Liber Ecclesiasticus, 1
1. Omnis sapientia a Domino Deo est et cum illo fuit semper et est ante aevum.
1. Whereas many great teachings have been given to us through the law and the prophets and the others that followed them, on account of which we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom; and since it is necessary not only that the readers themselves should acquire understanding but also that those who love learning should be able to help the outsiders by both speaking and writing, my grandfather Jesus, after devoting himself especially to the reading of the law and the prophets and the other books of our fathers, and after acquiring considerable proficiency in them, was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, in order that, by becoming conversant with this also, those who love learning should make even greater progress in living according to the law.
2. Arenam maris et pluviae guttas et dies saeculi quis dinumeravit? Altitudinem caeli et latitudinem terrae et profundum abyssi quis mensus est?
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3. Sapientiam Dei praecedentem omnia quis investigavit?
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4. Prior omnium creata est sapientia, et intellectus prudentiae ab aevo.
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5. Fons sapientiae verbum Dei in excelsis, et ingressus illius mandata aeterna.
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6. Radix sapientiae cui revelata est? Et astutias illius quis agnovit?
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7. Disciplina sapientiae cui revelata est et manifestata? Et multiplicem peritiam illius quis intellexit?
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8. Unus est Altissimus, creator omnipotens et rex potens et metuendus nimis, sedens super thronum suum et dominans, Deus.
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9. Ipse creavit illam in spiritu sancto et vidit et dinumeravit et mensus est;
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10. et effudit illam super omnia opera su et super omnem carnem secundum largitatem suam et praebuit illam diligentibus se.
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11. Timor Domini gloria et gloriatio et laetitia et corona exsultationis.
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12. Timor Domini delectabit cor et dabit laetitiam et gaudium et longitudinem dierum.
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13. Timenti Dominum bene erit in extremis, et in die defunctionis suae benedicetur.
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14. Dilectio Dei honorabilis sapientia;
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15. quibus autem apparuerit, dispertit eam in visionem sui ipsius et in agnitione magnalium suorum.
15. You are urged therefore to read with good will and attention, and to be indulgent in cases where, despite out diligent labor in translating, we may seem to have rendered some phrases imperfectly. For what was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same sense when translated into another language. Not only this work, but even the law itself, the prophecies, and the rest of the books differ not a little as originally expressed.
16. Initium sapientiae timor Domini, et cum fidelibus in vulva concreata est; cum hominibus veritatis ab aevo fundata est et semini eorum se credet.
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17. Timor Domini scientiae religiositas;
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18. religiositas custodiet et iustificabit cor, iucunditatem atque gaudium dabit.
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19. Plenitudo sapientiae est timere Deum; et inebriat eos fructibus suis.
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21. Omnem domum illius implebit rebus pretiosis et receptacula thesauris illius.
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22. Corona sapientiae timor Domini, repollens pacem et salutis fructum:
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23. utraque autem sunt dona Dei.
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24. Scientiam et intellectum prudentiae sapientia effundit quasi pluviam; et gloriam tenentium se exaltat.
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25. Radix sapientiae est timere Dominum, et rami illius longaevi.
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26. In thesauris sapientiae intellectus et scientiae religiositas; exsecratio autem peccatoribus sapientia.
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27. Timor Domini expellit peccatum; cum autem adsit, omnem avertit iram.
27. When I came to Egypt in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Euergetes and stayed for some time, I found opportunity for no little instruction. It seemed highly necessary that I should myself devote some pains and labor to the translation of the following book, using in that period of time great watchfulness and skill in order to complete and publish the book for those living abroad who wished to gain learning, being prepared in character to live according to the law.
28. Nam, qui sine timore est, non poterit iustificari; iracundia enim animositatis illius subversio illi erit.
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29. Usque in tempus sustinebit patiens, et postea erit redditio iucunditatis.
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30. Bonus sensus usque in tempus abscondet verba illius, et labia multorum enarrabunt sensum illius.
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31. In thesauris sapientiae parabola disciplinae;
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32. exsecratio autem peccatori cultura Dei.
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33. Fili, concupiscens sapientiam conserva iustitiam, et Deus praebebit illam tibi.
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34. Sapientia enim et disciplina timor Domini, et quod beneplacitum est illi,
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35. fides et mansuetudo.
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36. Ne sis incredibilis timori Domini et ne accesseris ad illum duplici corde.
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37. Ne fueris hypocrita in conspectu hominum et cave a labiis tuis.
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38. Ne extollas teipsum, ne forte cadas et adducas animae tuae inhonorationem,
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39. et revelet Deus absconsa tua et in medio synagogae elidat te;
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40. quoniam accessisti maligne ad timorem Domini, et cor tuum plenum est dolo et fallacia.
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