ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 51

LXX	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 εξομολογησομαι σοι κυριε βασιλευ και αινεσω σε θεον τον σωτηρα μου εξομολογουμαι τω ονοματι σου	1 The prayer of Jesus, the son of Sirach: I will confess to you, O Lord and King, and I will give praise to you, O God my Saviour.
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 I will acknowledge your name. For you have been my Helper and Protector.
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 And you have freed my body from perdition, from the snare of the iniquitous tongue, and from the lips of those who forge lies. And you have been my Helper in the sight of those who stood nearby.
4 απο πνιγμου πυρας κυκλοθεν και εκ μεσου πυρος ου ουκ εξεκαυσα	4 And you have freed me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name: from those who roared and prepared to devour,
5 εκ βαθους κοιλιας αδου και απο γλωσσης ακαθαρτου και λογου ψευδους	5 from the hands of those who sought my life, and from the gates of tribulation that surrounded me,
6 βασιλει διαβολη γλωσσης αδικου ηγγισεν εως θανατου η ψυχη μου και η ζωη μου ην συνεγγυς αδου κατω	6 from the oppression of the flames that surrounded me, and so I was not burned in the midst of the fire,
7 περιεσχον με παντοθεν και ουκ ην ο βοηθων ενεβλεπον εις αντιλημψιν ανθρωπων και ουκ ην	7 from the depths of the bowels of hell, and from the defiled tongue, and from lying words, from an iniquitous king, and from an unjust tongue.
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 My soul shall praise the Lord, even unto death.
9 και ανυψωσα απο γης ικετειαν μου και υπερ θανατου ρυσεως εδεηθην	9 For my life was drawing near to hell below.
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 And they surrounded me on every side. And there was no one who would help me. I looked around for the assistance of men, and there was none.
11 και εισηκουσθη η δεησις μου εσωσας γαρ με εξ απωλειας και εξειλου με εκ καιρου πονηρου	11 Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your works, which are from the very beginning.
12 δια τουτο εξομολογησομαι σοι και αινεσω σε και ευλογησω τω ονοματι κυριου	12 For you rescue those who persevere for you, O Lord, and you free them from the hands of the Gentiles.
13 ετι ων νεωτερος πριν η πλανηθηναι με εζητησα σοφιαν προφανως εν προσευχη μου	13 You exalted my habitation upon the earth, and I made supplication that death would pass away.
14 εναντι ναου ηξιουν περι αυτης και εως εσχατων εκζητησω αυτην	14 I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, so that he would not abandon me in the day of my tribulation, nor in the time of arrogance without assistance.
15 εξ ανθους ως περκαζουσης σταφυλης ευφρανθη η καρδια μου εν αυτη επεβη ο πους μου εν ευθυτητι εκ νεοτητος μου ιχνευον αυτην	15 I will praise your name unceasingly, and I will praise it with thanksgiving, for my prayer was heeded.
16 εκλινα ολιγον το ους μου και εδεξαμην και πολλην ευρον εμαυτω παιδειαν	16 And you freed me from perdition, and you rescued me from the time of iniquity.
17 προκοπη εγενετο μοι εν αυτη τω διδοντι μοι σοφιαν δωσω δοξαν	17 Because of this, I will give thanks and praise to you, and I will bless the name of the Lord.
18 διενοηθην γαρ του ποιησαι αυτην και εζηλωσα το αγαθον και ου μη αισχυνθω	18 When I was still young, before I wandered astray, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
19 διαμεμαχισται η ψυχη μου εν αυτη και εν ποιησει νομου διηκριβασαμην τας χειρας μου εξεπετασα προς υψος και τα αγνοηματα αυτης επενθησα	19 I asked for her before the temple, and even to the very end, I will inquire after her. And she flourished like a newly-ripened grape.
20 την ψυχην μου κατευθυνα εις αυτην και εν καθαρισμω ευρον αυτην καρδιαν εκτησαμην μετ' αυτης απ' αρχης δια τουτο ου μη εγκαταλειφθω	20 My heart rejoiced in her. My feet walked in the right path. From my youth, I pursued her.
21 και η κοιλια μου εταραχθη του εκζητησαι αυτην δια τουτο εκτησαμην αγαθον κτημα	21 I bent my ear a little and accepted her.
22 εδωκεν κυριος γλωσσαν μοι μισθον μου και εν αυτη αινεσω αυτον	22 I found much wisdom within myself, and I benefited greatly by her.
23 εγγισατε προς με απαιδευτοι και αυλισθητε εν οικω παιδειας	23 I will give glory to him who gives wisdom to me.
24 τι οτι υστερεισθαι λεγετε εν τουτοις και αι ψυχαι υμων διψωσι σφοδρα	24 For I have decided that I should act according to wisdom. I have been zealous for what is good, and so I will not be confounded.
25 ηνοιξα το στομα μου και ελαλησα κτησασθε εαυτοις ανευ αργυριου	25 My soul has struggled for wisdom, and in doing so, I have been confirmed.
26 τον τραχηλον υμων υποθετε υπο ζυγον και επιδεξασθω η ψυχη υμων παιδειαν εγγυς εστιν ευρειν αυτην	26 I extended my hands on high, and I mourned my ignorance of her.
27 ιδετε εν οφθαλμοις υμων οτι ολιγον εκοπιασα και ευρον εμαυτω πολλην αναπαυσιν	27 I directed my soul toward her, and I found her within knowledge.
28 μετασχετε παιδειας εν πολλω αριθμω αργυριου και πολυν χρυσον κτησασθε εν αυτη	28 From the beginning, I held my heart to wisdom. Because of this, I will not be forsaken.
29 ευφρανθειη η ψυχη υμων εν τω ελεει αυτου και μη αισχυνθειητε εν αινεσει αυτου	29 My stomach was stirred up while seeking her. Because of her, I will hold a good possession.
30 εργαζεσθε το εργον υμων προ καιρου και δωσει τον μισθον υμων εν καιρω αυτου .	30 The Lord has given me a tongue as my reward, and I will praise him with it.
	31 Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and gather yourselves into the house of discipline.
	32 Why are you reluctant? And what do you have to say about these things? Your souls are exceedingly thirsty!
	33 I have opened my mouth, and I have spoken. Buy wisdom for yourselves without silver,
	34 and subject your neck to her yoke, and let your soul accept her discipline. For she is close enough to be found.
	35 See with your own eyes how I have labored only a little, and have found much rest for myself.
	36 Take up discipline, as if it were a great sum of money, and possess an abundance of gold in her.
	37 Let your soul rejoice in his mercy. For you will not be confounded by his praise.
	38 Accomplish your work before the time. And he will give you your reward in his time.