόσεχε

14 φίλος πιστὸς σκέπη κραταιά ὁ δὲ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν εὗρεν θησαυρόν

15 φίλου πιστοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀντάλλαγμα καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν σταθμὸς τῆς καλλονῆς αὐτοῦ

16 φίλος πιστὸς φάρμακον ζωῆς καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον εὑρήσουσιν αὐτόν

17 ὁ φοβούμενος κύριον εὐθυνεῖ φιλίαν αὐτοῦ ὅτι κατ᾽ αὐτὸν οὕτως καὶ ὁ πλησίον αὐτοῦ

18 τέκνον ἐκ νεότητός σου ἐπίλεξαι παιδείαν καὶ ἕως πολιῶν εὑρήσεις σοφίαν

19 ὡς ὁ ἀροτριῶν καὶ ὁ σπείρων πρόσελθε αὐτῇ καὶ ἀνάμενε τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἐργασίᾳ αὐτῆς ὀλίγον κοπιάσεις καὶ ταχὺ φάγεσαι τῶν γενημάτων αὐτῆς

20 ὡς τραχεῖά ἐστιν σφόδρα τοῖς ἀπαιδεύτοις καὶ οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ ἐν αὐτῇ ἀκάρδιος

21 ὡς λίθος δοκιμασίας ἰσχυρὸς ἔσται ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ ἀπορρῖψαι αὐτήν

22 σοφία γὰρ κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς ἐστιν καὶ οὐ πολλοῖς ἐστιν φανερά

23 ἄκουσον τέκνον καὶ ἔκδεξαι γνώμην μου καὶ μὴ ἀπαναίνου τὴν συμβουλίαν μου

24 καὶ εἰσένεγκον τοὺς πόδας σου εἰς τὰς πέδας αὐτῆς καὶ εἰς τὸν κλοιὸν αὐτῆς τὸν τράχηλόν σου

25 ὑπόθες τὸν ὦμόν σου καὶ βάσταξον αὐτὴν καὶ μὴ προσοχθίσῃς τοῖς δεσμοῖς αὐτῆς

26 ἐν πάσῃ ψυχῇ σου πρόσελθε αὐτῇ καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ δυνάμει σου συντήρησον τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῆς

27 ἐξίχνευσον καὶ ζήτησον καὶ γνωσθήσεταί σοι καὶ ἐγκρατὴς γενόμενος μὴ ἀφῇς αὐτήν

28 ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων γὰρ εὑρήσεις τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν αὐτῆς καὶ στραφήσεταί σοι εἰς εὐφροσύνην

29 καὶ ἔσονταί σοι αἱ πέδαι εἰς σκέπην ἰσχύος καὶ οἱ κλοιοὶ αὐτῆς εἰς στολὴν δόξης

30 κόσμος γὰρ χρύσεός ἐστιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ οἱ δεσμοὶ αὐτῆς κλῶσμα ὑακίνθινον

31 στολὴν δόξης ἐνδύσῃ αὐτὴν καὶ στέφανον ἀγαλλιάματος περιθήσεις σεαυτῷ

32 ἐὰν θέλῃς τέκνον παιδευθήσῃ καὶ ἐὰν ἐπιδῷς τὴν ψυχήν σου πανοῦργος ἔσῃ

33 ἐὰν ἀγαπήσῃς ἀκούειν ἐκδέξῃ καὶ ἐὰν κλίνῃς τὸ οὖς σου σοφὸς ἔσῃ

34 ἐν πλήθει πρεσβυτέρων στῆθι καὶ τίς σοφός αὐτῷ προσκολλήθητι

35 πᾶσαν διήγησιν θείαν θέλε ἀκροᾶσθαι καὶ παροιμίαι συνέσεως μὴ ἐκφευγέτωσάν σε

36 ἐὰν ἴδῃς συνετόν ὄρθριζε πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ βαθμοὺς θυρῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκτριβέτω ὁ πούς σου

37 διανοοῦ ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασιν κυρίου καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ μελέτα διὰ παντός αὐτὸς στηριεῖ τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς σοφίας δοθήσεταί σοι

Vul

1 [Noli fieri pro amico inimicus proximo:
improperium enim et contumeliam malus hæreditabit:
et omnis peccator invidus et bilinguis.]

