Home/Bible/Old Testament/Sirach/Chapter 10

Sirach 10

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Sirach chapter 10 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.

Patristic commentary for this chapter has not yet been attached. Related material may be found among the Church Fathers and the theology tables.

Sirach 10

1A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered.Κριτὴς σοφὸς παιδεύσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡγεμονία συνετοῦ τεταγμένη ἔσται.

2As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein.Κατὰ τὸν κριτὴν τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ οὕτως καὶ οἱ λειτουργοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατὰ τὸν ἡγούμενον τῆς πόλεως πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες αὐτήν.

3An unwise king destroys his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited.Βασιλεὺς ἀπαίδευτος ἀπολεῖ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πόλις οἰκισθήσεται ἐν συνέσει δυναστῶν.

4The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable.Ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου ἐξουσία τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὸν χρήσιμον ἐγερεῖ εἰς καιρὸν ἐπʼ αὐτῆς.

5In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honor.Ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου εὐοδία ἀνδρὸς, καὶ προσώπῳ γραμματέως ἐπιθήσει δόξαν αὐτοῦ.

6Bear not hatred to your neighbor for every wrong; and do nothing at all by injurious practices.Ἐπὶ παντὶ ἀδικήματι μὴ μηνιάσῃς τῷ πλησίον, καὶ μὴ πράσσε μηδὲν ἐν ἔργοις ὕβρεως.

7Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both does one commit iniquity.Μισητὴ ἔναντι Κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων ὑπερηφανία, καὶ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων πλημμελήσει ἄδικα.

8Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is translated from one people to another.Βασιλεία ἀπὸ ἔθνους εἰς ἔθνος μετάγεται, διὰ ἀδικίας καὶ ὕβρεις καὶ χρήματα.

9Why is earth and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one sets his own soul to sale; because while he lives he casts away his bowels.Τί ὑπερηφανεύεται γῆ καὶ σποδός; ὅτι ἐν ζωῇ ἔῤῥιψα τὰ ἐνδόσθια αὐτοῦ.

10The physician cuts off a long disease; and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die.Μακρὸν ἀῤῥώστημα σκώπτει ἰατρὸς, καὶ βασιλεὺς σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον τελευτήσει.

11For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, beasts, and worms.Ἐν γὰρ τῷ ἀποθανεῖν ἄνθρωπον, κληρονομήσει ἑρπετὰ καὶ θηρία καὶ σκώληκας.

12The beginning of pride is when one departs from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker.Ἀρχὴ ὑπερηφανίας, ἀνθρώπου ἀφισταμένου ἀπὸ Κυρίου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτὸν ἀπέστη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ.

13For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that has it shall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, and overthrew them utterly.Ὅτι ἀρχὴ ὑπερηφανίας ἁμαρτία, καὶ ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς ἐξομβρήσει βδέλυγμα· διὰ τοῦτο παρεδόξασε Κύριος τὰς ἐπαγωγὰς, καὶ κατέστρεψεν εἰς τέλος αὐτούς.

14The Lord has cast down the thrones of proud princes, and set up the meek in their stead.Θρόνους ἀρχόντων καθεῖλεν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ἐκάθισε πρᾳεῖς ἀντʼ αὐτῶν.

15The Lord has plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place.Ῥίζας ἐθνῶν ἐξέτιλεν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ἐφύτευσε ταπεινοὺς ἀντʼ αὐτῶν.

16The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.χώρας ἐθνῶν κατέστρεψεν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ἀπώλεσεν αὐτὰς ἕως θεμελίων γῆς.

17He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and has made their memorial to cease from the earth.Ἐξήρανεν ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπώλεσεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ γῆς τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν.

18Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman.Οὐκ ἔκτισται ἀνθρώποις ὑπερηφανία, οὐδὲ ὀργὴ θυμοῦ γεννήμασιν γυναικῶν.

19They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honorable plant: they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed; they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed.Σπέρμα ἔντιμον ποίον; σπέρμα ἀνθρώπου· σπέρμα ἔντιμον ποῖον; οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον· σπέρμα ἄτιμον ποῖον; σπέρμα ἀνθρώπου· σπέρμα ἄτιμον ποῖον; οἱ παραβαίνοντες ἐντολάς.

20Among brethren he that is chief is honorably; so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes.Ἐν μέσῳ ἀδελφῶν ὁ ἡγούμενος αὐτῶν ἔντιμος, καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ.

21The fear of the Lord goes before the obtaining of authority: but roughness and pride is the losing thereof.

22Whether he be rich, noble, or poor, their glory is the fear of the Lord.Πλούσιος καὶ ἔνδοξος καὶ πτωχὸς, τὸ καύχημα αὐτῶν φόβος Κυρίου.

23It is not meet to despise the poor man that has understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a sinful man.Οὐ δίκαιον ἀτιμάσαι πτωχὸν συνετὸν, καὶ οὐ καθήκει δοξάσαι ἄνδρα ἁμαρτωλόν.

24Great men, and judges, and potentates, shall be honored; yet is there none of them greater than he that fears the Lord.Μεγιστὰν καὶ κριτὴς καὶ δυνάστης δοξασθήσεται, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῶν τις μείζων τοῦ φοβουμένου τὸν Κύριον.

25To the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service: and he that has knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed.Οἰκέτῃ σοφῷ ἐλεύθεροι λειτουργήσουσι, καὶ ἀνὴρ ἐπιστήμων οὐ γογγύσει.

26Be not overwise in doing your business; and boast not yourself in the time of your distress.Μὴ σοφίζου ποιῆσαι τὸ ἔργον σου, καὶ μὴ δοξάζου ἐν καιρῷ στενοχωρίας σου.

27Better is he that labores, and abounds in all things, than he that boasts himself, and lacks bread.Κρείσσων ἐργαζόμενος ἐν πᾶσιν, ἢ περιπατῶν, ἢ δοξαζόμενος καὶ ἀπορῶν ἄρτων.

28My son, glorify your soul in meekness, and give it honor according to the dignity thereof.Τέκνον, ἐν πρᾳΰτητι δόξασον τὴν ψυχήν σου, καὶ δὸς αὐτῇ τιμὴν κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτῆς.

29Who will justify him that sins against his own soul? and who will honor him that dishonors his own life?Τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίς δικαιώσει; καὶ τίς δοξάσει τὸν ἀτιμάζοντα τὴν ζωὴν αὐτοῦ;

30The poor man is honored for his skill, and the rich man is honored for his riches.Πτωχὸς δοξάζεται διʼ ἐπιστήμην αὐτοῦ, καὶ πλούσιος δοξάζεται διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτοῦ.

31He that is honored in poverty, how much more in riches? and he that is dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty?Ὁ δὲ δοξαζόμενος ἐν πτωχείᾳ, καὶ ἐν πλούτῳ ποσαχῶς; καὶ ὁ ἄδοξος ἐν πλούτῳ, καὶ ἐν πτωχείᾳ ποσαχῶς;

Open Sirach 10 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.
← Sirach 9 All of Sirach Sirach 11 →