Sirach 33

1Evil will not befall the man who fears the Lord, But in trial He will deliver him again and again.

τῷ φοβουμένῳ κύριον οὐκ ἀπαντήσει κακόν ἀλλ᾿ ἐν πειρασμῷ καὶ πάλιν ἐξελεῖται

2A wise man will not hate the law, But he who pretends to keep it is like a ship in a storm.

ἀνὴρ σοφὸς οὐ μισήσει νόμον ὁ δὲ ὑποκρινόμενος ἐν αὐτῷ ὡς ἐν καταιγίδι πλοῖον

3A man of understanding will trust in the law, And to him the law is trustworthy because it is a divine revelation.

ἄνθρωπος συνετὸς ἐμπιστεύσει νόμῳ καὶ ὁ νόμος αὐτῷ πιστὸς ὡς ἐρώτημα δήλων

4Prepare what to say and thus you will be heard. Draw on your training and make your reply.

ἑτοίμασον λόγον καὶ οὕτως ἀκουσθήσῃ σύνδησον παιδείαν καὶ ἀποκρίθητι

5The heart of a fool resembles a wagon wheel, And his reasoning is like a turning axle.

τροχὸς ἁμάξης σπλάγχνα μωροῦ καὶ ὡς ἄξων στρεφόμενος ὁ διαλογισμὸς αὐτοῦ

6A lusty stallion is like a mocking friend; He impregnates every one who sits under him.

ἵππος εἰς ὀχείαν ὡς φίλος μωκός ὑποκάτω παντὸς ἐπικαθημένου χρεμετίζει

7Why is one day better than another, When all the light of a day in the year is from the sun?

διὰ τί ἡμέρα ἡμέρας ὑπερέχει καὶ πᾶν φῶς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀφ᾿ ἡλίου

8They were separated by the knowledge of the Lord, And He changed the seasons and feasts.

ἐν γνώσει κυρίου διεχωρίσθησαν καὶ ἠλλοίωσεν καιροὺς καὶ ἑορτάς

9Some days He exalted and sanctified, And some days He made ordinary.

ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἡγίασεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἔθηκεν εἰς ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν

10All men are from the ground, For Adam was created from the earth.

καὶ ἄνθρωποι πάντες ἀπὸ ἐδάφους καὶ ἐκ γῆς ἐκτίσθη Αδαμ

11In the fullness of knowledge the Lord separated them And changed their paths.

ἐν πλήθει ἐπιστήμης κύριος διεχώρισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἠλλοίωσεν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν

12Some days He blessed and exalted, And some days He sanctified and drew near to Himself. Some days He has cursed and humbled And removed from their place.

ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐλόγησεν καὶ ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἡγίασεν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἤγγισεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν κατηράσατο καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ στάσεως αὐτῶν

13All His ways are according to His good pleasure. Like clay in a potter's hand, Thus men are in the hand of Him who made them, To render to them according to His judgment.

ὡς πηλὸς κεραμέως ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ οὕτως ἄνθρωποι ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς ἀποδοῦναι αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτοῦ

14Good is the opposite of evil, and life is the opposite of death. In the same way, a sinner is the opposite of a godly man.

ἀπέναντι τοῦ κακοῦ τὸ ἀγαθόν καὶ ἀπέναντι τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ζωή οὕτως ἀπέναντι εὐσεβοῦς ἁμαρτωλός

15Look, therefore, upon all the works of the Most High: They also come in pairs, one the opposite of the other.

καὶ οὕτως ἔμβλεψον εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ὑψίστου δύο δύο ἓν κατέναντι τοῦ ἑνός

16I kept the last watch like one gleaning after the harvest.

κἀγὼ ἔσχατος ἠγρύπνησα ὡς καλαμώμενος ὀπίσω τρυγητῶν

17By the blessing of the Lord I arrived in time, And like a grape-picker I filled my winepress.

ἐν εὐλογίᾳ κυρίου ἔφθασα καὶ ὡς τρυγῶν ἐπλήρωσα ληνόν

18Observe well that I did not labor for my self alone, But for all who seek instruction.

