ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 38

LXX	NEW JERUSALEM
1 τιμα ιατρον προς τας χρειας αυτου τιμαις αυτου και γαρ αυτον εκτισεν κυριος	1 Treat the doctor with the honour that is his due, in consideration of his services; for he too has beencreated by the Lord.
2 παρα γαρ υψιστου εστιν ιασις και παρα βασιλεως λημψεται δομα	2 Healing itself comes from the Most High, like a gift received from a king.
3 επιστημη ιατρου ανυψωσει κεφαλην αυτου και εναντι μεγιστανων θαυμασθησεται	3 The doctor's learning keeps his head high, and the great regard him with awe.
4 κυριος εκτισεν εκ γης φαρμακα και ανηρ φρονιμος ου προσοχθιει αυτοις	4 The Lord has brought forth medicinal herbs from the ground, and no one sensible wil despise them.
5 ουκ απο ξυλου εγλυκανθη υδωρ εις το γνωσθηναι την ισχυν αυτου	5 Did not a piece of wood once sweeten the water, thus giving proof of its power?
6 και αυτος εδωκεν ανθρωποις επιστημην ενδοξαζεσθαι εν τοις θαυμασιοις αυτου	6 He has also given some people knowledge, so that they may draw credit from his mighty works.
7 εν αυτοις εθεραπευσεν και ηρεν τον πονον αυτου μυρεψος εν τουτοις ποιησει μειγμα	7 He uses these for healing and relieving pain; the druggist makes up a mixture from them.
8 και ου μη συντελεσθη εργα αυτου και ειρηνη παρ' αυτου εστιν επι προσωπου της γης	8 Thus, there is no end to his activities; thanks to him, well-being exists throughout the world.
9 τεκνον εν αρρωστηματι σου μη παραβλεπε αλλ' ευξαι κυριω και αυτος ιασεται σε	9 My child, when you are il , do not rebel, but pray to the Lord and he wil heal you.
10 αποστησον πλημμελειαν και ευθυνον χειρας και απο πασης αμαρτιας καθαρισον καρδιαν	10 Renounce your faults, keep your hands unsoiled, and cleanse your heart from al sin.
11 δος ευωδιαν και μνημοσυνον σεμιδαλεως και λιπανον προσφοραν ως μη υπαρχων	11 Offer incense and a memorial of fine flour, make as rich an offering as you can afford.
12 και ιατρω δος τοπον και γαρ αυτον εκτισεν κυριος και μη αποστητω σου και γαρ αυτου χρεια	12 Then let the doctor take over -- the Lord created him too -- do not let him leave you, for you need him.
13 εστιν καιρος οτε και εν χερσιν αυτων ευοδια	13 There are times when good health depends on doctors.
14 και γαρ αυτοι κυριου δεηθησονται ινα ευοδωση αυτοις αναπαυσιν και ιασιν χαριν εμβιωσεως	14 For they, in their turn, wil pray the Lord to grant them the grace to relieve and to heal, and so prolongyour life.
15 ο αμαρτανων εναντι του ποιησαντος αυτον εμπεσοι εις χειρας ιατρου	15 Whoever sins in the eyes of his Maker, let such a one come under the care of the doctor!
16 τεκνον επι νεκρω καταγαγε δακρυα και ως δεινα πασχων εναρξαι θρηνου κατα δε την κρισιν αυτου περιστειλον το σωμα αυτου και μη υπεριδης την ταφην αυτου	16 My child, shed tears over the dead, lament for the dead to show your sorrow, then bury the body withdue ceremony and do not fail to honour the grave.
17 πικρανον κλαυθμον και θερμανον κοπετον και ποιησον το πενθος κατα την αξιαν αυτου ημεραν μιαν και δυο χαριν διαβολης και παρακληθητι λυπης ενεκα	17 Weep bitterly, beat your breast, observe the mourning the dead deserves for a day or two, to avoidcensorious comment, and then be comforted in your sorrow;
18 απο λυπης γαρ εκβαινει θανατος και λυπη καρδιας καμψει ισχυν	18 for grief can lead to death, a grief-stricken heart loses al energy.
19 εν επαγωγη παραμενει και λυπη και βιος πτωχου κατα καρδιας	19 In affliction sorrow persists, a life of grief is hard to bear.
20 μη δως εις λυπην την καρδιαν σου αποστησον αυτην μνησθεις τα εσχατα	20 Do not abandon your heart to grief, drive it away, bear your own end in mind.
21 μη επιλαθη ου γαρ εστιν επανοδος και τουτον ουκ ωφελησεις και σεαυτον κακωσεις	21 Do not forget, there is no coming back; you cannot help the dead, and you will harm yourself.
