Sirach 41

Apo

1 O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions, unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things: yea, unto him that is yet able to receive meat!

2 O death, acceptable is thy sentence unto the needy, and unto him whose strength faileth, that is now in the last age, and is vexed with all things, and to him that despaireth, and hath lost patience!

3 Fear not the sentence of death, remember them that have been before thee, and that come after; for this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh.

4 And why art thou against the pleasure of the most High? there is no inquisition in the grave, whether thou have lived ten, or an hundred, or a thousand years.

5 The children of sinners are abominable children, and they that are conversant in the dwelling of the ungodly.

6 The inheritance of sinners' children shall perish, and their posterity shall have a perpetual reproach.

7 The children will complain of an ungodly father, because they shall be reproached for his sake.

8 Woe be unto you, ungodly men, which have forsaken the law of the most high God! for if ye increase, it shall be to your destruction:

9 And if ye be born, ye shall be born to a curse: and if ye die, a curse shall be your portion.

10 All that are of the earth shall turn to earth again: so the ungodly shall go from a curse to destruction.

11 The mourning of men is about their bodies: but an ill name of sinners shall be blotted out.

12 Have regard to thy name; for that shall continue with thee above a thousand great treasures of gold.

13 A good life hath but few days: but a good name endureth for ever.

14 My children, keep discipline in peace: for wisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen, what profit is in them both?

15 A man that hideth his foolishness is better than a man that hideth his wisdom.

16 Therefore be shamefaced according to my word: for it is not good to retain all shamefacedness; neither is it altogether approved in every thing.

17 Be ashamed of whoredom before father and mother: and of a lie before a prince and a mighty man;

18 Of an offence before a judge and ruler; of iniquity before a congregation and people; of unjust dealing before thy partner and friend;

19 And of theft in regard of the place where thou sojournest, and in regard of the truth of God and his covenant; and to lean with thine elbow upon the meat; and of scorning to give and take;

20 And of silence before them that salute thee; and to look upon an harlot;

21 And to turn away thy face from thy kinsman; or to take away a portion or a gift; or to gaze upon another man's wife.

22 Or to be overbusy with his maid, and come not near her bed; or of upbraiding speeches before friends; and after thou hast given, upbraid not;

23 Or of iterating and speaking again that which thou hast heard; and of revealing of secrets.

24 So shalt thou be truly shamefaced and find favour before all men.

Sep

1 ὦ θάνατε ὡς πικρόν σου τὸ μνημόσυνόν ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ εἰρηνεύοντι ἐν τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν αὐτοῦ ἀνδρὶ ἀπερισπάστῳ καὶ εὐοδουμένῳ ἐν πᾶσιν καὶ ἔτι ἰσχύοντι ἐπιδέξασθαι τροφήν

2 ὦ θάνατε καλόν σου τὸ κρίμα ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπῳ ἐπιδεομένῳ καὶ ἐλασσουμένῳ ἰσχύι ἐσχατογήρῳ καὶ περισπωμένῳ περὶ πάντων καὶ ἀπειθοῦντι καὶ ἀπολωλεκότι ὑπομονήν

3 μὴ εὐλαβοῦ κρίμα θανάτου μνήσθητι προτέρων σου καὶ ἐσχάτων

4 τοῦτο τὸ κρίμα παρὰ κυρίου πάσῃ σαρκί καὶ τί ἀπαναίνῃ ἐν εὐδοκίᾳ ὑψίστου εἴτε δέκα εἴτε ἑκατὸν εἴτε χίλια ἔτη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ᾅδου ἐλεγμὸς ζωῆς

5 τέκνα βδελυρὰ γίνεται τέκνα ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ συναναστρεφόμενα παροικίαις ἀσεβῶν

6 τέκνων ἁμαρτωλῶν ἀπολεῖται κληρονομία καὶ μετὰ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῶν ἐνδελεχιεῖ ὄνειδος

7 πατρὶ ἀσεβεῖ μέμψεται τέκνα ὅτι δι᾽ αὐτὸν ὀνειδισθήσονται

8 οὐαὶ ὑμῖν ἄνδρες ἀσεβεῖς οἵτινες ἐγκατελίπετε νόμον θεοῦ ὑψίστου

9 καὶ ἐὰν γεννηθῆτε εἰς κατάραν γεννηθήσεσθε καὶ ἐὰν ἀποθάνητε εἰς κατάραν μερισθήσεσθε

10 πάντα ὅσα ἐκ γῆς εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσεται οὕτως ἀσεβεῖς ἀπὸ κατάρας εἰς ἀπώλειαν

11 πένθος ἀνθρώπων ἐν σώμασιν αὐτῶν ὄνομα δὲ ἁμαρτωλῶν οὐκ ἀγαθὸν ἐξαλειφθήσεται

12 φρόντισον περὶ ὀνόματος αὐτὸ γάρ σοι διαμενεῖ ἢ χίλιοι μεγάλοι θησαυροὶ χρυσίου

13 ἀγαθῆς ζωῆς ἀριθμὸς ἡμερῶν καὶ ἀγαθὸν ὄνομα εἰς αἰῶνα διαμενεῖ

14 παιδείαν ἐν εἰρήνῃ συντηρήσατε τέκνα σοφία δὲ κεκρυμμένη καὶ θησαυρὸς ἀφανής τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν ἀμφοτέροις

15 κρείσσων ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν μωρίαν αὐτοῦ ἢ ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ

16 τοιγαροῦν ἐντράπητε ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματί μου οὐ γάρ ἐστιν πᾶσαν αἰσχύνην διαφυλάξαι καλόν καὶ οὐ πάντα πᾶσιν ἐν πίστει εὐδοκιμεῖται

17 αἰσχύνεσθε ἀπὸ πατρὸς καὶ μητρὸς περὶ πορνείας καὶ ἀπὸ ἡγουμένου καὶ δυνάστου περὶ ψεύδους

18 ἀπὸ κριτοῦ καὶ ἄρχοντος περὶ πλημμελείας καὶ ἀπὸ συναγωγῆς καὶ λαοῦ περὶ ἀνομίας

19 ἀπὸ κοινωνοῦ καὶ φίλου περὶ ἀδικίας καὶ ἀπὸ τόπου οὗ παροικεῖς περὶ κλοπῆς

20 ἀπὸ ἀληθείας θεοῦ καὶ διαθήκης καὶ ἀπὸ πήξεως ἀγκῶνος ἐπ᾽ ἄρτοις

21 ἀπὸ σκορακισμοῦ λήμψεως καὶ δόσεως καὶ ἀπὸ ἀσπαζομένων περὶ σιωπῆς

22 ἀπὸ ὁράσεως γυναικὸς ἑταίρας καὶ ἀπὸ ἀποστροφῆς προσώπου συγγενοῦς

23 ἀπὸ ἀφαιρέσεως μερίδος καὶ δόσεως καὶ ἀπὸ κατανοήσεως γυναικὸς ὑπάνδρου

24 ἀπὸ περιεργίας παιδίσκης αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ ἐπιστῇς ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην αὐτῆς

25 ἀπὸ φίλων περὶ λόγων ὀνειδισμοῦ καὶ μετὰ τὸ δοῦναι μὴ ὀνείδιζε

26 ἀπὸ δευτερώσεως καὶ λόγου ἀκοῆς καὶ ἀπὸ καλύψεως λόγων κρυφίων

27 καὶ ἔσῃ αἰσχυντηρὸς ἀληθινῶς καὶ εὑρίσκων χάριν ἔναντι παντὸς ἀνθρώπου

Vul

1 [O mors, quam amara est memoria tua
homini pacem habenti in substantiis suis:

2 viro quieto, et cujus viæ directæ sunt in omnibus,
et adhuc valenti accipere cibum!

3 O mors, bonum est judicium tuum homini indigenti,
et qui minoratur viribus,

4 defecto ætate, et cui de omnibus cura est,
et incredibili, qui perdit patientiam!

5 Noli metuere judicium mortis:
memento quæ ante te fuerunt,
et quæ superventura sunt tibi:
hoc judicium a Domino omni carni.

6 Et quid superveniet tibi in beneplacito Altissimi?
sive decem, sive centum, sive mille anni:

7 non est enim in inferno accusatio vitæ.]

8 [Filii abominationum fiunt filii peccatorum,
et qui conversantur secus domos impiorum.

9 Filiorum peccatorum periet hæreditas,
et cum semine illorum assiduitas opprobrii.

10 De patre impio queruntur filii,
quoniam propter illum sunt in opprobrio.

11 Væ vobis, viri impii,
qui dereliquistis legem Domini Altissimi!

12 Et si nati fueritis, in maledictione nascemini:
et si mortui fueritis, in maledictione erit pars vestra.

13 Omnia quæ de terra sunt in terram convertentur:
sic impii a maledicto in perditionem.

14 Luctus hominum in corpore ipsorum:
nomen autem impiorum delebitur.

15 Curam habe de bono nomine:
hoc enim magis permanebit tibi
quam mille thesauri pretiosi et magni.

16 Bonæ vitæ numerus dierum:
bonum autem nomen permanebit in ævum.]

17 [Disciplinam in pace conservate, filii:
sapientia enim abscondita, et thesaurus invisus,
quæ utilitas in utrisque?

18 Melior est homo qui abscondit stultitiam suam,
quam homo qui abscondit sapientiam suam.

19 Verumtamen reveremini in his quæ procedunt de ore meo:

20 non est enim bonum omnem reverentiam observare,
et non omnia omnibus bene placent in fide.

21 Erubescite a patre et a matre de fornicatione:
et a præsidente et a potente de mendacio:

22 a principe et a judice de delicto:
a synagoga et plebe de iniquitate:

23 a socio et amico de injustitia,
et de loco in quo habitas:

24 de furto, de veritate Dei, et testamento:
de discubitu in panibus, et ab obfuscatione dati et accepti:

25 a salutantibus de silentio,
a respectu mulieris fornicariæ,
et ab aversione vultus cognati.

26 Ne avertas faciem a proximo tuo,
et ab auferendo partem et non restituendo.

27 Ne respicias mulierem alieni viri,
et ne scruteris ancillam ejus,
neque steteris ad lectum ejus.

28 Ab amicis de sermonibus improperii:
et cum dederis, ne improperes.]