ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 39

GREEK BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 πλην του επιδιδοντος την ψυχην αυτου και διανοουμενου εν νομω υψιστου σοφιαν παντων αρχαιων εκζητησει και εν προφητειαις ασχοληθησεται	1 How different the man who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High! He explores the wisdom of the men of old and occupies himself with the prophecies;
2 διηγησιν ανδρων ονομαστων συντηρησει και εν στροφαις παραβολων συνεισελευσεται	2 He treasures the discourses of famous men, and goes to the heart of involved sayings;
3 αποκρυφα παροιμιων εκζητησει και εν αινιγμασι παραβολων αναστραφησεται	3 He studies obscure parables, and is busied with the hidden meanings of the sages.
4 ανα μεσον μεγιστανων υπηρετησει και εναντι ηγουμενων οφθησεται εν γη αλλοτριων εθνων διελευσεται αγαθα γαρ και κακα εν ανθρωποις επειρασεν	4 He is in attendance on the great, and has entrance to the ruler.
5 την καρδιαν αυτου επιδωσει ορθρισαι προς κυριον τον ποιησαντα αυτον και εναντι υψιστου δεηθησεται και ανοιξει στομα αυτου εν προσευχη και περι των αμαρτιων αυτου δεηθησεται	5 He travels among the peoples of foreign lands to learn what is good and evil among men.
6 εαν κυριος ο μεγας θεληση πνευματι συνεσεως εμπλησθησεται αυτος ανομβρησει ρηματα σοφιας αυτου και εν προσευχη εξομολογησεται κυριω	6 His care is to seek the LORD, his Maker, to petition the Most High, To open his lips in prayer, to ask pardon for his sins. Then, if it pleases the LORD Almighty, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; He will pour forth his words of wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the LORD,
7 αυτος κατευθυνει βουλην αυτου και επιστημην και εν τοις αποκρυφοις αυτου διανοηθησεται	7 Who will direct his knowledge and his counsel, as he meditates upon his mysteries.
8 αυτος εκφανει παιδειαν διδασκαλιας αυτου και εν νομω διαθηκης κυριου καυχησεται	8 He will show the wisdom of what he has learned and glory in the law of the LORD'S covenant.
9 αινεσουσιν την συνεσιν αυτου πολλοι και εως του αιωνος ουκ εξαλειφθησεται ουκ αποστησεται το μνημοσυνον αυτου και το ονομα αυτου ζησεται εις γενεας γενεων	9 Many will praise his understanding; his fame can never be effaced; Unfading will be his memory, through all generations his name will live;
10 την σοφιαν αυτου διηγησονται εθνη και τον επαινον αυτου εξαγγελει εκκλησια	10 Peoples will speak of his wisdom, and in assembly sing his praises.
11 εαν εμμεινη ονομα καταλειψει η χιλιοι και εαν αναπαυσηται εκποιει αυτω	11 While he lives he is one out of a thousand, and when he dies his renown will not cease.
12 ετι διανοηθεις εκδιηγησομαι και ως διχομηνια επληρωθην	12 Once more I will set forth my theme to shine like the moon in its fullness!
13 εισακουσατε μου υιοι οσιοι και βλαστησατε ως ροδον φυομενον επι ρευματος υγρου	13 Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters;
14 και ως λιβανος ευωδιασατε οσμην και ανθησατε ανθος ως κρινον διαδοτε οσμην και αινεσατε ασμα ευλογησατε κυριον επι πασιν τοις εργοις	14 Send up the sweet odor of incense, break forth in blossoms like the lily. Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise; bless the LORD for all he has done!
15 δοτε τω ονοματι αυτου μεγαλωσυνην και εξομολογησασθε εν αινεσει αυτου εν ωδαις χειλεων και εν κινυραις και ουτως ερειτε εν εξομολογησει	15 Proclaim the greatness of his name, loudly sing his praises, With music on the harp and all stringed instruments; sing out with joy as you proclaim:
16 τα εργα κυριου παντα οτι καλα σφοδρα και παν προσταγμα εν καιρω αυτου εσται ουκ εστιν ειπειν τι τουτο εις τι τουτο παντα γαρ εν καιρω αυτου ζητηθησεται	16 The works of God are all of them good; in its own time every need is supplied.
17 εν λογω αυτου εστη ως θιμωνια υδωρ και εν ρηματι στοματος αυτου αποδοχεια υδατων	17 At his word the waters become still as in a flask; he had but to speak and the reservoirs were made.
18 εν προσταγματι αυτου πασα η ευδοκια και ουκ εστιν ος ελαττωσει το σωτηριον αυτου	18 He has but to command and his will is done; nothing can limit his achievement.
19 εργα πασης σαρκος ενωπιον αυτου και ουκ εστιν κρυβηναι απο των οφθαλμων αυτου	19 The works of all mankind are present to him; not a thing escapes his eye.
20 απο του αιωνος εις τον αιωνα επεβλεψεν και ουθεν εστιν θαυμασιον εναντιον αυτου	20 His gaze spans all the ages; to him there is nothing unexpected.
21 ουκ εστιν ειπειν τι τουτο εις τι τουτο παντα γαρ εις χρειας αυτων εκτισται	21 No cause then to say: "What is the purpose of this?" Everything is chosen to satisfy a need.
22 η ευλογια αυτου ως ποταμος επεκαλυψεν και ως κατακλυσμος ξηραν εμεθυσεν	22 His blessing overflows like the Nile; like the Euphrates it enriches the surface of the earth.
23 ουτως οργην αυτου εθνη κληρονομησει ως μετεστρεψεν υδατα εις αλμην	23 Again, his wrath expels the nations and turns fertile land into a salt marsh.
24 αι οδοι αυτου τοις οσιοις ευθειαι ουτως τοις ανομοις προσκομματα	24 For the virtuous his paths are level, to the haughty they are steep;
25 αγαθα τοις αγαθοις εκτισται απ' αρχης ουτως τοις αμαρτωλοις κακα	25 Good things for the good he provided from the beginning, but for the wicked good things and bad.
26 αρχη πασης χρειας εις ζωην ανθρωπου υδωρ και πυρ και σιδηρος και αλας και σεμιδαλις πυρου και γαλα και μελι αιμα σταφυλης και ελαιον και ιματιον	26 Chief of all needs for human life are water and fire, iron and salt, The heart of the wheat, milk and honey, the blood of the grape, and oil, and cloth;
27 ταυτα παντα τοις ευσεβεσιν εις αγαθα ουτως τοις αμαρτωλοις τραπησεται εις κακα	27 For the good all these are good, but for the wicked they turn out evil.
28 εστιν πνευματα α εις εκδικησιν εκτισται και εν θυμω αυτου εστερεωσεν μαστιγας αυτων εν καιρω συντελειας ισχυν εκχεουσιν και τον θυμον του ποιησαντος αυτους κοπασουσιν	28 There are storm winds created to punish, which in their fury can dislodge mountains; When destruction must be, they hurl all their force and appease the anger of their Maker.
29 πυρ και χαλαζα και λιμος και θανατος παντα ταυτα εις εκδικησιν εκτισται	29 In his treasury also, kept for the proper time, are fire and hail, famine, disease,
30 θηριων οδοντες και σκορπιοι και εχεις και ρομφαια εκδικουσα εις ολεθρον ασεβεις	30 Ravenous beasts, scorpions, vipers, and the avenging sword to exterminate the wicked;
31 εν τη εντολη αυτου ευφρανθησονται και επι της γης εις χρειας ετοιμασθησονται και εν καιροις αυτων ου παραβησονται λογον	31 In doing his bidding they rejoice, in their assignments they disobey not his command.
32 δια τουτο εξ αρχης εστηριχθην και διενοηθην και εν γραφη αφηκα	32 So from the first I took my stand, and wrote down as my theme:
33 τα εργα κυριου παντα αγαθα και πασαν χρειαν εν ωρα αυτης χορηγησει	33 The works of God are all of them good; every need when it comes he fills.
34 και ουκ εστιν ειπειν τουτο τουτου πονηροτερον παντα γαρ εν καιρω ευδοκιμηθησεται	34 No cause then to say: "This is not as good as that"; for each shows its worth at the proper time.
35 και νυν εν παση καρδια και στοματι υμνησατε και ευλογησατε το ονομα κυριου	35 So now with full joy of heart proclaim and bless the name of the Holy One.