Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 14
Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.
ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟΣ ἀνήρ, ὣς οὐκ ὠλίσθησεν ἐν στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ κατενύγη ἐν λύπῃ ἁμαρτίας.
Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.
μακάριος οὗ οὐ κατέγνω ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἔπεσεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ.
Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an envious man do with money?
᾿Ανδρὶ μικρολόγῳ οὐ καλὸς ὁ πλοῦτος, καὶ ἀνθρώπῳ βασκάνῳ ἱνατί χρήματα;
He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.
ὁ συνάγων ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ συνάγει ἄλλοις, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς αὐτοῦ τρυφήσουσιν ἕτεροι.
He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.
ὁ πονηρὸς ἑαυτῷ τίνι ἀγαθὸς ἔσται; καὶ οὐ μὴ εὐφρανθήσεται ἐν τοῖς χρήμασιν αὐτοῦ.
There is none worse than he that envieth himself; and this is a recompence of his wickedness.
τοῦ βασκαίνοντος ἑαυτὸν οὐκ ἔστι πονηρότερος, καὶ τοῦτο ἀνταπόδομα τῆς κακίας αὐτοῦ·
And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.
κἂν εὖ ποιῇ, ἐν λήθῃ ποιεῖ, καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων ἐκφαίνει τὴν κακίαν αὐτοῦ.
The envious man hath a wicked eye; he turneth away his face, and despiseth men.
πονηρὸς ὁ βασκαίνων ὀφθαλμῷ, ἀποστρέφων πρόσωπον καὶ ὑπερορῶν ψυχάς.
A covetous man’s eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.
πλεονέκτου ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ ἐμπίπλαται μερίδι, καὶ ἀδικία πονηρὰ ἀναξηραίνει ψυχήν.
A wicked eye envieth his bread, and he is a niggard at his table.
ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρὸς φθονερὸς ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ καὶ ἐλλιπὴς ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης αὐτοῦ.
My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, and give the Lord his due offering.
Τέκνον, καθὼς ἐὰν ἔχῃς, εὖ ποίει σεαυτὸν καὶ προσφορὰς Κυρίῳ ἀξίως πρόσαγε.
Remember that death will not be long in coming, and that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee.
μνήσθητι ὅτι θάνατος οὐ χρονιεῖ καὶ διαθήκη ᾅδου οὐχ ὑπεδείχθη σοι·
Do good unto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability stretch out thy hand and give to him.
πρίν σε τελευτῆσαι, εὖ ποίει φίλῳ καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἰσχύν σου ἔκτεινον καὶ δῷς αὐτῷ.
Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire overpass thee.
μὴ ἀφυστερήσῃς ἀπὸ ἀγαθῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ μερὶς ἐπιθυμίας ἀγαθῆς μή σε παρελθάτω.
Shalt thou not leave thy travails unto another? and thy labours to be divided by lot?
οὐχὶ ἑτέρῳ καταλείψεις τοὺς πόνους σου καὶ τοὺς κόπους σου εἰς διαίρεσιν κλήρου;
Give, and take, and sanctify thy soul; for there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.
δὸς καὶ λάβε καὶ ἀπάτησον τὴν ψυχήν σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ᾅδου ζητῆσαι τρυφήν.
All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death.
πᾶσα σὰρξ ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιοῦται, ἡ γὰρ διαθήκη ἀπ᾿ αἰῶνος· θανάτῳ ἀποθανῇ.
As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.
ὡς φύλλον θάλλον ἐπὶ δένδρου δασέος, τὰ μὲν καταβάλλει, ἄλλα δὲ φύει, οὕτως γενεὰ σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος, ἡ μὲν τελευτᾷ, ἑτέρα δὲ γεννᾶται.
Every work rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker thereof shall go withal.
πᾶν ἔργον σηπόμενον ἐκλείπει, καὶ ὁ ἐργαζόμενος αὐτὸ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἀπελεύσεται.
Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding.
Μακάριος ἀνήρ, ὃς ἐν σοφίᾳ τελευτήσει καὶ ὃς ἐν συνέσει αὐτοῦ διαλεχθήσεται,
He that considereth her ways in his heart shall also have understanding in her secrets.
ὁ διανοούμενος τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῆς ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτῆς νοηθήσεται.
Go after her as one that traceth, and lie in wait in her ways.
ἔξελθε ὀπίσω αὐτῆς ὡς ἰχνευτής, καὶ ἐν ταῖς εἰσόδοις αὐτῆς ἐνέδρευε.
He that prieth in at her windows shall also hearken at her doors.
ὁ παρακύπτων διὰ τῶν θυρίδων αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θυρωμάτων αὐτῆς ἀκροάσεται.
He that doth lodge near her house shall also fasten a pin in her walls.
ὁ καταλύων σύνεγγυς τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς καὶ πήξει πάσσαλον ἐν τοῖς τοίχοις αὐτῆς,
He shall pitch his tent nigh unto her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.
στήσει τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ κατὰ χεῖρας αὐτῆς καὶ καταλύσει ἐν καταλύματι ἀγαθῶν·
He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches.
θήσει τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκέπῃ αὐτῆς καὶ ὑπὸ τοὺς κλάδους αὐτῆς αὐλισθήσεται·
By her he shall be covered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.
σκεπασθήσεται ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς ἀπὸ καύματος καὶ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτῆς καταλύσει.