22 μνησθητι το κριμα μου οτι ουτως και το σον εμοι εχθες και σοι σημερον	22 'Remember my doom, since it will be yours too; I yesterday, you today!'
23 εν αναπαυσει νεκρου καταπαυσον το μνημοσυνον αυτου και παρακληθητι εν αυτω εν εξοδω πνευματος αυτου	23 Once the dead are laid to rest, let their memory rest, do not fret for them, once their spirit departs.
24 σοφια γραμματεως εν ευκαιρια σχολης και ο ελασσουμενος πραξει αυτου σοφισθησεται	24 Leisure gives the scribe the chance to acquire wisdom; a man with few commitments can grow wise.
25 τι σοφισθησεται ο κρατων αροτρου και καυχωμενος εν δορατι κεντρου βοας ελαυνων και αναστρεφομενος εν εργοις αυτων και η διηγησις αυτου εν υιοις ταυρων	25 How can the ploughman become wise, whose sole ambition is to wield the goad, driving his oxen,engrossed in their work, his conversation limited to bul ocks,
26 καρδιαν αυτου δωσει εκδουναι αυλακας και η αγρυπνια αυτου εις χορτασματα δαμαλεων	26 his thoughts absorbed in the furrows he traces and his long evenings spent in fattening heifers?
27 ουτως πας τεκτων και αρχιτεκτων οστις νυκτωρ ως ημερας διαγει οι γλυφοντες γλυμματα σφραγιδων και η επιμονη αυτου αλλοιωσαι ποικιλιαν καρδιαν αυτου δωσει εις ομοιωσαι ζωγραφιαν και η αγρυπνια αυτου τελεσαι εργον	27 Similarly with al workmen and craftsmen, toiling day and night; those who engrave seals, for evertrying to think of a new design, concentrating on catching a good likeness and staying up late to get the workdone.
28 ουτως χαλκευς καθημενος εγγυς ακμονος και καταμανθανων εργα σιδηρου ατμις πυρος τηξει σαρκας αυτου και εν θερμη καμινου διαμαχησεται φωνη σφυρης κλινει το ους αυτου και κατεναντι ομοιωματος σκευους οι οφθαλμοι αυτου καρδιαν αυτου δωσει εις συντελειαν εργων και η αγρυπνια αυτου κοσμησαι επι συντελειας	28 Similarly with the blacksmith sitting by his anvil; he considers what to do with the pig-iron, the breath ofthe fire scorches his skin, as he contends with the heat of the furnace; the noise of the hammer deafens him, hiseyes are fixed on the pattern; he concentrates on getting the job done wel and stays up late to apply thefinishing touches.
29 ουτως κεραμευς καθημενος εν εργω αυτου και συστρεφων εν ποσιν αυτου τροχον ος εν μεριμνη κειται δια παντος επι το εργον αυτου και εναριθμιος πασα η εργασια αυτου	29 Similarly with the potter, sitting at his work, turning the wheel with his feet; constantly on the alert overhis work, each flick of the finger premeditated;
30 εν βραχιονι αυτου τυπωσει πηλον και προ ποδων καμψει ισχυν αυτου καρδιαν επιδωσει συντελεσαι το χρισμα και η αγρυπνια αυτου καθαρισαι καμινον	30 he pummels the clay with his arm, and with his feet he kneads it; he concentrates on applying theglaze right and stays up late to clean the kiln.
31 παντες ουτοι εις χειρας αυτων ενεπιστευσαν και εκαστος εν τω εργω αυτου σοφιζεται	31 Al these people rely on their hands and each is skilled at his own craft.
32 ανευ αυτων ουκ οικισθησεται πολις και ου παροικησουσιν ουδε περιπατησουσιν	32 A town could not be inhabited without them, there would be no settling, no travel ing.
33 αλλ' εις βουλην λαου ου ζητηθησονται και εν εκκλησια ουχ υπεραλουνται επι διφρον δικαστου ου καθιουνται και διαθηκην κριματος ου διανοηθησονται	33 But you wil not find them in the parliament, they do not hold high rank in the assembly. They do not siton the judicial bench, and they do not meditate on the Law.
34 ουδε μη εκφανωσιν παιδειαν και κριμα και εν παραβολαις ουχ ευρεθησονται αλλα κτισμα αιωνος στηρισουσιν και η δεησις αυτων εν εργασια τεχνης	34 They are not remarkable for their culture or judgement, nor are they found frequenting thephilosophers. They sustain the structure of the world, and their prayer is concerned with their trade.