2 [Non te extollas in cogitatione animæ tuæ velut taurus,
ne forte elidatur virtus tua per stultitiam:

3 et folia tua comedat, et fructus tuos perdat,
et relinquaris velut lignum aridum in eremo.

4 Anima enim nequam disperdet qui se habet,
et in gaudium inimicis dat illum,
et deducet in sortem impiorum.]

5 [Verbum dulce multiplicat amicos et mitigat inimicos,
et lingua eucharis in bono homine abundat.

6 Multi pacifici sint tibi:
et consiliarius sit tibi unus de mille.

7 Si possides amicum, in tentatione posside eum,
et ne facile credas ei.

8 Est enim amicus secundum tempus suum,
et non permanebit in die tribulationis.

9 Et est amicus qui convertitur ad inimicitiam,
et est amicus qui odium et rixam et convitia denudabit.

10 Est autem amicus socius mensæ,
et non permanebit in die necessitatis.

11 Amicus si permanserit fixus, erit tibi quasi coæqualis,
et in domesticis tuis fiducialiter aget.

12 Si humiliaverit se contra te,
et a facie tua absconderit se,
unanimem habebis amicitiam bonam.

13 Ab inimicis tuis separare,
et ab amicis tuis attende.

14 Amicus fidelis protectio fortis:
qui autem invenit illum, invenit thesaurum.

15 Amico fideli nulla est comparatio,
et non est digna ponderatio auri et argenti contra bonitatem fidei illius.

16 Amicus fidelis medicamentum vitæ et immortalitatis:
et qui metuunt Dominum, invenient illum.

17 Qui timet Deum æque habebit amicitiam bonam,
quoniam secundum illum erit amicus illius.]

18 [Fili, a juventute tua excipe doctrinam,
et usque ad canos invenies sapientiam.

19 Quasi is qui arat et seminat accede ad eam,
et sustine bonos fructus illius.

20 In opere enim ipsius exiguum laborabis,
et cito edes de generationibus illius.

21 Quam aspera est nimium sapientia indoctis hominibus!
et non permanebit in illa excors.

22 Quasi lapidis virtus probatio erit in illis:
et non demorabuntur projicere illam.

23 Sapientia enim doctrinæ secundum nomen est ejus,
et non est multis manifestata:
quibus autem cognita est,
permanet usque ad conspectum Dei.

24 Audi, fili, et accipe consilium intellectus,
et ne abjicias consilium meum.

25 Injice pedem tuum in compedes illius,
et in torques illius collum tuum.

26 Subjice humerum tuum, et porta illam,
et ne acedieris vinculis ejus.

27 In omni animo tuo accede ad illam,
et in omni virtute tua conserva vias ejus.

28 Investiga illam, et manifestabitur tibi:
et continens factus, ne derelinquas eam:

29 in novissimis enim invenies requiem in ea,
et convertetur tibi in oblectationem.

30 Et erunt tibi compedes ejus in protectionem fortitudinis et bases virtutis,
et torques illius in stolam gloriæ:

31 decor enim vitæ est in illa,
et vincula illius alligatura salutaris.

32 Stolam gloriæ indues eam,
et coronam gratulationis superpones tibi.

33 Fili, si attenderis mihi, disces:
et si accommodaveris animum tuum, sapiens eris.

34 Si inclinaveris aurem tuam, excipies doctrinam:
et si dilexeris audire, sapiens eris.

35 In multitudine presbyterorum prudentium sta,
et sapientiæ illorum ex corde conjungere,
ut omnem narrationem Dei possis audire,
et proverbia laudis non effugiant a te.

36 Et si videris sensatum, evigila ad eum,
et gradus ostiorum illius exterat pes tuus.

37 Cogitatum tuum habe in præceptis Dei,
et in mandatis illius maxime assiduus esto:
et ipse dabit tibi cor,
et concupiscentia sapientiæ dabitur tibi.]