Ecclesiasticus, 39

1. The wise men will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.

1. πλὴν τοῦ ἐπιδιδόντος τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ διανοουμένου ἐν νόμῳ ὑψίστου σοφίαν πάντων ἀρχαίων ἐκζητήσει καὶ ἐν προφητείαις ἀσχοληθήσεται

2. He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.

2. διήγησιν ἀνδρῶν ὀνομαστῶν συντηρήσει καὶ ἐν στροφαῖς παραβολῶν συνεισελεύσεται

3. He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.

3. ἀπόκρυφα παροιμιῶν ἐκζητήσει καὶ ἐν αἰνίγμασι παραβολῶν ἀναστραφήσεται

4. He shall serve among great men, and: appear before the governor.

4. ἀνὰ μέσον μεγιστάνων ὑπηρετήσει καὶ ἔναντι ἡγουμένων ὀφθήσεται ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίων ἐθνῶν διελεύσεται ἀγαθὰ γὰρ καὶ κακὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπείρασεν

5. He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.

5. τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπιδώσει ὀρθρίσαι πρὸς κύριον τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸν καὶ ἔναντι ὑψίστου δεηθήσεται καὶ ἀνοίξει στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ δεηθήσεται

6. He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.

6. ἐὰν κύριος ὁ μέγας θελήσῃ πνεύματι συνέσεως ἐμπλησθήσεται αὐτὸς ἀνομβρήσει ῥήματα σοφίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν προσευχῇ ἐξομολογήσεται κυρίῳ

7. He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.

7. αὐτὸς κατευθυνεῖ βουλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμην καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσεται

8. For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:

8. αὐτὸς ἐκφανεῖ παιδείαν διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν νόμῳ διαθήκης κυρίου καυχήσεται

9. And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.

9. αἰνέσουσιν τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ πολλοί καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται οὐκ ἀποστήσεται τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ζήσεται εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν

10. And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.

10. τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ διηγήσονται ἔθνη καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον αὐτοῦ ἐξαγγελεῖ ἐκκλησία

11. He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

11. ἐὰν ἐμμείνῃ ὄνομα καταλείψει ἢ χίλιοι καὶ ἐὰν ἀναπαύσηται ἐκποιεῖ αὐτῷ

12. Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.

12. ἔτι διανοηθεὶς ἐκδιηγήσομαι καὶ ὡς διχομηνία ἐπληρώθην

13. The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.

13. εἰσακούσατέ μου υἱοὶ ὅσιοι καὶ βλαστήσατε ὡς ῥόδον φυόμενον ἐπὶ ῥεύματος ὑγροῦ

14. Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise.

14. καὶ ὡς λίβανος εὐωδιάσατε ὀσμὴν καὶ ἀνθήσατε ἄνθος ὡς κρίνον διάδοτε ὀσμὴν καὶ αἰνέσατε ᾆσμα εὐλογήσατε κύριον ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔργοις

15. If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he rest, it shall be to his advantage.

15. δότε τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μεγαλωσύνην καὶ ἐξομολογήσασθε ἐν αἰνέσει αὐτοῦ ἐν ᾠδαῖς χειλέων καὶ ἐν κινύραις καὶ οὕτως ἐρεῖτε ἐν ἐξομολογήσει

16. I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a holy transport.

16. τὰ ἔργα κυρίου πάντα ὅτι καλὰ σφόδρα καὶ πᾶν πρόσταγμα ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ἔσται οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν τί τοῦτο εἰς τί τοῦτο πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ζητηθήσεται

17. By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of waters.

17. ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ ἔστη ὡς θιμωνιὰ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐν ῥήματι στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀποδοχεῖα ὑδάτων

18. Give ye a sweet odour as frankincense.

18. ἐν προστάγματι αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ εὐδοκία καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐλαττώσει τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ

19. Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.

19. ἔργα πάσης σαρκὸς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν κρυβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ

20. Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your lips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in praising him, you shall say in this manner:

20. ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐπέβλεψεν καὶ οὐθέν ἐστιν θαυμάσιον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ

21. All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.

21. οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν τί τοῦτο εἰς τί τοῦτο πάντα γὰρ εἰς χρείας αὐτῶν ἔκτισται

22. At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters:

22. ἡ εὐλογία αὐτοῦ ὡς ποταμὸς ἐπεκάλυψεν καὶ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς ξηρὰν ἐμέθυσεν

23. For at his commandment favour is shewn, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.

23. οὕτως ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη κληρονομήσει ὡς μετέστρεψεν ὕδατα εἰς ἅλμην

24. The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.

24. αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὁσίοις εὐθεῖαι οὕτως τοῖς ἀνόμοις προσκόμματα

25. He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before him.

25. ἀγαθὰ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔκτισται ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς κακά

26. There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things shall be sought in their time.

26. ἀρχὴ πάσης χρείας εἰς ζωὴν ἀνθρώπου ὕδωρ καὶ πῦρ καὶ σίδηρος καὶ ἅλας καὶ σεμίδαλις πυροῦ καὶ γάλα καὶ μέλι αἷμα σταφυλῆς καὶ ἔλαιον καὶ ἱμάτιον

27. His blessing hath overflowed like a river.

27. ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν εἰς ἀγαθά οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς τραπήσεται εἰς κακά

28. And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit the nations, that have not sought after him:

28. ἔστιν πνεύματα ἃ εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται καὶ ἐν θυμῷ αὐτοῦ ἐστερέωσεν μάστιγας αὐτῶν ἐν καιρῷ συντελείας ἰσχὺν ἐκχεοῦσιν καὶ τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς κοπάσουσιν

29. Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was made dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners they are stumblingblocks in his wrath.

29. πῦρ καὶ χάλαζα καὶ λιμὸς καὶ θάνατος πάντα ταῦτα εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται

30. Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good and evil things.

30. θηρίων ὀδόντες καὶ σκορπίοι καὶ ἔχεις καὶ ῥομφαία ἐκδικοῦσα εἰς ὄλεθρον ἀσεβεῖς

31. The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.

31. ἐν τῇ ἐντολῇ αὐτοῦ εὐφρανθήσονται καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἰς χρείας ἑτοιμασθήσονται καὶ ἐν καιροῖς αὐτῶν οὐ παραβήσονται λόγον

32. All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.

32. διὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐστηρίχθην καὶ διενοήθην καὶ ἐν γραφῇ ἀφῆκα

33. There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on grievous torments.

33. τὰ ἔργα κυρίου πάντα ἀγαθὰ καὶ πᾶσαν χρείαν ἐν ὥρᾳ αὐτῆς χορηγήσει

34. In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.

34. καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν τοῦτο τούτου πονηρότερον πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ εὐδοκιμηθήσεται

35. Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance.

35. καὶ νῦν ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ καὶ στόματι ὑμνήσατε καὶ εὐλογήσατε τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου

36. The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword taking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.

36.

37. In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready upon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not transgress his word.

37.

38. Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have meditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing.

38.

39. All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.

39.

40. It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be well approved in their time.

40.

41. Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.

41.