Ecclesiasticus, 4

1. Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from the poor.

1. τέκνον τὴν ζωὴν τοῦ πτωχοῦ μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς καὶ μὴ παρελκύσῃς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπιδεεῖς

2. Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the Boor in his want.

2. ψυχὴν πεινῶσαν μὴ λυπήσῃς καὶ μὴ παροργίσῃς ἄνδρα ἐν ἀπορίᾳ αὐτοῦ

3. Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to give to him that is in distress.

3. καρδίαν παρωργισμένην μὴ προσταράξῃς καὶ μὴ παρελκύσῃς δόσιν προσδεομένου

4. Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy face from the needy.

4. ἱκέτην θλιβόμενον μὴ ἀπαναίνου καὶ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ πτωχοῦ

5. Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back.

5. ἀπὸ δεομένου μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ μὴ δῷς τόπον ἀνθρώπῳ καταράσασθαί σε

6. For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him.

6. καταρωμένου γάρ σε ἐν πικρίᾳ ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ τῆς δεήσεως αὐτοῦ ἐπακούσεται ὁ ποιήσας αὐτόν

7. Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble thy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a great man.

7. προσφιλῆ συναγωγῇ σεαυτὸν ποίει καὶ μεγιστᾶνι ταπείνου τὴν κεφαλήν σου

8. Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness.

8. κλῖνον πτωχῷ τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἀποκρίθητι αὐτῷ εἰρηνικὰ ἐν πραΰτητι

9. Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and be not fainthearted in thy soul.

9. ἐξελοῦ ἀδικούμενον ἐκ χειρὸς ἀδικοῦντος καὶ μὴ ὀλιγοψυχήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνειν σε

10. In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother.

10. γίνου ὀρφανοῖς ὡς πατὴρ καὶ ἀντὶ ἀνδρὸς τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ἔσῃ ὡς υἱὸς ὑψίστου καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε μᾶλλον ἢ μήτηρ σου

11. And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother.

11. ἡ σοφία υἱοὺς αὐτῆς ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἐπιλαμβάνεται τῶν ζητοῦντων αὐτήν

12. Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice.

12. ὁ ἀγαπῶν αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾷ ζωήν καὶ οἱ ὀρθρίζοντες πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐμπλησθήσονται εὐφροσύνης

13. And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her, shall embrace her sweetness.

13. ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς κληρονομήσει δόξαν καὶ οὗ εἰσπορεύεται εὐλογεῖ κύριος

14. They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing.

14. οἱ λατρεύοντες αὐτῇ λειτουργήσουσιν ἁγίῳ καὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾷ ὁ κύριος

15. They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God loveth them that love her.

15. ὁ ὑπακούων αὐτῆς κρινεῖ ἔθνη καὶ ὁ προσέχων αὐτῇ κατασκηνώσει πεποιθώς

16. He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that looketh upon her, shall remain secure.

16. ἐὰν ἐμπιστεύσῃ κατακληρονομήσει αὐτήν καὶ ἐν κατασχέσει ἔσονται αἱ γενεαὶ αὐτοῦ

17. If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall be in assurance.

17. ὅτι διεστραμμένως πορεύσεται μετ’ αὐτοῦ ἐν πρώτοις φόβον καὶ δειλίαν ἐπάξει ἐπ’ αὐτὸν καὶ βασανίσει αὐτὸν ἐν παιδείᾳ αὐτῆς ἕως οὗ ἐμπιστεύσῃ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ καὶ πειράσει αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασιν αὐτῆς

18. For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she chooseth him.

18. καὶ πάλιν ἐπανήξει κατ’ εὐθεῖαν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εὐφρανεῖ αὐτὸν καὶ ἀποκαλύψει αὐτῷ τὰ κρυπτὰ αὐτῆς

19. She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by her laws, and trust his soul.

19. ἐὰν ἀποπλανηθῇ ἐγκαταλείψει αὐτὸν καὶ παραδώσει αὐτὸν εἰς χεῖρας πτώσεως αὐτοῦ

20. Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to him, and give him joy,

20. συντήρησον καιρὸν καὶ φύλαξαι ἀπὸ πονηροῦ καὶ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς σου μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς

21. And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon him treasures of knowledge and understanding of justice.

21. ἔστιν γὰρ αἰσχύνη ἐπάγουσα ἁμαρτίαν καὶ ἔστιν αἰσχύνη δόξα καὶ χάρις

22. But if he go astray, she will forsake him, and deliver him into the hands of his enemy.

22. μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ μὴ ἐντραπῇς εἰς πτῶσίν σου

23. Son, observe the time, and fly from evil.

23. μὴ κωλύσῃς λόγον ἐν καιρῷ χρείας

24. For thy soul be not ashamed to say the truth.

24. ἐν γὰρ λόγῳ γνωσθήσεται σοφία καὶ παιδεία ἐν ῥήματι γλώσσης

25. For there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame that bringeth glory and grace.

25. μὴ ἀντίλεγε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀπαιδευσίας σου ἐντράπηθι

26. Accept no person against thy own person, nor against thy soul a lie.

26. μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς ὁμολογῆσαι ἐφ’ ἁμαρτίαις σου καὶ μὴ βιάζου ῥοῦν ποταμοῦ

27. Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall:

27. καὶ μὴ ὑποστρώσῃς ἀνθρώπῳ μωρῷ σεαυτὸν καὶ μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον δυνάστου

28. And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.

28. ἕως θανάτου ἀγώνισαι περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ κύριος ὁ θεὸς πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ

29. For by the tongue wisdom is discerned: and understanding, and knowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and steadfastness in the works of justice.

29. μὴ γίνου θρασὺς ἐν γλώσσῃ σου καὶ νωθρὸς καὶ παρειμένος ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου

30. In nowise speak against the truth, but be ashamed of the lie of thy ignorance.

30. μὴ ἴσθι ὡς λέων ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου καὶ φαντασιοκοπῶν ἐν τοῖς οἰκέταις σου

31. Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but submit not thyself to every man for sin.

31. μὴ ἔστω ἡ χείρ σου ἐκτεταμένη εἰς τὸ λαβεῖν καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποδιδόναι συνεσταλμένη

32. Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not strive against the stream of the river.

32.

33. Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee.

33.

34. Be not hasty in thy tongue: and slack and remiss in thy works.

34.

35. Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy household, and oppressing them that are under thee.

35.

36. Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldst give.

36.