ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 25

GREEK BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 εν τρισιν ωραισθην και ανεστην ωραια εναντι κυριου και ανθρωπων ομονοια αδελφων και φιλια των πλησιον και γυνη και ανηρ εαυτοις συμπεριφερομενοι	1 There are three things my soul delights in, and which are delightful to God and to all people: concordbetween brothers, friendship between neighbours, and a wife and husband who live happily together.
2 τρια δε ειδη εμισησεν η ψυχη μου και προσωχθισα σφοδρα τη ζωη αυτων πτωχον υπερηφανον και πλουσιον ψευστην γεροντα μοιχον ελαττουμενον συνεσει	2 There are three sorts of people my soul hates, and whose existence I consider an outrage: the poorswol en with pride, the rich who is a liar and an adulterous old man who has no sense.
3 εν νεοτητι ου συναγειοχας και πως αν ευροις εν τω γηρα σου	3 If you have gathered nothing in your youth, how can you discover anything in your old age?
4 ως ωραιον πολιαις κρισις και πρεσβυτεροις επιγνωναι βουλην	4 How fine a thing: sound judgement with grey hairs, and for greybeards to know how to advise!
5 ως ωραια γεροντων σοφια και δεδοξασμενοις διανοημα και βουλη	5 How fine a thing: wisdom in the aged, and considered advice coming from people of distinction!
6 στεφανος γεροντων πολυπειρια και το καυχημα αυτων φοβος κυριου	6 The crown of the aged is ripe experience, their glory, the fear of the Lord.
7 εννεα υπονοηματα εμακαρισα εν καρδια και το δεκατον ερω επι γλωσσης ανθρωπος ευφραινομενος επι τεκνοις ζων και βλεπων επι πτωσει εχθρων	7 There are nine things I can think of which strike me as happy, and a tenth which is now on my tongue:the man who can be proud of his children, he who lives to see the downfal of his enemies;
8 μακαριος ο συνοικων γυναικι συνετη και ος εν γλωσση ουκ ωλισθησεν και ος ουκ εδουλευσεν αναξιω εαυτου	8 happy is he who keeps house with a sensible wife; he who does not toil with ox and donkey; he whohas never sinned with his tongue; he who does not serve a man less worthy than himself;
9 μακαριος ος ευρεν φρονησιν και ο διηγουμενος εις ωτα ακουοντων	9 happy is he who has acquired good sense and can find attentive ears for what he has to say;
10 ως μεγας ο ευρων σοφιαν αλλ' ουκ εστιν υπερ τον φοβουμενον τον κυριον	10 how great is he who has acquired wisdom; but unsurpassed is one who fears the Lord.
11 φοβος κυριου υπερ παν υπερεβαλεν ο κρατων αυτου τινι ομοιωθησεται	11 The fear of the Lord surpasses everything; what can compare with someone who has mastered that?
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13 πασαν πληγην και μη πληγην καρδιας και πασαν πονηριαν και μη πονηριαν γυναικος	13 Any wound rather than a wound of the heart! Any spite rather than the spite of woman!
14 πασαν επαγωγην και μη επαγωγην μισουντων και πασαν εκδικησιν και μη εκδικησιν εχθρων	14 Any evil rather than an evil caused by an enemy! Any vengeance rather than the vengeance of a foe!
15 ουκ εστιν κεφαλη υπερ κεφαλην οφεως και ουκ εστιν θυμος υπερ θυμον εχθρου	15 There is no poison worse than the poison of a snake, there is no fury worse than the fury of an enemy.
16 συνοικησαι λεοντι και δρακοντι ευδοκησω η συνοικησαι μετα γυναικος πονηρας	16 I would sooner keep house with a lion or a dragon than keep house with a spiteful wife.
17 πονηρια γυναικος αλλοιοι την ορασιν αυτης και σκοτοι το προσωπον αυτης ως αρκος	17 A woman's spite changes her appearance and makes her face as grim as a bear's.
18 ανα μεσον των πλησιον αυτου αναπεσειται ο ανηρ αυτης και ακουσιως ανεστεναξεν πικρα	18 When her husband goes out to dinner with his neighbours, he cannot help heaving bitter sighs.
19 μικρα πασα κακια προς κακιαν γυναικος κληρος αμαρτωλου επιπεσοι αυτη	19 No spite can approach the spite of a woman, may a sinner's lot be hers!
20 αναβασις αμμωδης εν ποσιν πρεσβυτερου ουτως γυνη γλωσσωδης ανδρι ησυχω	20 Like the climbing of a sandhill for elderly feet, such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.
21 μη προσπεσης επι καλλος γυναικος και γυναικα μη επιποθησης	21 Do not be taken in by a woman's beauty, never lose your head over a woman.
22 οργη και αναιδεια και αισχυνη μεγαλη γυνη εαν επιχορηγη τω ανδρι αυτης	22 Bad temper, insolence and shame hold sway where the wife supports the husband.
23 καρδια ταπεινη και προσωπον σκυθρωπον και πληγη καρδιας γυνη πονηρα χειρες παρειμεναι και γονατα παραλελυμενα ητις ου μακαριει τον ανδρα αυτης	23 Low spirits, gloomy face, stricken heart: such is a spiteful wife. Slack hands and sagging knees: suchis the wife who does not make her husband happy.
24 απο γυναικος αρχη αμαρτιας και δι' αυτην αποθνησκομεν παντες	24 Sin began with a woman, and thanks to her we must al die.
25 μη δως υδατι διεξοδον μηδε γυναικι πονηρα παρρησιαν	25 Do not let water find a leak, nor a spiteful woman give free rein to her tongue.
26 ει μη πορευεται κατα χειρας σου απο των σαρκων σου αποτεμε αυτην	26 If she wil not do as you tel her, get rid of her.