Sirach 7

Do no evils, and no evils shall lay hold of thee.

Noli facere mala, et non te apprehendent :

μὴ ποίει κακά καὶ οὐ μή σε καταλάβῃ κακόν

Depart from the unjust, and evils shall depart from thee.

discede ab iniquo, et deficient mala abs te.

ἀπόστηθι ἀπὸ ἀδίκου καὶ ἐκκλινεῖ ἀπὸ σοῦ

My son, sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.

Fili, non semines mala in sulcis injustitiæ, et non metes ea in septuplum.

υἱέ μὴ σπεῖρε ἐπ' αὔλακας ἀδικίας καὶ οὐ μὴ θερίσῃς αὐτὰ ἑπταπλασίως

Seek not of the Lord a preeminence, nor of the king the seat of honour.

Noli quærere a Domino ducatum, neque a rege cathedram honoris.

μὴ ζήτει παρὰ κυρίου ἡγεμονίαν μηδὲ παρὰ βασιλέως καθέδραν δόξης

Justify not thyself before God, for he knoweth the heart: and desire not to appear wise before the king.

Non te justifices ante Deum, quoniam agnitor cordis ipse est : et penes regem noli velle videri sapiens.

μὴ δικαιοῦ ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ παρὰ βασιλεῖ μὴ σοφίζου

Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to extirpate iniquities: lest thou fear the person of the powerful, and lay a stumbling block for thy integrity.

Noli quærere fieri judex, nisi valeas virtute irrumpere iniquitates : ne forte extimescas faciem potentis, et ponas scandalum in æquitate tua.

μὴ ζήτει γενέσθαι κριτής μὴ οὐκ ἰσχύσεις ἐξᾶραι ἀδικίας μήποτε εὐλαβηθῇς ἀπὸ προσώπου δυνάστου καὶ θήσεις σκάνδαλον ἐν εὐθύτητί σου

Offend not against the multitude of a city, neither cast thyself in upon the people,

Non pecces in multitudinem civitatis, nec te immittas in populum :

μὴ ἁμάρτανε εἰς πλῆθος πόλεως καὶ μὴ καταβάλῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν ὄχλῳ

Nor bind sin to sin: for even in one thou shalt not be unpunished.

neque alliges duplicia peccata, nec enim in uno eris immunis.

μὴ καταδεσμεύσῃς δὶς ἁμαρτίαν ἐν γὰρ τῇ μιᾷ οὐκ ἀθῷος ἔσῃ

Be not fainthearted in thy mind:

Noli esse pusillanimis in animo tuo :

μὴ ὀλιγοψυχήσῃς ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ σου

Neglect not to pray, and to give alms.

exorare et facere eleemosynam ne despicias.

καὶ ἐλεημοσύνην ποιῆσαι μὴ παρίδῃς

Say not: God will have respect to the multitude of my gifts, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept my offerings.

Ne dicas : In multitudine munerum meorum respiciet Deus, et offerente me Deo altissimo, munera mea suscipiet.

μὴ εἴπῃς τῷ πλήθει τῶν δώρων μου ἐπόψεται καὶ ἐν τῷ προσενέγκαι με θεῷ ὑψίστῳ προσδέξεται

Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one that humbleth and exalteth, God who seeth all.

Non irrideas hominem in amaritudine animæ : est enim qui humiliat et exaltat circumspector Deus.

μὴ καταγέλα ἄνθρωπον ὄντα ἐν πικρίᾳ ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἔστιν γὰρ ὁ ταπεινῶν καὶ ἀνυψῶν

Devise not a lie against thy brother: neither do the like against thy friend.

Noli amare mendacium adversus fratrem tuum, neque in amicum similiter facias.

μὴ ἀροτρία ψεῦδος ἐπ' ἀδελφῷ σου μηδὲ φίλῳ τὸ ὅμοιον ποίει

Be not willing to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.

Noli velle mentiri omne mendacium : assiduitas enim illius non est bona.

μὴ θέλε ψεύδεσθαι πᾶν ψεῦδος ὁ γὰρ ἐνδελεχισμὸς αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἰς ἀγαθόν

Be not full of words in a multitude of ancients, and repeat not the word in thy prayer.

Noli verbosus esse in multitudine presbyterorum, et non iteres verbum in oratione tua.

μὴ ἀδολέσχει ἐν πλήθει πρεσβυτέρων καὶ μὴ δευτερώσῃς λόγον ἐν προσευχῇ σου

Hate not laborious works, nor husbandry ordained by the most High.

Non oderis laboriosa opera, et rusticationem creatam ab Altissimo.

μὴ μισήσῃς ἐπίπονον ἐργασίαν καὶ γεωργίαν ὑπὸ ὑψίστου ἐκτισμένην

Number not thyself among the multitude of the disorderly.

Non te reputes in multitudine indisciplinatorum.

μὴ προσλογίζου σεαυτὸν ἐν πλήθει

Remember wrath, for it will not tarry long.

Memento iræ, quoniam non tardabit.

ταπείνωσον σφόδρα τὴν ψυχήν σου

Humble thy spirit very much: for the vengeance on the flesh of the ungodly is fire and worms.

Humilia valde spiritum tuum, quoniam vindicta carnis impii ignis et vermis.

ἁμαρτωλῶν μνήσθητι ὅτι ὀργὴ οὐ χρονιεῖ

Do not transgress against thy friend deferring money, nor despise thy dear brother for the sake of gold.

Noli prævaricari in amicum pecuniam differentem, neque fratrem carissimum auro spreveris.

ὅτι ἐκδίκησις ἀσεβοῦς πῦρ καὶ σκώληξ μὴ ἀλλάξῃς φίλον ἕνεκεν διαφόρου μηδὲ ἀδελφὸν γνήσιον ἐν χρυσίῳ Σουφιρ

Depart not from a wise and good wife, whom thou hast gotten in the fear of the Lord: for the grace of her modesty is above gold.

Noli discedere a muliere sensata et bona, quam sortitus es in timore Domini : gratia enim verecundiæ illius super aurum.

μὴ ἀστόχει γυναικὸς σοφῆς καὶ ἀγαθῆς ἡ γὰρ χάρις αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ τὸ χρυσίον

Hurt not the servant that worketh faithfully, nor the hired man that giveth thee his life.

Non lædas servum in veritate operantem, neque mercenarium dantem animam suam.

μὴ κακώσῃς οἰκέτην ἐργαζόμενον ἐν ἀληθείᾳ μηδὲ μίσθιον διδόντα τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ

Let a wise servant be dear to thee as thy own soul, defraud him not of liberty, nor leave him needy.

Servus sensatus sit tibi dilectus quasi anima tua : non defraudes illum libertate, neque inopem derelinquas illum.

οἰκέτην συνετὸν ἀγαπάτω σου ἡ ψυχή μὴ στερήσῃς αὐτὸν ἐλευθερίας

Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for thy profit, keep them with thee.

Pecora tibi sunt, attende illis : et si sunt utilia, perseverent apud te.

κτήνη σοί ἐστιν ἐπισκέπτου αὐτά καὶ εἰ ἔστιν σοι χρήσιμα ἐμμενέτω σοι

Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their childhood.

Filii tibi sunt? erudi illos, et curva illos a pueritia illorum.

τέκνα σοί ἐστιν παίδευσον αὐτὰ καὶ κάμψον ἐκ νεότητος τὸν τράχηλον αὐτῶν

Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and show not thy countenance gay towards them.

Filiæ tibi sunt? serva corpus illarum, et non ostendas hilarem faciem tuam ad illas.

θυγατέρες σοί εἰσιν πρόσεχε τῷ σώματι αὐτῶν καὶ μὴ ἱλαρώσῃς πρὸς αὐτὰς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου

Marry thy daughter well, and thou shalt do a great work, and give her to a wise man.

