Sirach 17

Apo

1 The Lord created man of the earth, and turned him into it again.

2 He gave them few days, and a short time, and power also over the things therein.

3 He endued them with strength by themselves, and made them according to his image,

4 And put the fear of man upon all flesh, and gave him dominion over beasts and fowls.

5 They received the use of the five operations of the Lord, and in the sixth place he imparted them understanding, and in the seventh speech, an interpreter of the cogitations thereof.]

6 Counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, ears, and a heart, gave he them to understand.

7 Withal he filled them with the knowledge of understanding, and shewed them good and evil.

8 He set his eye upon their hearts, that he might shew them the greatness of his works.

9 He gave them to glory in his marvellous acts for ever, that they might declare his works with understanding.

10 And the elect shall praise his holy name.

11 Beside this he gave them knowledge, and the law of life for an heritage.

12 He made an everlasting covenant with them, and shewed them his judgments.

13 Their eyes saw the majesty of his glory, and their ears heard his glorious voice.

14 And he said unto them, Beware of all unrighteousness; and he gave every man commandment concerning his neighbour.

15 Their ways are ever before him, and shall not be hid from his eyes.

16 Every man from his youth is given to evil; neither could they make to themselves fleshy hearts for stony.

17 For in the division of the nations of the whole earth he set a ruler over every people; but Israel is the Lord's portion:

18 Whom, being his firstborn, he nourisheth with discipline, and giving him the light of his love doth not forsake him.

19 Therefore all their works are as the sun before him, and his eyes are continually upon their ways.

20 None of their unrighteous deeds are hid from him, but all their sins are before the Lord

21 But the Lord being gracious and knowing his workmanship, neither left nor forsook them, but spared them.

22 The alms of a man is as a signet with him, and he will keep the good deeds of man as the apple of the eye, and give repentance to his sons and daughters.

23 Afterwards he will rise up and reward them, and render their recompence upon their heads.

24 But unto them that repent, he granted them return, and comforted those that failed in patience.

25 Return unto the Lord, and forsake thy sins, make thy prayer before his face, and offend less.

26 Turn again to the most High, and turn away from iniquity: for he will lead thee out of darkness into the light of health, and hate thou abomination vehemently.

27 Who shall praise the most High in the grave, instead of them which live and give thanks?

28 Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead, as from one that is not: the living and sound in heart shall praise the Lord.

29 How great is the lovingkindness of the Lord our God, and his compassion unto such as turn unto him in holiness!

30 For all things cannot be in men, because the son of man is not immortal.

31 What is brighter than the sun? yet the light thereof faileth; and flesh and blood will imagine evil.

32 He vieweth the power of the height of heaven; and all men are but earth and ashes.

Sep

1 κύριος ἔκτισεν ἐκ γῆς ἄνθρωπον καὶ πάλιν ἀπέστρεψεν αὐτὸν εἰς αὐτήν

2 ἡμέρας ἀριθμοῦ καὶ καιρὸν ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς

3 καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐνέδυσεν αὐτοὺς ἰσχὺν καὶ κατ᾽ εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς

4 ἔθηκεν τὸν φόβον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάσης σαρκὸς καὶ κατακυριεύειν θηρίων καὶ πετεινῶν

6 διαβούλιον καὶ γλῶσσαν καὶ ὀφθαλμούς ὦτα καὶ καρδίαν ἔδωκεν διανοεῖσθαι αὐτοῖς

7 ἐπιστήμην συνέσεως ἐνέπλησεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀγαθὰ καὶ κακὰ ὑπέδειξεν αὐτοῖς

8 ἔθηκεν τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν δεῖξαι αὐτοῖς τὸ μεγαλεῖον τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ

10 καὶ ὄνομα ἁγιασμοῦ αἰνέσουσιν ἵνα διηγῶνται τὰ μεγαλεῖα τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ

11 προσέθηκεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιστήμην καὶ νόμον ζωῆς ἐκληροδότησεν αὐτοῖς

12 διαθήκην αἰῶνος ἔστησεν μετ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ ὑπέδειξεν αὐτοῖς

13 μεγαλεῖον δόξης εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν καὶ δόξαν φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἤκουσεν τὸ οὖς αὐτῶν

14 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς προσέχετε ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀδίκου καὶ ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς ἑκάστῳ περὶ τοῦ πλησίον

15 αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτῶν ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ διὰ παντός οὐ κρυβήσονται ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ

17 ἑκάστῳ ἔθνει κατέστησεν ἡγούμενον καὶ μερὶς κυρίου Ισραηλ ἐστίν

19 ἅπαντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ὡς ὁ ἥλιος ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐνδελεχεῖς ἐπὶ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν

20 οὐκ ἐκρύβησαν αἱ ἀδικίαι αὐτῶν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν ἔναντι κυρίου

22 ἐλεημοσύνη ἀνδρὸς ὡς σφραγὶς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ χάριν ἀνθρώπου ὡς κόρην συντηρήσει

