Sirach 34

Apo

1 The hopes of a man void of understanding are vain and false: and dreams lift up fools.

2 Whoso regardeth dreams is like him that catcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind.

3 The vision of dreams is the resemblance of one thing to another, even as the likeness of a face to a face.

4 Of an unclean thing what can be cleansed? and from that thing which is false what truth can come?

5 Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain: and the heart fancieth, as a woman's heart in travail.

6 If they be not sent from the most High in thy visitation, set not thy heart upon them.

7 For dreams have deceived many, and they have failed that put their trust in them.

8 The law shall be found perfect without lies: and wisdom is perfection to a faithful mouth.

9 A man that hath travelled knoweth many things; and he that hath much experience will declare wisdom.

10 He that hath no experience knoweth little: but he that hath travelled is full of prudence.

11 When I travelled, I saw many things; and I understand more than I can express.

12 I was ofttimes in danger of death: yet I was delivered because of these things.

13 The spirit of those that fear the Lord shall live; for their hope is in him that saveth them.

14 Whoso feareth the Lord shall not fear nor be afraid; for he is his hope.

15 Blessed is the soul of him that feareth the Lord: to whom doth he look? and who is his strength?

16 For the eyes of the Lord are upon them that love him, he is their mighty protection and strong stay, a defence from heat, and a cover from the sun at noon, a preservation from stumbling, and an help from falling.

17 He raiseth up the soul, and lighteneth the eyes: he giveth health, life, and blessing.

18 He that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is ridiculous; and the gifts of unjust men are not accepted.

19 The most High is not pleased with the offerings of the wicked; neither is he pacified for sin by the multitude of sacrifices.

20 Whoso bringeth an offering of the goods of the poor doeth as one that killeth the son before his father's eyes.

21 The bread of the needy is their life: he that defraudeth him thereof is a man of blood.

22 He that taketh away his neighbour's living slayeth him; and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire is a bloodshedder.

23 When one buildeth, and another pulleth down, what profit have they then but labour?

24 When one prayeth, and another curseth, whose voice will the Lord hear?

25 He that washeth himself after the touching of a dead body, if he touch it again, what availeth his washing?

26 So is it with a man that fasteth for his sins, and goeth again, and doeth the same: who will hear his prayer? or what doth his humbling profit him?

Sep

1 κεναὶ ἐλπίδες καὶ ψευδεῖς ἀσυνέτῳ ἀνδρί καὶ ἐνύπνια ἀναπτεροῦσιν ἄφρονας

2 ὡς δρασσόμενος σκιᾶς καὶ διώκων ἄνεμον οὕτως ὁ ἐπέχων ἐνυπνίοις

3 τοῦτο κατὰ τούτου ὅρασις ἐνυπνίων κατέναντι προσώπου ὁμοίωμα προσώπου

4 ἀπὸ ἀκαθάρτου τί καθαρισθήσεται καὶ ἀπὸ ψευδοῦς τί ἀληθεύσει

5 μαντεῖαι καὶ οἰωνισμοὶ καὶ ἐνύπνια μάταιά ἐστιν καὶ ὡς ὠδινούσης φαντάζεται καρδία

6 ἐὰν μὴ παρὰ ὑψίστου ἀποσταλῇ ἐν ἐπισκοπῇ μὴ δῷς εἰς αὐτὰ τὴν καρδίαν σου

7 πολλοὺς γὰρ ἐπλάνησεν τὰ ἐνύπνια καὶ ἐξέπεσον ἐλπίζοντες ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς

8 ἄνευ ψεύδους συντελεσθήσεται νόμος καὶ σοφία στόματι πιστῷ τελείωσις

9 ἀνὴρ πεπλανημένος ἔγνω πολλά καὶ ὁ πολύπειρος ἐκδιηγήσεται σύνεσιν

10 ὃς οὐκ ἐπειράθη ὀλίγα οἶδεν ὁ δὲ πεπλανημένος πληθυνεῖ πανουργίαν

11 πολλὰ ἑώρακα ἐν τῇ ἀποπλανήσει μου καὶ πλείονα τῶν λόγων μου σύνεσίς μου

12 πλεονάκις ἕως θανάτου ἐκινδύνευσα καὶ διεσώθην τούτων χάριν

13 πνεῦμα φοβουμένων κύριον ζήσεται ἡ γὰρ ἐλπὶς αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸν σῴζοντα αὐτούς

14 ὁ φοβούμενος κύριον οὐδὲν εὐλαβηθήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ δειλιάσῃ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ

15 φοβουμένου τὸν κύριον μακαρία ἡ ψυχή τίνι ἐπέχει καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ στήριγμα

16 οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν ὑπερασπισμὸς δυναστείας καὶ στήριγμα ἰσχύος σκέπη ἀπὸ καύσωνος καὶ σκέπη ἀπὸ μεσημβρίας φυλακὴ ἀπὸ προσκόμματος καὶ βοήθεια ἀπὸ πτώσεως

17 ἀνυψῶν ψυχὴν καὶ φωτίζων ὀφθαλμούς ἴασιν διδούς ζωὴν καὶ εὐλογίαν

18 θυσιάζων ἐξ ἀδίκου προσφορὰ μεμωμημένη καὶ οὐκ εἰς εὐδοκίαν δωρήματα ἀνόμων

19 οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ὁ ὕψιστος ἐν προσφοραῖς ἀσεβῶν οὐδὲ ἐν πλήθει θυσιῶν ἐξιλάσκεται ἁμαρτίας

20 θύων υἱὸν ἔναντι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ προσάγων θυσίαν ἐκ χρημάτων πενήτων

21 ἄρτος ἐπιδεομένων ζωὴ πτωχῶν ὁ ἀποστερῶν αὐτὴν ἄνθρωπος αἱμάτων

22 φονεύων τὸν πλησίον ὁ ἀφαιρούμενος ἐμβίωσιν καὶ ἐκχέων αἷμα ὁ ἀποστερῶν μισθὸν μισθίου

23 εἷς οἰκοδομῶν καὶ εἷς καθαιρῶν τί ὠφέλησαν πλεῖον ἢ κόπους

24 εἷς εὐχόμενος καὶ εἷς καταρώμενος τίνος φωνῆς εἰσακούσεται ὁ δεσπότης

25 βαπτιζόμενος ἀπὸ νεκροῦ καὶ πάλιν ἁπτόμενος αὐτοῦ τί ὠφέλησεν ἐν τῷ λουτρῷ αὐτοῦ

26 οὕτως ἄνθρωπος νηστεύων ἐπὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ πάλιν πορευόμενος καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ ποιῶν τῆς προσευχῆς αὐτοῦ τίς εἰσακούσεται καὶ τί ὠφέλησεν ἐν τῷ ταπεινωθῆναι αὐτόν

Vul

1 [Vana spes et mendacium viro insensato:
et somnia extollunt imprudentes.

2 Quasi qui apprehendit umbram et persequitur ventum,
sic et qui attendit ad visa mendacia.

3 Hoc secundum hoc visio somniorum,
ante faciem hominis similitudo hominis.

4 Ab immundo, quid mundabitur?
et a mendace, quid verum dicetur?

5 Divinatio erroris, et auguria mendacia,
et somnia malefacientium, vanitas est:

6 et sicut parturientis, cor tuum phantasias patitur.
Nisi ab Altissimo fuerit emissa visitatio,
ne dederis in illis cor tuum:

7 multos enim errare fecerunt somnia,
et exciderunt sperantes in illis.

8 Sine mendacio consummabitur verbum legis,
et sapientia in ore fidelis complanabitur.]

9 [Qui non est tentatus quid scit?
vir in multis expertus cogitabit multa:
et qui multa didicit enarrabit intellectum.

10 Qui non est expertus pauca recognoscit:
qui autem in multis factus est, multiplicat malitiam.

11 Qui tentatus non est qualia scit?
qui implanatus est abundabit nequitia.

12 Multa vidi errando,
et plurimas verborum consuetudines.

13 Aliquoties usque ad mortem periclitatus sum horum causa,
et liberatus sum gratia Dei.]

14 [Spiritus timentium Deum quæritur,
et in respectu illius benedicetur.

15 Spes enim illorum in salvantem illos,
et oculi Dei in diligentes se.

16 Qui timet Dominum nihil trepidabit:
et non pavebit, quoniam ipse est spes ejus.

17 Timentis Dominum, beata est anima ejus.

18 Ad quem respicit, et quis est fortitudo ejus?

19 Oculi Domini super timentes eum:
protector potentiæ, firmamentum virtutis,
tegimen ardoris, et umbraculum meridiani:

20 deprecatio offensionis, et adjutorium casus:
exaltans animam, et illuminans oculos,
dans sanitatem, et vitam, et benedictionem.]

21 [Immolantis ex iniquo oblatio est maculata,
et non sunt beneplacitæ subsannationes injustorum.

22 Dominus solus sustinentibus se
in via veritatis et justitiæ.

23 Dona iniquorum non probat Altissimus,
nec respicit in oblationes iniquorum,
nec in multitudine sacrificiorum eorum propitiabitur peccatis.

24 Qui offert sacrificium ex substantia pauperum,
quasi qui victimat filium in conspectu patris sui.

25 Panis egentium vita pauperum est:
qui defraudat illum homo sanguinis est.

26 Qui aufert in sudore panem,
quasi qui occidit proximum suum.

27 Qui effundit sanguinem,
et qui fraudem facit mercenario, fratres sunt.

28 Unus ædificans, et unus destruens:
quid prodest illis, nisi labor?

29 Unus orans, et unus maledicens:
cujus vocem exaudiet Deus?

30 Qui baptizatur a mortuo, et iterum tangit eum,
quid proficit lavatio illius?

31 Sic homo qui jejunat in peccatis suis,
et iterum eadem faciens:
quid proficit humiliando se?
orationem illius quis exaudiet?]