ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 39

GREEK BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 πλην του επιδιδοντος την ψυχην αυτου και διανοουμενου εν νομω υψιστου σοφιαν παντων αρχαιων εκζητησει και εν προφητειαις ασχοληθησεται	1 Not so with one who concentrates his mind and his meditation on the Law of the Most High. Heresearches into the wisdom of al the Ancients, he occupies his time with the prophecies.
2 διηγησιν ανδρων ονομαστων συντηρησει και εν στροφαις παραβολων συνεισελευσεται	2 He preserves the discourses of famous men, he is at home with the niceties of parables.
3 αποκρυφα παροιμιων εκζητησει και εν αινιγμασι παραβολων αναστραφησεται	3 He researches into the hidden sense of proverbs, he ponders the obscurities of parables.
4 ανα μεσον μεγιστανων υπηρετησει και εναντι ηγουμενων οφθησεται εν γη αλλοτριων εθνων διελευσεται αγαθα γαρ και κακα εν ανθρωποις επειρασεν	4 He enters the service of princes, he is seen in the presence of rulers. He travels in foreign countries, hehas experienced human good and human evil.
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 At dawn and with al his heart he turns to the Lord his Creator; he pleads in the presence of the MostHigh, he opens his mouth in prayer and makes entreaty for his sins.
6 εαν κυριος ο μεγας θεληση πνευματι συνεσεως εμπλησθησεται αυτος ανομβρησει ρηματα σοφιας αυτου και εν προσευχη εξομολογησεται κυριω	6 If such be the wil of the great Lord, he wil be filled with the spirit of intel igence, he wil shower forthwords of wisdom, and in prayer give thanks to the Lord.
7 αυτος κατευθυνει βουλην αυτου και επιστημην και εν τοις αποκρυφοις αυτου διανοηθησεται	7 He will grow upright in purpose and learning, he will ponder the Lord's hidden mysteries.
8 αυτος εκφανει παιδειαν διδασκαλιας αυτου και εν νομω διαθηκης κυριου καυχησεται	8 He will display the instruction he has received, taking his pride 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 wil praise his intel igence and it wil never be forgotten. His memory will not disappear,generation after generation his name will live.
10 την σοφιαν αυτου διηγησονται εθνη και τον επαινον αυτου εξαγγελει εκκλησια	10 Nations wil proclaim his wisdom, the assembly will celebrate his praises.
11 εαν εμμεινη ονομα καταλειψει η χιλιοι και εαν αναπαυσηται εκποιει αυτω	11 If he lives long, his name will be more glorious than a thousand others, and if he dies, that wil satisfyhim just as wel .
12 ετι διανοηθεις εκδιηγησομαι και ως διχομηνια επληρωθην	12 And here are some more of my reflections: yes, I am as ful as the moon at the ful !
13 εισακουσατε μου υιοι οσιοι και βλαστησατε ως ροδον φυομενον επι ρευματος υγρου	13 Listen to me, devout children, and blossom like the rose that grows on the bank of a watercourse.
14 και ως λιβανος ευωδιασατε οσμην και ανθησατε ανθος ως κρινον διαδοτε οσμην και αινεσατε ασμα ευλογησατε κυριον επι πασιν τοις εργοις	14 Give off a sweet smel like incense, flower like the lily, spread your fragrance abroad, sing a song ofpraise blessing the Lord for all his works.
15 δοτε τω ονοματι αυτου μεγαλωσυνην και εξομολογησασθε εν αινεσει αυτου εν ωδαις χειλεων και εν κινυραις και ουτως ερειτε εν εξομολογησει	15 Declare the greatness of his name, proclaim his praise with song and with lyre, and this is how youmust sing his praises:
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 'How wonderful, the actions of the Lord! Whatever he orders is done at the proper time!' You must notsay, 'What is this? Why is that?' There is a proper time for every question.
17 εν λογω αυτου εστη ως θιμωνια υδωρ και εν ρηματι στοματος αυτου αποδοχεια υδατων	17 At his word, the water stops and piles up high, at his voice, the watery reservoirs take shape,
18 εν προσταγματι αυτου πασα η ευδοκια και ουκ εστιν ος ελαττωσει το σωτηριον αυτου	18 at his command, whatever he wants is done, no one can stop him, if he intends to save.
19 εργα πασης σαρκος ενωπιον αυτου και ουκ εστιν κρυβηναι απο των οφθαλμων αυτου	19 He can see whatever human beings are doing, nothing can be hidden from his eye;
20 απο του αιωνος εις τον αιωνα επεβλεψεν και ουθεν εστιν θαυμασιον εναντιον αυτου	20 his gaze stretches from eternity to eternity, and nothing can astonish him.
21 ουκ εστιν ειπειν τι τουτο εις τι τουτο παντα γαρ εις χρειας αυτων εκτισται	21 You must not say, 'What is this? Why is that?' for everything has been made for a purpose.
22 η ευλογια αυτου ως ποταμος επεκαλυψεν και ως κατακλυσμος ξηραν εμεθυσεν	22 As his blessing covers the dry land like a river and soaks it like a flood,
23 ουτως οργην αυτου εθνη κληρονομησει ως μετεστρεψεν υδατα εις αλμην	23 so retribution is his legacy to the nations, just as he has turned fresh waters to salt.
24 αι οδοι αυτου τοις οσιοις ευθειαι ουτως τοις ανομοις προσκομματα	24 His ways are as smooth for the devout, as they are ful of obstacles for the wicked.
25 αγαθα τοις αγαθοις εκτισται απ' αρχης ουτως τοις αμαρτωλοις κακα	25 Good things were created from the beginning for good people, as bad ones were for sinners.
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 The prime needs of human beings for living are water and fire, iron and salt, wheat-flour, milk andhoney, the juice of the grape, oil and clothing.
27 ταυτα παντα τοις ευσεβεσιν εις αγαθα ουτως τοις αμαρτωλοις τραπησεται εις κακα	27 Al these are good for those who are good, but turn out bad for sinners.
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 Some winds have been created for punishing, in his fury, he uses them as scourges; on the day ofdoom, they unleash their violence and appease the wrath of their Creator.
29 πυρ και χαλαζα και λιμος και θανατος παντα ταυτα εις εκδικησιν εκτισται	29 Fire and hail, famine and death, have al been created for punishing.
30 θηριων οδοντες και σκορπιοι και εχεις και ρομφαια εκδικουσα εις ολεθρον ασεβεις	30 Wild animals' fangs, scorpions, vipers, the avenging sword for the ruin of the godless:
31 εν τη εντολη αυτου ευφρανθησονται και επι της γης εις χρειας ετοιμασθησονται και εν καιροις αυτων ου παραβησονται λογον	31 all of them exult in discharging his orders, ready on earth whenever the need arises and, when theirtime comes, not fal ing short of his word.
32 δια τουτο εξ αρχης εστηριχθην και διενοηθην και εν γραφη αφηκα	32 That is why I was determined from the outset, why I have pondered and why I have written,
33 τα εργα κυριου παντα αγαθα και πασαν χρειαν εν ωρα αυτης χορηγησει	33 'The works of the Lord are all good, when the time is right, he gives whatever is needed.
34 και ουκ εστιν ειπειν τουτο τουτου πονηροτερον παντα γαρ εν καιρω ευδοκιμηθησεται	34 You must not say, "This is worse than that," for, sooner or later, everything proves its worth.
35 και νυν εν παση καρδια και στοματι υμνησατε και ευλογησατε το ονομα κυριου	35 So now, sing with al your heart and voice, and bless the name of the Lord!'