Sirach 21

1My son, have you sinned? No longer add to them, but pray about your former sins.

τέκνον ἥμαρτες μὴ προσθῇς μηκέτι καὶ περὶ τῶν προτέρων σου δεήθητι

2Flee from sin as you would from the presence of a snake, For if you approach it, it will bite you; Its teeth are like lion's teeth, destroying the souls of men.

ὡς ἀπὸ προσώπου ὄφεως φεῦγε ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας ἐὰν γὰρ προσέλθῃς δήξεταί σε ὀδόντες λέοντος οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτῆς ἀναιροῦντες ψυχὰς ἀνθρώπων

3All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword, For there is no healing from its wound.

ὡς ῥομφαία δίστομος πᾶσα ἀνομία τῇ πληγῇ αὐτῆς οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις

4Panic and violence will lay waste to wealth. Likewise, the house of an arrogant man will be laid waste.

καταπληγμὸς καὶ ὕβρις ἐρημώσουσιν πλοῦτον οὕτως οἶκος ὑπερηφάνου ἐρημωθήσεται

5The prayer of a poor man goes from his mouth to God's ears, And His judgment comes speedily.

δέησις πτωχοῦ ἐκ στόματος ἕως ὠτίων αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ κρίμα αὐτοῦ κατὰ σπουδὴν ἔρχεται

6Whoever hates rebuke walks in the steps of a sinner, But he who fears the Lord will return to Him with his heart.

μισῶν ἐλεγμὸν ἐν ἴχνει ἁμαρτωλοῦ καὶ ὁ φοβούμενος κύριον ἐπιστρέψει ἐν καρδίᾳ

7A man powerful in speech is known from afar, But an intelligent man knows when he slips.

γνωστὸς μακρόθεν ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν γλώσσῃ ὁ δὲ νοήμων οἶδεν ἐν τῷ ὀλισθάνειν αὐτόν

8He who builds his house with other people's money Is like a man who gathers his stones in a storm.

ὁ οἰκοδομῶν τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν χρήμασιν ἀλλοτρίοις ὡς συνάγων αὐτοῦ τοὺς λίθους εἰς χειμῶνα

9The assembly of the lawless is like a bundle of kindling Whose end is a flame of fire.

στιππύον συνηγμένον συναγωγὴ ἀνόμων καὶ ἡ συντέλεια αὐτῶν φλὸξ πυρός

10The way of sinners is paved with stones, But at its end is the pit of Hades.

ὁδὸς ἁμαρτωλῶν ὡμαλισμένη ἐκ λίθων καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων αὐτῆς βόθρος ᾅδου

11He who keeps the law controls his thoughts; The end result of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.

ὁ φυλάσσων νόμον κατακρατεῖ τοῦ ἐννοήματος αὐτοῦ καὶ συντέλεια τοῦ φόβου κυρίου σοφία

12He who is not astute cannot be taught, But there is an astuteness that increases bitterness.

οὐ παιδευθήσεται ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν πανοῦργος ἔστιν δὲ πανουργία πληθύνουσα πικρίαν

13The knowledge of a wise man is like a flood, And his counsel will flow abundantly as a fountain of life.

γνῶσις σοφοῦ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς πληθυνθήσεται καὶ ἡ βουλὴ αὐτοῦ ὡς πηγὴ ζωῆς

14The inner workings of a fool are like a broken vessel, For he will not hold onto any knowledge.

ἔγκατα μωροῦ ὡς ἀγγεῖον συντετριμμένον καὶ πᾶσαν γνῶσιν οὐ κρατήσει

15If a man of understanding hears a wise word, He will praise it and add to it; But if a self-indulgent man hears it, it displeases him, And he turns his back on it.

λόγον σοφὸν ἐὰν ἀκούσῃ ἐπιστήμων αἰνέσει αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν προσθήσει ἤκουσεν ὁ σπαταλῶν καὶ ἀπήρεσεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν αὐτὸν ὀπίσω τοῦ νώτου αὐτοῦ

16The explanation of a fool is like a burden on a journey, But grace will be on the lips of an intelligent man.

ἐξήγησις μωροῦ ὡς ἐν ὁδῷ φορτίον ἐπὶ δὲ χείλους συνετοῦ εὑρεθήσεται χάρις

17The utterance of a sensible person will be sought in the assembly, And they will ponder his words in their heart.

στόμα φρονίμου ζητηθήσεται ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσονται ἐν καρδίᾳ

18Like a house that has disappeared, So is wisdom to a fool, And the knowledge of a foolish man is words That will not stand up to examination.

ὡς οἶκος ἠφανισμένος οὕτως μωρῷ σοφία καὶ γνῶσις ἀσυνέτου ἀδιεξέταστοι λόγοι

19To a foolish man, instruction is like chains on the feet And like handcuffs on the right hand.

πέδαι ἐν ποσὶν ἀνοήτου παιδεία καὶ ὡς χειροπέδαι ἐπὶ χειρὸς δεξιᾶς

20A fool raises his voice when he laughs, But an astute man will smile quietly with some hesitation.

μωρὸς ἐν γέλωτι ἀνυψοῖ φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀνὴρ δὲ πανοῦργος μόλις ἡσυχῇ μειδιάσει

21To a wise man instruction is like a golden ornament And like a bracelet on the right arm.

ὡς κόσμος χρυσοῦς φρονίμῳ παιδεία καὶ ὡς χλιδὼν ἐπὶ βραχίονι δεξιῷ

22The foot of a fool quickly enters a house, But a man with much experience will stand respectfully outside.

ποὺς μωροῦ ταχὺς εἰς οἰκίαν ἄνθρωπος δὲ πολύπειρος αἰσχυνθήσεται ἀπὸ προσώπου

23A man without discernment peers into a house from the door, But a well-educated man will stand outside.

ἄφρων ἀπὸ θύρας παρακύπτει εἰς οἰκίαν ἀνὴρ δὲ πεπαιδευμένος ἔξω στήσεται

24A man shows his lack of education when he listens at the door, But a prudent man will be grieved by this disgrace.

ἀπαιδευσία ἀνθρώπου ἀκροᾶσθαι παρὰ θύραν ὁ δὲ φρόνιμος βαρυνθήσεται ἀτιμίᾳ

25The lips of the unwise will describe things in detail, But the words of the prudent will balance the scale.

χείλη ἀλλοτρίων ἐν τούτοις διηγήσονται λόγοι δὲ φρονίμων ἐν ζυγῷ σταθήσονται

26The heart of fools is in their mouth, But the mouth of the wise is in their heart.

ἐν στόματι μωρῶν ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν καρδία δὲ σοφῶν στόμα αὐτῶν

27When an ungodly man curses Satan, He curses his own soul.

ἐν τῷ καταρᾶσθαι ἀσεβῆ τὸν σατανᾶν αὐτὸς καταρᾶται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν

28The whisperer defiles his own soul And will be hated in his own neighborhood. A lazy man may be compared to a filthy stone, And everyone hisses at his dishonor.

μολύνει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ὁ ψιθυρίζων καὶ ἐν παροικήσει μισηθήσεται