Trade filiam, et grande opus feceris : et homini sensato da illam.

ἔκδου θυγατέρα καὶ ἔσῃ τετελεκὼς ἔργον μέγα καὶ ἀνδρὶ συνετῷ δώρησαι αὐτήν

If thou hast a wife according to thy soul, cast her not off: and to her that is hateful, trust not thyself. With thy whole heart,

Mulier si est tibi secundum animam tuam, non projicias illam : et odibili non credas te. In toto corde tuo

γυνή σοί ἐστιν κατὰ ψυχήν μὴ ἐκβάλῃς αὐτήν καὶ μισουμένῃ μὴ ἐμπιστεύσῃς σεαυτόν

Honour thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother:

honora patrem tuum, et gemitus matris tuæ ne obliviscaris :

ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ σου δόξασον τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ μητρὸς ὠδῖνας μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ

Remember that thou hadst not been born but through them: and make a return to them as they have done for thee.

memento quoniam nisi per illos natus non fuisses : et retribue illis, quomodo et illi tibi.

μνήσθητι ὅτι δι' αὐτῶν ἐγεννήθης καὶ τί ἀνταποδώσεις αὐτοῖς καθὼς αὐτοὶ σοί

With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests.

In tota anima tua time Dominum, et sacerdotes illius sanctifica.

ἐν ὅλῃ ψυχῇ σου εὐλαβοῦ τὸν κύριον καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ θαύμαζε

With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his ministers.

In omni virtute tua dilige eum qui te fecit, et ministros ejus ne derelinquas.

ἐν ὅλῃ δυνάμει ἀγάπησον τὸν ποιήσαντά σε καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς

Honour God with all thy soul and give honour to the priests, and purify thyself with thy arms.

Honora Deum ex tota anima tua, et honorifica sacerdotes, et propurga te cum brachiis.

φοβοῦ τὸν κύριον

Give them their portion, as it is commanded thee, of the firstfruits and of purifications: and for thy negligences purify thyself with a few.

Da illis partem, sicut mandatum est tibi, primitiarum et purgationis, et de negligentia tua purga te cum paucis.

καὶ δόξασον ἱερέα καὶ δὸς τὴν μερίδα αὐτῷ καθὼς ἐντέταλταί σοι ἀπαρχὴν καὶ περὶ πλημμελείας

Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things:

Datum brachiorum tuorum, et sacrificium sanctificationis offeres Domino, et initia sanctorum.

καὶ δόσιν βραχιόνων καὶ θυσίαν ἁγιασμοῦ καὶ ἀπαρχὴν ἁγίων

And stretch out thy hand to the poor, that thy expiation and thy blessing may be perfected.

Et pauperi porrige manum tuam, ut perficiatur propitiatio et benedictio tua.

καὶ πτωχῷ ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου ἵνα τελειωθῇ ἡ εὐλογία σου

A gift hath grace in the sight of all the living, and restrain not grace from the dead.

Gratia dati in conspectu omnis viventis, et mortuo non prohibeas gratiam.

χάρις δόματος ἔναντι παντὸς ζῶντος καὶ ἐπὶ νεκρῷ μὴ ἀποκωλύσῃς χάριν

Be not wanting in comforting them that weep, and walk with them that mourn.

Non desis plorantibus in consolatione, et cum lugentibus ambula.

μὴ ὑστέρει ἀπὸ κλαιόντων καὶ μετὰ πενθούντων πένθησον

Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.

Non te pigeat visitare infirmum : ex his enim in dilectione firmaberis.

μὴ ὄκνει ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ἄρρωστον ἄνθρωπον ἐκ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ἀγαπηθήσῃ

In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.

In omnibus operibus tuis memorare novissima tua, et in æternum non peccabis.

ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς λόγοις σου μιμνῄσκου τὰ ἔσχατά σου καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεις