ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 19

GREEK BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 εργατης μεθυσος ου πλουτισθησεται ο εξουθενων τα ολιγα κατα μικρον πεσειται	1 A drunken workman wil never grow rich, and one who makes light of small matters will gradual y sink.
2 οινος και γυναικες αποστησουσιν συνετους και ο κολλωμενος πορναις τολμηροτερος εσται	2 Wine and women corrupt intel igent men, the customer of whores loses al sense of shame.
3 σηπη και σκωληκες κληρονομησουσιν αυτον και ψυχη τολμηρα εξαρθησεται	3 Grubs and worms wil have him as their legacy, and the man who knows no shame will lose his life.
4 ο ταχυ εμπιστευων κουφος καρδια και ο αμαρτανων εις ψυχην αυτου πλημμελησει	4 Being too ready to trust shows shal owness of mind, and sinning harms the sinner.
5 ο ευφραινομενος καρδια καταγνωσθησεται	5 Taking pleasure in evil earns condemnation;
6 και ο μισων λαλιαν ελαττονουται κακια	6 by hating gossip one avoids evil.
7 μηδεποτε δευτερωσης λογον και ουθεν σοι ου μη ελαττονωθη	7 Never repeat what you are told and you wil come to no harm;
8 εν φιλω και εχθρω μη διηγου και ει μη εστιν σοι αμαρτια μη αποκαλυπτε	8 whether to friend or foe, do not talk about it, unless it would be sinful not to, do not reveal it;
9 ακηκοεν γαρ σου και εφυλαξατο σε και εν καιρω μισησει σε	9 you would be heard out, then mistrusted, and in due course you would be hated.
10 ακηκοας λογον συναποθανετω σοι θαρσει ου μη σε ρηξει	10 Have you heard something? Let it die with you. Courage! It wil not burst you!
11 απο προσωπου λογου ωδινησει μωρος ως απο προσωπου βρεφους η τικτουσα	11 A fool wil suffer birthpangs over a piece of news, like a woman labouring with child.
12 βελος πεπηγος εν μηρω σαρκος ουτως λογος εν κοιλια μωρου	12 Like an arrow stuck in the flesh of the thigh, so is a piece of news inside a fool.
13 ελεγξον φιλον μηποτε ουκ εποιησεν και ει τι εποιησεν μηποτε προσθη	13 Question your friend, he may have done nothing at al ; and if he has done anything, he wil not do itagain.
14 ελεγξον τον πλησιον μηποτε ουκ ειπεν και ει ειρηκεν ινα μη δευτερωση	14 Question your neighbour, he may have said nothing at al ; and if he has said anything, he wil not sayit again.
15 ελεγξον φιλον πολλακις γαρ γινεται διαβολη και μη παντι λογω πιστευε	15 Question your friend, for slander is very common, do not believe al you hear.
16 εστιν ολισθανων και ουκ απο ψυχης και τις ουχ ημαρτεν εν τη γλωσση αυτου	16 People sometimes make a slip, without meaning what they say; and which of us has never sinned byspeech?
17 ελεγξον τον πλησιον σου πριν η απειλησαι και δος τοπον νομω υψιστου	17 Question your neighbour before you threaten him, and defer to the Law of the Most High.
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20 πασα σοφια φοβος κυριου και εν παση σοφια ποιησις νομου	20 Wisdom consists entirely in fearing the Lord, and wisdom is entirely constituted by the fulfil ing of theLaw.
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22 και ουκ εστιν σοφια πονηριας επιστημη και ουκ εστιν οπου βουλη αμαρτωλων φρονησις	22 Being learned in evil, however, is not wisdom, there is no prudence in the advice of sinners.
23 εστιν πανουργια και αυτη βδελυγμα και εστιν αφρων ελαττουμενος σοφια	23 There is a cleverness that is detestable; whoever has no wisdom is a fool.
24 κρειττων ηττωμενος εν συνεσει εμφοβος η περισσευων εν φρονησει και παραβαινων νομον	24 Better be short of sense and ful of fear, than abound in shrewdness and violate the Law.
25 εστιν πανουργια ακριβης και αυτη αδικος και εστιν διαστρεφων χαριν του εκφαναι κριμα	25 There is a wickedness which is scrupulous but nonetheless dishonest, and there are those whomisuse kindness to win their case.
26 εστιν πονηρευομενος συγκεκυφως μελανια και τα εντος αυτου πληρη δολου	26 There is the person who wil walk bowed down with grief, when inwardly this is nothing but deceit:
27 συγκρυφων προσωπον και εθελοκωφων οπου ουκ επεγνωσθη προφθασει σε	27 he hides his face and pretends to be deaf, if he is not unmasked, he wil take advantage of you.
28 και εαν υπο ελαττωματος ισχυος κωλυθη αμαρτειν εαν ευρη καιρον κακοποιησει	28 There is the person who is prevented from sinning by lack of strength, yet he wil do wrong when hegets the chance.
29 απο ορασεως επιγνωσθησεται ανηρ και απο απαντησεως προσωπου επιγνωσθησεται νοημων	29 You can tel a person by his appearance, you can tell a thinker by the look on his face.
30 στολισμος ανδρος και γελως οδοντων και βηματα ανθρωπου αναγγελει τα περι αυτου	30 The way a person dresses, the way he laughs, the way he walks, tel you what he is.