top Wisdom of Sirach ch 6

Chapter 6

1 Καὶ ἀντὶ φίλου μὴ γίνου ἐχθρὸς· ὄνομα γὰρ πονηρὸν αἰσχύνην καὶ ὄνειδος κληρονομήσει· οὕτως ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς ὁ δίγλωσσος. 1 Instead of a friend become not an enemy; for thereby thou shalt inherit an ill name, shame, and reproach: even so shall a sinner that hath a double tongue.
2 μὴ ἐπάρῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν βουλῇ ψυχῆς σου, ἵνα μὴ διαρπαγῇ ὡς ταῦρος ἡ ψυχή σου· 2 Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart; that thy soul be not torn in pieces as a bull straying alone.
3 τὰ φύλλα σου καταφάγεσαι καὶ τοὺς καρπούς σου ἀπολέσεις καὶ ἀφήσεις σεαυτὸν ὡς ξύλον ξηρόν. 3 Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and lose thy fruit, and leave thyself as a dry tree.
4 ψυχὴ πονηρὰ ἀπολεῖ τὸν κτησάμενον αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπίχαρμα ἐχθρῶν ποιήσει αὐτόν. 4 A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and shall make him to be laughed to scorn of his enemies.
5 λάρυγξ γλυκὺς πληθυνεῖ φίλους αὐτοῦ, καὶ γλῶσσα εὔλαλος πληθυνεῖ εὐπροσήγορα. 5 Sweet language will multiply friends: and a fairspeaking tongue will increase kind greetings.
6 οἱ εἰρηνεύοντές σοὶ ἔστωσαν πολλοί, οἱ δὲ σύμβουλοί σου εἷς ἀπὸ χιλίων. 6 Be in peace with many: nevertheless have but one counsellor of a thousand.
7 εἰ κτᾶσαι φίλον, ἐν πειρασμῷ κτῆσαι αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ ταχὺ ἐμπιστεύσῃς αὐτῷ. 7 If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first and be not hasty to credit him.
8 ἔστιν γὰρ φίλος ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ παραμείνῃ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεώς σου. 8 For some man is a friend for his own occasion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble.
9 καὶ ἔστιν φίλος μετατιθέμενος εἰς ἔχθραν καὶ μάχην ὀνειδισμοῦ σου ἀποκαλύψει. 9 And there is a friend, who being turned to enmity, and strife will discover thy reproach.
10 καὶ ἔστιν φίλος κοινωνὸς τραπεζῶν καὶ οὐ μὴ παραμείνῃ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεώς σου· 10 Again, some friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of thy affliction.
11 καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς σου ἔσται ὡς σὺ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας σου παρρησιάσεται· 11 But in thy prosperity he will be as thyself, and will be bold over thy servants.
12 ἐὰν ταπεινωθῇς, ἔσται κατὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσεται. 12 If thou be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide himself from thy face.
13 ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου διαχωρίσθητι καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν φίλων σου πρόσεχε. 13 Separate thyself from thine enemies, and take heed of thy friends.
14 φίλος πιστὸς σκέπη κραταιά, ὁ δὲ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν εὗρεν θησαυρόν. 14 A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure.
15 φίλου πιστοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀντάλλαγμα, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν σταθμὸς τῆς καλλονῆς αὐτοῦ. 15 Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is invaluable.
16 φίλος πιστὸς φάρμακον ζωῆς, καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον εὑρήσουσιν αὐτόν. 16 A faithful friend is the medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord shall find him.
17 ὁ φοβούμενος κύριον εὐθυνεῖ φιλίαν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι κατ᾿ αὐτὸν οὕτως καὶ ὁ πλησίον αὐτοῦ. 17 Whoso feareth the Lord shall direct his friendship aright: for as he is, so shall his neighbour be also.
18 τέκνον, ἐκ νεότητός σου ἐπίλεξαι παιδείαν, καὶ ἕως πολιῶν εὑρήσεις σοφίαν. 18 My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age.
19 ὡς ὁ ἀροτριῶν καὶ ὁ σπείρων πρόσελθε αὐτῇ καὶ ἀνάμενε τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς· ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἐργασίᾳ αὐτῆς ὀλίγον κοπιάσεις καὶ ταχὺ φάγεσαι τῶν γενημάτων αὐτῆς. 19 Come unto her as one that ploweth and soweth, and wait for her good fruits: for thou shalt not toil much in labouring about her, but thou shalt eat of her fruits right soon.
20 ὡς τραχεῖά ἐστιν σφόδρα τοῖς ἀπαιδεύτοις, καὶ οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ ἐν αὐτῇ ἀκάρδιος· 20 She is very unpleasant to the unlearned: he that is without understanding will not remain with her.
21 ὡς λίθος δοκιμασίας ἰσχυρὸς ἔσται ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ ἀπορρῖψαι αὐτήν. 21 She will lie upon him as a mighty stone of trial; and he will cast her from him ere it be long.
22 σοφία γὰρ κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς ἐστιν καὶ οὐ πολλοῖς ἐστιν φανερά. 22 For wisdom is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto many.
23 ἄκουσον, τέκνον, καὶ ἔκδεξαι γνώμην μου καὶ μὴ ἀπαναίνου τὴν συμβουλίαν μου· 23 Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refuse not my counsel,
24 καὶ εἰσένεγκον τοὺς πόδας σου εἰς τὰς πέδας αὐτῆς καὶ εἰς τὸν κλοιὸν αὐτῆς τὸν τράχηλόν σου· 24 And put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain.
25 ὑπόθες τὸν ὦμόν σου καὶ βάσταξον αὐτὴν καὶ μὴ προσοχθίσῃς τοῖς δεσμοῖς αὐτῆς· 25 Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds.
26 ἐν πάσῃ ψυχῇ σου πρόσελθε αὐτῇ καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ δυνάμει σου συντήρησον τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῆς· 26 Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with all thy power.
27 ἐξίχνευσον καὶ ζήτησον καὶ γνωσθήσεταί σοι, καὶ ἐγκρατὴς γενόμενος μὴ ἀφῇς αὐτήν· 27 Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee: and when thou hast got hold of her, let her not go.
28 ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων γὰρ εὑρήσεις τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν αὐτῆς. καὶ στραφήσεταί σοὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην· 28 For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be turned to thy joy.
29 καὶ ἔσονταί σοὶ αἱ πέδαι εἰς σκέπην ἰσχύος καὶ οἱ κλοιοὶ αὐτῆς εἰς στολὴν δόξης 29 Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chains a robe of glory.
30 κόσμος γὰρ χρύσεός ἐστιν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς῎ καὶ οἱ δεσμοὶ αὐτῆς κλῶσμα ὑακίνθινον· 30 For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are purple lace.
31 στολὴν δόξης ἐνδύσῃ αὐτὴν καὶ στέφανον ἀγαλλιάματος περιθήσεις σεαυτῷ 31 Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy.
32 ἐὰν θέλῃς῎ τέκνον. παιδευθήσῃ. καὶ ἐὰν ἐπιδῷς τὴν ψυχήν σου. πανοῦργος ἔσῃ· 32 My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent.
33 ἐὰν ἀγαπήσῃς ἀκούειν. ἐκδέξῃ. καὶ ἐὰν κλίνῃς τὸ οὖς σου. σοφὸς ἔσῃ 33 If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding: and if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt be wise,
34 ἐν πλήθει πρεσβυτέρων στῆθι· καὶ τίς σοφός; αὐτῷ προσκολλήθητι. 34 Stand in the multitude of the elders; and cleave unto him that is wise.
35 πᾶσαν διήγησιν θείαν θέλε ἀκροᾶσθαι, καὶ παροιμίαι συνέσεως μὴ ἐκφευγέτωσάν σε. 35 Be willing to hear every godly discourse; and let not the parables of understanding escape thee.
36 ἐὰν ἴδῃς συνετόν, ὄρθριζε πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ βαθμοὺς θυρῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκτριβέτω ὁ πούς σου. 36 And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door.
37 διανοοῦ ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασιν κυρίου καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ μελέτα διὰ παντός· αὐτὸς στηριεῖ τὴν καρδίαν σου, καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς σοφίας δοθήσεταί σοι. 37 Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord and meditate continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine owns desire.