Sirach 12

Thomson · Brenton · Greek · public domain

Thomson 1808

Brenton 1851

Greek · Brenton

Thomson—

BrentonWhen thou wilt do good, know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits.

GreekἘὰν εὖ ποιῇς, γνῶθι τίνι ποιεῖς, καὶ ἔσται χάρις τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς σου.

Thomson—

BrentonDo good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High.

GreekΕὐποίησον εὐσεβεῖ, καὶ εὑρήσεις ἀνταπόδομα, καὶ εἰ μὴ παρʼ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ παρὰ ὑψίστου.

Thomson—

BrentonThere can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms.

GreekΟὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαθὰ τῷ ἐνελεχίζοντι εἰς κακὰ, καὶ τῷ ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ χαριζομένῳ.

Thomson—

BrentonGive to the godly man, and help not a sinner.

GreekΔὸς τῷ εὐσεβεῖ, καὶ μὴ ἀντιλάβῃ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonDo well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for [else] thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him.

GreekΕὐποίησον τῷ ταπεινῷ, καὶ μὴ δῷς ἀσεβεῖ· ἐμπόδισον τοὺς ἄρτους αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ δῷς αὐτῷ ἵνα μὴ ἐν αὐτοῖς σε δυναστεύσῃ· διπλάσια γὰρ κακὰ εὑρήσεις ἐν πᾶσιν ἀγαθοῖς οἷς ἂν ποιήσῃς αὐτῷ.

Thomson—

BrentonFor the most High hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment.

GreekὍτι καὶ ὁ ὕψιστος ἐμίσησεν ἁμαρτωλούς, καὶ τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν ἀποδώσει ἐκδίκησιν.

Thomson—

BrentonGive unto the good, and help not the sinner.

GreekΔὸς τῷ ἀγαθῷ, καὶ μὴ ἀντιλάβῃ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonA friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

GreekΟὐκ ἐκδικηθησεται ἐν ἀγαθοῖς ὁ φίλος, καὶ οὐ κρυβήσεται ἐν κακοῖς ὁ ἐχθρός.

Thomson—

BrentonIn the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart.

GreekἘν ἀγαθοῖς ἀνδρὸς οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν λύπῃ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ φίλος διαχωρισθήσεται.

Thomson—

BrentonNever trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness.

GreekΜὴ πιστεύσῃς τῷ ἐχθρῷ σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· ὡς γὰρ ὁ χαλκὸς ἰοῦται, οὕτως ἡ πονηρία αὐτοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonThough he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst wiped a looking-glass, and thou shalt know that his rust hath not been altogether wiped away.

GreekΚαὶ ἐὰν ταπεινωθῇ καὶ πορεύηται συγκεκυφὼς, ἐπίστησον τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ φύλαξαι ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσῃ αὐτῷ ὡς ἐκμεμαχὼς ἔσοπτρον, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τέλος κατίωσε.

Thomson—

BrentonSet him not by thee, lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place; neither let him sit at thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and thou at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith.

GreekΜὴ στήσῃς αὐτὸν παρὰ σεαυτὸν, μὴ ἀνατρέψας σε στῇ ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον σου· μὴ καθίσης αὐτὸν ἐκ δεξιῶν σου, μήποτε ζητήσῃ τὴν καθέδραν σου, καὶ ἐπʼ ἐσχάτῳ ἐπιγνώσῃ τοὺς λόγους μου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ῥημάτων μου κατανυγήσῃ.

Thomson—

BrentonWho will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come nigh wild beasts?

GreekΤίς ἐλεήσει ἐπαοιδὸν ὀφιόδηκτον, καὶ πάντας τοὺς προσάγοντας θηρίοις;

Thomson—

BrentonSo one that goeth to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?

GreekΟὕτως τὸν προσπορεύομενον ἀνδρὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ καὶ συμφυρόμενον ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonFor a while he will abide with thee, but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry.

GreekὭραν μετὰ σοῦ διαμενεῖ, καὶ ἐὰν ἐκκλίνῃς, οὐ μὴ καρτερήσῃ.

Thomson—

BrentonAn enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood.

GreekΚαὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ γλυκανεῖ ὁ ἐχθρὸς, καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδία αὐτοῦ βουλεύσεται ἀνατρέψαι σε εἰς βόθρον· ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ δακρύσει ὁ ἐχθρὸς, καὶ ἐὰν εὕρῃ καιρὸν, οὐκ ἐμπλησθήσεται ἀφʼ αἵματος.

Thomson—

BrentonIf adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first; and though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he undermine thee.

GreekΚακὰ ἂν ὑπαντήσῃ σοι, εὑρήσεις αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ πρότερόν σου, καὶ ὡς βοηθῶν ὑποσχάσει πτέρναν σου.

Thomson—

BrentonHe will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.

GreekΚινήσει τὴν κεφαλὴναὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπικροτήσει ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλὰ διαψιθυρίσει, καὶ ἀλλοιώσει τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ.