Sirach 20

1How much better is it to reprove, than to be angry, and not to hinder him that confesseth in prayer.

2The lust of an eunuch shall deflour a young maiden:

3So is he that by violence executeth of the unwise.

4How good is it, when thou art reproved, to show repentance! for so thou shalt escape wilful sin.

5There is one that holdeth his peace, that is found wise: and there is another that is hateful, that is bold in speech.

6There is one that holdeth his peace, because he knoweth not what to say: and there is another that holdeth his peace, knowing the proper time.

7A wise man will hold his peace till he see opportunity: but a babbler, and a fool, will regard no time.

8He that useth many words shall hurt his own soul: and he that taketh authority to himself unjustly shall be hated.

9There is success in evil things to a man without discipline, and there is a finding that turneth to loss.

10There is a gift that is not profitable: and there is a gift, the recompense of which is double.

11There is an abasement because of glory: and there is one that shall lift up his head from a low estate.

12There is that buyeth much for a small price, and restoreth the same sevenfold.

13A man wise in words shall make himself beloved: but the graces of fools shall be poured out.

14The gift of the fool shall do thee no good: for his eyes are sevenfold.

15He will give a few things, and upbraid much: and the opening of his mouth is the kindling of a fire.

16Today a man lendeth, and tomorrow he asketh it again: such a man as this is hateful.

17A fool shall have no friend, and there shall be no thanks for his good deeds.

18For they that eat his bread, are of a false tongue. How often, and how many will laugh him to scorn!

19For he doth not distribute with right understanding that which was to be had: in like manner also that which was not to be had.

20The slipping of a false tongue is as one that falleth on the pavement: so the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.

21A man without grace is as a vain fable, it shall be continually in the mouth of the unwise.

22A parable coming out of a fool’s mouth shall be rejected: for he doth not speak it in due season.

23There is that is hindered from sinning through want, and in his rest he shall be pricked.

24There is that will destroy his own soul through shamefacedness, and by occasion of an unwise person he will destroy it: and by respect of person he will destroy himself.

25There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend, and maketh him his enemy for nothing.

26A lie is a foul blot in a man, and yet it will be continually in the mouth of men without discipline.

27A thief is better than a man that is always lying: but both of them shall inherit destruction.

28The manners of lying men are without honour: and their confusion is with them without ceasing.

29A wise man shall advance himself with his words, and a prudent man shall please the great ones.

30He that tilleth his land shall make a high heap of corn: and he that worketh justice shall be exalted: and he that pleaseth great men shall escape iniquity.

31Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and make them dumb in the mouth, so that they cannot correct.

32O Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is not seen: what profit is there in them both?

33Better is he that hideth his folly, than the man that hideth his wisdom.

1Quam bonum est arguere, quam irasci, et confitentem in oratione non prohibere!

2Concupiscentia spadonis devirginabit juvenculam :

3sic qui facit per vim judicium iniquum.

4Quam bonum est correptum manifestare pœnitentiam! sic enim effugies voluntarium peccatum.

5Est tacens qui invenitur sapiens : et est odibilis qui procax est ad loquendum.

6Est tacens non habens sensum loquelæ : et est tacens sciens tempus aptum.

7Homo sapiens tacebit usque ad tempus : lascivus autem et imprudens non servabunt tempus.

8Qui multis utitur verbis lædet animam suam : et qui potestatem sibi sumit injuste, odietur.

9Est processio in malis viro indisciplinato, et est inventio in detrimentum.

10Est datum quod non est utile, et est datum cujus retributio duplex.

11Est propter gloriam minoratio, et est qui ab humilitate levabit caput.

12Est qui multa redimat modico pretio, et restituens ea in septuplum.

13Sapiens in verbis seipsum amabilem facit : gratiæ autem fatuorum effundentur.

14Datus insipientis non erit utilis tibi : oculi enim illius septemplices sunt.

15Exigua dabit, et multa improperabit : et apertio oris illius inflammatio est.

16Hodie fœneratur quis, et cras expetit : odibilis est homo hujusmodi.

17Fatuo non erit amicus, et non erit gratia bonis illius :

18qui enim edunt panem illius, falsæ linguæ sunt. Quoties et quanti irridebunt eum!

19neque enim quod habendum erat directo sensu distribuit; similiter et quod non erat habendum.

20Lapsus falsæ linguæ quasi qui in pavimento cadens : sic casus malorum festinanter veniet.

21Homo acharis quasi fabula vana, in ore indisciplinatorum assidua erit.

22Ex ore fatui reprobabitur parabola : non enim dicit illam in tempore suo.

23Est qui vetatur peccare præ inopia, et in requie sua stimulabitur.

24Est qui perdet animam suam præ confusione, et ab imprudenti persona perdet eam : personæ autem acceptione perdet se.

25Est qui præ confusione promittit amico, et lucratus est eum inimicum gratis.

26Opprobrium nequam in homine mendacium : et in ore indisciplinatorum assidue erit.

27Potior fur quam assiduitas viri mendacis : perditionem autem ambo hæreditabunt.

28Mores hominum mendacium sine honore, et confusio illorum cum ipsis sine intermissione.

29Sapiens in verbis producet seipsum, et homo prudens placebit magnatis.

30Qui operatur terram suam inaltabit acervum frugum, et qui operatur justitiam, ipse exaltabitur : qui vero placet magnatis effugiet iniquitatem.

