Wisdom 6
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Wisdom chapter 6 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.
Wisdom 6
1Hear therefore, O you kings, and understand; learn, you that be judges of the ends of the earth.Ἀκούσατε οὖν βασιλεῖς καὶ σύνετε, μάθετε δικασταὶ περάτων γῆς.
2Give ear, you that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.Ἐνωτίσασθε οἱ κρατοῦντες πλήθους, καὶ γεγαυρομένοι ἐπὶ ὄχλοις ἐθνῶν.
3For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.Ὅτι ἐδόθη παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ κράτησις ὑμῖν, καὶ ἡ δυναστεία παρὰ ὑψίστου, ὃς ἐξετάσει ὑμῶν τὰ ἔργα, καὶ τὰς βουλὰς διερευνήσει.
4Because, being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counsel of God;Ὅτι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας οὐκ ἐκρίνατε ὀρθῶς, οὐδὲ ἐφυλάξατε νόμον, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπορεύθητε·
5Horribly and speedily shall he come upon you: for a sharp judgment shall be to them that be in high places.φρικτῶς καὶ ταχέως ἐπιστήσεται ὑμῖν, ὅτι κρίσις ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ὑπερέχουσιν γίνεται.
6For mercy will soon pardon the meanest: but mighty men shall be mightily tormented.Ὁ γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγνωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους, δυνατοὶ δὲ δυνατῶς ἐτασθήσονται·
7For he which is Lord over all shall fear no man's person, neither shall he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he has made the small and great, and careth for all alike.οὐ γὰρ ὑποστελεῖται πρόσωπον ὁ πάντων δεσπότης, οὐδὲ ἐντραπήσεται μέγεθος· ὅτι μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν, ὁμοίως τε προνοεῖ περὶ πάντων.
8But a sore trial shall come upon the mighty.Τοῖς δὲ κραταιοῖς ἰσχυρὰ ἐφίσταται ἔρευνα.
9To you therefore, O kings, do I speak, that you may learn wisdom, and not fall away.Πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὖν ὦ τύραννοι οἱ λόγοι μου, ἵνα μάθητε σοφίαν καὶ μὴ παραπέσητε.
10For they that keep holiness holily shall be judged holy: and they that have learned such things shall find what to answer.Οἱ γὰρ φυλάξαντες ὁσίως τὰ ὅσια ὁσιωθήσονται, καὶ οἱ διδαχθέντες αὐτὰ εὑρήσουσιν ἀπολογίαν.
11Therefore set your affection upon my words; desire them, and you shall be instructed.Ἐπιθυμήσατε οὖν τῶν λόγων μου, ποθήσατε καὶ παιδευθήσεσθε.
12Wisdom is glorious, and never fades away: yes, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her.Λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀμάραντός ἐστιν ἡ σοφία, καὶ εὐχερῶς θεωρεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαπώντων αὐτήν, καὶ εὑρίσκεται ὑπὸ τῶν ζητούντων αὐτήν.
13She prevents them that desire her, in making herself first known to them.Φθάνει τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας προγνωσθῆναι.
14Whoso seeks her early shall have no great travail: for he shall find her sitting at his doors.Ὁ ὀρθρίσας ἐπʼ αὐτὴν οὐ κοπιάσει, πάρεδρον γὰρ εὑρήσει τῶν πυλῶν αὐτοῦ.
15To think therefore upon her is perfection of wisdom: and whoso watches for her shall quickly be without care.Τὸ γὰρ ἐνθυμηθῆναι περὶ αὐτῆς φρονήσεως τελειότης, καὶ ὁ ἀγρυπνήσας διʼ αὐτὴν ταχέως ἀμέριμνος ἔσται.
16For she goes about seeking such as are worthy of her, shows herself favourably to them in the ways, and meets them in every thought.Ὅτι τοὺς ἀξίους αὐτῆς αὕτη περιέρχεται ζητοῦσα, καὶ ἐν ταῖς τρίβοις φαντάζεται αὐτοῖς εὐμενῶς, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἐπινοίᾳ ὑπαντᾷ αὐτοῖς.
17For the very true beginning of her is the desire of discipline; and the care of discipline is love;Ἀρχὴ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἡ ἀληθεστάτη παιδείας ἐπιθυμία, φροντὶς δὲ παιδείας ἀγάπη,
18And love is the keeping of her laws; and the giving heed to her laws is the assurance of incorruption;ἀγάπη δὲ τήρησις νόμων αὐτῆς, προσοχὴ δὲ νόμων βεβαίωσις ἀφθαρσίας,
19And incorruption makes us near to God:ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ Θεοῦ.
20Therefore the desire of wisdom brings to a kingdom.Ἐπιθυμία ἄρα σοφίας ἀνάγει ἐπὶ βασιλείαν.
21If your delight be then in thrones and sceptres, O you kings of the people, honor wisdom, that you may reign for evermore.Εἰ οὖν ἥδεσθε ἐπὶ θρόνοις καὶ σκήπτροις τύραννοι λαῶν, τιμήσατε σοφίαν, ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε·
22As for wisdom, what she is, and how she came up, I will tell you, and will not hide mysteries from you: but will seek her out from the beginning of her nativity, and bring the knowledge of her into light, and will not pass over the truth.Τί δέ ἐστι σοφία καὶ πῶς ἐγένετο, ἀπαγγελῶ, καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψω ὑμῖν μυστήρια, ἀλλʼ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς γενέσεως ἐξιχνιάσω, καὶ θήσω εἰς τὸ ἐμφανὲς τὴν γνῶσιν αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐ μὴ παροδεύσω τὴν ἀλήθειαν·
23Neither will I go with consuming envy; for such a man shall have no fellowship with wisdom.οὔτε μὴν φθόνῳ τετηκότι συνοδεύσω, ὅτι οὗτος οὐ κοινωνήσει σοφίᾳ.
24But the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people.Πλῆθος δὲ σοφῶν σωτηρία κόσμου, καὶ βασιλεὺς φρόνιμος εὐστάθεια δήμου.
25Receive therefore instruction through my words, and it shall do you good.Ὥστε παιδεύεσθε τοῖς ῥήμασί μου, καὶ ὠφεληθήσεσθε.
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