Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 34
The hopes of a man void of understanding are vain and false: and dreams lift up fools.
ΚΕΝΑΙ ἐλπίδες καὶ ψευδεῖς ἀσυνέτῳ ἀνδρί, καὶ ἐνύπνια ἀναπτεροῦσιν ἄφρονας.
Whoso regardeth dreams is like him that catcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind.
ὡς δρασσόμενος σκιᾶς καὶ διώκων ἄνεμον, οὕτως ὁ ἐπέχων ἐνυπνίοις.
The vision of dreams is the resemblance of one thing to another, even as the likeness of a face to a face.
τοῦτο κατὰ τούτου ὅρασις ἐνυπνίων, κατέναντι προσώπου ὁμοίωμα προσώπου.
Of an unclean thing what can be cleansed? and from that thing which is false what truth can come?
ἀπὸ ἀκαθάρτου τί καθαρισθήσεται; καὶ ἀπὸ ψευδοῦς τί ἀληθεύσει;
Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain: and the heart fancieth, as a woman’s heart in travail.
μαντεῖαι καὶ οἰωνισμοὶ καὶ ἐνύπνια μάταιά ἐστι, καὶ ὡς ὠδινούσης φαντάζεται καρδία.
If they be not sent from the most High in thy visitation, set not thy heart upon them.
ἐὰν μὴ παρὰ ῾Υψίστου ἀποσταλῇ ἐν ἐπισκοπῇ, μὴ δῷς εἰς αὐτὰ τὴν καρδίαν σου·
For dreams have deceived many, and they have failed that put their trust in them.
πολλοὺς γὰρ ἐπλάνησε τὰ ἐνύπνια, καὶ ἐξέπεσον ἐλπίζοντες ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς. -
The law shall be found perfect without lies: and wisdom is perfection to a faithful mouth.
῎Ανευ ψεύδους συντελεσθήσεται νόμος, καὶ σοφία στόματι πιστῷ τελείωσις.
A man that hath travelled knoweth many things; and he that hath much experience will declare wisdom.
ἀνὴρ πεπαιδευμένος ἔγνω πολλά, καὶ ὁ πολύπειρος ἐκδιηγήσεται σύνεσιν.
He that hath no experience knoweth little: but he that hath travelled is full of prudence.
ὃς οὐκ ἐπειράθη ὀλίγα οἶδεν, ὁ δὲ πεπλανημένος πληθυνεῖ πανουργίαν.
When I travelled, I saw many things; and I understand more than I can express.
πολλὰ ἑώρακα ἐν τῇ ἀποπλανήσει μου, καὶ πλείονα τῶν λόγων μου σύνεσίς μου.
I was ofttimes in danger of death: yet I was delivered because of these things.
πλεονάκις ἕως θανάτου ἐκινδύνευσα καὶ διεσώθην τούτων χάριν.
The spirit of those that fear the Lord shall live; for their hope is in him that saveth them.
πνεῦμα φοβουμένων Κύριον ζήσεται, ἡ γὰρ ἐλπὶς αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸν σώζοντα αὐτούς.
Whoso feareth the Lord shall not fear nor be afraid; for he is his hope.
ὁ φοβούμενος Κύριον οὐδὲν εὐλαβηθήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ δειλιάσῃ, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ.
Blessed is the soul of him that feareth the Lord: to whom doth he look? and who is his strength?
φοβουμένου τὸν Κύριον μακαρία ἡ ψυχή· τίνι ἐπέχει καὶ τίς ἀντιστήριγμα αὐτοῦ;
For the eyes of the Lord are upon them that love him, he is their mighty protection and strong stay, a defence from heat, and a cover from the sun at noon, a preservation from stumbling, and an help from falling.
οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν· ὑπερασπισμὸς δυναστείας καὶ στήριγμα ἰσχύος, σκέπη ἀπὸ καύσωνος καὶ σκέπη ἀπὸ μεσημβρίας, φυλακὴ ἀπὸ προσκόμματος καὶ βοήθεια ἀπὸ πτώσεως,
He raiseth up the soul, and lighteneth the eyes: he giveth health, life, and blessing.
ἀνυψῶν ψυχὴν καὶ φωτίζων ὀφθαλμούς, ἴασιν διδούς, ζωὴν καὶ εὐλογίαν.
He that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is ridiculous; and the gifts of unjust men are not accepted.
Θυσιάζων ἐξ ἀδίκου, προσφορὰ μεμωκημένη, καὶ οὐκ εἰς εὐδοκίαν δωρήματα ἀνόμων.
The most High is not pleased with the offerings of the wicked; neither is he pacified for sin by the multitude of sacrifices.
οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ὁ ῞Υψιστος ἐν προσφοραῖς ἀσεβῶν, οὐδὲ ἐν πλήθει θυσιῶν ἐξιλάσκεται ἁμαρτίας.
Whoso bringeth an offering of the goods of the poor doeth as one that killeth the son before his father’s eyes.
θύων υἱὸν ἔναντι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ προσάγων θυσίαν ἐκ χρημάτων πενήτων.
The bread of the needy is their life: he that defraudeth him thereof is a man of blood.
ἄρτος ἐπιδεομένων ζωὴ πτωχῶν, ὁ ἀποστερῶν αὐτὴν ἄνθρωπος αἱμάτων.
He that taketh away his neighbour’s living slayeth him; and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire is a bloodshedder.
φονεύων τὸν πλησίον ὁ ἀφαιρούμενος συμβίωσιν, καὶ ἐκχέων αἷμα ὁ ἀποστερῶν μισθὸν μισθίου.
When one buildeth, and another pulleth down, what profit have they then but labour?
εἷς οἰκοδομῶν, καὶ εἷς καθαιρῶν· τί ὠφέλησαν πλεῖον ἢ κόπους;
When one prayeth, and another curseth, whose voice will the Lord hear?
εἷς εὐχόμενος καὶ εἷς καταρώμενος· τίνος φωνῆς εἰσακούσεται ὁ δεσπότης;
He that washeth himself after the touching of a dead body, if he touch it again, what availeth his washing?
βαπτιζόμενος ἀπὸ νεκροῦ καὶ πάλιν ἁπτόμενος αὐτοῦ, τί ὠφέλησε τῷ λουτρῷ αὐτοῦ;
So is it with a man that fasteth for his sins, and goeth again, and doeth the same: who will hear his prayer? or what doth his humbling profit him?
οὕτως ἄνθρωπος νηστεύων ἐπὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ πάλιν πορευόμενος καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ ποιῶν· τῆς προσευχῆς αὐτοῦ τίς εἰσακούσεται; καὶ τί ὠφέλησεν ἐν τῷ ταπεινωθῆναι αὐτόν;