23 μετὰ ταῦτα ἐξαναστήσεται καὶ ἀνταποδώσει αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸ ἀνταπόδομα αὐτῶν εἰς κεφαλὴν αὐτῶν ἀποδώσει

24 πλὴν μετανοοῦσιν ἔδωκεν ἐπάνοδον καὶ παρεκάλεσεν ἐκλείποντας ὑπομονήν

25 ἐπίστρεφε ἐπὶ κύριον καὶ ἀπόλειπε ἁμαρτίας δεήθητι κατὰ πρόσωπον καὶ σμίκρυνον πρόσκομμα

26 ἐπάναγε ἐπὶ ὕψιστον καὶ ἀπόστρεφε ἀπὸ ἀδικίας καὶ σφόδρα μίσησον βδέλυγμα

27 ὑψίστῳ τίς αἰνέσει ἐν ᾅδου ἀντὶ ζώντων καὶ διδόντων ἀνθομολόγησιν

28 ἀπὸ νεκροῦ ὡς μηδὲ ὄντος ἀπόλλυται ἐξομολόγησις ζῶν καὶ ὑγιὴς αἰνέσει τὸν κύριον

29 ὡς μεγάλη ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἐξιλασμὸς τοῖς ἐπιστρέφουσιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν

30 οὐ γὰρ δύναται πάντα εἶναι ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὅτι οὐκ ἀθάνατος υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου

31 τί φωτεινότερον ἡλίου καὶ τοῦτο ἐκλείπει καὶ πονηρὸν ἐνθυμηθήσεται σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα

32 δύναμιν ὕψους οὐρανοῦ αὐτὸς ἐπισκέπτεται καὶ ἄνθρωποι πάντες γῆ καὶ σποδός

Vul

1 [Deus creavit de terra hominem,
et secundum imaginem suam fecit illum:

2 et iterum convertit illum in ipsam,
et secundum se vestivit illum virtute.

3 Numerum dierum et tempus dedit illi,
et dedit illi potestatem eorum quæ sunt super terram.

4 Posuit timorem illius super omnem carnem,
et dominatus est bestiarum et volatilium.

5 Creavit ex ipso adjutorium simile sibi:
consilium, et linguam, et oculos, et aures,
et cor dedit illis excogitandi,
et disciplina intellectus replevit illos.

6 Creavit illis scientiam spiritus,
sensu implevit cor illorum,
et mala et bona ostendit illis.

7 Posuit oculum suum super corda illorum,
ostendere illis magnalia operum suorum:

8 ut nomen sanctificationis collaudent,
et gloriari in mirabilibus illius;
ut magnalia enarrent operum ejus.

9 Addidit illis disciplinam,
et legem vitæ hæreditavit illos.

10 Testamentum æternum constituit cum illis,
et justitiam et judicia sua ostendit illis.

11 Et magnalia honoris ejus vidit oculus illorum,
et honorem vocis audierunt aures illorum.
Et dixit illis: Attendite ab omni iniquo.

12 Et mandavit illis unicuique de proximo suo.

13 Viæ illorum coram ipso sunt semper:
non sunt absconsæ ab oculis ipsius.

14 In unamquamque gentem præposuit rectorem:

15 et pars Dei Israël facta est manifesta.

16 Et omnia opera illorum velut sol in conspectu Dei:
et oculi ejus sine intermissione inspicientes in viis eorum.

17 Non sunt absconsa testamenta per iniquitatem illorum,
et omnes iniquitates eorum in conspectu Dei.

18 Eleemosyna viri quasi signaculum cum ipso,
et gratiam hominis quasi pupillam conservabit.

19 Et postea resurget,
et retribuet illis retributionem, unicuique in caput ipsorum,
et convertet in interiores partes terræ.

20 Pœnitentibus autem dedit viam justitiæ,
et confirmavit deficientes sustinere,
et destinavit illis sortem veritatis.]

21 [Convertere ad Dominum, et relinque peccata tua:

22 precare ante faciem Domini, et minue offendicula.

23 Revertere ad Dominum, et avertere ab injustitia tua,
et nimis odito execrationem:

24 et cognosce justitias et judicia Dei,
et sta in sorte propositionis, et orationis altissimi Dei.

25 In partes vade sæculi sancti,
cum vivis et dantibus confessionem Deo.

26 Non demoreris in errore impiorum:
ante mortem confitere:
a mortuo, quasi nihil, perit confessio.

27 Confiteberis vivens,
vivus et sanus confiteberis:
et laudabis Deum,
et gloriaberis in miserationibus illius.

28 Quam magna misericordia Domini,
et propitiatio illius convertentibus ad se!

29 Nec enim omnia possunt esse in hominibus,
quoniam non est immortalis filius hominis,
et in vanitate malitiæ placuerunt.

30 Quid lucidius sole?
et hic deficiet;
aut quid nequius quam quod excogitavit caro et sanguis?
et hoc arguetur.

31 Virtutem altitudinis cæli ipse conspicit:
et omnes homines terra et cinis.]