The Orthodox Pages

email: pater@christopherklitou.com

 

THE OLD TESTAMENT

SEPTUAGINT

GREEK / ENGLISH

WISDOM OF THE SON OF SIRACH

(ECCLESIASTICUS) CHAPTERS 21-30

Homepage

  Back                                                        

 

   

  

 

  

ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ
   

21

ΤΕΚΝΟΝ, ἥμαρτες, μὴ προσθῇς μηκέτι καὶ περὶ τῶν προτέρων σου δεήθητι.

2 ὡς ἀπὸ προσώπου ὄφεως φεῦγε ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας, ἐὰν γὰρ προσέλθῃς, δήξεταί σε· ὀδόντες λέοντος οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτῆς ἀναιροῦντες ψυχὰς ἀνθρώπων.

 

3 ὡς ρομφαία δίστομος πᾶσα ἀνομία, τῇ πληγῇ αὐτῆς οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις.

4 καταπληγμὸς καὶ ὕβρις ἐρημώσουσι πλοῦτον· οὕτως οἶκος ὑπερηφάνου ἐρημωθήσεται.

5 δέησις πτωχοῦ ἐκ στόματος ἕως ὠτίων αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ κρίμα αὐτοῦ κατὰ σπουδὴν ἔρχεται.

6 μισῶν ἐλεγμὸν ἐν ἴχνει ἁμαρτωλοῦ, καὶ ὁ φοβούμενος Κύριον ἐπιστρέψει ἐν καρδίᾳ.

 

7 γνωστὸς μακρόθεν ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν γλώσσῃ, ὁ δὲ νοήμων οἶδεν ἐν τῷ ὀλισθαίνειν αὐτόν.

8 ὁ οἰκοδομῶν τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν χρήμασιν ἀλλοτρίοις, ὡς ὁ συνάγων αὐτοῦ τοὺς λίθους εἰς χειμῶνα.

9 στυππεῖον συνηγμένον συναγωγὴ ἀνόμων, καὶ ἡ συντέλεια αὐτῶν φλὸξ πυρός.

10 ὁδὸς ἁμαρτωλῶν ὡμαλισμένη ἐκ λίθων, καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτῳ αὐτῆς βόθρος ᾅδου.

11 ῾Ο φυλάσσων νόμον κατακρατεῖ τοῦ ἐννοήματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ συντέλεια τοῦ φόβου Κυρίου σοφία.

12 οὐ παιδευθήσεται ὃς οὐκ ἔστι πανοῦργος· ἔστι πανουργία πληθύνουσα πικρίαν.

13 γνῶσις σοφοῦ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς πληθυνθήσεται καὶ ἡ βουλὴ αὐτοῦ ὡς πηγὴ ζωῆς.

14 ἔγκατα μωροῦ ὡς ἀγγεῖον συντετριμμένον καὶ πᾶσαν γνῶσιν οὐ κρατήσει.

15 λόγον σοφὸν ἐὰν ἀκούσῃ ἐπιστήμων, αἰνέσει αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν προσθήσει· ἤκουσεν ὁ σπαταλῶν καὶ ἀπήρεσεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν αὐτὸν ὀπίσω τοῦ νώτου αὐτοῦ.

16 ἐξήγησις μωροῦ ὡς ἐν ὁδῷ φορτίον, ἐπὶ δὲ χείλους συνετοῦ εὑρεθήσεται χάρις.

17 στόμα φρονίμου ζητηθήσεται ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσονται ἐν καρδίᾳ.

 

18 ὡς οἶκος ἠφανισμένος οὕτως μωρῷ σοφία, καὶ γνῶσις ἀσυνέτου ἀδιεξέταστοι λόγοι.

 

19 πέδαι ἐν ποσὶν ἀνοήτοις παιδεία καὶ ὡς χειροπέδαι ἐπὶ χειρὸς δεξιᾶς.

20 μωρὸς ἐν γέλωτι ἀνυψοῖ φωνὴν αὐτοῦ, ἀνὴρ δὲ πανοῦργος μόλις ἡσυχῇ μειδιάσει.

21 ὡς κόσμος χρυσοῦ φρονίμῳ παιδεία καὶ ὡς χλιδὼν ἐπὶ βραχίονι δεξιῷ.

22 ποὺς μωροῦ ταχὺς εἰς οἰκίαν, ἄνθρωπος δὲ πολύπειρος αἰσχυνθήσεται ἀπὸ προσώπου.

23 ἄφρων ἀπὸ θύρας παρακύπτει εἰς οἰκίαν, ἀνὴρ δὲ πεπαιδευμένος ἔξω στήσεται.

24 ἀπαιδευσία ἀνθρώπου ἀκροᾶσθαι παρὰ θύραν, ὁ δὲ φρόνιμος βαρυνθήσεται ἀτιμίᾳ.

25 χείλη ἀλλοτρίων ἐν τούτοις βαρυνθήσεται, λόγοι δὲ φρονίμων ἐν ζυγῷ σταθήσονται.

 

26 ἐν στόματι μωρῶν ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν, καρδία δὲ σοφῶν στόμα αὐτῶν.

27 ἐν τῷ καταρᾶσθαι ἀσεβῆ τὸν σατανᾶν αὐτὸς καταρᾶται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν.

28 μολύνει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ὁ ψιθυρίζων καὶ ἐν παροικήσει μισηθήσεται.


22

ΛΙΘῼ ἠρδαλωμένῳ συνεβλήθη ὀκνηρός, καὶ πᾶς ἐκσυριεῖ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀτιμίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

2 βολβίτῳ κοπρίων συνεβλήθη ὀκνηρός, πᾶς ὁ ἀναιρούμενος αὐτὸν ἐκτινάξει χεῖρα.

 

3 αἰσχύνη πατρὸς ἐν γεννήσει ἀπαιδεύτου, θυγάτηρ δὲ ἐπ᾿ ἐλαττώσει γίνεται.

 

4 θυγάτηρ φρονίμη κληρονομήσει ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, καὶ ἡ καταισχύνουσα εἰς λύπην γεννήσαντος·

 

5 πατέρα καὶ ἄνδρα καταισχύνει ἡ θρασεῖα καὶ ὑπὸ ἀμφοτέρων ἀτιμασθήσεται.

6 Μουσικὰ ἐν πένθει ἄκαιρος διήγησις, μάστιγες δὲ καὶ παιδεία ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ σοφίας.

7 συγκολλῶν ὄστρακον ὁ διδάσκων μωρόν, ἐξεγείρων καθεύδοντα ἐκ βαθέως ὕπνου.

 

8 διηγούμενος νυστάζοντι ὁ διηγούμενος μωρῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ ἐρεῖ, τί ἐστιν;

 

11 ἐπὶ νεκρῷ κλαῦσον, ἐξέλιπε γὰρ φῶς, καὶ ἐπὶ μωρῷ κλαῦσον, ἐξέλιπε γὰρ σύνεσις. ἥδιον κλαῦσον ἐπὶ νεκρῷ, ὅτι ἀνεπαύσατο, τοῦ δὲ μωροῦ ὑπὲρ θάνατον ἡ ζωὴ πονηρά.

12 πένθος νεκροῦ ἑπτὰ ἡμέραι, μωροῦ δὲ καὶ ἀσεβοῦς πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ.

 

13 μετὰ ἄφρονος μὴ πληθύνῃς λόγον, καὶ πρὸς ἀσύνετον μὴ πορεύου· φύλαξαι ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ κόπον ἔχῃς, καὶ οὐ μὴ μολυνθῇς ἐν τῷ ἐντιναγμῷ αὐτοῦ· ἔκκλινον ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ εὑρήσεις ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀκηδιάσῃς ἐν τῇ ἀπονοίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

14 ὑπὲρ μόλυβδον τί βαρυνθήσεται; καὶ τί αὐτῷ ὄνομα ἀλλ᾿ ἢ μωρός;

15 ἄμμον καὶ ἅλα καὶ βῶλον σιδήρου εὔκοπον ὑπενεγκεῖν ἢ ἄνθρωπον ἀσύνετον.

16 ῾Ιμάντωσις ξυλίνη ἐνδεδεμένη εἰς οἰκοδομὴν ἐν συσσεισμῷ οὐ διαλυθήσεται· οὕτως καρδία ἐστηριγμένη ἐπὶ διανοήματος βουλῆς ἐν καιρῷ οὐ δειλιάσει.

17 καρδία ἡδρασμένη ἐπὶ διανοίας συνέσεως ὡς κόσμος ψαμμωτὸς τοίχου ξυστοῦ.

18 χάρακες ἐπὶ μετεώρου κείμενοι κατέναντι ἀνέμου οὐ μὴ ὑπομείνωσιν· οὕτως καρδία δειλὴ ἐπὶ διανοήματος μωροῦ κατέναντι παντὸς φόβου οὐ μὴ ὑπομείνῃ.

19 ῾Ο νύσσων ὀφθαλμὸν κατάξει δάκρυα, καὶ ὁ νύσσων καρδίαν ἐκφαίνει αἴσθησιν.

20 βάλλων λίθον ἐπὶ πετεινὰ ἀποσοβεῖ αὐτά, καὶ ὁ ὀνειδίζων φίλον διαλύσει φιλίαν.

