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Sirach 14

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Sirach chapter 14 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 14

1Blessed is the man that has not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς οὐκ ὠλίσθησεν ἐν στόματι αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ κατενύγη ἐν λύπῃ ἁμαρτίας.

2Blessed is he whose conscience has not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.Μακάριος οὗ οὐ κατέγνω ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἔπεσεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ.

3Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an envious man do with money?Ἀνδρὶ μικρολόγῳ οὐ καλὸς ὁ πλοῦτος, καὶ ἀνθρώπῳ βασκάνῳ ἱνατί χρήματα;

4He that gathers by defrauding his own soul gathers for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.Ὁ συνάγων ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, συνάγει ἄλλοις, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς αὐτοῦ τρυφήσουσιν ἕτεροι.

5He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.Ὁ πονηρὸς ἑαυτῷ, τίνι ἀγαθὸς ἔσται; καὶ οὐ μὴ εὐφρανθήσεται ἐν τοῖς χρήμασιν αὐτοῦ.

6There is none worse than he that envies himself; and this is a recompence of his wickedness.Τοῦ βασκαίνοντος ἑαυτὸν οὐκ ἔστι πονηρότερος, καὶ τοῦτο ἀνταπόδομα τῆς κακίας αὐτοῦ·

7And if he does good, he does it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.κᾂν εὐποιῇ, ἐν λήθῃ ποιεῖ, καὶ ἐπʼ ἐσχάτων ἐκφαίνει τὴν κακίαν αὐτοῦ.

8The envious man has a wicked eye; he turns away his face, and despises men.Πονηρὸς ὁ βασκαίνων ὀφθαλμῷ, ἀποστρέφων πρόσωπον καὶ ὁ ὑπερορῶν ψυχάς.

9A covetous man's eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked dries up his soul.Πλεονέκτου ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ ἐμπίπλαται μερίδι, καὶ ἀδικία πονηρὰ ἀναξηρανει ψυχήν.

10A wicked eye envies his bread, and he is a niggard at his table.Ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρὸς φθονερὸς ἐπʼ ἄρτῳ, καὶ ἐλλιπὴς ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης αὐτοῦ.

11My son, according to your ability do good to yourself, and give the Lord his due offering.Τέκνον, καθὼς ἐὰν ἔχεις εὐποίει σεαυτόν, καὶ προσφορὰς Κυρίῳ ἀξίως πρόσαγε.

12Remember that death will not be long in coming, and that the covenant of the grave is not showed to you.Μνήσθητι ὅτι θάνατος οὐ χρονιεῖ, καὶ διαθήκη ᾅδου οὐχ ὑπεδείχθη σοι.

13Do good to your friend before you die, and according to your ability stretch out your hand and give to him.Πρίν σε τελευτῆσαι εὐποίει φίλῳ, καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἰσχύν σου ἔκτεινον καὶ δὸς αὐτῷ.

14Defraud not yourself of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire overpass you.Μὴ ἀφυστερήσῃς ἀπὸ ἀγαθῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ μερὶς ἐπιθυμίας ἀγαθῆς μή σε παρελθάτω.

15Shall you not leave your travails to another? and your labors to be divided by lot?Οὐχὶ ἑτέρῳ καταλείψεις τοὺς πόνους σου, καὶ τοὺς κόπους σου εἰς διαίρεσιν κλήρου;

16Give, and take, and sanctify your soul; for there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.Δὸς καὶ λάβε, καὶ ἀπάτησον τὴν ψυχήν σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ᾅδου ζητῆσαι τρυφήν.

17All flesh waxes old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, You shall die the death.Πᾶσα σὰρξ ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιοῦται, ἡ γὰρ διαθήκη ἀπʼ αἰῶνος θανάτῳ ἀποθανῇ.

18As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one comes to an end, and another is born.Ὡς φύλλον θάλλον ἐπὶ δένδρου δασέος, τὰ μὲν καταβάλλει, ἀλλα δὲ φύει· οὕτως γενεὰ σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος, ἡ μὲν τελευτᾷ, ἑτέρα δὲ γεννᾶται.

19Every work rots and consumes away, and the worker thereof shall go withal.Πᾶν ἔργον σηπόμενον ἐκλείπει, καὶ ὁ ἐργαζόμενος αὐτὸ μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἀπελεύσεται.

20Blessed is the man that does meditate good things in wisdom, and that reasons of holy things by his understanding.Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς ἐν σοφίᾳ τελευτήσει, καὶ ὃς ἐν συνέσει αὐτοῦ διαλεχθήσεται·

21He that considers her ways in his heart shall also have understanding in her secrets.ὡ διανοούμενος τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῆς ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτῆς νοηθήσεται.

22Go after her as one that traces, and lie in wait in her ways.Ἔξελθε ὀπίσω αὐτῆς ὡς ἰχνευτὴς, καὶ ἐν ταῖς εἰσόδοις αὐτῆς ἐνέδρευε.

23He that pries in at her windows shall also listen at her doors.Ὁ παρακύπτων διὰ τῶν θυρίδων αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θυρωμάτων αὐτῆς ἀκροάσεται·

24He that does lodge near her house shall also fasten a pin in her walls.ὁ καταλύων σύνεγγυς τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς, καὶ πήξει πάσσαλον ἐν τοῖς τοίχοις αὐτῆς.

25He shall pitch his tent near to her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.Στήσει τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ κατὰ χεῖρας αὐτῆς, καὶ καταλύσει ἐν καταλύματι ἀγαθῶν.

26He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches.Θήσει τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκέπῃ αὐτῆς, καὶ ὑπὸ τοὺς κλάδους αὐτῆς αὐλισθήσεται.

27By her he shall be covered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.Σκεπασθήσεται ὑπʼ αὐτῆς ἀπὸ καύματος, καὶ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτῆς καταλύσει.

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