1 συ την σοφιαν κηρυξεις ινα φρονησις σοι υπακουση | 1 Is not Wisdom cal ing? Is not Understanding raising her voice? |
2 επι γαρ των υψηλων ακρων εστιν ανα μεσον δε των τριβων εστηκεν | 2 On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossways, she takes her stand; |
3 παρα γαρ πυλαις δυναστων παρεδρευει εν δε εισοδοις υμνειται | 3 by the gates, at the entrance to the city, on the access-roads, she cries out, |
4 υμας ω ανθρωποι παρακαλω και προιεμαι εμην φωνην υιοις ανθρωπων | 4 'I am cal ing to you, al people, my words are addressed to al humanity. |
5 νοησατε ακακοι πανουργιαν οι δε απαιδευτοι ενθεσθε καρδιαν | 5 Simpletons, learn how to behave, fools, come to your senses. |
6 εισακουσατε μου σεμνα γαρ ερω και ανοισω απο χειλεων ορθα | 6 Listen, I have something important to tel you, when I speak, my words are right. |
7 οτι αληθειαν μελετησει ο φαρυγξ μου εβδελυγμενα δε εναντιον εμου χειλη ψευδη | 7 My mouth proclaims the truth, for evil is abhorrent to my lips. |
8 μετα δικαιοσυνης παντα τα ρηματα του στοματος μου ουδεν εν αυτοις σκολιον ουδε στραγγαλωδες | 8 Al the words from my mouth are upright, nothing false there, nothing crooked, |
9 παντα ενωπια τοις συνιουσιν και ορθα τοις ευρισκουσι γνωσιν | 9 everything plain, if you can understand, straight, if you have acquired knowledge. |
10 λαβετε παιδειαν και μη αργυριον και γνωσιν υπερ χρυσιον δεδοκιμασμενον ανθαιρεισθε δε αισθησιν χρυσιου καθαρου | 10 Accept my discipline rather than silver, and knowledge of me in preference to finest gold. |
11 κρεισσων γαρ σοφια λιθων πολυτελων παν δε τιμιον ουκ αξιον αυτης εστιν | 11 For Wisdom is more precious than jewels, and nothing else is so worthy of desire. |
12 εγω η σοφια κατεσκηνωσα βουλην και γνωσιν και εννοιαν εγω επεκαλεσαμην | 12 'I, Wisdom, share house with Discretion, I am mistress of the art of thought. |
13 φοβος κυριου μισει αδικιαν υβριν τε και υπερηφανιαν και οδους πονηρων μεμισηκα δε εγω διεστραμμενας οδους κακων | 13 (Fear of Yahweh means hatred of evil.) I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behaviour and a lyingmouth. |
14 εμη βουλη και ασφαλεια εμη φρονησις εμη δε ισχυς | 14 To me belong good advice and prudence, I am perception: power is mine! |
15 δι' εμου βασιλεις βασιλευουσιν και οι δυνασται γραφουσιν δικαιοσυνην | 15 By me monarchs rule and princes decree what is right; |
16 δι' εμου μεγιστανες μεγαλυνονται και τυραννοι δι' εμου κρατουσι γης | 16 by me rulers govern, so do nobles, the lawful authorities. |
17 εγω τους εμε φιλουντας αγαπω οι δε εμε ζητουντες ευρησουσιν | 17 I love those who love me; whoever searches eagerly for me finds me. |
18 πλουτος και δοξα εμοι υπαρχει και κτησις πολλων και δικαιοσυνη | 18 With me are riches and honour, lasting wealth and saving justice. |
19 βελτιον εμε καρπιζεσθαι υπερ χρυσιον και λιθον τιμιον τα δε εμα γενηματα κρεισσω αργυριου εκλεκτου | 19 The fruit I give is better than gold, even the finest, the return I make is better than pure silver. |
20 εν οδοις δικαιοσυνης περιπατω και ανα μεσον τριβων δικαιωματος αναστρεφομαι | 20 I walk in the way of uprightness in the path of justice, |
21 ινα μερισω τοις εμε αγαπωσιν υπαρξιν και τους θησαυρους αυτων εμπλησω αγαθων [21α] εαν αναγγειλω υμιν τα καθ' ημεραν γινομενα μνημονευσω τα εξ αιωνος αριθμησαι | 21 to endow my friends with my wealth and to fil their treasuries. |
22 κυριος εκτισεν με αρχην οδων αυτου εις εργα αυτου | 22 'Yahweh created me, first-fruits of his fashioning, before the oldest of his works. |
23 προ του αιωνος εθεμελιωσεν με εν αρχη | 23 From everlasting, I was firmly set, from the beginning, before the earth came into being. |
24 προ του την γην ποιησαι και προ του τας αβυσσους ποιησαι προ του προελθειν τας πηγας των υδατων | 24 The deep was not, when I was born, nor were the springs with their abounding waters. |
25 προ του ορη εδρασθηναι προ δε παντων βουνων γεννα με | 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hil s, I came to birth; |
26 κυριος εποιησεν χωρας και αοικητους και ακρα οικουμενα της υπ' ουρανον | 26 before he had made the earth, the countryside, and the first elements of the world. |
27 ηνικα ητοιμαζεν τον ουρανον συμπαρημην αυτω και οτε αφωριζεν τον εαυτου θρονον επ' ανεμων | 27 When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there, when he drew a circle on the surface of the deep, |
28 ηνικα ισχυρα εποιει τα ανω νεφη και ως ασφαλεις ετιθει πηγας της υπ' ουρανον | 28 when he thickened the clouds above, when the sources of the deep began to swel , |
29 και ισχυρα εποιει τα θεμελια της γης | 29 when he assigned the sea its boundaries -- and the waters will not encroach on the shore -- when hetraced the foundations of the earth, |
30 ημην παρ' αυτω αρμοζουσα εγω ημην η προσεχαιρεν καθ' ημεραν δε ευφραινομην εν προσωπω αυτου εν παντι καιρω | 30 I was beside the master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence, |
31 οτε ευφραινετο την οικουμενην συντελεσας και ενευφραινετο εν υιοις ανθρωπων | 31 at play everywhere on his earth, delighting to be with the children of men. |
32 νυν ουν υιε ακουε μου | 32 'And now, my children, listen to me. Happy are those who keep my ways. |
33 - | 33 Listen to instruction and become wise, do not reject it. |
34 μακαριος ανηρ ος εισακουσεται μου και ανθρωπος ος τας εμας οδους φυλαξει αγρυπνων επ' εμαις θυραις καθ' ημεραν τηρων σταθμους εμων εισοδων | 34 Blessed, whoever listens to me, who day after day keeps watch at my gates to guard my portals. |
35 αι γαρ εξοδοι μου εξοδοι ζωης και ετοιμαζεται θελησις παρα κυριου | 35 For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains the favour of Yahweh; |
36 οι δε εις εμε αμαρτανοντες ασεβουσιν τας εαυτων ψυχας και οι μισουντες με αγαπωσιν θανατον | 36 but whoever misses me harms himself, al who hate me are in love with death.' |