 

21 ἐπὶ φίλον ἐὰν σπάσῃς ρομφαίαν, μὴ ἀπελπίσῃς, ἔστι γὰρ ἐπάνοδος·

22 ἐπὶ φίλον ἐὰν ἀνοίξῃς στόμα, μὴ εὐλαβηθῇς, ἔστι γὰρ διαλλαγή· πλὴν ὀνειδισμοῦ καὶ ὑπερηφανίας καὶ μυστηρίου ἀποκαλύψεως καὶ πληγῆς δολίας, ἐν τούτοις ἀποφεύξεται πᾶς φίλος.

23 πίστιν κτῆσαι ἐν πτωχείᾳ μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον, ἵνα ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς αὐτοῦ ὁμοῦ πλησθῇς· ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως διάμενε αὐτῷ, ἵνα ἐν τῇ κληρονομίᾳ αὐτοῦ συγκληρονομήσῃς.

24 πρὸ πυρὸς ἀτμὶς καμίνου καὶ καπνός· οὕτως πρὸ αἱμάτων λοιδορίαι.

25 φίλον σκεπάσαι οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσομαι καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ κρυβῶ.

26 καὶ εἰ κακά μοι συμβῇ δι᾿ αὐτόν, πᾶς ὁ ἀκούων φυλάξεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

27 Τίς δώσει μοι ἐπὶ στόμα μου φυλακὴν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χειλέων μου σφραγίδα πανοῦργον, ἵνα μὴ πέσω ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς καὶ ἡ γλῶσσά μου ἀπολέσῃ με;


23

ΚΥΡΙΕ, πάτερ καὶ δέσποτα ζωῆς μου, μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με ἐν βουλῇ αὐτῶν, μὴ ἀφῇς με πεσεῖν ἐν αὐτοῖς.

2 τίς ἐπιστήσει ἐπὶ τοῦ διανοήματός μου μάστιγας καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς καρδίας μου παιδείαν σοφίας, ἵνα ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγνοήμασί μου μὴ φείσωνται καὶ οὐ μὴ παρῇ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὐτῶν,

3 ὅπως μὴ πληθύνωσιν αἱ ἄγνοιαί μου καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι μου πλεονάσωσι καὶ πεσοῦμαι ἔναντι τῶν ὑπεναντίων καὶ ἐπιχαρεῖταί μοι ὁ ἐχθρός μου;

4 Κύριε, πάτερ καὶ Θεὲ ζωῆς μου, μετεωρισμὸν ὀφθαλμῶν μὴ δῷς μοι

5 καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν ἀπόστρεψον ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ·

6 κοιλίας ὄρεξις καὶ συνουσιασμὸς μὴ καταλαβέτωσάν με, καὶ ψυχῇ ἀναιδεῖ μὴ παραδῷς με.

ΠΑΙΔΕΙΑ ΣΤΟΜΑΤΟΣ.

7 Παιδείαν στόματος ἀκούσατε, τέκνα, καὶ ὁ φυλάσσων οὐ μὴ ἁλῷ.

8 ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ καταληφθήσεται ἁμαρτωλός, καὶ λοίδορος καὶ ὑπερήφανος σκανδαλισθήσονται ἐν αὐτοῖς.

9 ὅρκῳ μὴ ἐθίσῃς τὸ στόμα σου καὶ ὀνομασίᾳ τοῦ ἁγίου μὴ συνεθισθῇς·

10 ὥσπερ γὰρ οἰκέτης ἐξεταζόμενος ἐνδελεχῶς ἀπὸ μώλωπος οὐκ ἐλαττωθήσεται, οὕτως καὶ ὁ ὀμνύων καὶ ὀνομάζων διαπαντὸς ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας οὐ μὴ καθαρισθῇ.

11 ἀνὴρ πολύορκος πλησθήσεται ἀνομίας, καὶ οὐκ ἀποστήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ μάστιξ· ἐὰν πλημμελήσῃ, ἁμαρτία αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ, κἂν ὑπερίδῃ, ἥμαρτε δισσῶς· καὶ εἰ διακενῆς ὤμοσεν, οὐ δικαιωθήσεται, πλησθήσεται γὰρ ἐπαγωγῶν ὁ οἶκος αὐτοῦ. 

12 ῎Εστι λέξις ἀντιπεριβεβλημένη θανάτῳ, μὴ εὑρεθήτω ἐν κληρονομίᾳ ᾿Ιακώβ· ἀπὸ γὰρ εὐσεβῶν ταῦτα πάντα ἀποστήσεται, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις οὐκ ἐγκυλισθήσονται.

13 ἀπαιδευσίαν ἀσυρῆ μὴ συνεθίσῃς τὸ στόμα σου, ἔστι γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ λόγος ἁμαρτίας.

14 μνήσθητι πατρὸς καὶ μητρός σου, ἀνὰ μέσον γὰρ μεγιστάνων συνεδρεύεις· μήποτ᾿ ἐπιλάθῃ ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν καὶ τῷ ἐθισμῷ σου μωρανθῇς καὶ θελήσεις εἰ μὴ ἐγεννήθης καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ τοκετοῦ σου καταράσῃ.

15 ἄνθρωπος συνεθιζόμενος λόγοις ὀνειδισμοῦ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ παιδευθῇ.

16 Δύο εἴδη πληθύνουσιν ἁμαρτίας, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐπάξει ὀργήν·

17 ψυχὴ θερμὴ ὡς πῦρ καιόμενον, οὐ μὴ σβεσθῇ ἕως ἂν καταποθῇ· ἄνθρωπος πόρνος ἐν σώματι σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ παύσηται ἕως ἂν ἐκκαύσῃ πῦρ· ἀνθρώπω πόρνῳ πᾶς ἄρτος ἡδύς, οὐ μὴ κοπάσῃ ἕως ἂν τελευτήσῃ.

 

18 ἄνθρωπος παραβαίνων ἀπὸ τῆς κλίνης αὐτοῦ, λέγων ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ· τίς με ὁρᾷ; σκότος κύκλῳ μου, καὶ οἱ τοῖχοί με καλύπτουσι, καὶ οὐθείς με ὁρᾷ· τί εὐλαβοῦμαι; τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου οὐ μὴ μνησθήσεται ὁ ῞Υψιστος.

19 καὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἀνθρώπων ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω ὅτι ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου μυριοπλασίως ἡλίου φωτεινότεροι, ἐπιβλέποντες πάσας ὁδοὺς ἀνθρώπων καὶ κατανοοῦντες εἰς ἀπόκρυφα μέρη.

 

20 πρὶν ἢ κτισθῆναι τὰ πάντα, ἔγνωσται αὐτῷ, οὕτως καὶ μετὰ τὸ συντελεσθῆναι.

21 οὗτος ἐν πλατείαις πόλεως ἐκδικηθήσεται, καὶ οὗ οὐχ ὑπενόησεν πιασθήσεται.

22 Οὕτως καὶ γυνὴ καταλιποῦσα τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ παριστῶσα κληρονόμον ἐξ ἀλλοτρίου·

23 πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἐν νόμῳ ῾Υψίστου ἠπείθησε, καὶ δεύτερον εἰς ἄνδρα ἑαυτῆς ἐπλημμέλησε, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐν πορνείᾳ ἐμοιχεύθη, ἐξ ἀλλοτρίου ἀνδρὸς τέκνα παρέστησεν.

24 αὕτη εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἐξαχθήσεται, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἐπισκοπὴ ἔσται.

25 οὐ διαδώσουσι τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς εἰς ρίζαν, καὶ οἱ κλάδοι αὐτῆς οὐ δώσουσι καρπόν.

26 καταλείψει εἰς κατάραν τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ ὄνειδος αὐτῆς οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται.

27 καὶ ἐπιγνώσονται οἱ καταλειφθέντες ὅτι οὐθὲν κρεῖττον φόβου Κυρίου καὶ οὐθὲν γλυκύτερον τοῦ προσέχειν ἐντολαῖς Κυρίου.

 

 
24

ΑΙΝΕΣΙΣ ΣΟΦΙΑΣ.

῾Η σοφία αἰνέσει ψυχὴν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐν μέσῳ λαοῦ αὐτῆς καυχήσεται.

2 ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ῾Υψίστου στόμα αὐτῆς ἀνοίξει καὶ ἔναντι δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ καυχήσεται·

3 ἐγὼ ἀπὸ στόματος ῾Υψίστου ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ὡς ὁμίχλη κατεκάλυψα γῆν·

4 ἐγὼ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατεσκήνωσα, καὶ ὁ θρόνος μου ἐν στύλῳ νεφέλης·

5 γῦρον οὐρανοῦ ἐκύκλωσα μόνη καὶ ἐν βάθει ἀβύσσων περιεπάτησα·

6 ἐν κύμασι θαλάσσης καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ καὶ ἐν παντὶ λαῷ καὶ ἔθνει ἐκτησάμην.

7 μετὰ τούτων πάντων ἀνάπαυσιν ἐζήτησα καὶ ἐν κληρονομίᾳ τίνος αὐλισθήσομαι.

8 τότε ἐνετείλατό μοι ὁ κτίστης ἁπάντων, καὶ ὁ κτίσας με κατέπαυσε τὴν σκηνήν μου καὶ εἶπεν· ἐν ᾿Ιακὼβ κατασκήνωσον καὶ ἐν ᾿Ισραὴλ κατακληρονομήθητι.

9 πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς ἔκτισέ με, καὶ ἕως αἰῶνος οὐ μὴ ἐκλίπω.

10 ἐν σκηνῇ ἁγίᾳ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐλειτούργησα καὶ οὕτως ἐν Σιὼν ἐστηρίχθην·

11 ἐν πόλει ἠγαπημένῃ ὁμοίως με κατέπαυσε, καὶ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἡ ἐξουσία μου·

12 καὶ ἐρρίζωσα ἐν λαῷ δεδοξασμένῳ, ἐν μερίδι Κυρίου κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ.

13 ὡς κέδρος ἀνυψώθην ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ καὶ ὡς κυπάρισσος ἐν ὄρεσιν ᾿Αερμών·

14 ὡς φοῖνιξ ἀνυψώθην ἐν αἰγιαλοῖς καὶ ὡς φυτὰ ρόδου ἐν ῾Ιεριχώ, ὡς ἐλαία εὐπρεπὴς ἐν πεδίῳ, καὶ ἀνυψώθην ὡς πλάτανος.

15 ὡς κιννάμωμον καὶ ἀσπάλαθος ἀρωμάτων δέδωκα ὀσμὴν καὶ ὡς σμύρνα ἐκλεκτὴ διέδωκα εὐωδίαν, ὡς χαλβάνη καὶ ὄνυξ καὶ στακτὴ καὶ ὡς λιβάνου ἀτμὶς ἐν σκηνῇ.

16 ἐγὼ ὡς τερέμινθος ἐξέτεινα κλάδους μου, καὶ οἱ κλάδοι μου κλάδοι δόξης καὶ χάριτος.

17 ἐγὼ ὡς ἄμπελος βλαστήσασα χάριν, καὶ τὰ ἄνθη μου καρπὸς δόξης καὶ πλούτου. [

18 ἐγὼ μήτηρ τῆς ἀγαπήσεως τῆς καλῆς, καὶ φόβου καὶ γνώσεως καὶ τῆς ὁσίας ἐλπίδος, δίδομαι οὖν πᾶσι τοῖς τέκνοις μου, ἀειγενὴς τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπ' αὐτοῦ.

19 προσέλθετε πρός με οἱ ἐπιθυμοῦντές μου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γεννημάτων μου ἐμπλήσθητε·

20 τὸ γὰρ μνημόσυνόν μου ὑπὲρ τὸ μέλι γλυκύ, καὶ ἡ κληρονομία μου ὑπὲρ μέλιτος κηρίον.

21 οἱ ἐσθίοντές με ἔτι πεινάσουσι, καὶ οἱ πίνοντές με ἔτι διψήσουσιν.

22 ὁ ὑπακούων μου οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσεται, καὶ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι ἐν ἐμοὶ οὐχ ἁμαρτήσουσι.

23 ταῦτα πάντα βίβλος διαθήκης Θεοῦ ῾Υψίστου, νόμον ὃν ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν Μωυσῆς κληρονομίαν συναγωγαῖς ᾿Ιακώβ.

 

24 μὴ ἐκλύεσθε ἰσχὺν ἐν Κυρίῳ, κολλᾶσθε δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν, ἵνα κραταιώσῃ ὑμᾶς, Κύριος παντοκράτωρ Θεὸς μόνος ἐστί, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι πλὴν αὐτοῦ σωτήρ].

25 ὁ πιμπλῶν ὡς Φεισὼν σοφίαν καὶ ὡς Τίγρις ἐν ἡμέραις νέων,

26 ὁ ἀναπληρῶν ὡς Εὐφράτης σύνεσιν καὶ ὡς ᾿Ιορδάνης ἐν ἡμέραις θερισμοῦ,

27 ὁ ἐκφαίνων ὡς φῶς παιδείαν, ὡς Γηὼν ἐν ἡμέραις τρυγητοῦ.

28 οὐ συνετέλεσεν ὁ πρῶτος γνῶναι αὐτήν, καὶ οὕτως ὁ ἔσχατος οὐκ ἐξιχνίασεν αὐτήν·

29 ἀπὸ γὰρ θαλάσσης ἐπληθύνθη διανόημα αὐτῆς καὶ ἡ βουλὴ αὐτῆς ἀπὸ ἀβύσσου μεγάλης.

30 κἀγὼ ὡς διῶρυξ ἀπὸ ποταμοῦ καὶ ὡς ὑδραγωγὸς ἐξῆλθον εἰς παράδεισον·

31 εἶπα· ποτιῶ μου τὸν κῆπον καὶ μεθύσω μου τὴν πρασιάν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγένετό μοι ἡ διῶρυξ εἰς ποταμόν, καὶ ὁ ποταμός μου ἐγένετο εἰς θάλασσαν.

32 ἔτι παιδείαν ὡς ὄρθρον φωτιῶ καὶ ἐκφανῶ αὐτὰ ἕως εἰς μακράν·

33 ἔτι διδασκαλίαν ὡς προφητείαν ἐκχεῶ καὶ καταλείψω αὐτὴν εἰς γενεὰς αἰώνων.

34 ἴδετε ὅτι οὐκ ἐμοὶ μόνῳ ἐκοπίασα, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν αὐτήν.


25

ΕΝ τρισὶν ὡραΐσθην καὶ ἀνέστην ὡραία ἔναντι Κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων· ὁμόνοια ἀδελφῶν, καὶ φιλία τῶν πλησίον, καὶ γυνὴ καὶ ἀνὴρ ἑαυτοῖς συμπεριφερόμενοι.

2 τρία δὲ εἴδη ἐμίσησεν ἡ ψυχή μου καὶ προσώχθισα σφόδρα τῇ ζωῇ αὐτῶν· πτωχὸν ὑπερήφανον, καὶ πλούσιον ψεύστην, γέροντα μοιχὸν ἐλαττούμενον συνέσει.

3 ᾿Εν νεότητι οὐ συναγήοχας, καὶ πῶς ἂν εὕροις ἐν τῷ γήρᾳ σου;

4 ὡς ὡραῖον πολιαῖς κρίσις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις ἐπιγνῶναι βουλήν.

5 ὡς ὡραία γερόντων σοφία καὶ δεδοξασμένοις διανόημα καὶ βουλή.

6 στέφανος γερόντων πολυπειρία, καὶ τὸ καύχημα αὐτῶν φόβος Κυρίου.

7 ᾿Εννέα ὑπονοήματα ἐμακάρισα ἐν καρδίᾳ καὶ τὸ δέκατον ἐρῶ ἐπὶ γλώσσης· ἄνθρωπος εὐφραινόμενος ἐπὶ τέκνοις, ζῶν καὶ βλέπων ἐπὶ πτώσει ἐχθρῶν·

8 μακάριος ὁ συνοικῶν γυναικὶ συνετῇ, καὶ ὃς ἐν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ὠλίσθησε, καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἐδούλευσεν ἀναξίῳ αὐτοῦ·

 

9 μακάριος ὃς εὗρε φρόνησιν, καὶ ὁ διηγούμενος εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων·

10 ὡς μέγας ὁ εὑρὼν σοφίαν· ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἔστιν ὑπὲρ τὸν φοβούμενον τὸν Κύριον·

11 φόβος Κυρίου ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὑπερέβαλεν, ὁ κρατῶν αὐτοῦ τίνι ὁμοιωθήσεται;

 

12 φόβος Κυρίου ἀρχὴ ἀγαπήσεως αὐτοῦ, πίστις δὲ ἀρχὴ κολλήσεως αὐτοῦ.

13 Πᾶσαν πληγὴν καὶ μὴ πληγὴν καρδίας, καὶ πᾶσαν πονηρίαν καὶ μὴ πονηρίαν γυναικός·

14 πᾶσαν ἐπαγωγὴν καὶ μὴ ἐπαγωγὴν μισούντων, καὶ πᾶσαν ἐκδίκησιν καὶ μὴ ἐκδίκησιν ἐχθρῶν.

 

15 οὐκ ἔστι κεφαλὴ ὑπὲρ κεφαλὴν ὄφεως, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι θυμὸς ὑπὲρ θυμὸν ἐχθροῦ.

16 συνοικῆσαι λέοντι καὶ δράκοντι εὐδοκήσω ἢ ἐνοικῆσαι μετὰ γυναικὸς πονηρᾶς.

17 πονηρία γυναικὸς ἀλλοιοῖ τὴν ὅρασιν αὐτῆς καὶ σκοτοῖ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς ὡς ἄρκος.

18 ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἀναπεσεῖται ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀκούσας ἀνεστέναξε πικρά.

19 μικρὰ πᾶσα κακία πρὸς κακίαν γυναικός, κλῆρος ἁμαρτωλοῦ ἐπιπέσοι αὐτῇ.

20 ἀνάβασις ἀμμώδης ἐν ποσὶ πρεσβυτέρου, οὕτως γυνὴ γλωσσώδης ἀνδρὶ ἡσύχῳ.

21 μὴ προσπέσῃς ἐπὶ κάλλος γυναικὸς καὶ γυναῖκα μὴ ἐπιποθήσῃς.

22 ὀργὴ καὶ ἀναίδεια καὶ αἰσχύνη μεγάλη γυνὴ ἐὰν ἐπιχορηγῇ τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς.

23 καρδία ταπεινὴ καὶ πρόσωπον σκυθρωπὸν καὶ πληγὴ καρδίας γυνὴ πονηρά· χεῖρες παρειμέναι καὶ γόνατα παραλελυμένα ἥτις οὐ μακαριεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς.

24 ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἀρχὴ ἁμαρτίας, καὶ δι᾿ αὐτὴν ἀποθνήσκομεν πάντες.

25 μὴ δῷς ὕδατι διέξοδον μηδὲ γυναικὶ πονηρᾷ ἐξουσίαν.

26 εἰ μὴ πορεύεται κατὰ χεῖρά σου, ἀπὸ τῶν σαρκῶν σου ἀπότεμε αὐτήν.


26

ΓΥΝΑΙΚΟΣ ἀγαθῆς μακάριος ὁ ἀνήρ, καὶ ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἡμερῶν αὐτοῦ διπλάσιος.

2 γυνὴ ἀνδρεία εὐφραίνει τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ἔτη αὐτοῦ πληρώσει ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

3 γυνὴ ἀγαθὴ μερὶς ἀγαθή, ἐν μερίδι φοβουμένων Κύριον δοθήσεται.

4 πλουσίου δὲ καὶ πτωχοῦ καρδία ἀγαθή, ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ πρόσωπον ἱλαρόν.

5 ἀπὸ τριῶν εὐλαβήθη ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τετάρτῳ προσώπῳ ἐδεήθην· διαβολὴν πόλεως, καὶ ἐκκλησίαν ὄχλου, καὶ καταψευσμόν, ὑπὲρ θάνατον πάντα μοχθηρά.

6 ἄλγος καρδίας καὶ πένθος γυνὴ ἀντίζηλος ἐπὶ γυναικὶ καὶ μάστιξ γλώσσης πᾶσιν ἐπικοινωνοῦσα.

7 βοοζύγιον σαλευόμενον γυνὴ πονηρά, ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς ὡς ὁ δρασσόμενος σκορπίου.

8 ὀργὴ μεγάλη γυνὴ μέθυσος καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς οὐ συγκαλύψει.

9 πορνεία γυναικὸς ἐν μετεωρισμοῖς ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς βλεφάροις αὐτῆς γνωσθήσεται.

10 ἐπὶ θυγατρὶ ἀδιατρέπτῳ στερέωσον φυλακήν, ἵνα μὴ εὑροῦσα ἄνεσιν ἑαυτῇ χρήσηται.

11 ὀπίσω ἀναιδοῦς ὀφθαλμοῦ φύλαξαι, καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς ἐὰν εἰς σὲ πλημμελήσῃ·

12 ὡς διψῶν ὁδοιπόρος τὸ στόμα ἀνοίξει, καὶ ἀπὸ παντὸς ὕδατος τοῦ σύνεγγυς πίεται, κατέναντι παντὸς πασσάλου καθήσεται καὶ ἔναντι βέλους ἀνοίξει φαρέτραν.

13 χάρις γυναικὸς τέρψει τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτοῦ πιανεῖ ἡ ἐπιστήμη αὐτῆς.

14 δόσις Κυρίου γυνὴ σιγηρά, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀντάλλαγμα πεπαιδευμένης ψυχῆς.

15 χάρις ἐπὶ χάριτι γυνὴ αἰσχυντηρά, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι σταθμὸς πᾶς ἄξιος ἐγκρατοῦς ψυχῆς.

16 ἥλιος ἀνατέλλων ἐν ὑψίστοις Κυρίου καὶ κάλλος ἀγαθῆς γυναικὸς ἐν κόσμῳ οἰκίας αὐτῆς.

17 λύχνος ἐκλάμπων ἐπὶ λυχνίας ἁγίας καὶ κάλλος προσώπου ἐπὶ ἡλικίᾳ στασίμῃ.

18 στύλοι χρύσεοι ἐπὶ βάσεως ἀργυρᾶς καὶ πόδες ὡραῖοι ἐπὶ στέρνοις εὐσταθοῦς.

19 Τέκνον, ἀκμὴν ἡλικίας σου συντήρησον ὑγιῆ, καὶ μὴ δῷς ἀλλοτρίοις τὴν ἰσχύν σου.

20 ἀναζητήσας παντὸς πεδίου εὔγειον κλῆρον σπεῖρε τὰ ἴδια σπέρματα πεποιθὼς τῇ εὐγενείᾳ σου·

21 οὕτως τὰ γενήματά σου περιόντα καὶ παρρησίαν εὐγενείας ἔχοντα μεγαλυνοῦσι.

22 γυνὴ μισθία ἴση σιάλῳ λογισθήσεται, ὕπανδρος δὲ πύργος θανάτου τοῖς χρωμένοις λογισθήσεται.

 

23 γυνὴ ἀσεβὴς ἀνόμῳ μερὶς δοθήσεται, εὐσεβὴς δὲ δίδοται τῷ φοβουμένῳ τὸν Κύριον.

 

24 γυνὴ ἀσχήμων ἀτιμίαν κατατρίψει, θυγάτηρ δὲ εὐσχήμων καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐντραπήσεται.

25 γυνὴ ἀδιάτρεπτος ὡς κύων λογισθήσεται, ἡ δὲ ἔχουσα αἰσχύνην τὸν Κύριον φοβηθήσεται.

26 γυνὴ ἄνδρα ἴδιον τιμῶσα σοφὴ πᾶσι φανήσεται, ἀτιμάζουσα δὲ ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ ἀσεβὴς πᾶσι γνωσθήσεται. γυναικὸς ἀγαθῆς μακάριος ὁ ἀνήρ, ὁ γὰρ ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἐτῶν αὐτοῦ διπλάσιος ἔσται.

27 γυνὴ μεγαλόφωνος καὶ γλωσσώδης ὡς σάλπιγξ πολέμων εἰς τροπὴν θεωρηθήσεται, ἀνθρώπου δὲ παντὸς ψυχὴ ὁμοιότροπος τούτοις, πολέμου ἀκαταστασίαις τὴν ψυχὴν διαιτηθήσεται.

28 ᾿Επὶ δυσὶ λελύπηται ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τρίτῳ θυμός μοι ἐπῆλθεν· ἀνὴρ πολεμιστὴς ὑστερῶν δι᾿ ἔνδειαν, καὶ ἄνδρες συνετοὶ ἐὰν σκυβαλισθῶσιν, ἐπανάγων ἀπὸ δικαιοσύνης ἐπὶ ἁμαρτίαν· ὁ Κύριος ἑτοιμάσει εἰς ρομφαίαν αὐτόν.

29 Μόλις ἐξελεῖται ἔμπορος ἀπὸ πλημμελείας, καὶ οὐ δικαιωθήσεται κάπηλος ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας.


27

ΧΑΡΙΝ διαφόρου πολλοὶ ἥμαρτον, καὶ ὁ ζητῶν πληθῦναι ἀποστρέψει ὀφθαλμόν.

2 ἀναμέσον ἁρμῶν λίθων παγήσεται πάσσαλος, καὶ ἀναμέσον πράσεως καὶ ἀγορασμοῦ συντριβήσεται ἁμαρτία.

3 ἐὰν μὴ ἐν φόβῳ Κυρίου κρατήσῃ κατὰ σπουδήν, ἐν τάχει καταστραφήσεται αὐτοῦ ὁ οἶκος.

4 ᾿Εν σείσματι κοσκίνου διαμένει κοπρία, οὕτως σκύβαλα ἀνθρώπου ἐν λογισμῷ αὐτοῦ.

5 σκεύη κεραμέως δοκιμάζει κάμινος, καὶ πειρασμὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐν διαλογισμῷ αὐτοῦ.

6 γεώργιον ξύλου ἐκφαίνει ὁ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ, οὕτως λόγος ἐνθυμήματος καρδίας ἀνθρώπου.

7 πρὸ λογισμοῦ μὴ ἐπαινέσῃς ἄνδρα, οὗτος γὰρ πειρασμὸς ἀνθρώπων.

8 ᾿Εὰν διώκῃς τὸ δίκαιον, καταλήψῃ καὶ ἐνδύσῃ αὐτὸ ὡς ποδήρη δόξης.

9 πετεινὰ πρὸς τὰ ὅμοια αὐτοῖς καταλύσει, καὶ ἀλήθεια πρὸς τοὺς ἐργαζομένους αὐτὴν ἐπανήξει.

10 λέων θήραν ἐνεδρεύει, οὕτως ἁμαρτίαι ἐργαζομένους ἄδικα.

11 διήγησις εὐσεβοῦς διαπαντὸς σοφία, ὁ δὲ ἄφρων ὡς σελήνη ἀλλοιοῦται.

12 εἰς μέσον ἀσυνέτων συντήρησον καιρόν, εἰς μέσον δὲ διανοουμένων ἐνδελέχιζε.

13 διήγησις μωρῶν προσόχθισμα, καὶ ὁ γέλως αὐτῶν ἐν σπατάλῃ ἁμαρτίας.

14 λαλιὰ πολυόρκου ὀρθώσει τρίχας, καὶ ἡ μάχη αὐτῶν ἐμφραγμὸς ὠτίων.

 

15 ἔκχυσις αἵματος μάχη ὑπερηφάνων, καὶ ἡ διαλοιδόρησις αὐτῶν ἀκοὴ μοχθηρά.

16 ῾Ο ἀποκαλύπτων μυστήρια ἀπώλεσε πίστιν, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ φίλον πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ.

17 στέρξον φίλον καὶ πιστώθητι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποκαλύψῃς τὰ μυστήρια αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ καταδιώξῃς ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ.

18 καθὼς γὰρ ἀπώλεσεν ἄνθρωπος τὸν ἐχθρὸν αὐτοῦ, οὕτως ἀπώλεσας τὴν φιλίαν τοῦ πλησίον·

19 καὶ ὡς πετεινὸν ἐκ χειρός σου ἀπέλυσας, οὕτως ἀφῆκας τὸν πλησίον καὶ οὐ θηρεύσεις αὐτόν.

 

20 μὴ αὐτὸν διώξῃς, ὅτι μακρὰν ἀπέστη καὶ ἐξέφυγεν ὡς δορκὰς ἐκ παγίδος.

21 ὅτι τραῦμά ἐστι καταδῆσαι καὶ λοιδορίας ἐστὶ διαλλαγή, ὁ δὲ ἀποκαλύψας μυστήρια ἀπήλπισεν.

22 Διανεύων ὀφθαλμῷ τεκταίνει κακά, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτὸν ἀποστήσει ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ·

23 ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου γλυκανεῖ στόμα σου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν λόγων σου ἐκθαυμάσει, ὕστερον δὲ διαστρέψει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου δώσει σκάνδαλον.

24 πολλὰ ἐμίσησα καὶ οὐχ ὡμοίωσα αὐτῷ, καὶ ὁ Κύριος μισήσει αὐτόν.

25 ὁ βάλλων λίθον εἰς ὕψος ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ βάλλει, καὶ πληγὴ δολία διελεῖ τραύματα.

26 ὁ ὀρύσσων βόθρον εἰς αὐτὸν ἐμπεσεῖται, καὶ ὁ ἱστῶν παγίδα ἐν αὐτῇ ἁλώσεται.

27 ὁ ποιῶν πονηρὰ εἰς αὐτὸν κυλισθήσεται, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐπιγνῷ πόθεν ἥκει αὐτῷ.

28 ἐμπαιγμὸς καὶ ὀνειδισμὸς ὑπερηφάνων, καὶ ἡ ἐκδίκησις ὡς λέων ἐνεδρεύσει αὐτόν.

29 παγίδι ἁλώσονται οἱ εὐφραινόμενοι πτώσει εὐσεβῶν, καὶ ὀδύνη καταναλώσει αὐτοὺς πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτῶν.

30 Μῆνις καὶ ὀργὴ καὶ ταῦτά ἐστι βδελύγματα καὶ ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐγκρατὴς ἔσται αὐτῶν.


28

Ο ΕΚΔΙΚΩΝ παρὰ Κυρίου εὑρήσει ἐκδίκησιν, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ διατηρῶν διατηρήσει.

2 ἄφες ἀδίκημα τῷ πλησίον σου, καὶ τότε δεηθέντος σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου λυθήσονται.

 

3 ἄνθρωπος ἀνθρώπῳ συντηρεῖ ὀργήν, καὶ παρὰ Κυρίου ζητεῖ ἴασιν;

4 ἐπ᾿ ἄνθρωπον ὅμοιον αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔχει ἔλεος, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ δεῖται;

5 αὐτὸς σὰρξ ὢν διατηρεῖ μῆνιν, τίς ἐξιλάσεται τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ;

6 μνήσθητι τὰ ἔσχατα καὶ παῦσαι ἐχθραίνων, καταφθορὰν καὶ θάνατον, καὶ ἔμμενε ἐντολαῖς.

 

7 μνήσθητι ἐντολῶν καὶ μὴ μηνίσῃς τῷ πλησίον, καὶ διαθήκην ῾Υψίστου καὶ πάριδε ἄγνοιαν.

 

8 ἀπόσχου ἀπὸ μάχης, καὶ ἐλαττώσεις ἁμαρτίας· ἄνθρωπος γὰρ θυμώδης ἐκκαύσει μάχην,

9 καὶ ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλὸς ταράξει φίλους καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον εἰρηνευόντων ἐμβάλλει διαβολήν.

10 κατὰ τὴν ὕλην τοῦ πυρὸς οὕτως ἐκκαυθήσεται, καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ ἔσται, καὶ κατὰ τὸν πλοῦτον ἀνυψώσει ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατὰ τὴν στερέωσιν τῆς μάχης ἐκκαυθήσεται.

11 ἔρις κατασπευδομένη ἐκκαίει πῦρ, καὶ μάχη κατασπεύδουσα ἐκχέει αἷμα.

12 ἐὰν φυσήσῃς εἰς σπινθῆρα, ἐκκαήσεται, καὶ ἐὰν πτύσῃς ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, σβεσθήσεται· καὶ ἀμφότερα ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου ἐκπορεύεται.

13 Ψίθυρον καὶ δίγλωσσον καταράσασθε, πολλοὺς γὰρ εἰρηνεύοντας ἀπώλεσαν.

14 γλῶσσα τρίτη πολλοὺς ἐσάλευσε καὶ διέστησεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ ἔθνους εἰς ἔθνος καὶ πόλεις ὀχυρὰς καθεῖλε καὶ οἰκίας μεγιστάνων κατέστρεψε.

 

15 γλῶσσα τρίτη γυναῖκας ἀνδρείας ἐξέβαλε καὶ ἐστέρησεν αὐτὰς τῶν πόνων αὐτῶν.

16 ὁ προσέχων αὐτῇ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ ἀνάπαυσιν, οὐδὲ κατασκηνώσει μεθ᾿ ἡσυχίας.

17 πληγὴ μάστιγος ποιεῖ μώλωπας, πληγὴ δὲ γλώσσης συγκλάσει ὀστᾶ.

18 πολλοὶ ἔπεσαν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας, καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ πεπτωκότες διὰ γλῶσσαν.

19 μακάριος ὁ σκεπασθεὶς ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς, ὃς οὐ διῆλθεν ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτῆς, ὃς οὐχ εἵλκυσε τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἐδέθη·

20 ὁ γὰρ ζυγὸς αὐτῆς ζυγὸς σιδηροῦς, καὶ οἱ δεσμοὶ αὐτῆς δεσμοὶ χάλκεοι.

21 θάνατος πονηρὸς ὁ θάνατος αὐτῆς, καὶ λυσιτελὴς μᾶλλον ὁ ᾅδης αὐτῆς.

22οὐ μὴ κρατήσει εὐσεβῶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ φλογὶ αὐτῆς οὐ καήσονται.

23 οἱ καταλείποντες Κύριον ἐμπεσοῦνται εἰς αὐτήν, καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐκκαήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ σβεσθῇ· ἐξαποσταλήσεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ὡς λέων, καὶ ὡς πάρδαλις λυμανεῖται αὐτούς.

24 ἴδε περίφραξον τὸ κτῆμά σου ἀκάνθαις, τὸ ἀργύριόν σου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον κατάδησον·

25 καὶ τοῖς λόγοις σου ποίησον ζυγὸν καὶ σταθμόν, καὶ τῷ στόματί σου ποίησον θύραν καὶ μοχλόν.

26 πρόσεχε μήπως ὀλισθήσῃς ἐν αὐτῇ, μὴ πέσῃς κατέναντι ἐνεδρεύοντος.


29

Ο ΠΟΙΩΝ ἔλεος δανειεῖ τῷ πλησίον, καὶ ὁ ἐπισχύων τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τηρεῖ ἐντολάς.

 

2 δάνεισον τῷ πλησίον ἐν καιρῷ χρείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάλιν ἀπόδος τῷ πλησίον εἰς τὸν καιρόν·

3 στερέωσον λόγον καὶ πιστώθητι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ εὑρήσεις τὴν χρείαν σου.

 

4 πολλοὶ ὡς εὕρεμα ἐνόμισαν δάνος καὶ παρέσχον πόνον τοῖς βοηθήσασιν αὐτοῖς.

5 ἕως οὗ λάβῃ, καταφιλήσει χεῖρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χρημάτων τοῦ πλησίον ταπεινώσει φωνήν· καὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἀποδόσεως παρελκύσει χρόνον καὶ ἀποδώσει λόγους ἀκηδίας καὶ τὸν καιρὸν αἰτιάσεται.

6 ἐὰν ἰσχύσῃ, μόλις κομίσεται τὸ ἥμισυ καὶ λογιεῖται αὐτὸ ὡς εὕρεμα· εἰ δὲ μή, ἀπεστέρησεν αὐτὸν τῶν χρημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκτήσατο αὐτὸν ἐχθρὸν δωρεάν· κατάρας καὶ λοιδορίας ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ καὶ ἀντὶ δόξης ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ ἀτιμίαν.

7 πολλοὶ οὖν χάριν πονηρίας ἀπέστρεψαν, ἀποστερηθῆναι δωρεὰν εὐλαβήθησαν.

8 πλὴν ἐπὶ ταπεινῷ μακροθύμησον καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ παρελκύσῃς αὐτόν.

9 χάριν ἐντολῆς ἀντιλαβοῦ πένητος καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς αὐτὸν κενόν.

10 ἀπόλεσον ἀργύριον δι᾿ ἀδελφὸν καὶ φίλον, καὶ μὴ ἰωθήτω ὑπὸ τὸν λίθον εἰς ἀπώλειαν.

11 θὲς τὸν θησαυρόν σου κατ᾿ ἐντολὰς ῾Υψίστου, καὶ λυσιτελήσει σοι μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ χρυσίον.

 

12 σύγκλεισον ἐλεημοσύνην ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις σου, καὶ αὕτη ἐξελεῖταί σε ἐκ πάσης κακώσεως·

13 ὑπὲρ ἀσπίδα κράτους καὶ ὑπὲρ δόρυ ἀλκῆς κατέναντι ἐχθροῦ πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ.

14 ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ἐγγυήσεται τὸν πλησίον, καὶ ὁ ἀπολωλεκὼς αἰσχύνην καταλήψει αὐτόν.

15 Χάριτας ἐγγύου μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ, ἔδωκε γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ σοῦ.

16 ἀγαθὰ ἐγγύου ἀνατρέψει ἁμαρτωλός, καὶ ἀχάριστος ἐν διανοίᾳ ἐγκαταλείψει ρυσάμενον.

 

17 ἐγγύη πολλοὺς ἀπώλεσε κατευθύνοντας καὶ ἐσάλευσεν αὐτοὺς ὡς κῦμα θαλάσσης· ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς ἀπῴκισε καὶ ἐπλανήθησαν ἐν ἔθνεσιν ἀλλοτρίοις.

19 ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐμπεσὼν εἰς ἐγγύην καὶ διώκων ἐργολαβίας ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κρίσεις.

20 ἀντιλαβοῦ τοῦ πλησίον κατὰ δύναμίν σου καὶ πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐμπέσῃς.

21 ᾿Αρχὴ ζωῆς ὕδωρ καὶ ἄρτος καὶ ἱμάτιον καὶ οἶκος καλύπτων ἀσχημοσύνην.

22 κρείσσων βίος πτωχοῦ ὑπὸ σκέπην δοκῶν ἢ ἐδέσματα λαμπρὰ ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις.

23 ἐπὶ μικρῷ καὶ μεγάλῳ εὐδοκίαν ἔχε, καὶ ὀνειδισμὸν παροικίας οὐ μὴ ἀκούσῃς.

24 ζωὴ πονηρὰ ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν, καὶ οὗ παροικήσεις, οὐκ ἀνοίξει στόμα.

 

25 ξενιεῖς καὶ ποτιεῖς εἰς ἀχάριστα καὶ πρὸς ἐπὶ τούτοις πικρὰ ἀκούσῃ·

26 πάρελθε, πάροικε, κόσμησον τράπεζαν, καὶ εἴτι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου, ψώμισόν με.

27 ἔξελθε, πάροικε, ἀπὸ προσώπου δόξης, ἐπεξένωταί μοι ὁ ἀδελφός, χρεία τῆς οἰκίας.

 

28 βαρέα ταῦτα ἀνθρώπῳ ἔχοντι φρόνησιν, ἐπιτίμησις οἰκίας καὶ ὀνειδισμὸς δανειστοῦ.

 


30

ΠΕΡΙ ΤΕΚΝΩΝ. 

῾Ο ἀγαπῶν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐνδελεχήσει μάστιγας αὐτῷ, ἵνα εὐφρανθῇ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτῳ αὐτοῦ.

2 ὁ παιδεύων τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ὀνήσεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον γνωρίμων ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ καυχήσεται·

3 ὁ διδάσκων τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ παραζηλώσει τὸν ἐχθρὸν καὶ ἔναντι φίλων ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ἀγαλλιάσεται.

4 ἐτελεύτησεν αὐτοῦ ὁ πατήρ, καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἀπέθανεν· ὅμοιον γὰρ αὐτῷ κατέλιπε μετ᾿ αὐτόν.

 

5 ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ εἶδε καὶ εὐφράνθη καὶ ἐν τῇ τελευτῇ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐλυπήθη.

6 ἐναντίον ἐχθρῶν κατέλιπεν ἔκδικον καὶ τοῖς φίλοις ἀνταποδιδόντα χάριν.

7 περιψύχων υἱὸν καταδεσμεύσει τραύματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ πάσῃ βοῇ ταραχθήσεται σπλάγχνα αὐτοῦ.

8 ἵππος ἀδάμαστος ἀποβαίνει σκληρός, καὶ υἱὸς ἀνειμένος ἐκβαίνει προαλής.

9 τιθήνησον τέκνον, καὶ ἐκθαμβήσει σε· σύμπαιξον αὐτῷ, καὶ λυπήσει σε.

10 μὴ συγγελάσῃς αὐτῷ, ἵνα μὴ συνοδυνηθῇς, καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτῳ γομφιάσεις τοὺς ὀδόντας σου.

11 μὴ δῷς αὐτῷ ἐξουσία ἐν νεότητι· θλάσον τὰς πλευρὰς αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἔστι νήπιος, μήποτε σκληρυνθεὶς ἀπειθήσῃ σοι. καὶ μὴ παρίδῃς τὰς ἀγνοίας αὐτοῦ.

12 κάμψον τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ ἐν νεότητι.

13 παίδευσον τὸν υἱόν σου καὶ ἔργασαι ἐν αὐτῷ, ἵνα μὴ ἐν τῇ ἀσχημοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ προσκόψῃς.

ΠΕΡΙ ΥΓΙΕΙΑΣ. 

14 Κρείσσων πτωχὸς ὑγιὴς καὶ ἰσχύων τῇ ἕξει ἢ πλούσιος μεμαστιγωμένος εἰς σῶμα αὐτοῦ.

 

15 ὑγίεια καὶ εὐεξία βέλτιον παντὸς χρυσίου, καὶ σῶμα εὔρωστον ἢ ὄλβος ἀμέτρητος.

16 οὐκ ἔστι πλοῦτος βελτίων ὑγιείας σώματος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εὐφροσύνη ὑπὲρ χαρὰν καρδίας.

17 κρείσσων θάνατος ὑπὲρ ζωὴν πικρὰν καὶ ἀνάπαυσις αἰῶνος ἢ ἀρρώστημα ἔμμονον.

18 ἀγαθὰ ἐκκεχυμένα ἐπὶ στόματι κεκλεισμένῳ, θέματα βρωμάτων παρακείμενα ἐπὶ τάφῳ.

19 τί συμφέρει κάρπωσις εἰδώλῳ; οὔτε γὰρ ἔδεται οὔτε μὴ ὀσφρανθῇ· οὕτως ὁ ἐκδιωκόμενος ὑπὸ Κυρίου,

20 βλέπων ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ στενάζων ὥσπερ εὐνοῦχος περιλαμβάνων παρθένον καὶ στενάζων.

21 μὴ δῷς εἰς λύπην τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ μὴ θλίψῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν βουλῇ σου.

22 εὐφροσύνη καρδίας ζωὴ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ἀγαλλίαμα ἀνδρὸς μακροημέρευσις.

23 ἀγάπα τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ παρακάλει τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ λύπην μακρὰν ἀπόστησον ἀπὸ σοῦ· πολλοὺς γὰρ ἀπώλεσεν ἡ λύπη, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὠφέλεια ἐν αὐτῇ.

24 ζῆλος καὶ θυμὸς ἐλαττοῦσιν ἡμέρας, καὶ πρὸ καιροῦ γῆρας ἄγει μέριμνα.

25 λαμπρὰ καρδία καὶ ἀγαθὴ ἐπὶ ἐδέσμασι τῶν βρωμάτων αὐτῆς ἐπιμελήσεται.


 

 

 

    

 

    

       

WISDOM OF THE SON OF SIRACH 

 

21

My son, hast thou sinned? do so no more, but ask pardon for thy former sins.

2 Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent: for if thou comest too near it, it will bite thee: the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a lion, slaying the souls of men.

3 All iniquity is as a two edged sword, the wounds whereof cannot be healed.

4 To terrify and do wrong will waste riches: thus the house of proud men shall be made desolate.

5 A prayer out of a poor man’s mouth reacheth to the ears of God, and his judgment cometh speedily.

6 He that hateth to be reproved is in the way of sinners: but he that feareth the Lord will repent from his heart.

7 An eloquent man is known far and near; but a man of understanding knoweth when he slippeth.

8 He that buildeth his house with other men’s money is like one that gathereth himself stones for the tomb of his burial.

9  A gathering of the lawless is bundled flax, and a flame of fire is their end.

10 The way of sinners is made plain with stones, but at the end thereof is the pit of hell.

11 He that keepeth the law of the Lord getteth the understanding thereof: and the perfection of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.

12 He that is not wise will not be taught: but there is a wisdom which multiplieth bitterness.

13 The knowledge of a wise man shall abound like a flood: and his counsel is like a pure fountain of life.

14 The inner parts of a fool are like a broken vessel, and he will hold no knowledge.

15 If a skilful man hear a wise word, he will commend it, and add unto it: but as soon as one of no understanding heareth it, it displeaseth him, and he casteth it behind his back.

16 The talking of a fool is like a burden in the way: but grace shall be found in the lips of the wise.

17 They enquire at the mouth of the wise man in the congregation, and they shall ponder his words in their heart.

18 As is a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool: and the knowledge of the unwise is as talk without sense.

19 Doctrine unto fools is as fetters on the feet, and like manacles on the right hand.

20 A fool lifteth up his voice with laughter; but a wise man doth scarce smile a little.

21 Learning is unto a wise man as an ornament of gold, and like a bracelet upon his right arm.

22 A foolish man’s foot is quick into a house: but a man of experience is ashamed of him.

23 A fool will peep in at the door into the house: but he that is well nurtured will stand without.

24 It is the rudeness of a man to hearken at the door: but a wise man will be grieved with the disgrace.

25 Lips of strangers will tell tales with these things, but the words of prudent persons will be placed on a scale.

26 The heart of fools is in their mouth: but the mouth of the wise is in their heart.

27 When the ungodly curseth Satan, he curseth his own soul.

28 A whisperer defileth his own soul, and is hated wheresoever he dwelleth.

 

22

A slothful man is compared to a filthy stone, and every one will hiss him out to his disgrace.

2 A slothful man is compared to the filth of a dunghill: every man that takes it up will shake his hand.

3 An evil nurtured man is the dishonour of his father that begat him: and a foolish daughter is born to his loss.

4 A wise daughter shall bring an inheritance to her husband: but she that liveth dishonestly is her father’s heaviness.

5 She that is bold dishonoureth both her father and her husband, but they both shall despise her.

6 Untimely narration is music during mourning, but whips and instruction are wisdom at any time.

7 Whoso teacheth a fool is as one that glueth a potsherd together, and as he that waketh one from a sound sleep.

8 He that telleth a tale to a fool speaketh to one in a slumber: when he hath told his tale, he will say, What is the matter? 

11 Weep for the dead, for he hath lost the light: and weep for the fool, for he wanteth understanding: make little weeping for the dead, for he is at rest: but the life of the fool is worse than death.

12 Seven days do men mourn for him that is dead; but for a fool and an ungodly man all the days of his life.

13 Talk not much with a fool, and go not to him that hath no understanding: beware of him, lest thou have trouble, and thou shalt never be defiled with his fooleries: depart from him, and thou shalt find rest, and never be disquieted with madness.

 

14 What is heavier than lead? and what is the name thereof, but a fool?

15 Sand, and salt, and a mass of iron, is easier to bear, than a man without understanding.

16 As timber girt and bound together in a building cannot be loosed with shaking: so the heart that is stablished by advised counsel shall fear at no time.

 

17 A heart settled upon a thought of understanding is as a fair plastering on the wall of a gallery.

18 Pales set on an high place will never stand against the wind: so a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool cannot stand against any fear.

 

19 He that pricketh the eye will make tears to fall: and he that pricketh the heart maketh it to shew feelings.

20 Whoso casteth a stone at the birds frayeth them away: and he that upbraideth his friend breaketh friendship.

21 Though thou drewest a sword at thy friend, yet despair not: for there may be a returning to favour.

22 If thou hast opened thy mouth against thy friend, fear not; for there may be a reconciliation: except for upbraiding, or pride, or disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound: for for these things every friend will depart.

23 Gain your fellow’s trust in poverty so that in his prosperity you may be filled as well; in a time of distress stay with him so that in his inheritance you may be a joint heir.

24 As the vapour and smoke of a furnace goeth before the fire; so reviling before blood.

25 I will not be ashamed to defend a friend; neither will I hide myself from him.

26 And if any evil happen unto me by him, every one that heareth it will beware of him.

27 Who shall set a watch before my mouth, and a shrewd seal upon my lips, that I fall not suddenly by them, and that my tongue destroy me not?

 

23

O Lord, Father and Master of my life, leave me not to their counsels, and let me not fall by them.

 

2 Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over mine heart? that they spare me not for mine ignorances, and it pass not by my sins:

3 Lest mine ignorances increase, and my sins abound to my destruction, and I fall before mine adversaries, and mine enemy rejoice over me.  

4 O Lord, Father and God of my life, do not give me a lifting up of eyes,

5 and turn desire away from me.

6 Let not the belly’s appetite and sexual intercourse seize me, and do not give me over to a shameless soul.

 

DISCIPLINE OF THE MOUTH

7 Hear, O ye children, to discipline of the mouth, and he who observes it will never be caught.

8 By his lips a sinner will be seized, and an abusive person and an arrogant person will be made to stumble by them.

9 Accustom not thy mouth to swearing; neither use thyself to the naming of the Holy One.

10 For as a servant that is continually beaten shall not be without a bruise: so also he who swears and always speaks the name will never be cleansed from sin.

 

11 A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall never depart from his house: if he shall offend, his sin shall be upon him: and if he acknowledge not his sin, he maketh a double offence: and if he swear in vain, he shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of calamities.

12 There is a word that is clothed about with death: let it not be found in the inheritance of Jacob; for all these things shall stand away from the pious, and they shall not wallow in sins.

13 Use not thy mouth to intemperate swearing, for therein is the word of sin.

14 Remember thy father and thy mother, when thou sittest among great men. Be not forgetful before them, and so thou by thy custom become a fool, and wish that thou hadst not been born, and curse they day of thy nativity.

15 The man that is accustomed to words of reproach, will never be reformed all the days of his life.

16 Two kinds multiply sins, and a third will bring on wrath.

17 A hot temperament like a burning fire will never be quenched until it is consumed; a person who is sexually promiscuous with the body of his flesh will never cease until a fire burns out. To a sexually promiscuous person all bread is sweet; he will never grow weary until he dies. 

18 There is a person who transgresses against his bed, saying in his soul, “Who will see me? Darkness surrounds me, and the walls will hide me, and no one will see me. Why am I discreet? The Most High will never remember my sins.”

19 Such a man only feareth the eyes of men, and knoweth not that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, beholding all the ways of men, and considering the most secret parts.

20 Before all things were created, they were known to him, so also after they were completed.

21 This man shall be punished in the streets of the city, and where he suspecteth not he shall be taken.

22 Thus shall it go also with the wife that leaveth her husband, and bringeth in an heir by another.

23 For first, she hath disobeyed the law of the most High; and secondly, she hath trespassed against her own husband; and thirdly, she hath played the whore in adultery, and brought children by another man.

24 She shall be brought out into the congregation, and inquisition shall be made of her children.

25 Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall bring forth no fruit.

26 She shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her reproach shall not be blotted out.

27 And they that remain shall know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord, and that there is nothing sweeter than to take heed unto the commandments of the Lord.

 

24

PRAISE OF WISDOM

Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.

2 In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and boast before his power.

3 I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a mist.

4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a  pillar of cloud.

5 I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.

6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.

7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

8 So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and he that made me caused my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel.

9 He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.

10 In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.

11 Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.

12 And I took root in an glorified people, even in the portion of the Lord’s inheritance.

13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Aermon.

14 I was exalted like a palm tree by the shore, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a plain, and I was raised up like a plane tree.

15 I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.

16 As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of glory and grace.

17 As the vine I brought forth pleasant favour, and my flowers are the fruit of glory and wealth.

18 I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.

 

19 Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.

20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.

21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.

22 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.

23 All these things are the book of the covenant of the most high God, even the law which Moses commanded for an heritage unto the congregations of Jacob.

24 Faint not to be strong in the Lord; and cling to him so that he might strengthen thee: for the Lord Almighty is God alone, and beside him there is no other Saviour.

25 He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in days of new things.

26 He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest.

27 He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.

28 The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.

29 For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.

30 I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.

31 I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.

 

32 I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.

33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.

34 Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.

 

25

In three things I was beautified, and stood up beautiful both before God and men: the unity of brethren, the love of neighbours, a man and a wife that agree together.

2 Three sorts of men my soul hateth, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man that is proud, a rich man that is a liar, and an old adulterer lacking in understanding.

3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, how canst thou find any thing in thine old age?

4 O how comely a thing is judgment for gray hairs, and for ancient men to know counsel!

5 O how comely is the wisdom of old men, and understanding and counsel to men of honour.

6 Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.

7 There be nine things which I have judged in mine heart to be happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that hath joy of his children; and he that liveth to see the fall of his enemy:

8 Well is him that dwelleth with a wife of understanding, and that hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath not served a man more unworthy than himself:

9 Happy is him that hath found prudence, and he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear:

10 O how great is he that findeth wisdom! yet is there none above him that feareth the Lord.

11 But the love of the Lord passeth all things for illumination: he that holdeth it, whereto shall he be likened?

12 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of his love: and faith is the beginning of cleaving unto him.

13 Give me any plague, but the plague of the heart: and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:

14 And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate me: and any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

15 There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.

16 I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.

17 The wickedness of a woman changeth her face, and darkeneth her countenance like sackcloth.

18 Her husband shall sit among his neighbours; and when he heareth it shall sigh bitterly.

19 All wickedness is but little to the wickedness of a woman: let the portion of a sinner fall upon her.

20 As the climbing up a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.

21 Stumble not at the beauty of a woman, and desire her not for pleasure.

22 A woman, if she maintain her husband, is full of anger, impudence, and much reproach.

23 A dejected heart and a sullen face and a wound of the heart is a wicked wife; slack hands and weakened knees are from a woman who does not make her husband happy.

24 Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.

25 Give the water no passage; neither power to a wicked woman.

26 If she go not as thou wouldest have her, cut her off from thy flesh.

 

26

Blessed is the man that hath a virtuous wife, for the number of his days shall be double.

2 A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband, and he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.

3 A good wife is a good portion, which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the Lord.

4 Whether rich or poor, if he have a good heart, he shall at all times have a cheerful countenance.

5 There be three things that mine heart feareth; and for the fourth I was sore afraid: the slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude, and a false accusation: all these are worse than death.

6 But a grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous over another woman, and a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.

7 An evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that hath hold of her is as though he held a scorpion.

8 A great wrath is a drunken wife, and her shameful conduct she will not hide.

9 The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids.

10 If thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty.

11 Watch over an impudent eye: and marvel not if she trespass against thee.

12 As a traveller is thirsty, she will open her mouth and will drink from any water that is near; she will sit upon every stake and she will open her quiver to every arrow.

