Sirach 11

Apo

1 Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men.

2 Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.

3 The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.

4 Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden.

5 Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.

6 Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men's hands.

7 Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.

8 Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.

9 Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and sit not in judgment with sinners.

10 My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.

11 There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much the more behind.

12 Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate,

13 And lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw from him is peace over all the

14 Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord.

15 Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord: love, and the way of good works, are from him.

16 Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein.

17 The gift of the Lord remaineth with the ungodly, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever.

18 There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this his the portion of his reward:

19 Whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die.

20 Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in thy work.

21 Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.

22 The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his blessing flourish.

23 Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter?

24 Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil shall I have hereafter?

25 In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.

26 For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways.

27 The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be discovered.

28 Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.

29 Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains.

30 Like as a partridge taken [and kept] in a cage, so is the heart of the proud; and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:

31 For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee.

32 Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man layeth wait for blood.

33 Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness; lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot.

34 Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own.

Sep

1 σοφία ταπεινοῦ ἀνυψώσει κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν μέσῳ μεγιστάνων καθίσει αὐτόν

2 μὴ αἰνέσῃς ἄνδρα ἐν κάλλει αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ βδελύξῃ ἄνθρωπον ἐν ὁράσει αὐτοῦ

3 μικρὰ ἐν πετεινοῖς μέλισσα καὶ ἀρχὴ γλυκασμάτων ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῆς

4 ἐν περιβολῇ ἱματίων μὴ καυχήσῃ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ δόξης μὴ ἐπαίρου ὅτι θαυμαστὰ τὰ ἔργα κυρίου καὶ κρυπτὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἀνθρώποις

5 πολλοὶ τύραννοι ἐκάθισαν ἐπὶ ἐδάφους ὁ δὲ ἀνυπονόητος ἐφόρεσεν διάδημα

6 πολλοὶ δυνάσται ἠτιμάσθησαν σφόδρα καὶ ἔνδοξοι παρεδόθησαν εἰς χεῖρας ἑτέρων

7 πρὶν ἐξετάσῃς μὴ μέμψῃ νόησον πρῶτον καὶ τότε ἐπιτίμα

8 πρὶν ἢ ἀκοῦσαι μὴ ἀποκρίνου καὶ ἐν μέσῳ λόγων μὴ παρεμβάλλου

9 περὶ πράγματος οὗ οὐκ ἔστιν σοι χρεία μὴ ἔριζε καὶ ἐν κρίσει ἁμαρτωλῶν μὴ συνέδρευε

10 τέκνον μὴ περὶ πολλὰ ἔστωσαν αἱ πράξεις σου ἐὰν πληθύνῃς οὐκ ἀθῳωθήσῃ καὶ ἐὰν διώκῃς οὐ μὴ καταλάβῃς καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκφύγῃς διαδράς

11 ἔστιν κοπιῶν καὶ πονῶν καὶ σπεύδων καὶ τόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑστερεῖται

12 ἔστιν νωθρὸς προσδεόμενος ἀντιλήμψεως ὑστερῶν ἰσχύι καὶ πτωχείᾳ περισσεύει καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπέβλεψαν αὐτῷ εἰς ἀγαθά καὶ ἀνώρθωσεν αὐτὸν ἐκ ταπεινώσεως αὐτοῦ

13 καὶ ἀνύψωσεν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπεθαύμασαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ πολλοί

14 ἀγαθὰ καὶ κακά ζωὴ καὶ θάνατος πτωχεία καὶ πλοῦτος παρὰ κυρίου ἐστίν

17 δόσις κυρίου παραμένει εὐσεβέσιν καὶ ἡ εὐδοκία αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα εὐοδωθήσεται

18 ἔστιν πλουτῶν ἀπὸ προσοχῆς καὶ σφιγγίας αὐτοῦ καὶ αὕτη ἡ μερὶς τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ

19 ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν αὐτόν εὗρον ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ νῦν φάγομαι ἐκ τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου καὶ οὐκ οἶδεν τίς καιρὸς παρελεύσεται καὶ καταλείψει αὐτὰ ἑτέροις καὶ ἀποθανεῖται

20 στῆθι ἐν διαθήκῃ σου καὶ ὁμίλει ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ σου παλαιώθητι

21 μὴ θαύμαζε ἐν ἔργοις ἁμαρτωλοῦ πίστευε δὲ κυρίῳ καὶ ἔμμενε τῷ πόνῳ σου ὅτι κοῦφον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κυρίου διὰ τάχους ἐξάπινα πλουτίσαι πένητα

22 εὐλογία κυρίου ἐν μισθῷ εὐσεβοῦς καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ ταχινῇ ἀναθάλλει εὐλογίαν αὐτοῦ

23 μὴ εἴπῃς τίς ἐστίν μου χρεία καὶ τίνα ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἔσται μου τὰ ἀγαθά

24 μὴ εἴπῃς αὐτάρκη μοί ἐστιν καὶ τί ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν κακωθήσομαι

25 ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθῶν ἀμνησία κακῶν καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῶν οὐ μνησθήσεται ἀγαθῶν

26 ὅτι κοῦφον ἔναντι κυρίου ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τελευτῆς ἀποδοῦναι ἀνθρώπῳ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ

27 κάκωσις ὥρας ἐπιλησμονὴν ποιεῖ τρυφῆς καὶ ἐν συντελείᾳ ἀνθρώπου ἀποκάλυψις ἔργων αὐτοῦ

28 πρὸ τελευτῆς μὴ μακάριζε μηδένα καὶ ἐν τέκνοις αὐτοῦ γνωσθήσεται ἀνήρ

29 μὴ πάντα ἄνθρωπον εἴσαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ ἔνεδρα τοῦ δολίου

30 πέρδιξ θηρευτὴς ἐν καρτάλλῳ οὕτως καρδία ὑπερηφάνου καὶ ὡς ὁ κατάσκοπος ἐπιβλέπει πτῶσιν

31 τὰ γὰρ ἀγαθὰ εἰς κακὰ μεταστρέφων ἐνεδρεύει καὶ ἐν τοῖς αἱρετοῖς ἐπιθήσει μῶμον

32 ἀπὸ σπινθῆρος πυρὸς πληθύνεται ἀνθρακιά καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτωλὸς εἰς αἷμα ἐνεδρεύει

33 πρόσεχε ἀπὸ κακούργου πονηρὰ γὰρ τεκταίνει μήποτε μῶμον εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα δῷ σοι

34 ἐνοίκισον ἀλλότριον καὶ διαστρέψει σε ἐν ταραχαῖς καὶ ἀπαλλοτριώσει σε τῶν ἰδίων σου

Vul

1 [Sapientia humiliati exaltabit caput illius,
et in medio magnatorum consedere illum faciet.

2 Non laudes virum in specie sua,
neque spernas hominem in visu suo.

3 Brevis in volatilibus est apis,
et initium dulcoris habet fructus illius.

4 In vestitu ne glorieris umquam,
nec in die honoris tui extollaris:
quoniam mirabilia opera Altissimi solius,
et gloriosa, et absconsa, et invisa opera illius.

5 Multi tyranni sederunt in throno:
et insuspicabilis portavit diadema.

6 Multi potentes oppressi sunt valide,
et gloriosi traditi sunt in manus alterorum.

7 Priusquam interroges, ne vituperes quemquam:
et cum interrogaveris, corripe juste.]

8 [Priusquam audias, ne respondeas verbum:
et in medio sermonum ne adjicias loqui.

9 De ea re quæ te non molestat, ne certeris:
et in judicio peccantium ne consistas.

10 Fili, ne in multis sint actus tui:
et si dives fueris, non eris immunis a delicto.
Si enim secutus fueris, non apprehendes:
et non effugies, si præcucurreris.

11 Est homo laborans et festinans, et dolens:
impius, et tanto magis non abundabit.

12 Est homo marcidus egens recuperatione,
plus deficiens virtute, et abundans paupertate:

13 et oculus Dei respexit illum in bono,
et erexit eum ab humilitate ipsius, et exaltavit caput ejus:
et mirati sunt in illo multi, et honoraverunt Deum.]

14 [Bona et mala, vita et mors,
paupertas et honestas, a Deo sunt:

15 sapientia, et disciplina, et scientia legis, apud Deum:
dilectio, et viæ bonorum, apud ipsum.

16 Error et tenebræ peccatoribus concreata sunt:
qui autem exsultant in malis consenescunt in malo.

17 Datio Dei permanet justis,
et profectus illius successus habebit in æternum.

18 Est qui locupletatur parce agendo,
et hæc est pars mercedis illius.

19 In eo quod dicit: Inveni requiem mihi,
et nunc manducabo de bonis meis solus:

20 et nescit quod tempus præteriet, et mors appropinquet,
et relinquat omnia aliis, et morietur.

21 Sta in testamento tuo, et in illo colloquere,
et in opere mandatorum tuorum veterasce.

22 Ne manseris in operibus peccatorum:
confide autem in Deo, et mane in loco tuo.

23 Facile est enim in oculis Dei
subito honestare pauperem.

24 Benedictio Dei in mercedem justi festinat,
et in hora veloci processus illius fructificat.

25 Ne dicas: Quid est mihi opus?
et quæ erunt mihi ex hoc bona?

26 Ne dicas: Sufficiens mihi sum:
et quid ex hoc pessimabor?

27 In die bonorum ne immemor sis malorum,
et in die malorum ne immemor sis bonorum:

28 quoniam facile est coram Deo in die obitus
retribuere unicuique secundum vias suas.

29 Malitia horæ oblivionem facit luxuriæ magnæ,
et in fine hominis denudatio operum illius.

30 Ante mortem ne laudes hominem quemquam:
quoniam in filiis suis agnoscitur vir.]

31 [Non omnem hominem inducas in domum tuam:
multæ enim sunt insidiæ dolosi.

32 Sicut enim eructant præcordia fœtentium,
et sicut perdix inducitur in caveam, et ut caprea in laqueum:
sic et cor superborum,
et sicut prospector videns casum proximi sui.

33 Bona enim in mala convertens insidiatur,
et in electis imponet maculam.

34 A scintilla una augetur ignis,
et ab uno doloso augetur sanguis:
homo vero peccator sanguini insidiatur.

35 Attende tibi a pestifero, fabricat enim mala,
ne inducat super te subsannationem in perpetuum.

36 Admitte ad te alienigenam:
et subvertet te in turbine,
et abalienabit te a tuis propriis.]