ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 38

GREEK BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 τιμα ιατρον προς τας χρειας αυτου τιμαις αυτου και γαρ αυτον εκτισεν κυριος	1 Hold the physician in honor, for he is essential to you, and God it was who established his profession.
2 παρα γαρ υψιστου εστιν ιασις και παρα βασιλεως λημψεται δομα	2 From God the doctor has his wisdom, and the king provides for his sustenance.
3 επιστημη ιατρου ανυψωσει κεφαλην αυτου και εναντι μεγιστανων θαυμασθησεται	3 His knowledge makes the doctor distinguished, and gives him access to those in authority.
4 κυριος εκτισεν εκ γης φαρμακα και ανηρ φρονιμος ου προσοχθιει αυτοις	4 God makes the earth yield healing herbs which the prudent man should not neglect;
5 ουκ απο ξυλου εγλυκανθη υδωρ εις το γνωσθηναι την ισχυν αυτου	5 Was not the water sweetened by a twig that men might learn his power?
6 και αυτος εδωκεν ανθρωποις επιστημην ενδοξαζεσθαι εν τοις θαυμασιοις αυτου	6 He endows men with the knowledge to glory in his mighty works,
7 εν αυτοις εθεραπευσεν και ηρεν τον πονον αυτου μυρεψος εν τουτοις ποιησει μειγμα	7 Through which the doctor eases pain and the druggist prepares his medicines;
8 και ου μη συντελεσθη εργα αυτου και ειρηνη παρ' αυτου εστιν επι προσωπου της γης	8 Thus God's creative work continues without cease in its efficacy on the surface of the earth.
9 τεκνον εν αρρωστηματι σου μη παραβλεπε αλλ' ευξαι κυριω και αυτος ιασεται σε	9 My son, when you are ill, delay not, but pray to God, who will heal you:
10 αποστησον πλημμελειαν και ευθυνον χειρας και απο πασης αμαρτιας καθαρισον καρδιαν	10 Flee wickedness; let your hands be just, cleanse your heart of every sin;
11 δος ευωδιαν και μνημοσυνον σεμιδαλεως και λιπανον προσφοραν ως μη υπαρχων	11 Offer your sweet-smelling oblation and petition, a rich offering according to your means.
12 και ιατρω δος τοπον και γαρ αυτον εκτισεν κυριος και μη αποστητω σου και γαρ αυτου χρεια	12 Then give the doctor his place lest he leave; for you need him too.
13 εστιν καιρος οτε και εν χερσιν αυτων ευοδια	13 There are times that give him an advantage,
14 και γαρ αυτοι κυριου δεηθησονται ινα ευοδωση αυτοις αναπαυσιν και ιασιν χαριν εμβιωσεως	14 and he too beseeches God That his diagnosis may be correct and his treatment bring about a cure.
15 ο αμαρτανων εναντι του ποιησαντος αυτον εμπεσοι εις χειρας ιατρου	15 He who is a sinner toward his Maker will be defiant toward the doctor.
16 τεκνον επι νεκρω καταγαγε δακρυα και ως δεινα πασχων εναρξαι θρηνου κατα δε την κρισιν αυτου περιστειλον το σωμα αυτου και μη υπεριδης την ταφην αυτου	16 My son, shed tears for one who is dead with wailing and bitter lament; As is only proper, prepare the body, absent not yourself from his burial:
17 πικρανον κλαυθμον και θερμανον κοπετον και ποιησον το πενθος κατα την αξιαν αυτου ημεραν μιαν και δυο χαριν διαβολης και παρακληθητι λυπης ενεκα	17 Weeping bitterly, mourning fully, pay your tribute of sorrow, as he deserves,
18 απο λυπης γαρ εκβαινει θανατος και λυπη καρδιας καμψει ισχυν	18 One or two days, to prevent gossip; then compose yourself after your grief,
19 εν επαγωγη παραμενει και λυπη και βιος πτωχου κατα καρδιας	19 For grief can bring on an extremity and heartache destroy one's health.
20 μη δως εις λυπην την καρδιαν σου αποστησον αυτην μνησθεις τα εσχατα	20 Turn not your thoughts to him again; cease to recall him; think rather of the end.
21 μη επιλαθη ου γαρ εστιν επανοδος και τουτον ουκ ωφελησεις και σεαυτον κακωσεις	21 Recall him not, for there is no hope of his return; it will not help him, but will do you harm.
