Sirach 2
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Sirach chapter 2 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 2
1My son, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation.Τεκνὸν εἰ προσέρχῃ δουλεύειν Κυρίῳ Θεῷ, ἑτοίμασον τὴν ψυχήν σου εἰς πειρασμόν.
2Set your heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble.Εὔθυνον τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ καρτέρησον, καὶ μὴ σπεύσῃς ἐν καιρῷ ἐπαγωγῆς.
3Cleave to him, and depart not away, that you may be increased at your last end.Κολλήθητι αὐτῷ καὶ μὴ ἀποστῇς, ἵνα αὐξηθῇς ἐπʼ ἐσχάτων σου.
4Whatsoever is brought upon you take cheerfully, and be patient when you are changed to a low estate.Πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν ἐπαχθῇ σοι, δέξαι, καὶ ἐν ἀλλάγμασι ταπεινώσεώς σου μακροθύμησον.
5For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.Ὅτι ἐν πυρὶ δοκιμάζεται χρυσὸς, καὶ ἄνθρωποι δεκτοὶ ἐν καμίνῳ ταπεινώσεως.
6Believe in him, and he will help you; order your way aright, and trust in him.Πίστευσον αὐτῷ καὶ ἀντιλήψεταί σου, εὔθυνον τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ ἔλπισον ἐπʼ αὐτόν.
7You that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest you fall.Οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον, ἀναμείνατε τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐκκλίνητε ἵνα μὴ πέσητε.
8You that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail.Οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον πιστεύσατε αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐ μὴ πταίσῃ ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν.
9You that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy.Οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον ἐλπίσατε εἰς ἀγαθὰ, καὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην αἰῶνος καὶ ἐλέους.
10Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?Ἐμβλέψατε εἰς ἀρχαίας γενεὰς καὶ ἴδετε, τίς ἐνεπίστευσε Κυρίῳ καὶ κατῃσχύνθη; ἢ τίς ἐνέμεινε τῷ φόβῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγκατελείφθη; ἢ τίς ἐπεκαλέσατο αὐτὸν, καὶ ὑπερεῖδεν αὐτόν;
11For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, longsuffering, and very pitiful, and forgives sins, and saves in time of affliction.Διότι οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ἀφίησιν ἁμαρτίας, καὶ σώζει ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως.
12Woe be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the sinner that goes two ways!Οὐαὶ καρδίαις δειλαῖς, καὶ χερσὶ παρειμέναις, καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἐπιβαίνοντι ἐπὶ δύο τρίβους.
13Woe to him that is faint-hearted! for he believes not; therefore shall he not be defended.Οὐαὶ καρδίᾳ παρειμένῃ, ὅτι οὐ πιστεύει, διὰ τοῦτο οὐ σκεπασθήσεται.
14Woe to you that have lost patience! and what will you do when the Lord shall visit you?Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἀπολωλεκόσι τὴν ὑπομονὴν, καὶ τί ποιήσετε ὅταν ἐπισκέπτηται ὁ Κύριος;
15They that fear the Lord will not disobey his Word; and they that love him will keep his ways.Οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον οὐκ ἀπειθήσουσι ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτὸν συντηπήσουσι τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ.
16They that fear the Lord will seek that which is well, pleasing to him; and they that love him shall be filled with the law.Οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον ζητήσουσιν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτὸν ἐμπλησθήσονται τοῦ νόμου.
17They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight,Οἱ φοβούμενοι Κύριον ἐτοιμάσουσι καρδίας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ παπεινώσουσι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν.
18Saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his majesty is, so is his mercy.Ἐμπεσούμεθα εἰς χεῖρας Κυρίου, καὶ οὐκ εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων· ὡς γὰρ ἡ μεγαλωσύνη αὐτοῦ, οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
Open Sirach 2 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.