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ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ | ECCLESIASTICUS - Brenton|RSV | Reference |
| 1 | Ὁ ζῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔκτισεν τὰ πάντα κοινῇ·
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He who lives for ever created the whole universe;
| God's greatness. Sir.18.1-7 |
| 2 | κύριος μόνος δικαιωθήσεται.
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the Lord alone will be declared righteous.
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| 4 | οὐθενὶ ἐξεποίησεν ἐξαγγεῖλαι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ·
καὶ τίς ἐξιχνεύσει τὰ μεγαλεῖα αὐτοῦ;
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To none has he given power to proclaim his works;
and who can search out his mighty deeds?
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| 5 | κράτος μεγαλωσύνης αὐτοῦ τίς ἐξαριθμήσεται;
καὶ τίς προσθήσει ἐκδιηγήσασθαι τὰ ἐλέη αὐτοῦ;
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Who can measure his majestic power?
And who can fully recount his mercies?
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| 6 | οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλαττῶσαι οὐδὲ προσθεῖναι,
καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξιχνιάσαι τὰ θαυμάσια τοῦ κυρίου·
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It is not possible to diminish or increase them,
nor is it possible to trace the wonders of the Lord.
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| 7 | ὅταν συντελέσῃ ἄνθρωπος, τότε ἄρχεται·
καὶ ὅταν παύσηται, τότε ἀπορηθήσεται.
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When a man has finished, he is just beginning,
and when he stops, he will be at a loss.
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| 8 | Τί ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τί ἡ χρῆσις αὐτοῦ;
τί τὸ ἀγαθὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τί τὸ κακὸν αὐτοῦ;
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What is man, and of what use is he?
What is his good and what is his evil?
| Man is nothing. Sir.18.8-14 |
| 9 | ἀριθμὸς ἡμερῶν ἀνθρώπου πολλὰ ἔτη ἑκατόν·
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The number of a man's days is great if he reaches a hundred years.
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| 10 | ὡς σταγὼν ὕδατος ἀπὸ θαλάσσης καὶ ψῆφος ἄμμου,
οὕτως ὀλίγα ἔτη ἐν ἡμέρᾳ αἰῶνος.
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Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand
so are a few years in the day of eternity.
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| 11 | διὰ τοῦτο ἐμακροθύμησεν Κύριος ἐπ' αὐτοῖς,
καὶ ἐξέχεεν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
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Therefore the Lord is patient with them
and pours out his mercy upon them.
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| 12 | εἶδεν καὶ ἐπέγνω τὴν καταστροφὴν αὐτῶν ὅτι πονηρά·
διὰ τοῦτο ἐπλήθυνεν τὸν ἐξιλασμὸν αὐτοῦ.
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He sees and recognizes that their end will be evil;
therefore he grants them forgiveness in abundance.
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| 13 | ἔλεος ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ,
ἔλεος δὲ κυρίου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα·
ἐλέγχων καὶ παιδεύων καὶ διδάσκων
καὶ ἐπιστρέφων ὡς ποιμὴν τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ.
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The compassion of man is for his neighbour,
but the compassion of the Lord is for all living beings.
He rebukes and trains and teaches them,
and turns them back, as a shepherd his flock.
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| 14 | τοὺς ἐκδεχομένους παιδείαν ἐλεᾷ,
καὶ τοὺς κατασπεύδοντας ἐπὶ τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ.
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He has compassion on those who accept his discipline
and who are eager for his judgments.
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| 15 | Τέκνον, ἐν ἀγαθοῖς μὴ δῷς μῶμον,
καὶ ἐν πάσῃ δόσει λύπην λόγων.
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My son, do not mix reproach with your good deeds,
nor cause grief by your words when you present a gift.
| Kindness & charity. Sir.18.15-18 |
| 16 | οὐχὶ καύσωνα ἀναπαύσει δρόσος;
οὕτως κρείσσων λόγος ἢ δόσις.
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Does not the dew assuage the scorching heat?
So a word is better than a gift.
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| 17 | οὐκ ἰδοὺ λόγος ὑπὲρ δόμα ἀγαθόν;
καὶ ἀμφότερα παρὰ ἀνδρὶ κεχαριτωμένῳ.
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Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift?
Both are to be found in a gracious man.
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| 18 | μωρὸς ἀχαρίστως ὀνειδιεῖ,
καὶ δόσις βασκάνου ἐκτήκει ὀφθαλμούς.
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A fool is ungracious and abusive,
and the gift of a grudging man makes the eyes dim.
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| 19 | Πρὶν ἢ λαλῆσαι μάνθανε,
καὶ πρὸ ἀρρωστίας θεραπεύου.
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Before you speak, learn, and before you fall ill,
take care of your health.
| Self-examination. Sir.18.19-29 |
| 20 | πρὸ κρίσεως ἐξέταζε σεαυτόν,
καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ ἐπισκοπῆς εὑρήσεις ἐξιλασμόν.
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Before judgment, examine yourself,
and in the hour of visitation you will find forgiveness.
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| 21 | πρὶν ἀρρωστῆσαί σε ταπεινώθητι,
καὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἁμαρτημάτων δεῖξον ἐπιστροφήν.
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Before falling ill, humble yourself,
and when you are on the point of sinning, turn back.
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| 22 | μὴ ἐμποδισθῇς τοῦ ἀποδοῦναι εὐχὴν εὐκαίρως,
καὶ μὴ μείνῃς ἕως θανάτου δικαιωθῆναι.
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Let nothing hinder you from paying a vow promptly,
and do not wait until death to be released from it.
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| 23 | πρὶν εὔξασθαι ἑτοίμασον σεαυτὸν,
καὶ μὴ γίνου ὡς ἄνθρωπος πειράζων τὸν κύριον.
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Before making a vow, prepare yourself;
and do not be like a man who tempts the Lord.
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| 24 | μνήσθητι θυμοῦ ἐν ἡμέραις τελευτῆς,
καὶ καιρὸν ἐκδικήσεως ἐν ἀποστροφῇ προσώπου.
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Think of his wrath on the day of death,
and of the moment of vengeance when he turns away his face.
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| 25 | μνήσθητι καιρὸν λιμοῦ ἐν καιρῷ πλησμονῆς,
πτωχείαν καὶ ἔνδειαν ἐν ἡμέραις πλούτου.
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In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger;
in the days of wealth think of poverty and need.
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| 26 | ἀπὸ πρωίθεν ἕως ἑσπέρας μεταβάλλει καιρός,
καὶ πάντα ἐστὶν ταχινὰ ἔναντι Κυρίου.
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From morning to evening conditions change,
and all things move swiftly before the Lord.
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| 27 | Ἄνθρωπος σοφὸς ἐν παντὶ εὐλαβηθήσεται,
καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις ἁμαρτιῶν προσέξει ἀπὸ πλημμελείας.
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A wise man is cautious in everything,
and in days of sin he guards against wrongdoing.
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| 28 | πᾶς συνετὸς ἔγνω σοφίαν,
καὶ τῷ εὑρόντι αὐτὴν δώσει ἐξομολόγησιν.
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Every intelligent man knows wisdom,
and he praises the one who finds her.
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| 29 | συνετοὶ ἐν λόγοις καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐσοφίσαντο,
καὶ ἀνώμβρησαν παροιμίας ἀκριβεῖς.
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Those who understand sayings become skilled themselves,
and pour forth apt proverbs.
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| 30 | Έγκράτεια ψυχῦς.
Ὀπίσω τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν σου μὴ πορεύου,
καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρέξεών σου κωλύου·
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Do not follow your base desires,
but restrain your appetites.
| Self-control. Sir.18.30-19.5 |
| 31 | ἐὰν χορηγήσῃς τῇ ψυχῇ σου εὐδοκίαν ἐπιθυμίας,
ποιήσει σε ἐπίχαρμα τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου.
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If you allow your soul to take pleasure in base desire,
it will make you the laughingstock of your enemies.
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| 32 | μὴ εὐφραίνου ἐπὶ πολλῇ τρυφῇ,
μὴ προσδεθῇς συμβολῇ αὐτῆς.
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Do not revel in great luxury,
lest you become impoverished by its expense.
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| 33 | μὴ γίνου πτωχὸς συμβολοκοπῶν ἐκ δανεισμοῦ,
καὶ οὐδέν σοί ἐστιν ἐν μαρσιππίῳ.
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Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed money,
when you have nothing in your purse. | |
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