Sirach 37

1Every friend will say, 'I too am your friend,' But sometimes a friend is a friend in name only.

πᾶς φίλος ἐρεῖ ἐφιλίασα κἀγώ ἀλλ᾿ ἔστιν φίλος ὀνόματι μόνον φίλος

2Is it not a grief to the death When a companion and friend turns to hatred?

οὐχὶ λύπη ἔνι ἕως θανάτου ἑταῖρος καὶ φίλος τρεπόμενος εἰς ἔχθραν

3O evil reasoning! Why were you involved To cover the land with deceit?

ὦ πονηρὸν ἐνθύμημα πόθεν ἐνεκυλίσθης καλύψαι τὴν ξηρὰν ἐν δολιότητι

4A companion delights in the gladness of a friend, But in time of affliction, he will be against him.

ἑταῖρος φίλου ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ ἥδεται καὶ ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως ἔσται ἀπέναντι

5A companion labors to help a friend for his stomach's sake, And in a time of battle he will take up the shield.

ἑταῖρος φίλῳ συμπονεῖ χάριν γαστρός ἔναντι πολέμου λήμψεται ἀσπίδα

6Do not forget a friend in your soul, And do not be unmindful of him with your wealth.

μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ φίλου ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ μὴ ἀμνημονήσῃς αὐτοῦ ἐν χρήμασίν σου

7Every counselor extols his own counsel, And some offer advice in their own interest.

πᾶς σύμβουλος ἐξαίρει βουλήν ἀλλ᾿ ἔστιν συμβουλεύων εἰς ἑαυτόν

8Protect yourself from a counselor And know beforehand what is his interest; For he will take thought for himself Lest he cast his vote against you

ἀπὸ συμβούλου φύλαξον τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ γνῶθι πρότερον τίς αὐτοῦ χρεία καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ βουλεύσεται μήποτε βάλῃ ἐπὶ σοὶ κλῆρον

9And say to you, 'Your path is good.' Then he will stand aside to see what will happen to you.

καὶ εἴπῃ σοι καλὴ ἡ ὁδός σου καὶ στήσεται ἐξ ἀναντίας ἰδεῖν τὸ συμβησόμενόν σοι

10Do not consult with a man who looks at you suspiciously, And hide your counsel from those who envy you.

μὴ βουλεύου μετὰ τοῦ ὑποβλεπομένου σε καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ζηλούντων σε κρύψον βουλήν

11Also, do not consult with a woman about her rival, Nor with a coward about battle, Nor with a merchant about exchange, Nor with a buyer about selling, Nor with a slanderer about gratitude, Nor with an unmerciful man about generosity, Nor with an idler about any work, Nor with a seasonal hired hand about completing his work, Nor with a lazy servant about a big job. Pay no attention to these in any counsel.

μετὰ γυναικὸς περὶ τῆς ἀντιζήλου αὐτῆς καὶ μετὰ δειλοῦ περὶ πολέμου μετὰ ἐμπόρου περὶ μεταβολίας καὶ μετὰ ἀγοράζοντος περὶ πράσεως μετὰ βασκάνου περὶ εὐχαριστίας καὶ μετὰ ἀνελεήμονος περὶ χρηστοηθείας μετὰ ὀκνηροῦ περὶ παντὸς ἔργου καὶ μετὰ μισθίου ἐφετίου περὶ συντελείας οἰκέτῃ ἀργῷ περὶ πολλῆς ἐργασίας μὴ ἔπεχε ἐπὶ τούτοις περὶ πάσης συμβουλίας

12Instead, persevere with a godly man Who you know keeps the commandments, Whose soul accords with your soul And will share in your suffering if you fall.

ἀλλ᾿ ἢ μετὰ ἀνδρὸς εὐσεβοῦς ἐνδελέχιζε ὃν ἂν ἐπιγνῷς συντηροῦντα ἐντολάς ὃς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ ἐὰν πταίσῃς συναλγήσει σοι

13Stand firm on the counsel of your heart, For no one is more faithful to you than it.

καὶ βουλὴν καρδίας στῆσον οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν σοι πιστότερος αὐτῆς

14For a man's soul sometimes tells him more Than seven watchmen sitting high on a watchtower.

ψυχὴ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς ἀπαγγέλλειν ἐνίοτε εἴωθεν ἢ ἑπτὰ σκοποὶ ἐπὶ μετεώρου καθήμενοι ἐπὶ σκοπῆς

15And in all matters, pray to the Most High That He may direct your way in truth.

καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις δεήθητι ὑψίστου ἵνα εὐθύνῃ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ τὴν ὁδόν σου

16A word is the beginning of every work, And counsel comes before every action.

ἀρχὴ παντὸς ἔργου λόγος καὶ πρὸ πάσης πράξεως βουλή

17Four types of things appear As a clue to a change of heart:

ἴχνος ἀλλοιώσεως καρδίας τέσσαρα μέρη ἀνατέλλει

18Good and evil, life and death; And it is the tongue that continually rules them.

ἀγαθὸν καὶ κακόν ζωὴ καὶ θάνατος καὶ ἡ κυριεύουσα ἐνδελεχῶς αὐτῶν γλῶσσά ἐστιν

19There is an astute man who is a teacher of many, But is useless to his own soul.

ἔστιν ἀνὴρ πανοῦργος πολλῶν παιδευτής καὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ ψυχῇ ἐστιν ἄχρηστος

20A man who devises words craftily will be hated. This man will go hungry,

ἔστιν σοφιζόμενος ἐν λόγοις μισητός οὗτος πάσης τροφῆς καθυστερήσει

21For grace was not given to him from the Lord, Because he is destitute of all wisdom.

οὐ γὰρ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ παρὰ κυρίου χάρις ὅτι πάσης σοφίας ἐστερήθη

22There is a man wise in his own soul, And the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy when he speaks.

ἔστιν σοφὸς τῇ ἰδίᾳ ψυχῇ καὶ οἱ καρποὶ τῆς συνέσεως αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ στόματος πιστοί

23A wise man will instruct his own people, And the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy.

ἀνὴρ σοφὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λαὸν παιδεύσει καὶ οἱ καρποὶ τῆς συνέσεως αὐτοῦ πιστοί

24A wise man shall be filled with blessing, And all who see him will consider him blessed.

ἀνὴρ σοφὸς πλησθήσεται εὐλογίας καὶ μακαριοῦσιν αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ ὁρῶντες

25The life of a man is numbered by days, But the days of Israel are without number.

ζωὴ ἀνδρὸς ἐν ἀριθμῷ ἡμερῶν καὶ αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ Ισραηλ ἀναρίθμητοι

26The wise man will inherit trust among his people, And his name will live forever.

ὁ σοφὸς ἐν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ κληρονομήσει πίστιν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

27My son, while you are still living, test your soul, And see what is bad for it, and do not give in to that.

τέκνον ἐν ζωῇ σου πείρασον τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ ἰδὲ τί πονηρὸν αὐτῇ καὶ μὴ δῷς αὐτῇ

28For not every thing is profitable for every one, And not every soul enjoys every thing.

οὐ γὰρ πάντα πᾶσιν συμφέρει καὶ οὐ πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐν παντὶ εὐδοκεῖ

29Do not be gluttonous for every dainty food, And do not give yourself over to food.

μὴ ἀπληστεύου ἐν πάσῃ τρυφῇ καὶ μὴ ἐκχυθῇς ἐπὶ ἐδεσμάτων

30For overeating will bring sickness, And gluttony will lead to nausea.

ἐν πολλοῖς γὰρ βρώμασιν ἔσται νόσος καὶ ἡ ἀπληστία ἐγγιεῖ ἕως χολέρας

31Many have died because of gluttony, But the careful man will prolong his life.

δι᾿ ἀπληστίαν πολλοὶ ἐτελεύτησαν ὁ δὲ προσέχων προσθήσει ζωήν