Ecclesiasticus, 27

1. Through poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be enriched, turneth away his eye.

1. χάριν διαφόρου πολλοὶ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὁ ζητῶν πληθῦναι ἀποστρέψει ὀφθαλμόν

2. As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of stones, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall stick fast.

2. ἀνὰ μέσον ἁρμῶν λίθων παγήσεται πάσσαλος καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον πράσεως καὶ ἀγορασμοῦ συντριβήσεται ἁμαρτία

3. Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.

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

4. Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown.

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

5. As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts.

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

6. The furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the trial of affliction just men.

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

7. Be the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man.

7. πρὸ λογισμοῦ μὴ ἐπαινέσῃς ἄνδρα οὗτος γὰρ πειρασμὸς ἀνθρώπων

8. Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men.

8. ἐὰν διώκῃς τὸ δίκαιον καταλήμψῃ καὶ ἐνδύσῃ αὐτὸ ὡς ποδήρη δόξης

9. If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and shalt put her on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt dwell with her: and she shall protect thee for ever, and in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt find a strong foundation.

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

10. Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them that practise her.

10. λέων θήραν ἐνεδρεύει οὕτως ἁμαρτία ἐργαζομένους ἄδικα

11. The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sine for them that work iniquities.

11. διήγησις εὐσεβοῦς διὰ παντὸς σοφία ὁ δὲ ἄφρων ὡς σελήνη ἀλλοιοῦται

12. A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon.

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

13. In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time: but be continually among men that think.

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

14. The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is at the pleasures of sin.

14. λαλιὰ πολυόρκου ἀνορθώσει τρίχας καὶ ἡ μάχη αὐτῶν ἐμφραγμὸς ὠτίων

15. The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head stand upright: and its irreverence shall make one stop his ears.

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

16. Is the quarrels of the proud is the shedding of blood: and their cursing is a grievous hearing.

16. ὁ ἀποκαλύπτων μυστήρια ἀπώλεσεν πίστιν καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ φίλον πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ

17. He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth his credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind.

17. στέρξον φίλον καὶ πιστώθητι μετ’ αὐτοῦ ἐὰν δὲ ἀποκαλύψῃς τὰ μυστήρια αὐτοῦ μὴ καταδιώξῃς ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ

18. Love thy neighbour, and be joined to him with fidelity.

18. καθὼς γὰρ ἀπώλεσεν ἄνθρωπος τὸν νεκρὸν αὐτοῦ οὕτως ἀπώλεσας τὴν φιλίαν τοῦ πλησίον

19. But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after him.

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

20. For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so also is he that destroyeth the friendship of his neighbour.

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

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

21. ὅτι τραῦμα ἔστιν καταδῆσαι καὶ λοιδορίας ἔστιν διαλλαγή ὁ δὲ ἀποκαλύψας μυστήρια ἀφήλπισεν

22. Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is fled, as a roe escaped out of the snare: because his soul is wounded.

22. διανεύων ὀφθαλμῷ τεκταίνει κακά καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτὰ ἀποστήσει ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

23. Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is reconciliation:

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

24. But to disclose the secrets of a friend, leaveth no hope to an unhappy soul.

24. πολλὰ ἐμίσησα καὶ οὐχ ὡμοίωσα αὐτῷ καὶ ὁ κύριος μισήσει αὐτόν

25. He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no man will cast him off:

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

26. In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and on thy words he will lay a stumblingblock.

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

27. I have hated many things, but not like him, and the Lord will hate him.

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

28. If one cast a stone on high, it will fall upon his own head: and the deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful.

28. ἐμπαιγμὸς καὶ ὀνειδισμὸς ὑπερηφάνῳ καὶ ἡ ἐκδίκησις ὡς λέων ἐνεδρεύσει αὐτόν

29. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that setteth a stone for his neighbour, shall stumble upon it: and he that layeth a snare for another, shall perish in it.

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

30. A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to him.

30. μῆνις καὶ ὀργή καὶ ταῦτά ἐστιν βδελύγματα καὶ ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐγκρατὴς ἔσται αὐτῶν

31. Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a lion shall lie in wait for him.

31.

32. They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die.

32.

33. Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful man shall be subject to them.

33.