22 μνησθητι το κριμα μου οτι ουτως και το σον εμοι εχθες και σοι σημερον	22 Remember that his fate will also be yours; for him it was yesterday, for you today.
23 εν αναπαυσει νεκρου καταπαυσον το μνημοσυνον αυτου και παρακληθητι εν αυτω εν εξοδω πνευματος αυτου	23 With the departed dead, let memory fade; rally your courage, once the soul has left.
24 σοφια γραμματεως εν ευκαιρια σχολης και ο ελασσουμενος πραξει αυτου σοφισθησεται	24 The scribe's profession increases his wisdom; whoever is free from toil can become a wise man.
25 τι σοφισθησεται ο κρατων αροτρου και καυχωμενος εν δορατι κεντρου βοας ελαυνων και αναστρεφομενος εν εργοις αυτων και η διηγησις αυτου εν υιοις ταυρων	25 How can he become learned who guides the plow, who thrills in wielding the goad like a lance, Who guides the ox and urges on the bullock, and whose every concern is for cattle?
26 καρδιαν αυτου δωσει εκδουναι αυλακας και η αγρυπνια αυτου εις χορτασματα δαμαλεων	26 His care is for plowing furrows, and he keeps a watch on the beasts in the stalls.
27 ουτως πας τεκτων και αρχιτεκτων οστις νυκτωρ ως ημερας διαγει οι γλυφοντες γλυμματα σφραγιδων και η επιμονη αυτου αλλοιωσαι ποικιλιαν καρδιαν αυτου δωσει εις ομοιωσαι ζωγραφιαν και η αγρυπνια αυτου τελεσαι εργον	27 So with every engraver and designer who, laboring night and day, Fashions carved seals, and whose concern is to vary the pattern. His care is to produce a vivid impression, and he keeps watch till he finishes his design.
28 ουτως χαλκευς καθημενος εγγυς ακμονος και καταμανθανων εργα σιδηρου ατμις πυρος τηξει σαρκας αυτου και εν θερμη καμινου διαμαχησεται φωνη σφυρης κλινει το ους αυτου και κατεναντι ομοιωματος σκευους οι οφθαλμοι αυτου καρδιαν αυτου δωσει εις συντελειαν εργων και η αγρυπνια αυτου κοσμησαι επι συντελειας	28 So with the smith standing near his anvil, forging crude iron. The heat from the fire sears his flesh, yet he toils away in the furnace heat. The clang of the hammer deafens his ears, His eyes are fixed on the tool he is shaping. His care is to finish his work, and he keeps watch till he perfects it in detail.
29 ουτως κεραμευς καθημενος εν εργω αυτου και συστρεφων εν ποσιν αυτου τροχον ος εν μεριμνη κειται δια παντος επι το εργον αυτου και εναριθμιος πασα η εργασια αυτου	29 So with the potter sitting at his labor, revolving the wheel with his feet. He is always concerned for his products, and turns them out in quantity.
30 εν βραχιονι αυτου τυπωσει πηλον και προ ποδων καμψει ισχυν αυτου καρδιαν επιδωσει συντελεσαι το χρισμα και η αγρυπνια αυτου καθαρισαι καμινον	30 With his hands he molds the clay, and with his feet softens it. His care is for proper coloring, and he keeps watch on the fire of his kiln.
31 παντες ουτοι εις χειρας αυτων ενεπιστευσαν και εκαστος εν τω εργω αυτου σοφιζεται	31 All these men are skilled with their hands, each one an expert at his own task;
32 ανευ αυτων ουκ οικισθησεται πολις και ου παροικησουσιν ουδε περιπατησουσιν	32 Without them no city could be lived in, and wherever they stay, they need not hunger.
33 αλλ' εις βουλην λαου ου ζητηθησονται και εν εκκλησια ουχ υπεραλουνται επι διφρον δικαστου ου καθιουνται και διαθηκην κριματος ου διανοηθησονται	33 They do not occupy the judge's bench, nor are they prominent in the assembly; They set forth no decisions or judgments, nor are they found among the rulers;
34 ουδε μη εκφανωσιν παιδειαν και κριμα και εν παραβολαις ουχ ευρεθησονται αλλα κτισμα αιωνος στηρισουσιν και η δεησις αυτων εν εργασια τεχνης	34 Yet they maintain God's ancient handiwork, and their concern is for exercise of their skill.