31Xenia et dona excæcant oculos judicum, et quasi mutus, in ore avertit correptiones eorum.

32Sapientia absconsa, et thesaurus invisus, quæ utilitas in utrisque?

33Melior est qui celat insipientiam suam, quam homo qui abscondit sapientiam suam.

1ὡς καλὸν ἐλέγξαι ἢ θυμοῦσθαι καὶ ὁ ἀνθομολογούμενος ἀπὸ ἐλαττώσεως κωλυθήσεται

2ἐπιθυμία εὐνούχου ἀποπαρθενῶσαι νεάνιδα

3οὕτως ὁ ποιῶν ἐν βίᾳ κρίματα

5ἔστιν σιωπῶν εὑρισκόμενος σοφός καὶ ἔστιν μισητὸς ἀπὸ πολλῆς λαλιᾶς

6ἔστιν σιωπῶν οὐ γὰρ ἔχει ἀπόκρισιν καὶ ἔστιν σιωπῶν εἰδὼς καιρόν

7ἄνθρωπος σοφὸς σιγήσει ἕως καιροῦ ὁ δὲ λαπιστὴς καὶ ἄφρων ὑπερβήσεται καιρόν

8ὁ πλεονάζων λόγῳ βδελυχθήσεται καὶ ὁ ἐνεξουσιαζόμενος μισηθήσεται

9ἔστιν εὐοδία ἐν κακοῖς ἀνδρί καὶ ἔστιν εὕρεμα εἰς ἐλάττωσιν

10ἔστιν δόσις ἣ οὐ λυσιτελήσει σοι καὶ ἔστιν δόσις ἧς τὸ ἀνταπόδομα διπλοῦν

11ἔστιν ἐλάττωσις ἕνεκεν δόξης καὶ ἔστιν ὃς ἀπὸ ταπεινώσεως ἦρεν κεφαλήν

12ἔστιν ἀγοράζων πολλὰ ὀλίγου καὶ ἀποτιννύων αὐτὰ ἑπταπλάσιον

13ὁ σοφὸς ἐν λόγοις ἑαυτὸν προσφιλῆ ποιήσει χάριτες δὲ μωρῶν ἐκχυθήσονται

14δόσις ἄφρονος οὐ λυσιτελήσει σοι οἱ γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἀνθ' ἑνὸς πολλοί

15ὀλίγα δώσει καὶ πολλὰ ὀνειδίσει καὶ ἀνοίξει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς κῆρυξ

16σήμερον δανιεῖ καὶ αὔριον ἀπαιτήσει μισητὸς ἄνθρωπος ὁ τοιοῦτος

17μωρὸς ἐρεῖ οὐχ ὑπάρχει μοι φίλος καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν χάρις τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς μου

18οἱ ἔσθοντες τὸν ἄρτον αὐτοῦ φαῦλοι γλώσσῃ ποσάκις καὶ ὅσοι καταγελάσονται αὐτοῦ

20ὀλίσθημα ἀπὸ ἐδάφους μᾶλλον ἢ ἀπὸ γλώσσης οὕτως πτῶσις κακῶν κατὰ σπουδὴν ἥξει

21ἄνθρωπος ἄχαρις μῦθος ἄκαιρος ἐν στόματι ἀπαιδεύτων ἐνδελεχισθήσεται

22ἀπὸ στόματος μωροῦ ἀποδοκιμασθήσεται παραβολή οὐ γὰρ μὴ εἴπῃ αὐτὴν ἐν καιρῷ αὐτῆς

23ἔστιν κωλυόμενος ἁμαρτάνειν ἀπὸ ἐνδείας καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀναπαύσει αὐτοῦ οὐ κατανυγήσεται

24ἔστιν ἀπολλύων τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ δι' αἰσχύνην καὶ ἀπὸ ἄφρονος προσώπου ἀπολεῖ αὐτήν

25ἔστιν χάριν αἰσχύνης ἐπαγγελλόμενος φίλῳ καὶ ἐκτήσατο αὐτὸν ἐχθρὸν δωρεάν

26μῶμος πονηρὸς ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ ψεῦδος ἐν στόματι ἀπαιδεύτων ἐνδελεχισθήσεται

27αἱρετὸν κλέπτης ἢ ὁ ἐνδελεχίζων ψεύδει ἀμφότεροι δὲ ἀπώλειαν κληρονομήσουσιν

28ἦθος ἀνθρώπου ψευδοῦς ἀτιμία καὶ ἡ αἰσχύνη αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐνδελεχῶς

29ὁ σοφὸς ἐν λόγοις προάξει ἑαυτόν καὶ ἄνθρωπος φρόνιμος ἀρέσει μεγιστᾶσιν

30ὁ ἐργαζόμενος γῆν ἀνυψώσει θιμωνιὰν αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ ἀρέσκων μεγιστᾶσιν ἐξιλάσεται ἀδικίαν

31ξένια καὶ δῶρα ἀποτυφλοῖ ὀφθαλμοὺς σοφῶν καὶ ὡς φιμὸς ἐν στόματι ἀποτρέπει ἐλεγμούς

32σοφία κεκρυμμένη καὶ θησαυρὸς ἀφανής τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν ἀμφοτέροις

33κρείσσων ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν μωρίαν αὐτοῦ ἢ ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