Sirach 27

1Many have sinned to make a profit, And he who seeks riches will turn away his eyes.

χάριν διαφόρου πολλοὶ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὁ ζητῶν πληθῦναι ἀποστρέψει ὀφθαλμόν

2As a stake will be driven tightly between fitted stones, So sin will be wedged between selling and buying.

ἀνὰ μέσον ἁρμῶν λίθων παγήσεται πάσσαλος καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον πράσεως καὶ ἀγορασμοῦ συντριβήσεται ἁμαρτία

3If a man does not hold steadfastly to the fear of the Lord, His house will be soon overturned.

ἐὰν μὴ ἐν φόβῳ κυρίου κρατήσῃ κατὰ σπουδήν ἐν τάχει καταστραφήσεται αὐτοῦ ὁ οἶκος

4When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains; So a man's filth remains in the way he reasons.

ἐν σείσματι κοσκίνου διαμένει κοπρία οὕτως σκύβαλα ἀνθρώπου ἐν λογισμῷ αὐτοῦ

5As a furnace tests a potter's vessels, So the test of a man is in the way he reasons.

σκεύη κεραμέως δοκιμάζει κάμινος καὶ πειρασμὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐν διαλογισμῷ αὐτοῦ

6As fruit reveals how a tree is cultivated, So a man's reasoning process reveals his heart.

γεώργιον ξύλου ἐκφαίνει ὁ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ οὕτως λόγος ἐνθυμήματος καρδίας ἀνθρώπου

7Do not praise a man before he reveals the way he reasons, For this is the way a man is tested.

πρὸ λογισμοῦ μὴ ἐπαινέσῃς ἄνδρα οὗτος γὰρ πειρασμὸς ἀνθρώπων

8If you pursue righteousness, you will attain it And put it on like a glorious robe.

ἐὰν διώκῃς τὸ δίκαιον καταλήμψῃ καὶ ἐνδύσῃ αὐτὸ ὡς ποδήρη δόξης

9As birds flock with their own kind, So also truth will return to those who practice it.

πετεινὰ πρὸς τὰ ὅμοια αὐτοῖς καταλύσει καὶ ἀλήθεια πρὸς τοὺς ἐργαζομένους αὐτὴν ἐπανήξει

10As a lion lies in wait for his prey, So sin lies in wait for those who do wrong.

λέων θήραν ἐνεδρεύει οὕτως ἁμαρτία ἐργαζομένους ἄδικα

11The talk of a godly man is always wise, But a fool changes like the moon.

διήγησις εὐσεβοῦς διὰ παντὸς σοφία ὁ δὲ ἄφρων ὡς σελήνη ἀλλοιοῦται

12Among senseless men, limit your time; Instead, spend it with men of understanding.

εἰς μέσον ἀσυνέτων συντήρησον καιρόν εἰς μέσον δὲ διανοουμένων ἐνδελέχιζε

13The talk of fools is offensive, And they laugh at the lewdness of sin.

διήγησις μωρῶν προσόχθισμα καὶ ὁ γέλως αὐτῶν ἐν σπατάλῃ ἁμαρτίας

14Speech filled with swearing will make one's hair stand on end, And quarreling will make one stop his ears.

λαλιὰ πολυόρκου ἀνορθώσει τρίχας καὶ ἡ μάχη αὐτῶν ἐμφραγμὸς ὠτίων

15The quarreling of the arrogant leads to bloodshed, And their abusive language is hard on the ears.

ἔκχυσις αἵματος μάχη ὑπερηφάνων καὶ ἡ διαλοιδόρησις αὐτῶν ἀκοὴ μοχθηρά

16He who reveals secrets destroys his credibility, And he will not find a friend for life.

ὁ ἀποκαλύπτων μυστήρια ἀπώλεσεν πίστιν καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ φίλον πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ

17Love your friend, And be trustworthy with him; But if you reveal his secrets, do not pursue him closely.

στέρξον φίλον καὶ πιστώθητι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐὰν δὲ ἀποκαλύψῃς τὰ μυστήρια αὐτοῦ μὴ καταδιώξῃς ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ

18For as surely as a man has destroyed his enemy, So you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbor.

καθὼς γὰρ ἀπώλεσεν ἄνθρωπος τὸν νεκρὸν αὐτοῦ οὕτως ἀπώλεσας τὴν φιλίαν τοῦ πλησίον

19As you might release a bird from your hand, So you have let your neighbor go; And you will not catch him.

καὶ ὡς πετεινὸν ἐκ χειρός σου ἀπέλυσας οὕτως ἀφῆκας τὸν πλησίον καὶ οὐ θηρεύσεις αὐτόν

20Do not pursue him, for he has withdrawn far away And has escaped like a deer from a snare.

μὴ αὐτὸν διώξῃς ὅτι μακρὰν ἀπέστη καὶ ἐξέφυγεν ὡς δορκὰς ἐκ παγίδος

21For a wound can be bandaged and an insult forgiven, But anyone who reveals secrets is without hope.

ὅτι τραῦμα ἔστιν καταδῆσαι καὶ λοιδορίας ἔστιν διαλλαγή ὁ δὲ ἀποκαλύψας μυστήρια ἀφήλπισεν

22He who winks with his eye plots evil deeds, And no one can draw him away from them.

διανεύων ὀφθαλμῷ τεκταίνει κακά καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτὰ ἀποστήσει ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ

23His speech will be sweet in your presence, And he will marvel at your words; But later his speech will distort what you said, And he will cause trouble with your words.

ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου γλυκανεῖ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν λόγων σου ἐκθαυμάσει ὕστερον δὲ διαστρέψει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου δώσει σκάνδαλον

24I hate many things, but none in comparison to him; And the Lord will hate him.

πολλὰ ἐμίσησα καὶ οὐχ ὡμοίωσα αὐτῷ καὶ ὁ κύριος μισήσει αὐτόν

25He who throws a stone into the air Throws it on his head, And a treacherous blow will distribute wounds.

ὁ βάλλων λίθον εἰς ὕψος ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ βάλλει καὶ πληγὴ δολία διελεῖ τραύματα

26He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he who sets a snare will be caught in it.

ὁ ὀρύσσων βόθρον εἰς αὐτὸν ἐμπεσεῖται καὶ ὁ ἱστῶν παγίδα ἐν αὐτῇ ἁλώσεται

27He who does evil things will have it roll back on him, And he will not know what hit him.

ὁ ποιῶν πονηρά εἰς αὐτὸν κυλισθήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐπιγνῷ πόθεν ἥκει αὐτῷ

28Mockery and abuse come back on an arrogant man, And vengeance lies in wait for him like a lion.

ἐμπαιγμὸς καὶ ὀνειδισμὸς ὑπερηφάνῳ καὶ ἡ ἐκδίκησις ὡς λέων ἐνεδρεύσει αὐτόν

29Those who rejoice at the fall of the godly Will be caught in a trap, And pain will consume them before their death.

παγίδι ἁλώσονται οἱ εὐφραινόμενοι πτώσει εὐσεβῶν καὶ ὀδύνη καταναλώσει αὐτοὺς πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτῶν

30Anger and wrath, these are also abominations, And a sinful man shall possess both. He who seeks revenge will find it from the Lord, And He will surely punish his sins.

μῆνις καὶ ὀργή καὶ ταῦτά ἐστιν βδελύγματα καὶ ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐγκρατὴς ἔσται αὐτῶν