ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 11

GREEK BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 σοφια ταπεινου ανυψωσει κεφαλην αυτου και εν μεσω μεγιστανων καθισει αυτον	1 Wisdom enables the poor to stand erect, and gives to the poor a place with the great.
2 μη αινεσης ανδρα εν καλλει αυτου και μη βδελυξη ανθρωπον εν ορασει αυτου	2 Do not praise anyone for good looks, nor dislike anyone for mere appearance.
3 μικρα εν πετεινοις μελισσα και αρχη γλυκασματων ο καρπος αυτης	3 Smal among winged creatures is the bee but her produce is the sweetest of the sweet.
4 εν περιβολη ιματιων μη καυχηση και εν ημερα δοξης μη επαιρου οτι θαυμαστα τα εργα κυριου και κρυπτα τα εργα αυτου ανθρωποις	4 Do not grow proud when people honour you; for the works of the Lord are wonderful but hidden fromhuman beings.
5 πολλοι τυραννοι εκαθισαν επι εδαφους ο δε ανυπονοητος εφορεσεν διαδημα	5 Many monarchs have been made to sit on the ground, and the person nobody thought of has worn thecrown.
6 πολλοι δυνασται ητιμασθησαν σφοδρα και ενδοξοι παρεδοθησαν εις χειρας ετερων	6 Many influential people have been utterly disgraced, and prominent people have fal en into the power ofothers.
7 πριν εξετασης μη μεμψη νοησον πρωτον και τοτε επιτιμα	7 Do not find fault before making thorough enquiry; first reflect, then give a reprimand.
8 πριν η ακουσαι μη αποκρινου και εν μεσω λογων μη παρεμβαλλου	8 Listen before you answer, and do not interrupt a speech before it is finished.
9 περι πραγματος ου ουκ εστιν σοι χρεια μη εριζε και εν κρισει αμαρτωλων μη συνεδρευε	9 Do not wrangle about something that does not concern you, do not interfere in the quarrels of sinners.
10 τεκνον μη περι πολλα εστωσαν αι πραξεις σου εαν πληθυνης ουκ αθωωθηση και εαν διωκης ου μη καταλαβης και ου μη εκφυγης διαδρας	10 My child, do not take on a great amount of business; if you multiply your interests, you are bound to suffer for it; hurry as fast as you can, yet you wil never arrive, nor wil you escape by running away.
11 εστιν κοπιων και πονων και σπευδων και τοσω μαλλον υστερειται	11 Some people work very hard at top speed, only to find themselves fal ing further behind.
12 εστιν νωθρος προσδεομενος αντιλημψεως υστερων ισχυι και πτωχεια περισσευει και οι οφθαλμοι κυριου επεβλεψαν αυτω εις αγαθα και ανωρθωσεν αυτον εκ ταπεινωσεως αυτου	12 Or there is the slow kind of person, needing help, poor in possessions and rich in poverty; and theLord turns a favourable eye on him, lifts him out of his wretched condition,
13 και ανυψωσεν κεφαλην αυτου και απεθαυμασαν επ' αυτω πολλοι	13 and enables him to hold his head high, thus causing general astonishment.
14 αγαθα και κακα ζωη και θανατος πτωχεια και πλουτος παρα κυριου εστιν	14 Good and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, al come from the Lord.
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17 δοσις κυριου παραμενει ευσεβεσιν και η ευδοκια αυτου εις τον αιωνα ευοδωθησεται	17 To the devout the Lord's gift remains constant, and his favour will be there to lead them for ever.
18 εστιν πλουτων απο προσοχης και σφιγγιας αυτου και αυτη η μερις του μισθου αυτου	18 Others grow rich by pinching and scraping, and here is the reward they receive for it:
19 εν τω ειπειν αυτον ευρον αναπαυσιν και νυν φαγομαι εκ των αγαθων μου και ουκ οιδεν τις καιρος παρελευσεται και καταλειψει αυτα ετεροις και αποθανειται	19 although they say, 'Now I can sit back and enjoy the benefit of what I have got,' they do not know howlong this wil last; they will have to leave their goods to others and die.
20 στηθι εν διαθηκη σου και ομιλει εν αυτη και εν τω εργω σου παλαιωθητι	20 Stick to your job, work hard at it and grow old at your work.
21 μη θαυμαζε εν εργοις αμαρτωλου πιστευε δε κυριω και εμμενε τω πονω σου οτι κουφον εν οφθαλμοις κυριου δια ταχους εξαπινα πλουτισαι πενητα	21 Do not admire the achievements of sinners, trust the Lord and mind your own business; since it is atrifle in the eyes of the Lord, in a moment, suddenly to make the poor rich.
22 ευλογια κυριου εν μισθω ευσεβους και εν ωρα ταχινη αναθαλλει ευλογιαν αυτου	22 The blessing of the Lord is the reward of the devout, in a moment God brings his blessing to flower.
23 μη ειπης τις εστιν μου χρεια και τινα απο του νυν εσται μου τα αγαθα	23 Do not say, 'What are my needs, how much shal I have in the future?'
24 μη ειπης αυταρκη μοι εστιν και τι απο του νυν κακωθησομαι	24 And do not say, 'I am self-sufficient, what disaster can affect me now?'
25 εν ημερα αγαθων αμνησια κακων και εν ημερα κακων ου μνησθησεται αγαθων	25 In prosperous times, disasters are forgotten and in times of disaster, no one remembers prosperity.
26 οτι κουφον εναντι κυριου εν ημερα τελευτης αποδουναι ανθρωπω κατα τας οδους αυτου	26 Yet it is a trifle for the Lord on the day someone dies to repay him as his conduct deserves.
27 κακωσις ωρας επιλησμονην ποιει τρυφης και εν συντελεια ανθρωπου αποκαλυψις εργων αυτου	27 A moment's adversity, and pleasures are forgotten; in a person's last hour his deeds wil standrevealed.
28 προ τελευτης μη μακαριζε μηδενα και εν τεκνοις αυτου γνωσθησεται ανηρ	28 Cal no one fortunate before his death; it is by his end that someone wil be known.
29 μη παντα ανθρωπον εισαγε εις τον οικον σου πολλα γαρ τα ενεδρα του δολιου	29 Do not bring everyone home with you, for many are the traps of the crafty.
30 περδιξ θηρευτης εν καρταλλω ουτως καρδια υπερηφανου και ως ο κατασκοπος επιβλεπει πτωσιν	30 Like a captive partridge in a cage, so is the heart of the proud: like a spy he watches for your downfal ,
31 τα γαρ αγαθα εις κακα μεταστρεφων ενεδρευει και εν τοις αιρετοις επιθησει μωμον	31 ever on the look-out, turning good into bad and finding fault with what is praiseworthy.
32 απο σπινθηρος πυρος πληθυνεται ανθρακια και ανθρωπος αμαρτωλος εις αιμα ενεδρευει	32 A hearthful of glowing coals starts from a single spark, and the sinner lurks for the chance to spilblood.
33 προσεχε απο κακουργου πονηρα γαρ τεκταινει μηποτε μωμον εις τον αιωνα δω σοι	33 Beware of a scoundrel and his evil contrivances, in case he puts a smear on you for ever.
34 ενοικισον αλλοτριον και διαστρεψει σε εν ταραχαις και απαλλοτριωσει σε των ιδιων σου	34 Give a home to a stranger and he wil start trouble and estrange you from your own family.