Sirach 12

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Sirach 12

1When you will do good know to whom you do it; so shall you be thanked for your benefits.Ἐὰν εὖ ποιῇς, γνῶθι τίνι ποιεῖς, καὶ ἔσται χάρις τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς σου.

2Do good to the godly man, and you shall find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High.Εὐποίησον εὐσεβεῖ, καὶ εὑρήσεις ἀνταπόδομα, καὶ εἰ μὴ παρʼ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ παρὰ ὑψίστου.

3There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that gives no alms.Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαθὰ τῷ ἐνελεχίζοντι εἰς κακὰ, καὶ τῷ ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ χαριζομένῳ.

4Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner.Δὸς τῷ εὐσεβεῖ, καὶ μὴ ἀντιλάβῃ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ.

5Do well to him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back your bread, and give it not to him, lest he overmaster you thereby: for else you shall receive twice as much evil for all the good you shall have done to him.Εὐποίησον τῷ ταπεινῷ, καὶ μὴ δῷς ἀσεβεῖ· ἐμπόδισον τοὺς ἄρτους αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ δῷς αὐτῷ ἵνα μὴ ἐν αὐτοῖς σε δυναστεύσῃ· διπλάσια γὰρ κακὰ εὑρήσεις ἐν πᾶσιν ἀγαθοῖς οἷς ἂν ποιήσῃς αὐτῷ.

6For the most High hates sinners, and will repay vengeance to the ungodly, and keeps them against the mighty day of their punishment.Ὅτι καὶ ὁ ὕψιστος ἐμίσησεν ἁμαρτωλούς, καὶ τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν ἀποδώσει ἐκδίκησιν.

7Give to the good, and help not the sinner.Δὸς τῷ ἀγαθῷ, καὶ μὴ ἀντιλάβῃ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ.

8A friend can’t be known in prosperity: and an enemy can’t be hidden in adversity.Οὐκ ἐκδικηθησεται ἐν ἀγαθοῖς ὁ φίλος, καὶ οὐ κρυβήσεται ἐν κακοῖς ὁ ἐχθρός.

9In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart.Ἐν ἀγαθοῖς ἀνδρὸς οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν λύπῃ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ φίλος διαχωρισθήσεται.

10Never trust your enemy: for like as iron rusts, so is his wickedness.Μὴ πιστεύσῃς τῷ ἐχθρῷ σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· ὡς γὰρ ὁ χαλκὸς ἰοῦται, οὕτως ἡ πονηρία αὐτοῦ.

11Though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and you shall be to him as if you had wiped a lookingglass, and you shall know that his rust has not been altogether wiped away.Καὶ ἐὰν ταπεινωθῇ καὶ πορεύηται συγκεκυφὼς, ἐπίστησον τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ φύλαξαι ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσῃ αὐτῷ ὡς ἐκμεμαχὼς ἔσοπτρον, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τέλος κατίωσε.

12Set him not by you, lest, when he has overthrown you, he stand up in your place; neither let him sit at your right hand, lest he seek to take your seat, and you at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith.Μὴ στήσῃς αὐτὸν παρὰ σεαυτὸν, μὴ ἀνατρέψας σε στῇ ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον σου· μὴ καθίσης αὐτὸν ἐκ δεξιῶν σου, μήποτε ζητήσῃ τὴν καθέδραν σου, καὶ ἐπʼ ἐσχάτῳ ἐπιγνώσῃ τοὺς λόγους μου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ῥημάτων μου κατανυγήσῃ.

13Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come near wild beasts?Τίς ἐλεήσει ἐπαοιδὸν ὀφιόδηκτον, καὶ πάντας τοὺς προσάγοντας θηρίοις;

14So one that goes to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?Οὕτως τὸν προσπορεύομενον ἀνδρὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ καὶ συμφυρόμενον ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτοῦ.

15For a while he will abide with you, but if you begin to fall, he will not wait.Ὥραν μετὰ σοῦ διαμενεῖ, καὶ ἐὰν ἐκκλίνῃς, οὐ μὴ καρτερήσῃ.

16An enemy speaks sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagines how to throw you into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood.Καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ γλυκανεῖ ὁ ἐχθρὸς, καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδία αὐτοῦ βουλεύσεται ἀνατρέψαι σε εἰς βόθρον· ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ δακρύσει ὁ ἐχθρὸς, καὶ ἐὰν εὕρῃ καιρὸν, οὐκ ἐμπλησθήσεται ἀφʼ αἵματος.

17If adversity come upon you, you shall find him there first; and though he pretend to help you, yet shall he undermine you.Κακὰ ἂν ὑπαντήσῃ σοι, εὑρήσεις αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ πρότερόν σου, καὶ ὡς βοηθῶν ὑποσχάσει πτέρναν σου.

18He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.Κινήσει τὴν κεφαλὴναὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπικροτήσει ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλὰ διαψιθυρίσει, καὶ ἀλλοιώσει τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ.