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Sirach 42

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Sirach chapter 42 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 42

1Or of iterating and speaking again that which you have heard; and of revealing of secrets. So shall you be truly shamefaced and find favor before all men. Of these things be not you ashamed, and accept no person to sin thereby:μὴ περὶ τούτων αἰσχυνθῇς, καὶ μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν·

2Of the law of the most High, and his covenant; and of judgment to justify the ungodly;περὶ νόμου ὑψίστου καὶ διαθήκης, καὶ περὶ κρίματος δικαιῶσαι τὸν ἀσεβῆ·

3Of reckoning with your partners and travellers; or of the gift of the heritage of friends;περὶ λόγου κοινωνοῦ καὶ ὁδοιπόρων, καὶ περὶ δόσεως κληρονομίας ἑταίρων·

4Of exactness of balance and weights; or of getting much or little;περὶ ἀκριβείας ζυγοῦ καὶ σταθμιῶν, περὶ κτήσεως πολλῶν καὶ ὀλίγων·

5And of merchants' indifferent selling; of much correction of children; and to make the side of an evil servant to bleed.περὶ ἀδιαφόρου πράσεως, καὶ ἐμπόρων, καὶ περὶ παιδείας τέκνων πολλῆς, καὶ οἰκέτῃ πονηρῷ πλευρὰν αἱμάξαι.

6Sure keeping is good, where an evil wife is; and shut up, where many hands are.Ἐπὶ γυναικὶ πονηρᾷ καλὸν σφραγίς· καὶ ὅπου χεῖρες πολλαὶ, κλεῖσον.

7Deliver all things in number and weight; and put all in writing that you give out, or receive in.Ὃ ἐὰν παραδίδως, ἐν ἀριθμῷ καὶ σταθμῷ, καὶ δόσις καὶ λῆψις παντὶ ἐν γραφῇ.

8Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the extreme aged that contends with those that are young: thus shall you be truly learned, and approved of all men living.Περὶ παιδείας ἀνοήτου καὶ μωροῦ καὶ ἐσχατογήρου κρινομένου πρὸς νέους, καὶ ἔσῃ πεπαιδευμένος ἀληθινῶς, καὶ δεδοκιμασμένος ἔναντι παντὸς ζῶντος.

9A daughter is a wakeful care to a father; and the care for her takes away sleep: when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age; and being married, lest she should be hated:Θυγάτηρ πατρὶ ἀπόκρυφος ἀγρυπνία, καὶ ἡ μέριμνα αὐτῆς ἀφιστᾷ ὕπνον· ἐν νεότητι αὐτῆς μήποτε παρακμάσῃ, καὶ συνῳκηκυῖα μήποτε μισηθῇ.

10In her virginity, lest she should be defiled and gotten with child in her father's house; and having an husband, lest she should misbehave herself; and when she is married, lest she should be barren.Ἐν παρθενίᾳ μήποτε βεβηλωθῇ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς πατρικοῖς αὐτῆς ἔγκυος γένηται· μετὰ ἀνδρὸς οὖσα μήποτε παραβῇ, καὶ συνῳκηκυῖα μήποτε στειρώσῃ.

11Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter, lest she make you a laughing stock to your enemies, and a byword in the city, and a reproach among the people, and make you ashamed before the multitude.Ἐπὶ θυγατρὶ ἀδιατρέπτῳ στερέωσον φυλακὴν, μήποτε ποιήσῃ σε ἐπίχαρμα ἐχθροῖς, λαλιὰν ἐν πόλει, καὶ ἔκκλητον λαοῦ, καὶ καταισχύνῇ σε ἐν πλήθει πολλῶν.

12Behold not every body's beauty, and sit not in the midst of women.Παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ μὴ ἔμβλεπε ἐν κάλλει, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ γυναικῶν μὴ συνέδρευε·

13For from garments comes a moth, and from women wickedness.ἀπὸ γὰρ ἱματίων ἐκπορεύεται σὴς, καὶ ἀπὸ γυναικὸς πονηρία γυναικός.

14Better is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which brings shame and reproach.Κρείσσων πονηρία ἀνδρὸς ἢ ἀγαθοποιὸς γυνὴ, καὶ γυνὴ καταισχύνουσα εἰς ὀνειδισμόν.

15I will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works.Μνησθήσομαι δὴ τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου, καὶ ἃ ἑώρακα ἐκδιηγήσομαι· ἐν λόγοις Κυρίου τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.

16The sun that gives light looks upon all things, and the work thereof is full of the glory of the Lord.Ἥλιος φωτίζων κατὰ πᾶν ἐπέβλεψε, καὶ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ πλῆρες τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ.

17The Lord has not given power to the saints to declare all his marvelous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that whatever is might be established for his glory.Οὐκ ἐνεποίησε τοῖς ἁγίοις Κύριος ἐκδιηγήσασθαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ, ἃ ἐστερέωσε Κύριος ὁ παντοκράτωρ, στηριχθῆναι ἐν δόξῃ αὐτοῦ τὸ πᾶν.

18He seeks out the deep, and the heart, and considers their crafty devices: for the Lord knows all that may be known, and he sees the signs of the world.Ἄβυσσον καὶ καρδίαν ἐξίχνευσε, καὶ ἐν πανουργεύμασιν αὐτῶν διενοήθη· ἔγνω γὰρ ὁ Κύριος πᾶσαν εἴδησιν, καὶ ἐνέβλεψεν εἰς σημεῖον αἰῶνος·

19He declares the things that are past, and for to come, and reveals the steps of hidden things.ἀπαγγέλλων τὰ παρεληλυθότα καὶ ἐπεσόμενα, καὶ ἀποκαλύπτων ἴχνη ἀποκρύφων.

20No thought escapes him, neither any word is hidden from him.Οὐ παρῆλθεν αὐτὸν πᾶν διανόημα, οὐκ ἐκρύβη ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ εἷς λόγος.

21He has garnished the excellent works of his wisdom, and he is from everlasting to everlasting: to him may nothing be added, neither can he be diminished, and he has no need of any counsellor.Τὰ μεγαλεῖα τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ ἐκόσμησε, καὶ ἕως ἐστὶ πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, οὔτε προσετέθη οὔτε ἠλαττώθη, καὶ οὐδὲ προσεδεήθη οὐδενὸς συμβούλου.

22Oh how desirable are all his works! and that a man may see even to a spark.Ὡς πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐπιθυμητὰ, καὶ ὡς σπινθῆρός ἐστι θεωρῆσαι.

23All these things live and remain for ever for all uses, and they are all obedient.Πάντα ταῦτα ζῇ καὶ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐν πάσαις χρείαις, καὶ πάντα ὑπακούει.

24All things are double one against another: and he has made nothing imperfect.Πάντα δισσὰ ἓν κατέναντι τοῦ ἑνὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησεν οὐδὲν ἐκλεῖπον.

25One thing establishes the good or another: and who shall be filled with beholding his glory?Ἓν τοῦ ἑνὸς ἐστερέωσε τὰ ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τίς πλησθήσεται ὁρῶν δόξαν αὐτοῦ;

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