Sirach 1

1All wisdom is from the Lord God, and hath been always with him, and is before all time.

2Who hath numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain, and the days of the world? Who hath measured the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss?

3Who hath searched out the wisdom of God that goeth before all things?

4Wisdom hath been created before all things, and the understanding of prudence from everlasting.

5The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom, and her ways are everlasting commandments.

6To whom hath the root of wisdom been revealed, and who hath known her wise counsels?

7To whom hath the discipline of wisdom been revealed and made manifest? and who hath understood the multiplicity of her steps?

8There is one most high Creator Almighty, and a powerful king, and greatly to be feared, who sitteth upon his throne, and is the God of dominion.

9He created her in the Holy Ghost, and saw her, and numbered her, and measured her.

10And he poured her out upon all his works, and upon all flesh according to his gift, and hath given her to them that love him.

11The fear of the Lord is honour, and glory, and gladness, and a crown of joy.

12The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give joy, and gladness, and length of days.

13With him that feareth the Lord, it shall go well in the latter end, and in the day of his death he shall be blessed.

14The love of God is honourable wisdom.

15And they to whom she shall show herself love her by the sight, and by the knowledge of her great works.

16The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and was created with the faithful in the womb, it walketh with chosen women, and is known with the just and faithful.

17The fear of the Lord is the religiousness of knowledge.

18Religiousness shall keep and justify the heart, it shall give joy and gladness.

19It shall go well with him that feareth the Lord, and in the days of his end he shall be blessed.

20To fear God is the fulness of wisdom, and fulness is from the fruits thereof.

21She shall fill all her house with her increase, and the storehouses with her treasures.

22The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, filling up peace and the fruit of salvation:

23And it hath seen, and numbered her: but both are the gifts of God.

24Wisdom shall distribute knowledge, and understanding of prudence: and exalteth the glory of them that hold her.

25The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord: and the branches thereof are long-lived.

26In the treasures of wisdom is understanding, and religiousness of knowledge: but to sinners wisdom is an abomination.

27The fear of the Lord driveth out sin:

28For he that is without fear, cannot be justified: for the wrath of his high spirits is his ruin.

29A patient man shall bear for a time, and afterwards joy shall be restored to him.

30A good understanding will hide his words for a time, and the lips of many shall declare his wisdom.

31In the treasures of wisdom is the signification of discipline:

32But the worship of God is an abomination to a sinner.

33Son, if thou desire wisdom, keep justice, and God will give her to thee.

34For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline: and that which is agreeable to him,

35Is faith, and meekness: and he will fill up his treasures.

36Be not incredulous to the fear of the Lord: and come not to him with a double heart.

37Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, and let not thy lips be a stumbling-block to thee.

38Watch over them, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon thy soul,

39And God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the midst of the congregation.

40Because thou camest to the Lord wickedly, and thy heart is full of guile and deceit.

1Omnis sapientia a Domino Deo est : et cum illo fuit semper, et est ante ævum.

2Arenam maris, et pluviæ guttas, et dies sæculi, quis dinumeravit? altitudinem cæli, et latitudinem terræ, et profundum abyssi, quis dimensus est?

3sapientiam Dei præcedentem omnia, quis investigavit?

4Prior omnium creata est sapientia, et intellectus prudentiæ ab ævo.

5Fons sapientiæ verbum Dei in excelsis, et ingressus illius mandata æterna.

6Radix sapientiæ cui revelata est? et astutias illius quis agnovit?

7disciplina sapientiæ cui revelata est et manifestata? et multiplicationem ingressus illius quis intellexit?

8Unus est altissimus, Creator omnipotens, et rex potens et metuendus nimis, sedens super thronum illius, et dominans Deus.

9Ipse creavit illam in Spiritu Sancto, et vidit, et dinumeravit, et mensus est :

10et effudit illam super omnia opera sua, et super omnem carnem, secundum datum suum, et præbuit illam diligentibus se.

11Timor Domini gloria, et gloriatio, et lætitia, et corona exsultationis.

12Timor Domini delectabit cor, et dabit lætitiam, et gaudium, et longitudinem dierum.

13Timenti Dominum bene erit in extremis, et in die defunctionis suæ benedicetur.

14Dilectio Dei honorabilis sapientia :

15quibus autem apparuerit in visu diligunt eam in visione, et in agnitione magnalium suorum.

16Initium sapientiæ timor Domini : et cum fidelibus in vulva concreatus est : cum electis feminis graditur, et cum justis et fidelibus agnoscitur.

17Timor Domini scientiæ religiositas :

18religiositas custodiet et justificabit cor; jucunditatem atque gaudium dabit.

19Timenti Dominum bene erit, et in diebus consummationis illius benedicetur.

20Plenitudo sapientiæ est timere Deum, et plenitudo a fructibus illius.

21Omnem domum illius implebit a generationibus, et receptacula a thesauris illius.

22Corona sapientiæ timor Domini, replens pacem et salutis fructum :

23et vidit, et dinumeravit eam : utraque autem sunt dona Dei.

24Scientiam et intellectum prudentiæ sapientia compartietur, et gloriam tenentium se exaltat.

25Radix sapientiæ est timere Dominum, et rami illius longævi.

26In thesauris sapientiæ intellectus et scientiæ religiositas : execratio autem peccatoribus sapientia.

27Timor Domini expellit peccatum :

28nam qui sine timore est non poterit justificari : iracundia enim animositatis illius subversio illius est.

