Sirach 2

1My son, if you draw near to serve the Lord, Prepare your soul for temptation.

τέκνον εἰ προσέρχῃ δουλεύειν κυρίῳ ἑτοίμασον τὴν ψυχήν σου εἰς πειρασμόν

2Set your heart right and be steadfast, And do not strive anxiously in distress.

εὔθυνον τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ καρτέρησον καὶ μὴ σπεύσῃς ἐν καιρῷ ἐπαγωγῆς

3Cleave to Him and do not fall away, That you may be honored at the end of your life.

κολλήθητι αὐτῷ καὶ μὴ ἀποστῇς ἵνα αὐξηθῇς ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων σου

4Accept whatever is brought upon you, And in exchange for your humiliation, be patient;

πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν ἐπαχθῇ σοι δέξαι καὶ ἐν ἀλλάγμασιν ταπεινώσεώς σου μακροθύμησον

5Because gold is tested in fire And acceptable men in the furnace of abasement.

ὅτι ἐν πυρὶ δοκιμάζεται χρυσὸς καὶ ἄνθρωποι δεκτοὶ ἐν καμίνῳ ταπεινώσεως

6Believe in Him, and He will help you; Make your ways straight and hope in Him.

πίστευσον αὐτῷ καὶ ἀντιλήμψεταί σου εὔθυνον τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ ἔλπισον ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν

7You who fear the Lord, wait for His mercy, And do not turn aside, lest you fall.

οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον ἀναμείνατε τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ ἐκκλίνητε ἵνα μὴ πέσητε

8You who fear the Lord, believe in Him, And your reward will not fail.

οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον πιστεύσατε αὐτῷ καὶ οὐ μὴ πταίσῃ ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν

9You who fear the Lord, hope for good things And for everlasting gladness and mercy.

οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον ἐλπίσατε εἰς ἀγαθὰ καὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην αἰῶνος καὶ ἔλεος

10Consider the ancient generations and see: Who believed in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who stood fast in His fear and was forsaken? Or who called upon Him and was overlooked?

ἐμβλέψατε εἰς ἀρχαίας γενεὰς καὶ ἴδετε τίς ἐνεπίστευσεν κυρίῳ καὶ κατῃσχύνθη ἢ τίς ἐνέμεινεν τῷ φόβῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγκατελείφθη ἢ τίς ἐπεκαλέσατο αὐτόν καὶ ὑπερεῖδεν αὐτόν

11Because the Lord is compassionate and merciful, He forgives sins and saves in time of affliction.

διότι οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων ὁ κύριος καὶ ἀφίησιν ἁμαρτίας καὶ σῴζει ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως

12Woe to cowardly hearts and weakened hands, And to a sinner who walks on two paths!

οὐαὶ καρδίαις δειλαῖς καὶ χερσὶν παρειμέναις καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἐπιβαίνοντι ἐπὶ δύο τρίβους

13Woe to a fainting heart, because it does not believe! Therefore it will not be sheltered.

οὐαὶ καρδίᾳ παρειμένῃ ὅτι οὐ πιστεύει διὰ τοῦτο οὐ σκεπασθήσεται

14Woe to you who have lost your patient endurance! What will you do when the Lord visits you?

οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἀπολωλεκόσιν τὴν ὑπομονήν καὶ τί ποιήσετε ὅταν ἐπισκέπτηται ὁ κύριος

15Those who fear the Lord will not disobey His words, And those who love Him will keep His ways.

οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον οὐκ ἀπειθήσουσιν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτὸν συντηρήσουσιν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ

16Those who fear the Lord will seek His approval, And those who love Him will be filled with the law.

οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον ζητήσουσιν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτὸν ἐμπλησθήσονται τοῦ νόμου

17Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts And will humble their souls before Him.

οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον ἑτοιμάσουσιν καρδίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ταπεινώσουσιν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν

18We will fall into the hands of the Lord And not into the hands of men; For as His majesty is, so is His mercy.

ἐμπεσούμεθα εἰς χεῖρας κυρίου καὶ οὐκ εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων ὡς γὰρ ἡ μεγαλωσύνη αὐτοῦ οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