Sirach 51

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Sirach 51

1I will thank you, O Lord and King, and praise you, O God my Saviour: I do give praise to your name:Ἐξομολογήσομαι σοι Κύριε βασιλεῦ, καὶ αἰνέσω σε Θεὸν τὸν σωτῆρά μου· ἐξομολογοῦμαι τῷ ὀνόματί σου,

2For you are my defender and helper, and has preserved my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lips that forge lies, and has been my helper against my adversaries:ὅτι σκεπαστὴς καὶ βοηθὸς ἐγένου μοι, καὶ ἐλυτρώσω τὸ σῶμά μου ἐξ ἀπωλείας, καὶ ἐκ παγίδος διαβολῆς γλώσσης· ἀπὸ χειλέων ἐργαζομένων ψεῦδος, καὶ ἔναντι τῶν παρεστηκότων ἐγένου μοι βοηθὸς,

3And have delivered me, according to the multitude of your mercies and greatness of your name, from the teeth of them that were ready to devour me, and out of the hands of such as sought after my life, and from the manifold afflictions which I had;καὶ ἐλυτρώσω με, κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος ἐλέους καὶ ὀνόματός σου, ἐκ βρυγμῶν ἑτοίμων εἰς βρῶμα, ἐκ χειρὸς ζητούντων τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἐκ πλειόνων θλίψεων ὧν ἔσχον,

4From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;ἀπὸ πνιγμοῦ πυρὸς κυκλόθεν, καὶ ἐκ μέσου πυρὸς οὗ οὐκ ἐξέκαυσα,

5From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words.ἐκ βάθους κοιλίας ᾅδου, καὶ ἀπὸ γλώσσης ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ λόγου ψευδοῦς.

6By an accusation to the king from an unrighteous tongue my soul drew near even to death, my life was near to the hell beneath.Βασιλεῖ διαβολὴ γλώσσης ἀδίκου· ᾔγγισεν ἕως θανάτου ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ ἡ ζωή μου ἦν σύνεγγυς ᾅδου κάτω.

7They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none.Περιέσχον με πάντοθεν, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ βοηθῶν· ἐμβλέπων εἰς ἀντίληψιν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ οὐκ ἦν.

8Then thought I upon your mercy, O Lord, and upon your acts of old, how you deliver such as wait for you, and save them out of the hands of the enemies.Καὶ ἐμνήσθην τοῦ ἐλέους σου Κύριε, καὶ τῆς ἐργασίας σου τῆς ἀπʼ αἰῶνος· ὅτι ἐξελῇ τοὺς ὑπομένοντάς σε, καὶ σώζεις αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς ἐθνῶν.

9Then lifted I up my supplications from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.Καὶ ἀνύψωσα ἐπὶ γῆς ἱκετείαν μου, καὶ ὑπὲρ θανάτου ῥύσεως ἐδεήθην.

10I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the days of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, when there was no help.Ἐπεκαλεσάμην Κύριον πατέρα Κυρίου μου, μή με ἐγκαταλιπεῖν ἐν ἡμέραις θλίψεως, ἐν καιρῷ ὑπερηφάνων ἀβοηθησίας.

11I will praise your name continually, and will sing praises with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:Αἰνέσω τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐνδελεχῶς, καὶ ὑμνήσω ἐν ἐξομολογήσει· καὶ εἰσηκούσθη ἡ δέησίς μου.

12For you saved me from destruction, and delivered me from the evil time: therefore will I give thanks, and praise you, and bless they name, O Lord.Ἔσωσας γάρ με ἐξ ἀπωλείας, καὶ ἐξείλου με ἐκ καιροῦ πονηροῦ· διὰ τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαι καὶ αἰνέσω σοι, καὶ εὐλογήσω τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου·

13When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.Ἔτι ὢν νεώτερος, πρινὴ πλανηθῆναί με, ἐζήτησα σοφίαν προφανῶς ἐν προσευχῇ μου.

14I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.Ἔναντι ναοῦ ἠξίουν περὶ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτων ἐκζητήσω αὐτὴν,

15Even from the flower till the grape was ripe has my heart delighted in her: my foot went the right way, from my youth up sought I after her.ἐξ ἄνθους ὡς περκαζούσης σταφυλῆς· εὐφράνθη ἡ καρδία μου ἐν αὐτῇ, ἐπέβη ὁ πούς μου ἐν εὐθύτητι, ἐκ νεότητός μου ἴχνευσα αὐτήν.

16I bowed down my ear a little, and received her, and got much learning.Ἔκλινα ὀλίγον τὸ οὖς μου, καὶ ἐδεξάμην, καὶ πολλὴν εὗρον ἐμαυτῷ παιδείαν.

17I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe glory to him that gives me wisdom.Προκοπὴ ἐγένετό μοι ἐν αὐτῇ· τῷ διδόντι μοι σοφίαν, δώσω δόξαν.

18For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.Διενοήθην γὰρ τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐζήλωσα τὸ ἀγαθὸν, καὶ οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ.

19My soul has wrestled with her, and in my doings I was exact: I stretched forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.Διαμεμάχηται ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ ἐν ποιήσει λιμοῦ διηκριβωσάμην· τὰς χεῖράς μου ἐξεπέτασα πρός ὕψος, καὶ τὰ ἀγνοήματα αὐτῆς ἐπένθησα,

20I directed my soul to her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be forsaken.τὴν ψυχήν μου κατεύθυνα εἰς αὐτὴν, καρδίαν ἐκτησάμην μετʼ αὐτῶν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐν καθαρισμῷ εὗρον αὐτήν· διὰ τοῦτο οὐ μὴ ἐγκαταλειφθῶ.

21My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good possession.Καὶ ἡ κοιλία μου ἐταράχθη ἐκζητῆσαι αὐτήν· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκτησάμην ἀγαθὸν κτῆμα.

22The Lord has given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith.Ἔδωκε Κύριος γλῶσσάν μοι μισθόν μου, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ αἰνέσω αὐτόν.

23Draw near to me, you unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.Ἐγγίσατε πρὸς μὲ ἀπαίδευτοι, καὶ αὐλίσθητε ἐν οἴκῳ παιδείας.

24Therefore are you slow, and what say you to these things, seeing your souls are very thirsty?Διότι ὑστερεῖτε ἐν τούτοις, καὶ αἱ ψυχαὶ ὑμῶν διψῶσι σφόδρα;

25I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.Ἤνοιξα τὸ στὸμα μου, καὶ ἐλάλησα, κτήσασθε ἑαυτοῖς ἄνευ ἀργυριου.

26Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: she is hard at hand to find.Τὸν τράχηλον ὑμῶν ὑπόθετε ὑπὸ ζυγὸν, καὶ ἐπιδεξάσθω ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν παιδείαν, ἐγγύς ἐστιν εὑρεῖν αὐτήν.

27Behold with your eyes, how that I have but little labor, and have gotten to me much rest.Ἴδετε ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν ὅτι ὀλίγον ἐκοπίασα, καὶ εὗρον ἐμαυτῷ πολλὴν ἀνάπαυσιν.

28Get learning with a great sum of money, and get much gold by her.Μετάσχετε παιδείας ἐν πολλῷ ἀριθμῷ ἀργυρίου, καὶ πολὺν χρυσὸν κτήσασθε ἐν αὐτῇ.

29Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his praise.Εὐφρανθείη ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν ἐν τῷ ἐλέει αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθείητε ἐν αἰνέσει αὐτοῦ.

30Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward.Ἐργάζεσθε τὸ ἔργον ὑμῶν πρὸ καιροῦ, καὶ δώσει τὸν μισθὸν ὑμῶν ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ.