Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 48

1

Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.

ΚΑΙ ἀνέστη ᾿Ηλίας προφήτης ὡς πῦρ, καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ ὡς λαμπὰς ἐκαίετο·

2

He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.

ὃς ἐπήγαγεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς λιμὸν καὶ τῷ ζήλῳ αὐτοῦ ὠλιγοποίησεν αὐτούς·

3

By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire.

ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου ἀνέσχεν οὐρανόν, κατήγαγεν οὕτως τρὶς πῦρ.

4

O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!

ὡς ἐδοξάσθης, ᾿Ηλία, ἐν τοῖς θαυμασίοις σου· καὶ τίς ὅμοιός σοι καυχᾶσθαι;

5

Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the most High:

ὁ ἐγείρας νεκρὸν ἐκ θανάτου καὶ ἐξ ᾅδου ἐν λόγῳ ῾Υψίστου·

6

Who broughtest kings to destruction, and honourable men from their bed:

ὁ καταγαγὼν βασιλεῖς εἰς ἀπώλειαν καὶ δεδοξασμένους ἀπὸ κλίνης αὐτῶν·

7

Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance:

ὁ ἀκούων ἐν Σινᾷ ἐλεγμὸν καὶ ἐν Χωρὴβ κρίματα ἐκδικήσεως·

8

Who anointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him:

ὁ χρίων βασιλεῖς εἰς ἀνταπόδομα καὶ προφήτας διαδόχους μετ᾿ αὐτόν·

9

Who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses:

ὁ ἀναληφθεὶς ἐν λαίλαπι πυρὸς ἐν ἅρματι ἵππων πυρίνων·

10

Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord’s judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

ὁ καταγραφεὶς ἐν ἐλεγμοῖς εἰς καιροὺς κοπάσαι ὀργὴν πρὸ θυμοῦ, ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίαν πατρὸς πρὸς υἱὸν καὶ καταστῆσαι φυλὰς ᾿Ιακώβ.

11

Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.

μακάριοι οἱ ἰδόντες σε καὶ οἱ ἐν ἀγαπήσει κεκοσμημένοι, καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ζωῇ ζησόμεθα.

12

Elias it was, who was covered with a whirlwind: and Eliseus was filled with his spirit: whilst he lived, he was not moved with the presence of any prince, neither could any bring him into subjection.

᾿Ηλίας, ὃς ἐν λαίλαπι ἐσκεπάσθη, καὶ ᾿Ελισαιὲ ἐνεπλήσθη πνεύματος αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσαλεύθη ὑπὸ ἄρχοντος, καὶ οὐ κατεδυνάστευσεν αὐτὸν οὐδείς.

13

No word could overcome him; and after his death his body prophesied.

πᾶς λόγος οὐχ ὑπερῇρεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἐν κοιμήσει ἐπροφήτευσε τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ·

14

He did wonders in his life, and at his death were his works marvellous.

καὶ ἐν ζωῇ αὐτοῦ ἐποίησε τέρατα, καὶ ἐν τελευτῇ θαυμάσια τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. -

15

For all this the people repented not, neither departed they from their sins, till they were spoiled and carried out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth: yet there remained a small people, and a ruler in the house of David:

᾿Εν πᾶσι τούτοις οὐ μετενόησεν ὁ λαὸς καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν, ἕως ἐπρονομεύθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐσκορπίσθησαν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. καὶ κατελείφθη ὁ λαὸς ὀλιγοστός, καὶ ἄρχων τῷ οἴκῳ Δαυίδ·

16

Of whom some did that which was pleasing to God, and some multiplied sins.

τινὲς μὲν αὐτῶν ἐποίησαν τὸ ἀρεστόν, τινὲς δὲ ἐπλήθυναν ἁμαρτίας. -

17

Ezekias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof: he digged the hard rock with iron, and made wells for waters.

᾿Εζεκίας ὠχύρωσε τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσήγαγεν εἰς τὸ μέσον αὐτῆς ὕδωρ, ὤρυξε σιδήρῳ ἀκρότομον καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε κρήνας εἰς ὕδατα.

18

In his time Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against Sion, and boasted proudly.

ἐν ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἀνέβη Σενναχηρὶμ καὶ ἀπέστειλε Ῥαψάκην, καὶ ἀπῇρε· καὶ ἐπῇρεν ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Σιὼν καὶ ἐμεγαλαύχησεν ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

19

Then trembled their hearts and hands, and they were in pain, as women in travail.

τότε ἐσαλεύθησαν καρδίαι καὶ χεῖρες αὐτῶν, καὶ ὠδίνησαν ὡς αἱ τίκτουσαι·

20

But they called upon the Lord which is merciful, and stretched out their hands toward him: and immediately the Holy One heard them out of heaven, and delivered them by the ministry of Esay.

καὶ ἐπεκαλέσαντο τὸν Κύριον τὸν ἐλεήμονα ἐκπετάσαντες τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ὁ ἅγιος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ταχὺ ἐπήκουσεν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐλυτρώσατο αὐτοὺς ἐν χειρὶ ῾Ησαΐου.

21

He smote the host of the Assyrians, and his angel destroyed them.

ἐπάταξε τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων. καὶ ἐξέτριψεν αὐτοὺς ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτοῦ.

22

For Ezekias had done the thing that pleased the Lord, and was strong in the ways of David his father, as Esay the prophet, who was great and faithful in his vision, had commanded him.

ἐποίησε γὰρ ᾿Εζεκίας τὸ ἀρεστὸν Κυρίῳ καὶ ἐνίσχυσεν ἐν ὁδοῖς Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἃς ἐνετείλατο ῾Ησαΐας ὁ προφήτης, ὁ μέγας καὶ πιστὸς ἐν ὁράσει αὐτοῦ.

23

In his time the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king’s life.

ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἀνεπόδισεν ὁ ἥλιος καὶ προσέθηκε ζωὴν βασιλεῖ.

24

He saw by an excellent spirit what should come to pass at the last, and he comforted them that mourned in Sion.

πνεύματι μεγάλῳ εἶδε τὰ ἔσχατα καὶ παρεκάλεσε τοὺς πενθοῦντας ἐν Σιών·

25

He shewed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things or ever they came.

ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος ὑπέδειξε τὰ ἐσόμενα καὶ τὰ ἀπόκρυφα πρὶν ἢ παραγενέσθαι αὐτά.