Ecclesiasticus, 16

1. Rejoice not in ungodly children, if they be multiplied: neither be delighted in them, if the fear of God be not with them.

1. μὴ ἐπιθύμει τέκνων πλῆθος ἀχρήστων μηδὲ εὐφραίνου ἐπὶ υἱοῖς ἀσεβέσιν

2. Trust not to their life, and respect not their labours.

2. ἐὰν πληθύνωσιν μὴ εὐφραίνου ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς εἰ μή ἐστιν φόβος κυρίου μετ’ αὐτῶν

3. For better is one that feareth God, than a thousand ungodly children.

3. μὴ ἐμπιστεύσῃς τῇ ζωῇ αὐτῶν καὶ μὴ ἔπεχε ἐπὶ τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν κρείσσων γὰρ εἷς ἢ χίλιοι καὶ ἀποθανεῖν ἄτεκνον ἢ ἔχειν τέκνα ἀσεβῆ

4. And it is better to die without children, than to leave ungodly children.

4. ἀπὸ γὰρ ἑνὸς συνετοῦ συνοικισθήσεται πόλις φυλὴ δὲ ἀνόμων ἐρημωθήσεται

5. By one that is wise a country shall be inhabited, the tribe of the ungodly shall become desolate.

5. πολλὰ τοιαῦτα ἑόρακεν ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου καὶ ἰσχυρότερα τούτων ἀκήκοεν τὸ οὖς μου

6. Many such things hath my eyes seen, and greater things than these my ear hath heard.

6. ἐν συναγωγῇ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐκκαυθήσεται πῦρ καὶ ἐν ἔθνει ἀπειθεῖ ἐξεκαύθη ὀργή

7. In the congregation of sinners a fire shall be kindled, and in an unbelieving nation wrath shall dame out.

7. οὐκ ἐξιλάσατο περὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων γιγάντων οἳ ἀπέστησαν τῇ ἰσχύι αὐτῶν

8. The ancient giants did not obtain pardon for their sine, who were destroyed trusting to their own strength:

8. οὐκ ἐφείσατο περὶ τῆς παροικίας Λωτ οὓς ἐβδελύξατο διὰ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν αὐτῶν

9. And he spared not the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for the pride of their word.

9. οὐκ ἠλέησεν ἔθνος ἀπωλείας τοὺς ἐξηρμένους ἐν ἁμαρτίαις αὐτῶν

10. He had not pity on them, destroying the whole nation that extolled them- selves in their sine.

10. καὶ οὕτως ἑξακοσίας χιλιάδας πεζῶν τοὺς ἐπισυναχθέντας ἐν σκληροκαρδίᾳ αὐτῶν

11. So did he with the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their heart: and if one had been stiffnecked, it is a wonder if he had escaped unpunished:

11. κἂν ᾖ εἷς σκληροτράχηλος θαυμαστὸν τοῦτο εἰ ἀθῳωθήσεται ἔλεος γὰρ καὶ ὀργὴ παρ’ αὐτῷ δυνάστης ἐξιλασμῶν καὶ ἐκχέων ὀργήν

12. For mercy and wrath are with him. He is mighty to forgive, and to pour out indignation:

12. κατὰ τὸ πολὺ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ οὕτως καὶ πολὺς ὁ ἔλεγχος αὐτοῦ ἄνδρα κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ κρινεῖ

13. According as his mercy is, so his correction judgeth a man according to his works.

13. οὐκ ἐκφεύξεται ἐν ἁρπάγματι ἁμαρτωλός καὶ οὐ μὴ καθυστερήσει ὑπομονὴ εὐσεβοῦς

14. The sinner shall not escape in his rapines, and the patience of him that sheweth mercy shall not be put off.

14. πάσῃ ἐλεημοσύνῃ ποιήσει τόπον ἕκαστος κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ εὑρήσει

15. All mercy shall make a place for every man according to the merit of his works, and according to the wisdom of his sojournment.

