Sirach 10

Apo

1 A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered.

2 As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein.

3 An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited.

4 The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable.

5 In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour.

6 Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong; and do nothing at all by injurious practices.

7 Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity.

8 Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is translated from one people to another.

9 Why is earth and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale; because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels.

10 The physician cutteth off a long disease; and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die.

11 For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, beasts, and worms.

12 The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker.

13 For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that hath it shall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, and overthrew them utterly.

14 The Lord hath cast down the thrones of proud princes, and set up the meek in their stead.

15 The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place.

16 The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.

17 He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth.

18 Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman.

19 They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honourable plant: they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed; they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed.

20 Among brethren he that is chief is honorable; so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes.

21 The fear of the Lord goeth before the obtaining of authority: but roughness and pride is the losing thereof.

22 Whether he be rich, noble, or poor, their glory is the fear of the Lord.

23 It is not meet to despise the poor man that hath understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a sinful man.

24 Great men, and judges, and potentates, shall be honoured; yet is there none of them greater than he that feareth the Lord.

25 Unto the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service: and he that hath knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed.

26 Be not overwise in doing thy business; and boast not thyself in the time of thy distress.

27 Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread.

28 My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to the dignity thereof.

29 Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life?

30 The poor man is honoured for his skill, and the rich man is honoured for his riches.

31 He that is honoured in poverty, how much more in riches? and he that is dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty?

Sep

1 κριτὴς σοφὸς παιδεύσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡγεμονία συνετοῦ τεταγμένη ἔσται

2 κατὰ τὸν κριτὴν τοῦ λαοῦ οὕτως καὶ οἱ λειτουργοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὸν ἡγούμενον τῆς πόλεως πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες αὐτήν

3 βασιλεὺς ἀπαίδευτος ἀπολεῖ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ πόλις οἰκισθήσεται ἐν συνέσει δυναστῶν

4 ἐν χειρὶ κυρίου ἡ ἐξουσία τῆς γῆς καὶ τὸν χρήσιμον ἐγερεῖ εἰς καιρὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς

5 ἐν χειρὶ κυρίου εὐοδία ἀνδρός καὶ προσώπῳ γραμματέως ἐπιθήσει δόξαν αὐτοῦ

6 ἐπὶ παντὶ ἀδικήματι μὴ μηνιάσῃς τῷ πλησίον καὶ μὴ πρᾶσσε μηδὲν ἐν ἔργοις ὕβρεως

7 μισητὴ ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων ὑπερηφανία καὶ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων πλημμελὴς ἡ ἀδικία

8 βασιλεία ἀπὸ ἔθνους εἰς ἔθνος μετάγεται διὰ ἀδικίας καὶ ὕβρεις καὶ χρήματα

9 τί ὑπερηφανεύεται γῆ καὶ σποδός ὅτι ἐν ζωῇ ἔρριψα τὰ ἐνδόσθια αὐτοῦ

10 μακρὸν ἀρρώστημα σκώπτει ἰατρός καὶ βασιλεὺς σήμερον καὶ αὔριον τελευτήσει

11 ἐν γὰρ τῷ ἀποθανεῖν ἄνθρωπον κληρονομήσει ἑρπετὰ καὶ θηρία καὶ σκώληκας

12 ἀρχὴ ὑπερηφανίας ἀνθρώπου ἀφίστασθαι ἀπὸ κυρίου καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτὸν ἀπέστη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ

13 ὅτι ἀρχὴ ὑπερηφανίας ἁμαρτία καὶ ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς ἐξομβρήσει βδέλυγμα διὰ τοῦτο παρεδόξασεν κύριος τὰς ἐπαγωγὰς καὶ κατέστρεψεν εἰς τέλος αὐτούς

14 θρόνους ἀρχόντων καθεῖλεν ὁ κύριος καὶ ἐκάθισεν πραεῖς ἀντ᾽ αὐτῶν

15 ῥίζας ἐθνῶν ἐξέτιλεν ὁ κύριος καὶ ἐφύτευσεν ταπεινοὺς ἀντ᾽ αὐτῶν

16 χώρας ἐθνῶν κατέστρεψεν ὁ κύριος καὶ ἀπώλεσεν αὐτὰς ἕως θεμελίων γῆς

17 ἐξῆρεν ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπώλεσεν αὐτοὺς καὶ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ γῆς τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν

18 οὐκ ἔκτισται ἀνθρώποις ὑπερηφανία οὐδὲ ὀργὴ θυμοῦ γεννήμασιν γυναικῶν

19 σπέρμα ἔντιμον ποῖον σπέρμα ἀνθρώπου σπέρμα ἔντιμον ποῖον οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον σπέρμα ἄτιμον ποῖον σπέρμα ἀνθρώπου σπέρμα ἄτιμον ποῖον οἱ παραβαίνοντες ἐντολάς

20 ἐν μέσῳ ἀδελφῶν ὁ ἡγούμενος αὐτῶν ἔντιμος καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ

22 πλούσιος καὶ ἔνδοξος καὶ πτωχός τὸ καύχημα αὐτῶν φόβος κυρίου

23 οὐ δίκαιον ἀτιμάσαι πτωχὸν συνετόν καὶ οὐ καθήκει δοξάσαι ἄνδρα ἁμαρτωλόν

24 μεγιστὰν καὶ κριτὴς καὶ δυνάστης δοξασθήσεται καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῶν τις μείζων τοῦ φοβουμένου τὸν κύριον

25 οἰκέτῃ σοφῷ ἐλεύθεροι λειτουργήσουσιν καὶ ἀνὴρ ἐπιστήμων οὐ γογγύσει

26 μὴ σοφίζου ποιῆσαι τὸ ἔργον σου καὶ μὴ δοξάζου ἐν καιρῷ στενοχωρίας σου

27 κρείσσων ἐργαζόμενος καὶ περισσεύων ἐν πᾶσιν ἢ περιπατῶν δοξαζόμενος καὶ ἀπορῶν ἄρτων

28 τέκνον ἐν πραΰτητι δόξασον τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ δὸς αὐτῇ τιμὴν κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτῆς

29 τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίς δικαιώσει καὶ τίς δοξάσει τὸν ἀτιμάζοντα τὴν ζωὴν αὐτοῦ

30 πτωχὸς δοξάζεται δι᾽ ἐπιστήμην αὐτοῦ καὶ πλούσιος δοξάζεται διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτοῦ

31 ὁ δεδοξασμένος ἐν πτωχείᾳ καὶ ἐν πλούτῳ ποσαχῶς καὶ ὁ ἄδοξος ἐν πλούτῳ καὶ ἐν πτωχείᾳ ποσαχῶς

Vul

1 [Judex sapiens judicabit populum suum,
et principatus sensati stabilis erit.

2 Secundum judicem populi, sic et ministri ejus:
et qualis rector est civitatis, tales et inhabitantes in ea.

3 Rex insipiens perdet populum suum:
et civitates inhabitabuntur per sensum potentium.

4 In manu Dei potestas terræ:
et utilem rectorem suscitabit in tempus super illam.

5 In manu Dei prosperitas hominis,
et super faciem scribæ imponet honorem suum.]

6 [Omnis injuriæ proximi ne memineris,
et nihil agas in operibus injuriæ.

7 Odibilis coram Deo est et hominibus superbia,
et execrabilis omnis iniquitas gentium.

8 Regnum a gente in gentem transfertur propter injustitias,
et injurias, et contumelias, et diversos dolos.

9 Avaro autem nihil est scelestius.
Quid superbit terra et cinis?

10 Nihil est iniquius quam amare pecuniam:
hic enim et animam suam venalem habet,
quoniam in vita sua projecit intima sua.

11 Omnis potentatus brevis vita;
languor prolixior gravat medicum.

12 Brevem languorem præcidit medicus:
sic et rex hodie est, et cras morietur.

13 Cum enim morietur homo,
hæreditabit serpentes, et bestias, et vermes.

14 Initium superbiæ hominis apostatare a Deo:

15 quoniam ab eo qui fecit illum recessit cor ejus,
quoniam initium omnis peccati est superbia.
Qui tenuerit illam adimplebitur maledictis,
et subvertet eum in finem.

16 Propterea exhonoravit Dominus conventus malorum,
et destruxit eos usque in finem.

17 Sedes ducum superborum destruxit Deus,
et sedere fecit mites pro eis.

18 Radices gentium superbarum arefecit Deus,
et plantavit humiles ex ipsis gentibus.

19 Terras gentium evertit Dominus,
et perdidit eas usque ad fundamentum.

20 Arefecit ex ipsis, et disperdidit eos,
et cessare fecit memoriam eorum a terra.

21 Memoria superborum perdidit Deus,
et reliquit memoriam humilium sensu.

22 Non est creata hominibus superbia,
neque iracundia nationi mulierum.]

23 [Semen hominum honorabitur hoc, quod timet Deum:
semen autem hoc exhonorabitur, quod præterit mandata Domini.

24 In medio fratrum rector illorum in honore:
et qui timent Dominum erunt in oculis illius.

25 Gloria divitum, honoratorum, et pauperum,
timor Dei est.

26 Noli despicere hominem justum pauperem,
et noli magnificare virum peccatorem divitem.

27 Magnus, et judex, et potens est in honore:
et non est major illo qui timet Deum.

28 Servo sensato liberi servient:
et vir prudens et disciplinatus non murmurabit correptus,
et inscius non honorabitur.

29 Noli extollere te in faciendo opere tuo,
et noli cunctari in tempore angustiæ.

30 Melior est qui operatur et abundat in omnibus,
quam qui gloriatur et eget pane.

31 Fili, in mansuetudine serva animam tuam,
et da illi honorem secundum meritum suum.

32 Peccantem in animam suam quis justificabit?
et quis honorificabit exhonorantem animam suam?

33 Pauper gloriatur per disciplinam et timorem suum:
et est homo qui honorificatur propter substantiam suam.

34 Qui autem gloriatur in paupertate, quanto magis in substantia!
et qui gloriatur in substantia, paupertatem vereatur.]