Sirach 4

1My son, do not deprive the poor of his living, And do not keep eyes in need waiting.

τέκνον τὴν ζωὴν τοῦ πτωχοῦ μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς καὶ μὴ παρελκύσῃς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπιδεεῖς

2Do not grieve a soul who is hungry, Nor provoke to anger a man in despair.

ψυχὴν πεινῶσαν μὴ λυπήσῃς καὶ μὴ παροργίσῃς ἄνδρα ἐν ἀπορίᾳ αὐτοῦ

3Do not trouble a heart that was made resentful, And do not put off the gift of a man in need.

καρδίαν παρωργισμένην μὴ προσταράξῃς καὶ μὴ παρελκύσῃς δόσιν προσδεομένου

4Do not reject a suppliant who is afflicted, Nor turn your face away from a poor man.

ἱκέτην θλιβόμενον μὴ ἀπαναίνου καὶ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ πτωχοῦ

5Do not turn your eye away from a needy man, And do not give a man occasion to curse you;

ἀπὸ δεομένου μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ μὴ δῷς τόπον ἀνθρώπῳ καταράσασθαί σε

6For if he curses you in the bitterness of his soul, His Maker will hear his prayer.

καταρωμένου γάρ σε ἐν πικρίᾳ ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ τῆς δεήσεως αὐτοῦ ἐπακούσεται ὁ ποιήσας αὐτόν

7Make yourself beloved in the assembly And bow your head to a great man.

προσφιλῆ συναγωγῇ σεαυτὸν ποίει καὶ μεγιστᾶνι ταπείνου τὴν κεφαλήν σου

8Incline your ear to a poor man And answer him peaceably and with gentleness.

κλῖνον πτωχῷ τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἀποκρίθητι αὐτῷ εἰρηνικὰ ἐν πραΰτητι

9Deliver a person who has been wronged From the hand of the wrongdoer, And do not be fainthearted when you judge his case.

ἐξελοῦ ἀδικούμενον ἐκ χειρὸς ἀδικοῦντος καὶ μὴ ὀλιγοψυχήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνειν σε

10Be like a father to orphans And like a husband to their mother; And you will be like a son of the Most High, And He will love you more than your mother.

γίνου ὀρφανοῖς ὡς πατὴρ καὶ ἀντὶ ἀνδρὸς τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ἔσῃ ὡς υἱὸς ὑψίστου καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε μᾶλλον ἢ μήτηρ σου

11Wisdom exalts her children And lays hold of those who seek her.

ἡ σοφία υἱοὺς αὐτῆς ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἐπιλαμβάνεται τῶν ζητοῦντων αὐτήν

12Whoever loves her loves life, And those who come to her early in the morning Will be filled with gladness.

ὁ ἀγαπῶν αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾷ ζωήν καὶ οἱ ὀρθρίζοντες πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐμπλησθήσονται εὐφροσύνης

13He who holds fast to her will inherit glory, And the Lord blesses every place she enters.

ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς κληρονομήσει δόξαν καὶ οὗ εἰσπορεύεται εὐλογεῖ κύριος

14Those who serve her will minister to the Holy One, And the Lord loves those who love her.

οἱ λατρεύοντες αὐτῇ λειτουργήσουσιν ἁγίῳ καὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾷ ὁ κύριος

15He who obeys her will judge the nations; And he that gives heed to her will live with confidence.

ὁ ὑπακούων αὐτῆς κρινεῖ ἔθνη καὶ ὁ προσέχων αὐτῇ κατασκηνώσει πεποιθώς

16If he trusts in her, he will inherit her, And his posterity will be in possession of her.

ἐὰν ἐμπιστεύσῃ κατακληρονομήσει αὐτήν καὶ ἐν κατασχέσει ἔσονται αἱ γενεαὶ αὐτοῦ

17At first she will walk with him on disturbing paths And bring fear and dread upon him; And she will torment him with her discipline Until she can trust his soul And test him with her ordinances.

ὅτι διεστραμμένως πορεύσεται μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν πρώτοις φόβον καὶ δειλίαν ἐπάξει ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν καὶ βασανίσει αὐτὸν ἐν παιδείᾳ αὐτῆς ἕως οὗ ἐμπιστεύσῃ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ καὶ πειράσει αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασιν αὐτῆς

18Then she will come straight back to him, And will gladden him, and reveal her secrets to him.

καὶ πάλιν ἐπανήξει κατ᾿ εὐθεῖαν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εὐφρανεῖ αὐτὸν καὶ ἀποκαλύψει αὐτῷ τὰ κρυπτὰ αὐτῆς

19If he wanders away, she will forsake him And hand him over to his ruin.

ἐὰν ἀποπλανηθῇ ἐγκαταλείψει αὐτὸν καὶ παραδώσει αὐτὸν εἰς χεῖρας πτώσεως αὐτοῦ

20Watch for a proper opportunity and keep yourself from evil; And do not bring shame upon your soul.

συντήρησον καιρὸν καὶ φύλαξαι ἀπὸ πονηροῦ καὶ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς σου μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς

21For there is a shame that brings sin, And there is a shame which is glory and grace.

ἔστιν γὰρ αἰσχύνη ἐπάγουσα ἁμαρτίαν καὶ ἔστιν αἰσχύνη δόξα καὶ χάρις

22Do not show partiality to someone to your own harm, And do not let your respect for another cause you to fall.

μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ μὴ ἐντραπῇς εἰς πτῶσίν σου

23Do not withhold a word in time of need;

μὴ κωλύσῃς λόγον ἐν καιρῷ χρείας

24For wisdom is made known by a word, And instruction by a word of the tongue.

ἐν γὰρ λόγῳ γνωσθήσεται σοφία καὶ παιδεία ἐν ῥήματι γλώσσης

25Do not speak against the truth, And do not be put to shame by your ignorance.

μὴ ἀντίλεγε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀπαιδευσίας σου ἐντράπηθι

26Do not be ashamed to confess your sins, And do not exercise force against the current of a river.

μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς ὁμολογῆσαι ἐφ᾿ ἁμαρτίαις σου καὶ μὴ βιάζου ῥοῦν ποταμοῦ

27Do not subject yourself to a foolish man, And do not show partiality to a ruler.

καὶ μὴ ὑποστρώσῃς ἀνθρώπῳ μωρῷ σεαυτὸν καὶ μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον δυνάστου

28Fight to the death for the truth, And the Lord God will fight for you.

ἕως θανάτου ἀγώνισαι περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ κύριος ὁ θεὸς πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ

29Do not be rash with your tongue And sluggish and neglectful in your works.

μὴ γίνου θρασὺς ἐν γλώσσῃ σου καὶ νωθρὸς καὶ παρειμένος ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου

30Do not be like a lion in your home And act in pretense with your servants.

μὴ ἴσθι ὡς λέων ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου καὶ φαντασιοκοπῶν ἐν τοῖς οἰκέταις σου

31Do not let your hand be extended to receive And shut when you should repay.

μὴ ἔστω ἡ χείρ σου ἐκτεταμένη εἰς τὸ λαβεῖν καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποδιδόναι συνεσταλμένη