top Wisdom of Sirach ch 10

Chapter 10

1 Κριτὴς σοφὸς παιδεύσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡγεμονία συνετοῦ τεταγμένη ἔσται. 1 A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered.
2 κατὰ τὸν κριτὴν τοῦ λαοῦ οὕτως καὶ οἱ λειτουργοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατὰ τὸν ἡγούμενον τῆς πόλεως πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες αὐτήν. 2 As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein.
3 βασιλεὺς ἀπαίδευτος ἀπολεῖ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πόλις οἰκισθήσεται ἐν συνέσει δυναστῶν. 3 An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited.
4 ἐν χειρὶ κυρίου ἡ ἐξουσία τῆς, γῆς καὶ τὸν χρήσιμον ἐγερεῖ εἰς καιρὸν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς. 4 The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable.
5 ἐν χειρὶ κυρίου εὐοδία ἀνδρός, καὶ προσώπῳ γραμματέως ἐπιθήσει δόξαν αὐτοῦ. 5 In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour.
6 ἐπὶ παντὶ ἀδικήματι μὴ μηνιάσῃς τῷ πλησίον καὶ μὴ πρᾶσσε μηδὲν ἐν ἔργοις ὕβρεως. 6 Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong; and do nothing at all by injurious practices.
7 μισητὴ ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων ὑπερηφανία, καὶ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων πλημμελὴς ἡ ἀδικία. 7 Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity.
8 βασιλεία ἀπὸ ἔθνους εἰς ἔθνος μετάγεται διὰ ἀδικίας καὶ ὕβρεις καὶ χρήματα. 8 Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is translated from one people to another.
9 τί ὑπερηφανεύεται γῆ καὶ σποδός; ὅτι ἐν ζωῇ ἔρριψα τὰ ἐνδόσθια αὐτοῦ. 9 Why is earth and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale; because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels.
10 μακρὸν ἀρρώστημα, σκώπτει ἰατρός· καὶ βασιλεὺς σήμερον, καὶ αὔριον τελευτήσει. 10 The physician cutteth off a long disease; and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die.
11 ἐν γὰρ τῷ ἀποθανεῖν ἄνθρωπον κληρονομήσει ἑρπετὰ καὶ θηρία καὶ σκώληκας. 11 For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, beasts, and worms.
12 ἀρχὴ ὑπερηφανίας ἀνθρώπου ἀφίστασθαι ἀπὸ κυρίου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτὸν ἀπέστη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ. 12 The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker.
13 ὅτι ἀρχὴ ὑπερηφανίας ἁμαρτία, καὶ ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς ἐξομβρήσει βδέλυγμα· διὰ τοῦτο παρεδόξασεν κύριος τὰς ἐπαγωγὰς καὶ κατέστρεψεν εἰς τέλος αὐτούς. 13 For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that hath it shall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, and overthrew them utterly.
14 θρόνους ἀρχόντων καθεῖλεν ὁ κύριος καὶ ἐκάθισεν πραεῖς ἀντ᾿ αὐτῶν· 14 The Lord hath cast down the thrones of proud princes, and set up the meek in their stead.
15 ῥίζας ἐθνῶν ἐξέτιλεν ὁ κύριος καὶ ἐφύτευσεν ταπεινοὺς ἀντ᾿ αὐτῶν· 15 The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place.
16 χώρας ἐθνῶν κατέστρεψεν ὁ κύριος καὶ ἀπώλεσεν αὐτὰς ἕως θεμελίων γῆς· 16 The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.
17 ἐξῆρεν ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπώλεσεν αὐτοὺς καὶ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ γῆς τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν. 17 He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth.
18 οὐκ ἔκτισται ἀνθρώποις ὑπερηφανία οὐδὲ ὀργὴ θυμοῦ γεννήμασιν γυναικῶν. 18 Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman.
19 σπέρμα ἔντιμον ποῖον; σπέρμα ἀνθρώπου. σπέρμα ἔντιμον ποῖον; οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον. σπέρμα ἄτιμον ποῖον; σπέρμα ἀνθρώπου. σπέρμα ἄτιμον ποῖον; οἱ παραβαίνοντες ἐντολάς. 19 They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honourable plant: they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed; they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed.
20 ἐν μέσῳ ἀδελφῶν ὁ ἡγούμενος αὐτῶν ἔντιμος, καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι κύριον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ. 20 Among brethren he that is chief is honourably; so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes.
21  21 The fear of the Lord goeth before the obtaining of authority: but roughness and pride is the losing thereof.
22 πλούσιος καὶ ἔνδοξος καὶ πτωχός, τὸ καύχημα αὐτῶν φόβος κυρίου. 22 Whether he be rich, noble, or poor, their glory is the fear of the Lord.
23 οὐ δίκαιον ἀτιμάσαι πτωχὸν συνετόν, καὶ οὐ καθήκει δοξάσαι ἄνδρα ἁμαρτωλόν. 23 It is not meet to despise the poor man that hath understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a sinful man.
24 μεγιστὰν καὶ κριτὴς καὶ δυνάστης δοξασθήσεται, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῶν τις μείζων τοῦ φοβουμένου τὸν κύριον. 24 Great men, and judges, and potentates, shall be honoured; yet is there none of them greater than he that feareth the Lord.
25 οἰκέτῃ σοφῷ ἐλεύθεροι λειτουργήσουσιν, καὶ ἀνὴρ ἐπιστήμων οὐ γογγύσει. 25 Unto the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service: and he that hath knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed.
26 μὴ σοφίζου ποιῆσαι τὸ ἔργον σου καὶ μὴ δοξάζου ἐν καιρῷ στενοχωρίας σου. 26 Be not overwise in doing thy business; and boast not thyself in the time of thy distress.
27 κρείσσων ἐργαζόμενος καὶ περισσεύων ἐν πᾶσιν ἢ περιπατῶν δοξαζόμενος καὶ ἀπορῶν ἄρτων. 27 Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread.
28 τέκνον, ἐν πραΰτητι δόξασον τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ δὸς αὐτῇ τιμὴν κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτῆς. 28 My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to the dignity thereof.
29 τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίς δικαιώσει; καὶ τίς δοξάσει τὸν ἀτιμάζοντα τὴν ζωὴν αὐτοῦ; 29 Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life?
30 πτωχὸς δοξάζεται δι᾿ ἐπιστήμην αὐτοῦ, καὶ πλούσιος δοξάζεται διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτοῦ. 30 The poor man is honoured for his skill, and the rich man is honoured for his riches.
31 ὁ δεδοξασμένος ἐν πτωχείᾳ, καὶ ἐν πλούτῳ ποσαχῶς; καὶ ὁ ἄδοξος ἐν πλούτῳ, καὶ ἐν πτωχείᾳ ποσαχῶς; 31 He that is honoured in poverty, how much more in riches? and he that is dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty?