ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 51

LXX	NEW JERUSALEM
1 εξομολογησομαι σοι κυριε βασιλευ και αινεσω σε θεον τον σωτηρα μου εξομολογουμαι τω ονοματι σου	1 I shal give thanks to you, Lord and King, and praise you, God my Saviour, I give thanks to your name;
2 οτι σκεπαστης και βοηθος εγενου μοι και ελυτρωσω το σωμα μου εξ απωλειας και εκ παγιδος διαβολης γλωσσης απο χειλεων εργαζομενων ψευδος και εναντι των παρεστηκοτων εγενου βοηθος και ελυτρωσω με	2 for you have been my guard and support and redeemed my body from destruction, from the snare ofthe lying tongue, from lips that fabricate falsehood; in the presence of my assailants, you were on my side; youhave been my support, you have redeemed me,
3 κατα το πληθος ελεους και ονοματος σου εκ βρυγμων ετοιμον εις βρωμα εκ χειρος ζητουντων την ψυχην μου εκ πλειονων θλιψεων ων εσχον	3 true to your abounding kindness -- and the greatness of your name -- you liberated me from the fangsof those seeking to devour me, from the clutches of those seeking my life, from the many ordeals which I haveendured,
4 απο πνιγμου πυρας κυκλοθεν και εκ μεσου πυρος ου ουκ εξεκαυσα	4 from the stifling heat which hemmed me in, from the heart of a fire which I had not kindled,
5 εκ βαθους κοιλιας αδου και απο γλωσσης ακαθαρτου και λογου ψευδους	5 from deep in the bel y of Sheol,
6 βασιλει διαβολη γλωσσης αδικου ηγγισεν εως θανατου η ψυχη μου και η ζωη μου ην συνεγγυς αδου κατω	6 treacherous denunciations to the king. My soul has been close to death, my life had gone down to thebrink of Sheol.
7 περιεσχον με παντοθεν και ουκ ην ο βοηθων ενεβλεπον εις αντιλημψιν ανθρωπων και ουκ ην	7 I was completely surrounded, there was no one to help me; I looked for someone to help me, there wasno one.
8 και εμνησθην του ελεους σου κυριε και της εργασιας σου της απ' αιωνος οτι εξαιρη τους υπομενοντας σε και σωζεις αυτους εκ χειρος εχθρων	8 Then I remembered your mercy, Lord, and your deeds from earliest times, how you deliver those whowait for you patiently, and save them from the clutches of their enemies.
9 και ανυψωσα απο γης ικετειαν μου και υπερ θανατου ρυσεως εδεηθην	9 And I sent up my plea from the earth, I begged to be delivered from death.
10 επεκαλεσαμην κυριον πατερα κυριου μου μη με εγκαταλιπειν εν ημεραις θλιψεως εν καιρω υπερηφανιων αβοηθησιας αινεσω το ονομα σου ενδελεχως και υμνησω εν εξομολογησει	10 I cal ed on the Lord, the father of my Lord, 'Do not desert me in the days of ordeal, in the days of theproud, when we are helpless. I shal praise your name unceasingly and grateful y sing its praises.'
11 και εισηκουσθη η δεησις μου εσωσας γαρ με εξ απωλειας και εξειλου με εκ καιρου πονηρου	11 And my plea was heard, for you saved me from destruction, you delivered me from that time of evil.
12 δια τουτο εξομολογησομαι σοι και αινεσω σε και ευλογησω τω ονοματι κυριου	12 And therefore I shal thank you and praise you, and bless the name of the Lord.
13 ετι ων νεωτερος πριν η πλανηθηναι με εζητησα σοφιαν προφανως εν προσευχη μου	13 When I was stil a youth, before I went travelling, in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom.
14 εναντι ναου ηξιουν περι αυτης και εως εσχατων εκζητησω αυτην	14 Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her, and to the last I shall continue to seek her.
15 εξ ανθους ως περκαζουσης σταφυλης ευφρανθη η καρδια μου εν αυτη επεβη ο πους μου εν ευθυτητι εκ νεοτητος μου ιχνευον αυτην	15 From her blossoming to the ripening of her grape my heart has taken its delight in her. My foot haspursued a straight path, I have sought her ever since my youth.
16 εκλινα ολιγον το ους μου και εδεξαμην και πολλην ευρον εμαυτω παιδειαν	16 By bowing my ear a little, I have received her, and have found much instruction.
17 προκοπη εγενετο μοι εν αυτη τω διδοντι μοι σοφιαν δωσω δοξαν	17 Thanks to her I have advanced; glory be to him who has given me wisdom!
18 διενοηθην γαρ του ποιησαι αυτην και εζηλωσα το αγαθον και ου μη αισχυνθω	18 For I was determined to put her into practice, have earnestly pursued the good, and shal not be put toshame.
19 διαμεμαχισται η ψυχη μου εν αυτη και εν ποιησει νομου διηκριβασαμην τας χειρας μου εξεπετασα προς υψος και τα αγνοηματα αυτης επενθησα	19 My soul has fought to possess her, I have been scrupulous in keeping the Law; I have stretched outmy hands to heaven and bewailed how little I knew of her;
20 την ψυχην μου κατευθυνα εις αυτην και εν καθαρισμω ευρον αυτην καρδιαν εκτησαμην μετ' αυτης απ' αρχης δια τουτο ου μη εγκαταλειφθω	20 I have directed my soul towards her, and in purity I have found her; having my heart fixed on her fromthe outset, I shall never be deserted;
21 και η κοιλια μου εταραχθη του εκζητησαι αυτην δια τουτο εκτησαμην αγαθον κτημα	21 my very core having yearned to discover her, I have now acquired a good possession.
22 εδωκεν κυριος γλωσσαν μοι μισθον μου και εν αυτη αινεσω αυτον	22 In reward the Lord has given me a tongue with which I shal sing his praises.
23 εγγισατε προς με απαιδευτοι και αυλισθητε εν οικω παιδειας	23 Come close to me, you ignorant, take your place in my school.
24 τι οτι υστερεισθαι λεγετε εν τουτοις και αι ψυχαι υμων διψωσι σφοδρα	24 Why complain about lacking these things when your souls are so thirsty for them?
25 ηνοιξα το στομα μου και ελαλησα κτησασθε εαυτοις ανευ αργυριου	25 I have opened my mouth, I have said: 'Buy her without money,
26 τον τραχηλον υμων υποθετε υπο ζυγον και επιδεξασθω η ψυχη υμων παιδειαν εγγυς εστιν ευρειν αυτην	26 put your necks under her yoke, let your souls receive instruction, she is near, within your reach.'
27 ιδετε εν οφθαλμοις υμων οτι ολιγον εκοπιασα και ευρον εμαυτω πολλην αναπαυσιν	27 See for yourselves: how slight my efforts have been to win so much peace.
28 μετασχετε παιδειας εν πολλω αριθμω αργυριου και πολυν χρυσον κτησασθε εν αυτη	28 Buy instruction with a large sum of silver, thanks to her you wil gain much gold.
29 ευφρανθειη η ψυχη υμων εν τω ελεει αυτου και μη αισχυνθειητε εν αινεσει αυτου	29 May your souls rejoice in the mercy of the Lord, may you never be ashamed of praising him.
30 εργαζεσθε το εργον υμων προ καιρου και δωσει τον μισθον υμων εν καιρω αυτου .	30 Do your work before the appointed time and at the appointed time he wil give you your reward.(Subscript:) Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sira.