Sirach 44

1Let us now praise honored men and our fathers.

αἰνέσωμεν δὴ ἄνδρας ἐνδόξους καὶ τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν τῇ γενέσει

2The Lord established His great glory And majesty from the beginning through them.

πολλὴν δόξαν ἔκτισεν ὁ κύριος τὴν μεγαλωσύνην αὐτοῦ ἀπ᾿ αἰῶνος

3There were those who ruled in their kingdoms And were men renowned for their power, Giving counsel through their understanding And proclaiming prophecies.

κυριεύοντες ἐν ταῖς βασιλείαις αὐτῶν καὶ ἄνδρες ὀνομαστοὶ ἐν δυνάμει βουλεύοντες ἐν συνέσει αὐτῶν ἀπηγγελκότες ἐν προφητείαις

4There were leaders of the people by their counsels And understanding of learning for the people, Wise in their words of instruction.

ἡγούμενοι λαοῦ ἐν διαβουλίοις καὶ συνέσει γραμματείας λαοῦ σοφοὶ λόγοι ἐν παιδείᾳ αὐτῶν

5There were composers of music, And they set forth verse in writing,

ἐκζητοῦντες μέλη μουσικῶν καὶ διηγούμενοι ἔπη ἐν γραφῇ

6Wealthy men with great resources, Living in peace in their dwelling-places.

ἄνδρες πλούσιοι κεχορηγημένοι ἰσχύι εἰρηνεύοντες ἐν κατοικίαις αὐτῶν

7All these were honored in their generations And in their days were a source of boasting.

πάντες οὗτοι ἐν γενεαῖς ἐδοξάσθησαν καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῶν καύχημα

8There were those who left behind a name That men might declare their praises.

εἰσὶν αὐτῶν οἳ κατέλιπον ὄνομα τοῦ ἐκδιηγήσασθαι ἐπαίνους

9There were also those whom no one remembers, Who perished as if they never existed; And they died as if they had not been born, And so have their children after them.

καὶ εἰσὶν ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν μνημόσυνον καὶ ἀπώλοντο ὡς οὐχ ὑπάρξαντες καὶ ἐγένοντο ὡς οὐ γεγονότες καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν μετ᾿ αὐτούς

10Nevertheless, these were men of mercy, Whose righteousness lives with God.

ἀλλ᾿ ἢ οὗτοι ἄνδρες ἐλέους ὧν αἱ δικαιοσύναι οὐκ ἐπελήσθησαν

11The good they did remains with their seed, And their inheritance with their children's children.

μετὰ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῶν διαμενεῖ ἀγαθὴ κληρονομία ἔκγονα αὐτῶν

12Their seed stands with the covenants, And their children as well for their sake.

ἐν ταῖς διαθήκαις ἔστη τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν δι᾿ αὐτούς

13Their seed shall remain forever, And their glory will not be blotted out.

ἕως αἰῶνος μενεῖ σπέρμα αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ δόξα αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται

14Their bodies were buried in peace, And their name lives to all generations.

τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἐτάφη καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν ζῇ εἰς γενεάς

15Peoples will tell of their wisdom, And the assembly will proclaim their praise.

σοφίαν αὐτῶν διηγήσονται λαοί καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον ἐξαγγέλλει ἐκκλησία

16Enoch pleased the Lord and was translated As an example of repentance for all generations.

Ενωχ εὐηρέστησεν κυρίῳ καὶ μετετέθη ὑπόδειγμα μετανοίας ταῖς γενεαῖς

17Noah was found perfect And was righteous in the time of wrath, In which he was rescued in exchange. Therefore a remnant was left on the earth When the flood came.

Νωε εὑρέθη τέλειος δίκαιος ἐν καιρῷ ὀργῆς ἐγένετο ἀντάλλαγμα διὰ τοῦτον ἐγενήθη κατάλειμμα τῇ γῇ ὅτε ἐγένετο κατακλυσμός

18Everlasting covenants were made with him That all flesh would not be wiped away again by a flood.

διαθῆκαι αἰῶνος ἐτέθησαν πρὸς αὐτόν ἵνα μὴ ἐξαλειφθῇ κατακλυσμῷ πᾶσα σάρξ

19Abraham was a great father of many nations, And no one is found like him in glory.

Αβρααμ μέγας πατὴρ πλήθους ἐθνῶν καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ὅμοιος ἐν τῇ δόξῃ

20He kept the law of the Most High, Who made a covenant with him. He established a covenant in his flesh, And he was found faithful in testing.

ὃς συνετήρησεν νόμον ὑψίστου καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν διαθήκῃ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ ἔστησεν διαθήκην καὶ ἐν πειρασμῷ εὑρέθη πιστός

21Therefore He affirmed by an oath That nations would be blessed in his seed; And He would multiply him like the dust of the earth, And exalt his seed like the stars in number, And cause them to inherit from sea unto sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.

διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὅρκῳ ἔστησεν αὐτῷ ἐνευλογηθῆναι ἔθνη ἐν σπέρματι αὐτοῦ πληθῦναι αὐτὸν ὡς χοῦν τῆς γῆς καὶ ὡς ἄστρα ἀνυψῶσαι τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ καὶ κατακληρονομῆσαι αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ θαλάσσης ἕως θαλάσσης καὶ ἀπὸ ποταμοῦ ἕως ἄκρου τῆς γῆς

22And with Isaac He established the same assurance, For the sake of Abraham his father.

καὶ ἐν τῷ Ισαακ ἔστησεν οὕτως δι᾿ Αβρααμ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ

23A blessing for all men and the covenant He made Rest upon the head of Jacob. He acknowledged him with His blessings And gave him an inheritance. Then He divided his portions among twelve tribes.

εὐλογίαν πάντων ἀνθρώπων καὶ διαθήκην κατέπαυσεν ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν Ιακωβ ἐπέγνω αὐτὸν ἐν εὐλογίαις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ἐν κληρονομίᾳ καὶ διέστειλεν μερίδας αὐτοῦ ἐν φυλαῖς ἐμέρισεν δέκα δύο