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Sirach 13

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Sirach chapter 13 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 13

1He that touches pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that has fellowship with a proud man shall be like to him.Ὁ ἁπτομενος πίσσης μολυνθήσεται, καὶ ὁ κοινωνῶν ὑπερηφάνῳ ὁμοιωθήσεται αὐτῷ.

2Burden not yourself above your power while you live; and have no fellowship with one that is mightier and richer than yourself: for how agree the kettle and the earthen pot together? for if the one be struck against the other, it shall be broken.Βάρος ὑπὲρ σὲ μὴ ἄρῃς, καὶ ἰσχυροτέρῳ σου καὶ πλουσιωτέρῳ μὴ κοινώνει· τί κοινωνήσει χύτρα πρὸς λέβητα; αὕτη προσκρούσει, καὶ αὕτη συντριβήσεται.

3The rich man has done wrong, and yet he threatens withal: the poor is wronged, and he must entreat also.Πλούσιος ἠδίκησε, καὶ αὐτὸς προσενεβριμήσατο· πτωχὸς ἠδίκηται, καὶ αὐτὸς προσδεηθήσεται.

4If you be for his profit, he will use you: but if you have nothing, he will forsake you.Ἐὰν χρησιμεύσῃς, ἐργᾶται ἐν σοί· καὶ ἐὰν ὑστερήσῃς, καταλείψει σε.

5If you have any thing, he will live with you: yes, he will make you bare, and will not be sorry for it.Ἐὰν ἔχῃς, συμβιώσεταί σοι, καὶ ἀποκενώσει σε, καὶ αὐτὸς οὐ πονέσει.

6If he have need of you, he will deceive you, and smile upon you, and put you in hope; he will speak you fair, and say, What want you?Χρείαν ἔσχηκέ σου, καὶ ἀποπλανήσει σε, καὶ προσγελάσεταί σοι, καὶ δώσει σοι ἐλπίδα· λαλήσει σοι καλὰ, καὶ ἐρεῖ, τίς ἡ χρεία σου;

7And he will shame you by his meats, until he have drawn you dry twice or thrice, and at the last he will laugh you to scorn afterward, when he sees you, he will forsake you, and shake his head at you.Καὶ αἰσχυνεῖ σε ἐν τοῖς βρώμασιν αὐτοῦ, ἕως οὗ ἀποκενώσῃ σε δὶς ἢ τρὶς, καὶ ἐπʼ ἐσχάτῳ καταμωκήσεταί σου· μετὰ ταῦτα ὄψεταί σε, καὶ καταλείψει σε, καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ κινήσει ἐπὶ σοί.

8Beware that you be not deceived and brought down in your jollity.Πρόσεχε μὴ ἀποπλανηθῇς, καὶ μὴ ταπεινωθῇς ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ σου.

9If you be invited of a mighty man, withdraw yourself, and so much the more will he invite you.Προσκαλεσαμένου σε δυνάστου, ὑποχωρῶν γίνου, καὶ τόσῳ μᾶλλον προσκαλέσεταί σε.

10Press you not upon him, lest you be put back; stand not far off, lest you be forgotten.Μὴ ἔμπιπτε ἵνα μὴ ἀπωσθῇς, καὶ μὴ μακρὰν ἀφιστῶ ἵνα μὴ ἐπιλησθῇς.

11Affect not to be made equal to him in talk, and believe not his many words: for with much communication will he tempt you, and smiling upon you will get out your secrets:Μὴ ἔπεχε εἰσηγορεῖσθαι μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ πίστευε τοῖς πλείοσι λόγοις αὐτοῦ· ἐκ πολλῆς γὰρ λαλιᾶς πειράσει σε, καὶ ὡς προσγελῶν ἐξετάσει.

12But cruelly he will lay up your words, and will not spare to do you hurt, and to put you in prison.Ἀνελεήμων ὁ μὴ συντηρῶν λόγους, καὶ οὐ μὴ φείσηται περὶ κακώσεως καὶ δεσμῶν.

13Observe, and take good heed, for you walk in peril of your overthrowing: when you hear these things, awake in your sleep.Συντήρησον καὶ πρόσεχε σφοδρῶς, ὅτι μετὰ τῆς πτώσεώς σου περιπατεῖς.

14Love the Lord all your life, and call upon him for your salvation.

15Every beast loves his like, and every man loves his neighbor.Πᾶν ζῶον ἀγαπᾷ τὸ ὅμοιον αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ.

16All flesh consorts according to kind, and a man will cleave to his like.Πᾶσα σὰρξ κατὰ γένος συνάγεται, καὶ τῷ ὁμοίῳ αὐτοῦ προσκολληθήσεται ἀνήρ.

17What fellowship has the wolf with the lamb? so the sinner with the godly.Τί κοινωνήσει λύκος ἀμνῷ; οὕτως ἁμαρτωλὸς πρὸς εὐσεβῆ.

18What agreement is there between the hyena and a dog? and what peace between the rich and the poor?Τίς εἰρήνη ὑαίνῃ πρὸς κύνα; καὶ τίς εἰρήνη πλουσίῳ πρὸς πένητα;

19As the wild ass is the lion's prey in the wilderness: so the rich eat up the poor.Κυνήγια λεόντων ὄναγροι ἐν ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως νομαὶ πλουσίων πτωχοί.

20As the proud hate humility: so does the rich abhor the poor.Βδέλυγμα ὑπερηφάνῳ ταπεινότης, οὕτως βδέλυγμα πλουσίῳ πτωχός.

21A rich man beginning to fall is held up of his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust away by his friends.Πλούσιος σαλευόμενος στηρίζεται ὑπὸ φίλων, ταπεινὸς δὲ πεσὼν προσαπωθεῖται ὑπὸ φίλων.

22When a rich man is fallen, he has many helpers: he speaks things not to be spoken, and yet men justify him: the poor man slipped, and yet they rebuked him too; he spoke wisely, and could have no place.Πλουσίου σφαλέντος πολλοὶ ἀντιλήμπτορες, ἐλάλησεν ἀπόῤῥητα καὶ ἐδικαίωσαν αὐτόν· ταπεινὸς ἔσφαλε καὶ προσεπετίμησαν αὐτῷ, ἐφθέγξατο σύνεσιν καὶ οὐκ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ τόπος.

23When a rich man speaks, every man holds his tongue, and, look, what he says, they extol it to the clouds: but if the poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? and if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.Πλούσιος ἐλάλησε καὶ πάντες ἐσίγησαν, καὶ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ ἀνύψωσαν ἕως τῶν νεφελῶν· πτωχὸς ἐλάλησε, καὶ εἶπαν, τίς οὗτος; κἂν προσκόψῃ, προσανατρέψουσιν αὐτόν.

24Riches are good to him that has no sin, and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly.Ἀγαθὸς ὁ πλοῦτος ᾧ μὴ ἔστιν ἁμαρτία, καὶ πονηρὰ ἡ πτωχεία ἐν στόμασιν ἀσεβοῦς.

25The heart of a man changes his countenance, whether it be for good or evil: and a merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.Καρδία ἀνθρώπου ἀλλοιοῖ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, ἐὰν εἰς ἀγαθὰ ἐάν τε εἰς κακά.

26A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart that is in prosperity; and the finding out of parables is a wearisome labor of the mind.Ἴχνος καρδίας ἐν ἀγαθοῖς πρόσωπον ἱλαρὸν, καὶ εὕρεσις παραβολῶν διαλογισμοὶ μετὰ κόπου.

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