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Sirach 38

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Sirach chapter 38 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 38

1Honor a physician with the honor due to him for the uses which you may have of him: for the Lord has created him.Τίμα ἰατρὸν πρὸς τὰς χρείας τιμαῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔκτισε Κύριος.

2For of the most High comes healing, and he shall receive honor of the king.Παρὰ γὰρ ὑψίστου ἐστὶν ἴασις, καὶ παρὰ βασιλέως λήψεται δόμα.

3The skill of the physician shall lift up his head: and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration.Ἐπιστήμη ἰατροῦ ἀνυψώσει κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔναντι μεγιστάνων θαυμασθήσεται.

4The Lord has created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them.Κύριος ἔκτισεν ἐκ γῆς φάρμακα, καὶ ἀνὴρ φρόνιμος οὐ προσοχθιεῖ αὐτοῖς.

5Was not the water made sweet with wood, that the virtue thereof might be known?Οὐκ ἀπὸ ξύλου ἐγλυκάνθη ὕδωρ, εἰς τὸ γνωσθῆναι τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτοῦ;

6And he has given men skill, that he might be honored in his marvelous works.Καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν ἀνθρώποις ἐπιστήμην ἐνδοξάζεσθαι ἐν τοῖς θαυμασίοις αὐτοῦ.

7With such does he heal men, and takes away their pains.Ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐθεράπευσε, καὶ ᾖρε τὸν πόνον αὐτοῦ.

8Of such does the apothecary make a confection; and of his works there is no end; and from him is peace over all the earth,Μυρεψὸς ἐν τούτοις ποιήσει μίγμα, καὶ οὐ μὴ συντελέσῃ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰρήνη παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐπὶ προσώπου τῆς γῆς.

9My son, in your sickness be not negligent: but pray to the Lord, and he will make you whole.Τέκνον, ἐν ἀῤῥωστήματί σου μὴ παράβλεπε, ἀλλʼ εὖξαι Κυρίῳ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἰάσεταί σε.

10Leave off from sin, and order your hands aright, and cleanse your heart from all wickedness.Ἀπόστησον πλημμέλειαν, καὶ εὔθυνον χεῖρας, καὶ ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας καθάρισον καρδίαν.

11Give a sweet savor, and a memorial of fine flour; and make a fat offering, as not being.Δὸς εὐωδίαν, καὶ μνημόσυνον σεμιδάλεως, καὶ λίπανον προσφορὰν, ὡς μὴ ὑπάρχων.

12Then give place to the physician, for the Lord has created him: let him not go from you, for you have need of him.Καὶ ἰατρῷ δὸς τόπον, καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔκτισε Κύριος· καὶ μὴ ἀποστήτω σου, καὶ γὰρ αὐτοῦ χρεία.

13There is a time when in their hands there is good success.Ἔστι καιρὸς ὅτε καὶ ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν εὐωδία.

14For they shall also pray to the Lord, that he would prosper that, which they give for ease and remedy to prolong life.Καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ Κυρίου δεηθήσονται, ἵνα εὐοδώσῃ αὐτοῖς ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ ἴασιν χάριν ἐμβιώσεως.

15He that sins before his Maker, let him fall into the hand of the physician.Ὁ ἁμαρτάνων ἔναντι τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτὸν, ἐμπέσοι εἰς χεῖρας ἰατροῦ.

16My son, let tears fall down over the dead, and begin to lament, as if you had suffered great harm yourself; and then cover his body according to the custom, and neglect not his burial.Τέκνον, ἐπὶ νεκρῷ κατάγαγε δάκρυα, καὶ ὡς δεινὰ πάσχων ἔναρξε θρήνου· κατὰ δὲ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτοῦ περίστειλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ὑπερίδῃς τὴν ταφὴν αὐτοῦ.

17Weep bitterly, and make great moan, and use lamentation, as he is worthy, and that a day or two, lest you be evil spoken of: and then comfort yourself for your heaviness.Πίκρανον κλαυθμὸν, καὶ θέρμανον κοπετὸν, καὶ ποίησον τὸ πένθος κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτοῦ ἡμέραν μίαν καὶ δύο χάριν διαβολῆς, καὶ παρακλήθητι λύπης ἕνεκα·

18For of heaviness comes death, and the heaviness of the heart breaks strength.ἀπὸ λύπης γὰρ ἐκβαίνει θάνατος, καὶ λύπη καρδίας κάμψει ἰσχύν.

19In affliction also sorrow remains: and the life of the poor is the curse of the heart.Ἐν ἀπαγωγῇ παραβαίνει καὶ λύπη, καὶ βίος πτωχοῦ κατὰ καρδίας.

20Take no heaviness to heart: drive it away, and member the last end.Μὴ δῷς εἰς λύπην τὴν καρδίαν σου, ἀπόστησον αὐτὴν μνησθεὶς τὰ ἔσχατα.

21Forget it not, for there is no turning again: you shall not do him good, but hurt yourself.Μὴ ἐπιλαθῇ, οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐπάνοδος, καὶ τοῦτον οὐκ ὠφελήσεις, καὶ σεαυτὸν κακώσεις.