29Usque in tempus sustinebit patiens, et postea redditio jucunditatis.

30Bonus sensus usque in tempus abscondet verba illius, et labia multorum enarrabunt sensum illius.

31In thesauris sapientiæ significatio disciplinæ :

32execratio autem peccatori cultura Dei.

33Fili, concupiscens sapientiam, conserva justitiam, et Deus præbebit illam tibi.

34Sapientia enim et disciplina timor Domini : et quod beneplacitum est illi,

35fides et mansuetudo, et adimplebit thesauros illius.

36Ne sis incredibilis timori Domini, et ne accesseris ad illum duplici corde.

37Ne fueris hypocrita in conspectu hominum, et non scandalizeris in labiis tuis.

38Attende in illis, ne forte cadas, et adducas animæ tuæ inhonorationem :

39et revelet Deus absconsa tua, et in medio synagogæ elidat te :

40quoniam accessisti maligne ad Dominum, et cor tuum plenum est dolo et fallacia.

1πᾶσα σοφία παρὰ κυρίου καὶ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐστιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

2ἄμμον θαλασσῶν καὶ σταγόνας ὑετοῦ καὶ ἡμέρας αἰῶνος τίς ἐξαριθμήσει

3ὕψος οὐρανοῦ καὶ πλάτος γῆς καὶ ἄβυσσον καὶ σοφίαν τίς ἐξιχνιάσει

4προτέρα πάντων ἔκτισται σοφία καὶ σύνεσις φρονήσεως ἐξ αἰῶνος

6ῥίζα σοφίας τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη καὶ τὰ πανουργεύματα αὐτῆς τίς ἔγνω

8εἷς ἐστιν σοφός φοβερὸς σφόδρα καθήμενος ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ

9κύριος αὐτὸς ἔκτισεν αὐτὴν καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἐξηρίθμησεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐξέχεεν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ

10μετὰ πάσης σαρκὸς κατὰ τὴν δόσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐχορήγησεν αὐτὴν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν

11φόβος κυρίου δόξα καὶ καύχημα καὶ εὐφροσύνη καὶ στέφανος ἀγαλλιάματος

12φόβος κυρίου τέρψει καρδίαν καὶ δώσει εὐφροσύνην καὶ χαρὰν καὶ μακροημέρευσιν

13τῷ φοβουμένῳ τὸν κύριον εὖ ἔσται ἐπ' ἐσχάτων καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τελευτῆς αὐτοῦ εὐλογηθήσεται

16ἀρχὴ σοφίας φοβεῖσθαι τὸν κύριον καὶ μετὰ πιστῶν ἐν μήτρᾳ συνεκτίσθη αὐτοῖς

17μετὰ ἀνθρώπων θεμέλιον αἰῶνος ἐνόσσευσεν καὶ μετὰ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῶν ἐμπιστευθήσεται

20πλησμονὴ σοφίας φοβεῖσθαι τὸν κύριον καὶ μεθύσκει αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῆς

21πάντα τὸν οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐμπλήσει ἐπιθυμημάτων καὶ τὰ ἀποδοχεῖα ἀπὸ τῶν γενημάτων αὐτῆς

22στέφανος σοφίας φόβος κυρίου ἀναθάλλων εἰρήνην καὶ ὑγίειαν ἰάσεως

23καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἐξηρίθμησεν αὐτήν

24ἐπιστήμην καὶ γνῶσιν συνέσεως ἐξώμβρησεν καὶ δόξαν κρατούντων αὐτῆς ἀνύψωσεν

25ῥίζα σοφίας φοβεῖσθαι τὸν κύριον καὶ οἱ κλάδοι αὐτῆς μακροημέρευσις

28οὐ δυνήσεται θυμὸς ἄδικος δικαιωθῆναι ἡ γὰρ ῥοπὴ τοῦ θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ πτῶσις αὐτῷ

29ἕως καιροῦ ἀνθέξεται μακρόθυμος καὶ ὕστερον αὐτῷ ἀναδώσει εὐφροσύνη

30ἕως καιροῦ κρύψει τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ καὶ χείλη πολλῶν ἐκδιηγήσεται σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ

31ἐν θησαυροῖς σοφίας παραβολαὶ ἐπιστήμης

32βδέλυγμα δὲ ἁμαρτωλῷ θεοσέβεια

33ἐπιθυμήσας σοφίαν διατήρησον ἐντολάς καὶ κύριος χορηγήσει σοι αὐτήν

34σοφία γὰρ καὶ παιδεία φόβος κυρίου καὶ ἡ εὐδοκία αὐτοῦ

35πίστις καὶ πραότης

36μὴ ἀπειθήσῃς φόβῳ κυρίου καὶ μὴ προσέλθῃς αὐτῷ ἐν καρδίᾳ δισσῇ

37μὴ ὑποκριθῇς ἐν στόμασιν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσίν σου πρόσεχε

38μὴ ἐξύψου σεαυτόν ἵνα μὴ πέσῃς καὶ ἐπαγάγῃς τῇ ψυχῇ σου ἀτιμίαν

39καὶ ἀποκαλύψει κύριος τὰ κρυπτά σου καὶ ἐν μέσῳ συναγωγῆς καταβαλεῖ σε

40ὅτι οὐ προσῆλθες φόβῳ κυρίου καὶ ἡ καρδία σου πλήρης δόλου