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16. Say not: I shall be hidden from God. and who shall remember me from on high?

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17. In such a multitude I shall not be known: for what is my soul in such an immense creation?

17. μὴ εἴπῃς ὅτι ἀπὸ κυρίου κρυβήσομαι καὶ ἐξ ὕψους τίς μου μνησθήσεται ἐν λαῷ πλείονι οὐ μὴ γνωσθῶ τίς γὰρ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ἀμετρήτῳ κτίσει

18. Behold the heaven, and the heavens of heavens, the deep, and all the earth, and the things that are in them, shall be moved in his sight,

18. ἰδοὺ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἄβυσσος καὶ γῆ ἐν τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ αὐτοῦ σαλευθήσονται

19. The mountains also, and the hills, end the foundations of the earth: when God shall look upon them, they shall be shaken with trembling.

19. ἅμα τὰ ὄρη καὶ τὰ θεμέλια τῆς γῆς ἐν τῷ ἐπιβλέψαι εἰς αὐτὰ τρόμῳ συσσείονται

20. And in all these things the heart is senseless: and every heart is understood by him:

20. καὶ ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς οὐ διανοηθήσεται καρδία καὶ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ τίς ἐνθυμηθήσεται

21. And his ways who shall understand, and the storm, which no eye of man see?

21. καὶ καταιγίς ἣν οὐκ ὄψεται ἄνθρωπος τὰ δὲ πλείονα τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀποκρύφοις

22. For many of his works are hidden: hut the works of his justice who shall declare? or who shall endure? for the testament is far from some, and the examination of all is in the end.

22. ἔργα δικαιοσύνης τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ἢ τίς ὑπομενεῖ μακρὰν γὰρ ἡ διαθήκη

23. He that wanteth understanding thinketh vain things: and the foolish, and erring man, thinketh foolish things.

23. ἐλαττούμενος καρδίᾳ διανοεῖται ταῦτα καὶ ἀνὴρ ἄφρων καὶ πλανώμενος διανοεῖται μωρά

24. Hearken to me, my son, and learn the discipline of understanding, and attend to my words in thy heart.

24. ἄκουσόν μου τέκνον καὶ μάθε ἐπιστήμην καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν λόγων μου πρόσεχε τῇ καρδίᾳ σου

25. And I will shew forth good doctrine in equity, and will seek to declare wisdom: and attend to my words in thy heart, whilst with equity of spirit I tell thee the virtues that God hath put upon his works from the beginning, and I shew forth in truth his knowledge.

25. ἐκφανῶ ἐν σταθμῷ παιδείαν καὶ ἐν ἀκριβείᾳ ἀπαγγελῶ ἐπιστήμην

26. The works of God are done in judgment from the beginning, and from the making of them he distinguished their parts, and their beginnings in their generations.

26. ἐν κρίσει κυρίου τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἀπὸ ποιήσεως αὐτῶν διέστειλεν μερίδας αὐτῶν

27. He beautified their works for ever, they have neither hungered, nor laboured, and they have not ceased from their works.

27. ἐκόσμησεν εἰς αἰῶνα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἀρχὰς αὐτῶν εἰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐπείνασαν οὔτε ἐκοπίασαν καὶ οὐκ ἐξέλιπον ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν

28. Nor shall any of them straiten his neighbour at any time.

28. ἕκαστος τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐξέθλιψεν καὶ ἕως αἰῶνος οὐκ ἀπειθήσουσιν τοῦ ῥήματος αὐτοῦ

29. Be not thou incredulous to his word.

29. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα κύριος εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐπέβλεψεν καὶ ἐνέπλησεν αὐτὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν αὐτοῦ

30. After this God looked upon the earth, and filled it with his goods.

30. ψυχῇ παντὸς ζῴου ἐκάλυψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτῶν

31. The soul of every living thing hath shewn forth before the face thereof, and into it they return again.

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