22Remember my judgment: for your also shall be so; yesterday for me, and to day for you.Μνήσθητι τὸ κρίμα αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὕτω ὡς καὶ τὸ σόν· ἐμοὶ χθὲς, καὶ σοὶ σήμερον.

23When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest; and be comforted for him, when his Spirit is departed from him.Ἐν ἀναπαύσει νεκροῦ κατάπαυσον τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ παρακλήθητι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐν ἐξόδῳ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ.

24The wisdom of a learned man comes by opportunity of leisure: and he that has little business shall become wise.Σοφία γραμματέως ἐν εὐκαιρίᾳ σχολῆς, καὶ ὁ ἐλασσούμενος πράξει αὐτοῦ σοφισθήσεται.

25How can he get wisdom that holds the plow, and that glories in the goad, that drives oxen, and is occupied in their labors, and whose talk is of bullocks?Τί σοφισθήσεται ὁ κρατῶν ἀροτροῦ, καὶ καυχώμενος ἐν δόρατι κέντρου, βόας ἐλαύνων καὶ ἀναστρεφόμενος ἐν ἔργοις αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ διήγησις αὐτοῦ ἐν υἱοῖς ταυρῶν;

26He gives his mind to make furrows; and is diligent to give the kine fodder.Καρδίαν αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐκδοῦναι αὔλακας, καὶ ἡ ἀγρυπνία αὐτοῦ εἰς χορτάσματα δαμάλεων.

27So every carpenter and workmaster, that labores night and day: and they that cut and grave seals, and are diligent to make great variety, and give themselves to counterfeit imagery, and watch to finish a work:Οὕτως πᾶς τέκτων καὶ ἀρχιτέκτων, ὅστις νύκτωρ ὡς ἡμέρᾳ διάγει· οἱ γλύφοντες γλύμματα σφραγίδων, καὶ ἡ ὑπομονὴ αὐτοῦ ἀλλοιῶσαι ποικιλίαν· καρδίαν αὐτοῦ δώσει εἰς τὸ ὁμοιῶσαι ζωγραφίαν, καὶ ἡ ἀγρυπνία αὐτοῦ τελέσαι ἔργον.

28The smith also sitting by the anvil, and considering the iron work, the vapor of the fire wastes his flesh, and he fights with the heat of the furnace: the noise of the hammer and the anvil is ever in his ears, and his eyes look still upon the pattern of the thing that he makes; he sets his mind to finish his work, and watches to polish it perfectly:Οὕτως χαλκεὺς καθήμενος ἐγγὺς ἄκμονος, καὶ καταμανθάνων ἀργῷ σιδήρῳ· ἀτμὶς πυρὸς πήξει σάρκας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν θέρμῃ καμίνου διαμαχήσεται· φωνὴ σφύρης καινιεῖ τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατέναντι ὁμοιώματος σκεύους οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ· καρδίαν αὐτοῦ δώσει εἰς συντέλειαν ἔργων, καὶ ἡ ἀγρυπνία αὐτοῦ κοσμῆσαι ἐπὶ συντελείας.

29So does the potter sitting at his work, and turning the wheel about with his feet, who is always carefully set at his work, and makes all his work by number;Οὕτω κεραμεὺς καθήμενος ἐν ἔργῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ συστρέφων ἐν ποσὶν αὐτοῦ τροχὸν, ὃς ἐν μεριμνῃ κεῖται διαπαντὸς ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐναρίθμιος πᾶσα ἡ ἐργασία αὐτοῦ.

30He fashions the clay with his arm, and bows down his strength before his feet; he applies himself to lead it over; and he is diligent to make clean the furnace:Ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ τυπώσει πηλὸν, καὶ πρὸ ποδῶν κάμψει ἰσχὺν αὐτοῦ· καρδίαν ἐπιδώσει συντελέσαι τὸ χρίσμα, καὶ ἡ ἀγρυπνία αὐτοῦ καθαρίσαι κάμινον.

31All these trust to their hands: and every one is wise in his work.Πάντες οὗτοι εἰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐνεπίστευσαν, καὶ ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ αὐτοῦ σοφίζεται.

32Without these can’t a city be inhabited: and they shall not dwell where they will, nor go up and down:Ἄνευ αὐτῶν οὐκ οἰκισθήσεται πόλις, καὶ οὐ παροικήσουσιν, οὐδὲ περιπατήσουσι·

33They shall not be sought for in publick counsel, nor sit high in the congregation: they shall not sit on the judges' seat, nor understand the sentence of judgment: they can’t declare justice and judgment; and they shall not be found where parables are spoken.καὶ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ οὐχ ὑπεραλοῦνται· ἐπὶ δίφρον δικαστοῦ οὐ καθιοῦνται, καὶ διαθήκην κρίματος οὐ διανοηθήσονται, οὐδὲ μὴ ἐκφανῶσι δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα· καὶ ἐν παραβολαῖς οὐχ εὑρεθήσονται.

34But they will maintain the state of the world, and all their desire is in the work of their craft.Ἀλλὰ κτίσμα αἰῶνος στηρίσουσι· καὶ ἡ δέησις αὐτῶν ἐν ἐργασίᾳ τέχνης. Πλὴν τοῦ ἐπιδόντος τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ διανοουμένου ἐν νόμῳ ὑψίστου,

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