ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΑΛΩΜΩΝ - Sapienza - Wisdom 4

LXX	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 κρείσσων ἀτεκνία μετὰ ἀρετῆς ἀθανασία γάρ ἐστιν ἐν μνήμῃ αὐτῆς ὅτι καὶ παρὰ θεῷ γινώσκεται καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις	1 O how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory: for the memory thereof is immortal: because it is known both with God and with men.
2 παροῦσάν τε μιμοῦνται αὐτὴν καὶ ποθοῦσιν ἀπελθοῦσαν καὶ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι στεφανηφοροῦσα πομπεύει τὸν τῶν ἀμιάντων ἄθλων ἀγῶνα νικήσασα	2 When it is present, they imitate it: and they desire it when it hath withdrawn itself, and it triumpheth crowned for ever, winning the reward of undefiled conflicts.
3 πολύγονον δὲ ἀσεβῶν πλῆθος οὐ χρησιμεύσει καὶ ἐκ νόθων μοσχευμάτων οὐ δώσει ῥίζαν εἰς βάθος οὐδὲ ἀσφαλῆ βάσιν ἑδράσει	3 But the multiplied brood of the wicked shall not thrive, and bastard slips shall not take deep root, nor any fast foundation.
4 κἂν γὰρ ἐν κλάδοις πρὸς καιρὸν ἀναθάλῃ ἐπισφαλῶς βεβηκότα ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευθήσεται καὶ ὑπὸ βίας ἀνέμων ἐκριζωθήσεται	4 And if they flourish in branches for a time, yet standing not fast, they shall be shaken with the wind, and through the force of winds they shall be rooted out.
5 περικλασθήσονται κλῶνες ἀτέλεστοι καὶ ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῶν ἄχρηστος ἄωρος εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ εἰς οὐθὲν ἐπιτήδειος	5 For the branches not being perfect, shall be broken, and their fruits shall be unprofitable, and sour to eat, and fit for nothing.
6 ἐκ γὰρ ἀνόμων ὕπνων τέκνα γεννώμενα μάρτυρές εἰσιν πονηρίας κατὰ γονέων ἐν ἐξετασμῷ αὐτῶν	6 For the children that are born of unlawful beds, are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial.
7 δίκαιος δὲ ἐὰν φθάσῃ τελευτῆσαι ἐν ἀναπαύσει ἔσται	7 But the just man, if he be prevented with death, shall be in rest.
8 γῆρας γὰρ τίμιον οὐ τὸ πολυχρόνιον οὐδὲ ἀριθμῷ ἐτῶν μεμέτρηται	8 For venerable old age is not that of long time, nor counted by the number of years: but the understanding of a man is grey hairs.
9 πολιὰ δέ ἐστιν φρόνησις ἀνθρώποις καὶ ἡλικία γήρως βίος ἀκηλίδωτος	9 And a spotless life is old age.
10 εὐάρεστος θεῷ γενόμενος ἠγαπήθη καὶ ζῶν μεταξὺ ἁμαρτωλῶν μετετέθη	10 He pleased God and was beloved, and living among sinners he was translated.
11 ἡρπάγη μὴ κακία ἀλλάξῃ σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ ἢ δόλος ἀπατήσῃ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ	11 He was taken away lest wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.
12 βασκανία γὰρ φαυλότητος ἀμαυροῖ τὰ καλά καὶ ῥεμβασμὸς ἐπιθυμίας μεταλλεύει νοῦν ἄκακον	12 For the bewitching of vanity obscureth good things, and the wandering of concupiscence overturneth the innocent mind.
13 τελειωθεὶς ἐν ὀλίγῳ ἐπλήρωσεν χρόνους μακρούς	13 Being made perfect in a short space, he fulfilled a long time:
14 ἀρεστὴ γὰρ ἦν κυρίῳ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦτο ἔσπευσεν ἐκ μέσου πονηρίας οἱ δὲ λαοὶ ἰδόντες καὶ μὴ νοήσαντες μηδὲ θέντες ἐπὶ διανοίᾳ τὸ τοιοῦτο	14 For his soul pleased God: therefore he hastened to bring him out of the midst of iniquities: but the people see this, and understand not, nor lay up such things in their hearts:
15 ὅτι χάρις καὶ ἔλεος ἐν τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπισκοπὴ ἐν τοῖς ὁσίοις αὐτοῦ	15 That the grace of God, and his mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect to his chosen.
16 κατακρινεῖ δὲ δίκαιος καμὼν τοὺς ζῶντας ἀσεβεῖς καὶ νεότης τελεσθεῖσα ταχέως πολυετὲς γῆρας ἀδίκου	16 But the just that is dead, condemneth the wicked that are living, and youth soon ended, the long life of the unjust.
17 ὄψονται γὰρ τελευτὴν σοφοῦ καὶ οὐ νοήσουσιν τί ἐβουλεύσατο περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς τί ἠσφαλίσατο αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος	17 For they shall see the end of the wise man, and shall not understand what God hath designed for him, and why the Lord hath set him in safety.
18 ὄψονται καὶ ἐξουθενήσουσιν αὐτοὺς δὲ ὁ κύριος ἐκγελάσεται	18 They shall see him, and shall despise him: but the Lord shall laugh them to scorn.
19 καὶ ἔσονται μετὰ τοῦτο εἰς πτῶμα ἄτιμον καὶ εἰς ὕβριν ἐν νεκροῖς δι’ αἰῶνος ὅτι ῥήξει αὐτοὺς ἀφώνους πρηνεῖς καὶ σαλεύσει αὐτοὺς ἐκ θεμελίων καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτου χερσωθήσονται καὶ ἔσονται ἐν ὀδύνῃ καὶ ἡ μνήμη αὐτῶν ἀπολεῖται	19 And they shall fall after this without honour, and be a reproach among the dead for ever: for he shall burst them puffed up and speechless, and shall shake them from the foundations, and they shall be utterly laid waste: they shall be in sorrow, and their memory shall perish.
20 ἐλεύσονται ἐν συλλογισμῷ ἁμαρτημάτων αὐτῶν δειλοί καὶ ἐλέγξει αὐτοὺς ἐξ ἐναντίας τὰ ἀνομήματα αὐτῶν	20 They shall come with fear at the thought of their sins, and their iniquities shall stand against them to convict them.