Ecclesiasticus, 34

1. The hopes of a man that is void of understanding are vain and deceitful: and dreams lift up fools.

1. κεναὶ ἐλπίδες καὶ ψευδεῖς ἀσυνέτῳ ἀνδρί καὶ ἐνύπνια ἀναπτεροῦσιν ἄφρονας

2. The man that giveth heed to lying visions, is like to him that catcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind.

2. ὡς δρασσόμενος σκιᾶς καὶ διώκων ἄνεμον οὕτως ὁ ἐπέχων ἐνυπνίοις

3. The vision of dreams is the resemblance of one thing to another: as when a man's likeness is before the face of a man.

3. τοῦτο κατὰ τούτου ὅρασις ἐνυπνίων κατέναντι προσώπου ὁμοίωμα προσώπου

4. What can be made clean by the unclean? and what truth can come from that which is false?

4. ἀπὸ ἀκαθάρτου τί καθαρισθήσεται καὶ ἀπὸ ψευδοῦς τί ἀληθεύσει

5. Deceitful divinations and lying omens and the dreams of evildoers, are vanity:

5. μαντεῖαι καὶ οἰωνισμοὶ καὶ ἐνύπνια μάταιά ἐστιν καὶ ὡς ὠδινούσης φαντάζεται καρδία

6. And the heart fancieth as that of a woman in travail: except it be a vision sent forth from the most High, set no thy heart upon them.

6. ἐὰν μὴ παρὰ ὑψίστου ἀποσταλῇ ἐν ἐπισκοπῇ μὴ δῷς εἰς αὐτὰ τὴν καρδίαν σου

7. For dreams have deceived many, and they have failed that put their trust in them.

7. πολλοὺς γὰρ ἐπλάνησεν τὰ ἐνύπνια καὶ ἐξέπεσον ἐλπίζοντες ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς

8. The word of the law shall be fulfilled without a lie, and wisdom shall be made plain in the mouth of the faithful.

8. ἄνευ ψεύδους συντελεσθήσεται νόμος καὶ σοφία στόματι πιστῷ τελείωσις

9. What doth he know, that hath not been tried? A man that hath much experience, shall think of many things: and he that hath learned many things, shall shew forth understanding.

9. ἀνὴρ πεπλανημένος ἔγνω πολλά καὶ ὁ πολύπειρος ἐκδιηγήσεται σύνεσιν

10. He that hath no experience, knoweth little: and he that hath been experienced in many things, multiplieth prudence.

10. ὃς οὐκ ἐπειράθη ὀλίγα οἶδεν ὁ δὲ πεπλανημένος πληθυνεῖ πανουργίαν

11. He that hath not been tried, what manner of things doth he know? he that hath been surprised, shall abound with subtlety.

11. πολλὰ ἑώρακα ἐν τῇ ἀποπλανήσει μου καὶ πλείονα τῶν λόγων μου σύνεσίς μου

12. I have seen many things by travelling, and many customs of things.

12. πλεονάκις ἕως θανάτου ἐκινδύνευσα καὶ διεσώθην τούτων χάριν

13. Sometimes I have been in danger of death for these things, and I have been delivered by the grace of God.

13. πνεῦμα φοβουμένων κύριον ζήσεται ἡ γὰρ ἐλπὶς αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸν σῴζοντα αὐτούς

14. The spirit of those that fear God; is sought after, and by his regard shall be blessed.

14. ὁ φοβούμενος κύριον οὐδὲν εὐλαβηθήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ δειλιάσῃ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ

15. For their hope is on him that saveth them, and the eyes of God are upon them that love him.

15. φοβουμένου τὸν κύριον μακαρία ἡ ψυχή τίνι ἐπέχει καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ στήριγμα

16. He that feareth the Lord shall tremble at nothing, and shall not be afraid for he is his hope.

16. 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

17. The soul of him that feareth the Lord is blessed.

17. ἀνυψῶν ψυχὴν καὶ φωτίζων ὀφθαλμούς ἴασιν διδούς ζωὴν καὶ εὐλογίαν

18. To whom doth he look, and who in his strength?

18. θυσιάζων ἐξ ἀδίκου προσφορὰ μεμωμημένη καὶ οὐκ εἰς εὐδοκίαν δωρήματα ἀνόμων

19. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, he is their powerful protector, and strong stay, a defence from the heat, and a cover from the sun at noon,

19. οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ὁ ὕψιστος ἐν προσφοραῖς ἀσεβῶν οὐδὲ ἐν πλήθει θυσιῶν ἐξιλάσκεται ἁμαρτίας

20. A preservation from stumbling, and a help from falling; he raiseth up the soul, and enlighteneth the eyes, and giveth health, and life, and blessing.

20. θύων υἱὸν ἔναντι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ προσάγων θυσίαν ἐκ χρημάτων πενήτων

21. The offering of him that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, is stained, and the mockeries of the unjust are not acceptable.

21. ἄρτος ἐπιδεομένων ζωὴ πτωχῶν ὁ ἀποστερῶν αὐτὴν ἄνθρωπος αἱμάτων

22. The Lord is only for them that wait upon him in the way of truth and justice.

22. φονεύων τὸν πλησίον ὁ ἀφαιρούμενος ἐμβίωσιν καὶ ἐκχέων αἷμα ὁ ἀποστερῶν μισθὸν μισθίου

23. The most High approveth not the gifts of the wicked: neither hath he respect to the oblations of the unjust, nor will he be pacified for sine by the multitude of their sacrifices.

23. εἷς οἰκοδομῶν καὶ εἷς καθαιρῶν τί ὠφέλησαν πλεῖον ἢ κόπους

24. He that offereth sacrifice of the goods of the poor, is as one that sacrificeth the son in the presence of his father.

24. εἷς εὐχόμενος καὶ εἷς καταρώμενος τίνος φωνῆς εἰσακούσεται ὁ δεσπότης

25. The bread of the needy, is the life of the poor: he that defraudeth them thereof, is a man of blood.

25. βαπτιζόμενος ἀπὸ νεκροῦ καὶ πάλιν ἁπτόμενος αὐτοῦ τί ὠφέλησεν ἐν τῷ λουτρῷ αὐτοῦ

26. He that taketh away the bread gotten by sweat, is like him that killeth his neighbour.

26. 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

27. He that sheddeth blood, and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire, are brothers.

27.

28. When one buildeth up, and another pulleth down: what profit have they but the labour?

28.

29. When one prayeth, and another curseth: whose voice will God hear?

29.

30. He that washeth himself after touching the dead, if he toucheth him again, what doth his washing avail?

30.

31. So a man that fasteth for his sins, and doth the same again, what doth his humbling himself profit him? who will hear his prayer?

31.