13 The grace of a wife delighteth her husband, and her skill will fatten his bones.

14 A silent woman is a gift of the Lord; and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed.

15  Grace upon grace is a modest wife, and there is no standard weight good enough for a self-controlled soul.

16 As the sun rises in the heights of the Lord, so also a good wife’s beauty is an ornament of her home.

17 As the clear light is upon the holy candlestick; so is the beauty of the face in ripe age.

18 As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver; so are the fair feet with a constant heart.

19 My son, keep the flower of thine age sound; and give not thy strength to strangers.

20 When thou hast sought out a fertile plot of an entire plain, sow thine own seed confident in thine excellent descent.

21 So thy race which thou leavest shall be magnified, having the confidence of their good descent.

22 An harlot shall be accounted as spittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband.

23 A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man: but a godly woman is given to him that feareth the Lord.

24 A shameless woman will exhaust dishonor, but a decorous daughter will revere even her husband.

25 A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog; but she that is shamefaced will fear the Lord.

26 A woman who honours her own husband will appear wise to everyone, but she who dishonours him with arrogance will be known to all as impious. Happy is the husband of a good wife, for the number of his years will be double.

27 A loud-mouthed and talkative wife like a trumpet of war will observe a rout, and the soul of any person who lives in a manner like these will lead his life in the confusions of war.

28 There be two things that grieve my heart; and the third maketh me angry: a man of war that suffereth poverty; and men of understanding that are not set by; and one that returneth from righteousness to sin; the Lord prepareth such an one for the sword.

29 A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and an huckster shall not be freed from sin.

 

27

Many have sinned for a small matter; and he that seeketh for abundance will turn his eyes away.

2 Between joints of stones a peg will be driven, and between selling and buying sin will be wedged.

 

3 Unless a man hold himself diligently in the fear of the Lord, his house shall soon be overthrown.

4 As when one sifteth with a sieve, the refuse remaineth; so the filth of man in his talk.

5 The furnace proveth the potter’s vessels; so the trial of man is in his reasoning.

6 The fruit declareth if the tree have been dressed; so is the utterance of a conceit in the heart of man.

7 Praise no man before thou hearest him speak; for this is the trial of men.

8 If thou followest righteousness, thou shalt obtain her, and put her on, as a glorious long robe.

9 The birds will resort unto their like; so will truth return unto them that practise in her.

 

10 As the lion lieth in wait for the prey; so sin for them that work iniquity.

11 The discourse of a godly man is always with wisdom; but a fool changeth as the moon.

12 If thou be among the indiscreet, observe the time; but be continually among men of understanding.

13 The discourse of fools is irksome, and their sport is the wantonness of sin.

14 The talk of him that sweareth much maketh the hair stand upright; and their brawls make one stop his ears.

15 The strife of the proud is bloodshedding, and their revilings are grievous to the ear.

16 Whoso discovereth secrets loseth his credit; and shall never find friend to his mind.

17 Love thy friend, and be faithful unto him: but if thou betrayest his secrets, follow no more after him.

 

18 For as a man hath destroyed his enemy; so hast thou lost the love of thy neighbour.

19 As one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy neighbour go, and shalt not get him again.

20 Follow after him no more, for he is too far off; he is as a roe escaped out of the snare.

21 As for a wound, it may be bound up; and after reviling there may be reconcilement: but he that betrayeth secrets is without hope.

22 He that winketh with the eyes worketh evil: and he that knoweth him will depart from him.

23 When thou art present, he will speak sweetly, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and slander thy sayings.

 

24 I have hated many things, but nothing like him; for the Lord will hate him.

25 Whoso casteth a stone on high casteth it on his own head; and a deceitful stroke shall make wounds.

26 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that setteth a trap shall be taken therein.

27 He that worketh mischief, it shall fall upon him, and he shall not know whence it cometh.

28 Mockery and reproach are from the proud; but vengeance, as a lion, shall lie in wait for them.

29 They that rejoice at the fall of the righteous shall be taken in the snare; and anguish shall consume them before they die.

30 Malice and wrath, even these are abominations; and the sinful man shall have them both.

 

28

He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance.

2 Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest.

3 One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from the Lord?

4 He sheweth no mercy to a man, which is like himself: and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins?

5 If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sins?

6 Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; remember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.

7 Remember the commandments, and bear no malice to thy neighbour: remember the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance.

8 Abstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins: for a furious man will kindle strife,

9 A sinful man disquieteth friends, and maketh debate among them that be at peace.

10 As the matter of the fire is, so it burneth: and as a man’s strength is, so is his wrath; and according to his riches his anger riseth; and the stronger they are which contend, the more they will be inflamed.

 

11 An hasty contention kindleth a fire: and an hasty fighting sheddeth blood.

12 If thou blow the spark, it shall burn: if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these come out of thy mouth.

13 Curse the whisperer and doubletongued: for such have destroyed many that were at peace.

14 A backbiting tongue hath disquieted many, and driven them from nation to nation: strong cities hath it pulled down, and overthrown the houses of great men.

15 A backbiting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labours.

16 Whoso hearkeneth unto it shall never find rest, and never dwell quietly.

17 The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones.

18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.

19 Happy is the one protected from it, who has not endured in its anger, who has not dragged its yoke and with its fetters has not been bound.

20 For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands of brass.

21 The death thereof is an evil death, the grave were better than it.

22 It shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burned with the flame thereof.

23 Such as forsake the Lord shall fall into it; and it shall burn in them, and not be quenched; it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and devour them as a leopard.

24 Look that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns, and bind up thy silver and gold,

25 And weigh thy words in a balance, and make a door and bar for thy mouth.

26 Beware thou slide not by it, lest thou fall before him that lieth in wait.

 

29

He that is merciful will lend unto his neighbour; and he that strengtheneth his hand keepeth the commandments.

2 Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season.

3 Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shalt always find the thing that is necessary for thee.

4 Many regarded a loan as a windfall, and they caused trouble for those who helped them.

5 Till he hath received, he will kiss a man’s hand; and for his neighbour’s money he will speak submissively: but when he should repay, he will prolong the time, and return words of grief, and complain of the time.

 

6 If he prevail, he shall hardly receive the half, and he will count as if he had found it: if not, he hath deprived him of his money, and he hath gotten him an enemy without cause: he payeth him with cursings and railings; and for honour he will pay him disgrace.

7 Many turned away not because of wickedness; they were wary of being defrauded needlessly.

8 Nevertheless, with a lowly person be patient, and do not make him wait for charity.

9 Help the poor for the commandment’s sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty.

10 Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost.

11 Lay up thy treasure according to the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.

12 Shut up alms in thy storehouses: and it shall deliver thee from all affliction.

13 It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.

14 An honest man is surety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent will forsake him.

15 Forget not the friendship of thy surety, for he hath given his life for thee.

16 A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety: and an ungrateful person will intentionally abandon one who rescues.

17 Surety destroyed many who were prosperous and tossed them about like a wave of the sea; powerful men it exiled, and they wandered among foreign nations

19 A sinner will fall into surety, and as he pursues profit-taking, he will fall into lawsuits.

20 Help thy neighbour according to thy ability, and take care for yourself that you do not fall. 

21 The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and clothing, and an house to cover shame.

22 Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man’s house.

23 Be it little or much, hold thee contented, that thou hear not the reproach of thy house.

24 For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where thou art a stranger, thou darest not open thy mouth.

25 Thou shalt entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover thou shalt hear bitter words:

26 Come, thou stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that thou hast ready.

27 Give place, thou stranger, to an honourable man; my brother cometh to be lodged, and I have need of mine house.

28 These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of houseroom, and reproaching of the lender.

 

30

CONCERNING CHILDREN

He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end.

2 He that chastiseth his son shall have joy in him, and shall boast of him among his acquaintance.

3 He that teacheth his son grieveth the enemy: and before his friends he shall rejoice of him.

4 Though his father die, yet he is as though he were not dead: for he hath left one behind him that is like himself.

5 While he lived, he saw and rejoiced in him: and when he died, he was not sorrowful.

6 He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one that shall requite kindness to his friends.

7 He that maketh too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; and his bowels will be troubled at every cry.

8 An horse not broken becometh headstrong: and a child left to himself will be wilful.

9 Cocker thy child, and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he will bring thee to heaviness.

10 Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him, and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end.

11 Give him no liberty in his youth, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee. And do not overlook his ignorances.

12 Bow down his neck while he is young.  

13 Chastise thy son, and hold him to labour, lest his lewd behaviour be an offence unto thee.

CONCERNING HEALTH

14 Better is the poor, being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body.

15 Health and good estate of body are above all gold, and a strong body above infinite wealth.

16 There is no riches above a sound body, and no joy above the joy of the heart.

17 Better death than a bitter life, and eternal repose than chronic sickness

18 Good things poured out on a mouth that is shut are offerings of food set on a grave.

19 What good doeth the offering unto an idol? for neither can it eat nor smell: so is he that is persecuted of the Lord.

20 He seeth with his eyes and groaneth, as an eunuch that embraceth a virgin and sigheth.

21 Give not over thy mind to heaviness, and afflict not thyself in thine own counsel.

22 The gladness of the heart is the life of man, and the joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days.

23 Love thine own soul, and comfort thy heart, remove sorrow far from thee: for sorrow hath killed many, and there is no profit therein.

 

24 Envy and wrath shorten the life, and anxiety bringeth age before the time.

25 A cheerful and good heart at meats will take care of its food.


next ►►►