Sirach 21

My son, hast thou sinned? do so no more: but for thy former sins also pray that they may be forgiven thee.

Fili, peccasti, non adjicias iterum : sed et de pristinis deprecare, ut tibi dimittantur.

τέκνον ἥμαρτες μὴ προσθῇς μηκέτι καὶ περὶ τῶν προτέρων σου δεήθητι

Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent: for if thou comest near them, they will take hold of thee.

Quasi a facie colubri fuge peccata : et si accesseris ad illa, suscipient te.

ὡς ἀπὸ προσώπου ὄφεως φεῦγε ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας ἐὰν γὰρ προσέλθῃς δήξεταί σε

The teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion, killing the souls of men.

Dentes leonis dentes ejus, interficientes animas hominum.

ὀδόντες λέοντος οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτῆς ἀναιροῦντες ψυχὰς ἀνθρώπων

All iniquity is like a two-edged sword, there is no remedy for the wound thereof.

Quasi rhomphæa bis acuta omnis iniquitas : plagæ illius non est sanitas.

ὡς ῥομφαία δίστομος πᾶσα ἀνομία τῇ πληγῇ αὐτῆς οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις

Injuries and wrongs will waste riches: and the house that is very rich shall be brought to nothing by pride: so the substance of the proud shall be rooted out.

Objurgatio et injuriæ annullabunt substantiam, et domus quæ nimis locuples est annullabitur superbia : sic substantia superbi eradicabitur.

καταπληγμὸς καὶ ὕβρις ἐρημώσουσιν πλοῦτον οὕτως οἶκος ὑπερηφάνου ἐρημωθήσεται

The prayer out of the mouth of the poor shall reach the ears of God, and judgment shall come for him speedily.

Deprecatio pauperis ex ore usque ad aures ejus perveniet, et judicium festinato adveniet illi.

δέησις πτωχοῦ ἐκ στόματος ἕως ὠτίων αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ κρίμα αὐτοῦ κατὰ σπουδὴν ἔρχεται

He that hateth to be reproved walketh in the trace of a sinner: and he that feareth God will turn to his own heart.

Qui odit correptionem vestigium est peccatoris, et qui timet Deum convertetur ad cor suum.

μισῶν ἐλεγμὸν ἐν ἴχνει ἁμαρτωλοῦ καὶ ὁ φοβούμενος κύριον ἐπιστρέψει ἐν καρδίᾳ

He that is mighty by a bold tongue is known afar off, but a wise man knoweth to slip by him.

Notus a longe potens lingua audaci, et sensatus scit labi se ab ipso.

γνωστὸς μακρόθεν ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν γλώσσῃ ὁ δὲ νοήμων οἶδεν ἐν τῷ ὀλισθάνειν αὐτόν

He that buildeth his house at other men’s charges, is as he that gathereth himself stones to build in the winter.

Qui ædificat domum suam impendiis alienis, quasi qui colligat lapides suos in hieme.

ὁ οἰκοδομῶν τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν χρήμασιν ἀλλοτρίοις ὡς συνάγων αὐτοῦ τοὺς λίθους εἰς χειμῶνα

The congregation of sinners is like tow heaped together, and the end of them is a flame of fire.

Stupa collecta synagoga peccantium, et consummatio illorum flamma ignis.

στιππύον συνηγμένον συναγωγὴ ἀνόμων καὶ ἡ συντέλεια αὐτῶν φλὸξ πυρός

The way of sinners is made plain with stones, and in their end is hell, and darkness, and pains.

Via peccatorum complanata lapidibus : et in fine illorum inferi, et tenebræ, et pœnæ.

ὁδὸς ἁμαρτωλῶν ὡμαλισμένη ἐκ λίθων καὶ ἐπ' ἐσχάτων αὐτῆς βόθρος ᾅδου

He that keepeth justice shall get the understanding thereof.

Qui custodit justitiam, continebit sensum ejus.

ὁ φυλάσσων νόμον κατακρατεῖ τοῦ ἐννοήματος αὐτοῦ

The perfection of the fear of God is wisdom and understanding.

Consummatio timoris Dei, sapientia et sensus.

καὶ συντέλεια τοῦ φόβου κυρίου σοφία

He that is not wise in good, will not be taught.

Non erudietur qui non est sapiens in bono.

οὐ παιδευθήσεται ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν πανοῦργος

But there is a wisdom that aboundeth in evil: and there is no understanding where there is bitterness.

Est autem sapientia quæ abundat in malo, et non est sensus ubi est amaritudo.

ἔστιν δὲ πανουργία πληθύνουσα πικρίαν

The knowledge of a wise man shall abound like a flood, and his counsel continueth like a fountain of life.

Scientia sapientis tamquam inundatio abundabit, et consilium illius sicut fons vitæ permanet.

γνῶσις σοφοῦ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς πληθυνθήσεται καὶ ἡ βουλὴ αὐτοῦ ὡς πηγὴ ζωῆς

The heart of a fool is like a broken vessel, and no wisdom at all shall it hold.

Cor fatui quasi vas confractum, et omnem sapientiam non tenebit.

ἔγκατα μωροῦ ὡς ἀγγεῖον συντετριμμένον καὶ πᾶσαν γνῶσιν οὐ κρατήσει

A man of sense will praise every wise word he shall hear, and will apply it to himself: the luxurious man hath heard it, and it shall displease him, and he will cast it behind his back.

Verbum sapiens quodcumque audierit scius, laudabit, et ad se adjiciet : audivit luxuriosus, et displicebit illi, et projiciet illud post dorsum suum.

λόγον σοφὸν ἐὰν ἀκούσῃ ἐπιστήμων αἰνέσει αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπ' αὐτὸν προσθήσει ἤκουσεν ὁ σπαταλῶν καὶ ἀπήρεσεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν αὐτὸν ὀπίσω τοῦ νώτου αὐτοῦ

The talking of a fool is like a burden in the way: but in the lips of the wise, grace shall be found.

Narratio fatui quasi sarcina in via : nam in labiis sensati invenietur gratia.

ἐξήγησις μωροῦ ὡς ἐν ὁδῷ φορτίον ἐπὶ δὲ χείλους συνετοῦ εὑρεθήσεται χάρις

The mouth of the prudent is sought after in the church, and they will think upon his words in their hearts.

Os prudentis quæritur in ecclesia, et verba illius cogitabunt in cordibus suis.

στόμα φρονίμου ζητηθήσεται ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσονται ἐν καρδίᾳ

As a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool: and the knowledge of the unwise is as words without sense.

Tamquam domus exterminata, sic fatuo sapientia : et scientia insensati inenarrabilia verba.

ὡς οἶκος ἠφανισμένος οὕτως μωρῷ σοφία καὶ γνῶσις ἀσυνέτου ἀδιεξέταστοι λόγοι

Doctrine to a fool is as fetters on the feet, and like manacles on the right hand.

Compedes in pedibus, stulto doctrina : et quasi vincula manuum super manum dextram.

πέδαι ἐν ποσὶν ἀνοήτου παιδεία καὶ ὡς χειροπέδαι ἐπὶ χειρὸς δεξιᾶς

A fool lifteth up his voice in laughter: but a wise man will scarce laugh low to himself.

Fatuus in risu exaltat vocem suam : vir autem sapiens vix tacite ridebit.

μωρὸς ἐν γέλωτι ἀνυψοῖ φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀνὴρ δὲ πανοῦργος μόλις ἡσυχῇ μειδιάσει

Learning to the prudent is as an ornament of gold, and like a bracelet upon his right arm.

Ornamentum aureum prudenti doctrina, et quasi brachiale in brachio dextro.

ὡς κόσμος χρυσοῦς φρονίμῳ παιδεία καὶ ὡς χλιδὼν ἐπὶ βραχίονι δεξιῷ

The foot of a fool is soon in his neighbour's house: but a man of experience will be abashed at the person of the mighty.

Pes fatui facilis in domum proximi : et homo peritus confundetur a persona potentis.

ποὺς μωροῦ ταχὺς εἰς οἰκίαν ἄνθρωπος δὲ πολύπειρος αἰσχυνθήσεται ἀπὸ προσώπου

A fool will peep through the window into the house: but he that is well taught will stand without.

Stultus a fenestra respiciet in domum : vir autem eruditus foris stabit.

ἄφρων ἀπὸ θύρας παρακύπτει εἰς οἰκίαν ἀνὴρ δὲ πεπαιδευμένος ἔξω στήσεται

It is the folly of a man to hearken at the door: and a wise man will be grieved with the disgrace.

Stultitia hominis auscultare per ostium : et prudens gravabitur contumelia.

ἀπαιδευσία ἀνθρώπου ἀκροᾶσθαι παρὰ θύραν ὁ δὲ φρόνιμος βαρυνθήσεται ἀτιμίᾳ

The lips of the unwise will be telling foolish things: but the words of the wise shall be weighed in a balance.

Labia imprudentium stulta narrabunt; verba autem prudentium statera ponderabuntur.

χείλη ἀλλοτρίων ἐν τούτοις διηγήσονται λόγοι δὲ φρονίμων ἐν ζυγῷ σταθήσονται

The heart of fools is in their mouth: and the mouth of wise men is in their heart.

In ore fatuorum cor illorum, et in corde sapientium os illorum.

ἐν στόματι μωρῶν ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν καρδία δὲ σοφῶν στόμα αὐτῶν

While the ungodly curseth the devil, he curseth his own soul.

Dum maledicit impius diabolum, maledicit ipse animam suam.

ἐν τῷ καταρᾶσθαι ἀσεβῆ τὸν σατανᾶν αὐτὸς καταρᾶται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν

The talebearer shall defile his own soul, and shall be hated by all: and he that shall abide with him shall be hateful: the silent and wise man shall be honoured.

Susurro coinquinabit animam suam, et in omnibus odietur, et qui cum eo manserit odiosus erit : tacitus et sensatus honorabitur.

μολύνει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ὁ ψιθυρίζων καὶ ἐν παροικήσει μισηθήσεται