κατανοήσατε ὅτι οὐκ ἐμοὶ μόνῳ ἐκοπίασα ἀλλὰ πᾶσιν τοῖς ζητοῦσιν παιδείαν

19Hear me, you leaders of the people, And you rulers of the assembly, listen to me.

ἀκούσατέ μου μεγιστᾶνες λαοῦ καὶ οἱ ἡγούμενοι ἐκκλησίας ἐνωτίσασθε

20Do not give authority over yourself while you are still living To your son or your wife, nor to your brother or a friend; And do not give your property to another, Lest you change your mind and need to beg for it.

υἱῷ καὶ γυναικί ἀδελφῷ καὶ φίλῳ μὴ δῷς ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ σὲ ἐν ζωῇ σου καὶ μὴ δῷς ἑτέρῳ τὰ χρήματά σου ἵνα μὴ μεταμεληθεὶς δέῃ περὶ αὐτῶν

21While you are still alive and there is breath in you, Do not change places with any one.

ἕως ἔτι ζῇς καὶ πνοὴ ἐν σοί μὴ ἀλλάξῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν πάσῃ σαρκί

22For it is better that your children should ask from you Than that you should look to the hands of your sons.

κρεῖσσον γάρ ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα δεηθῆναί σου ἢ σὲ ἐμβλέπειν εἰς χεῖρας υἱῶν σου

23Be outstanding in all your works; Do not put a blemish on your reputation.

ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου γίνου ὑπεράγων μὴ δῷς μῶμον ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου

24On the day when the days of your life are fulfilled, At the time of your death, distribute the inheritance.

ἐν ἡμέρᾳ συντελείας ἡμερῶν ζωῆς σου καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τελευτῆς διάδος κληρονομίαν

25Fodder, the rod, and a burden are for a donkey, And bread, instruction, and work are for a servant.

χορτάσματα καὶ ῥάβδος καὶ φορτία ὄνῳ ἄρτος καὶ παιδεία καὶ ἔργον οἰκέτῃ

26Make a servant work, and you will find rest; Leave his hands idle and he will seek freedom.

ἔργασαι ἐν παιδί καὶ εὑρήσεις ἀνάπαυσιν ἄνες χεῖρας αὐτῷ καὶ ζητήσει ἐλευθερίαν

27Yoke and strap will bend the neck, And racks and tortures are for an evil servant.

ζυγὸς καὶ ἱμὰς τράχηλον κάμψουσιν καὶ οἰκέτῃ κακούργῳ στρέβλαι καὶ βάσανοι

28Put him to work that he may not be idle, For idleness teaches much evil.

ἔμβαλε αὐτὸν εἰς ἐργασίαν ἵνα μὴ ἀργῇ πολλὴν γὰρ κακίαν ἐδίδαξεν ἡ ἀργία

29Set him to the work appropriate for him; And if he is not obedient, put heavy chains on his feet.

εἰς ἔργα κατάστησον καθὼς πρέπει αὐτῷ κἂν μὴ πειθαρχῇ βάρυνον τὰς πέδας αὐτοῦ

30And do not act superior toward any flesh, And do nothing without judgment.

καὶ μὴ περισσεύσῃς ἐπὶ πάσῃ σαρκὶ καὶ ἄνευ κρίσεως μὴ ποιήσῃς μηδέν

31If you own a servant, let him be as yourself, For with your blood you bought him.

εἰ ἔστιν σοι οἰκέτης ἔστω ὡς σύ ὅτι ἐν αἵματι ἐκτήσω αὐτόν

32If you own a servant, treat him as a brother. For you will need him as your own soul.

εἰ ἔστιν σοι οἰκέτης ἄγε αὐτὸν ὡς ἀδελφόν ὅτι ὡς ἡ ψυχή σου ἐπιδεήσεις αὐτῷ

33If you treat him badly and he runs away, Which way will you go look for him?

ἐὰν κακώσῃς αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπάρας ἀποδρᾷ ἐν ποίᾳ ὁδῷ ζητήσεις αὐτόν