top Wisdom of Sirach ch 20

Chapter 20

1 Ἔστιν ἔλεγχος ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ὡραῖος, καὶ ἔστιν σιωπῶν καὶ αὐτὸς φρόνιμος. 1 There is a reproof that is not comely: again, some man holdeth his tongue, and he is wise.
2 ὡς καλὸν ἐλέγξαι ἢ θυμοῦσθαι, 2 It is much better to reprove, than to be angry secretly: and he that confesseth his fault shall be preserved from hurt.
3 καὶ ὁ ἀνθομολογούμενος ἀπὸ ἐλαττώσεως κωλυθήσεται. 3 How good is it, when thou art reproved, to shew repentance! for so shalt thou escape wilful sin.
4 ἐπιθυμία εὐνούχου ἀποπαρθενῶσαι νεάνιδα, οὕτως ὁ ποιῶν ἐν βίᾳ κρίματα. 4 As is the lust of an eunuch to deflower a virgin; so is he that executeth judgment with violence.
5 ἔστιν σιωπῶν εὑρισκόμενος σοφός, καὶ ἔστιν μισητὸς ἀπὸ πολλῆς λαλιᾶς. 5 There is one that keepeth silence, and is found wise: and another by much babbling becometh hateful.
6 ἔστιν σιωπῶν, οὐ γὰρ ἔχει ἀπόκρισιν, καὶ ἔστιν σιωπῶν εἰδὼς καιρόν. 6 Some man holdeth his tongue, because he hath not to answer: and some keepeth silence, knowing his time.
7 ἄνθρωπος σοφὸς σιγήσει ἕως καιροῦ, ὁ δὲ λαπιστὴς καὶ ἄφρων ὑπερβήσεται καιρόν. 7 A wise man will hold his tongue till he see opportunity: but a babbler and a fool will regard no time.
8 ὁ πλεονάζων λόγῳ βδελυχθήσεται, καὶ ὁ ἐνεξουσιαζόμενος μισηθήσεται. 8 He that useth many words shall be abhorred; and he that taketh to himself authority therein shall be hated.
9 ἔστιν εὐοδία ἐν κακοῖς ἀνδρί καὶ ἔστιν εὕρεμα εἰς ἐλάττωσιν. 9 There is a sinner that hath good success in evil things; and there is a gain that turneth to loss.
10 ἔστιν δόσις, ἣ οὐ λυσιτελήσει σοι, καὶ ἔστιν δόσις, ἧς τὸ ἀνταπόδομα διπλοῦν. 10 There is a gift that shall not profit thee; and there is a gift whose recompence is double.
11 ἔστιν ἐλάττωσις ἕνεκεν δόξης, καὶ ἔστιν ὃς ἀπὸ ταπεινώσεως ἦρεν κεφαλήν. 11 There is an abasement because of glory; and there is that lifteth up his head from a low estate.
12 ἔστιν ἀγοράζων πολλὰ ὀλίγου καὶ ἀποτιννύων αὐτὰ ἑπταπλάσιον. 12 There is that buyeth much for a little, and repayeth it sevenfold.
13 ὁ σοφὸς ἐν λόγοις ἑαυτὸν προσφιλῆ ποιήσει, χάριτες δὲ μωρῶν ἐκχυθήσονται. 13 A wise man by his words maketh him beloved: but the graces of fools shall be poured out.
14 δόσις ἄφρονος οὐ λυσιτελήσει σοι, οἱ γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἀνθ' ἑνὸς πολλοί 14 The gift of a fool shall do thee no good when thou hast it; neither yet of the envious for his necessity: for he looketh to receive many things for one.
15 ὀλίγα δώσει καὶ πολλὰ ὀνειδίσει καὶ ἀνοίξει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς κῆρυξ· σήμερον δανιεῖ καὶ αὔριον ἀπαιτήσει, μισητὸς ἄνθρωπος ὁ τοιοῦτος. 15 He giveth little, and upbraideth much; he openeth his mouth like a crier; to day he lendeth, and to morrow will he ask it again: such an one is to be hated of God and man.
16 μωρὸς ἐρεῖ οὐχ ὑπάρχει μοι φίλος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν χάρις τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς μου· 16 The fool saith, I have no friends, I have no thank for all my good deeds, and they that eat my bread speak evil of me.
17 οἱ ἔσθοντες τὸν ἄρτον αὐτοῦ φαῦλοι γλώσσῃ, ποσάκις καὶ ὅσοι καταγελάσονται αὐτοῦ; 17 How oft, and of how many shall he be laughed to scorn! for he knoweth not aright what it is to have; and it is all one unto him as if he had it not.
18 ὀλίσθημα ἀπὸ ἐδάφους μᾶλλον ἢ ἀπὸ γλώσσης, οὕτως πτῶσις κακῶν κατὰ σπουδὴν ἥξει. 18 To slip upon a pavement is better than to slip with the tongue: so the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.
19 ἄνθρωπος ἄχαρις, μῦθος ἄκαιρος· ἐν στόματι ἀπαιδεύτων ἐνδελεχισθήσεται. 19 An unseasonable tale will always be in the mouth of the unwise.
20 ἀπὸ στόματος μωροῦ ἀποδοκιμασθήσεται παραβολή· οὐ γὰρ μὴ εἴπῃ αὐτὴν ἐν καιρῷ αὐτῆς. 20 A wise sentence shall be rejected when it cometh out of a fool's mouth; for he will not speak it in due season.
21 ἔστιν κωλυόμενος ἁμαρτάνειν ἀπὸ ἐνδείας, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀναπαύσει αὐτοῦ οὐ κατανυγήσεται. 21 There is that is hindered from sinning through want: and when he taketh rest, he shall not be troubled.
22 ἔστιν ἀπολλύων τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ δι' αἰσχύνην, καὶ ἀπὸ ἄφρονος προσώπου ἀπολεῖ αὐτήν. 22 There is that destroyeth his own soul through bashfulness, and by accepting of persons overthroweth himself.
23 ἔστιν χάριν αἰσχύνης ἐπαγγελλόμενος φίλῳ, καὶ ἐκτήσατο αὐτὸν ἐχθρὸν δωρεάν. 23 There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend, and maketh him his enemy for nothing.
24 μῶμος πονηρὸς ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ ψεῦδος, ἐν στόματι ἀπαιδεύτων ἐνδελεχισθήσεται. 24 A lie is a foul blot in a man, yet it is continually in the mouth of the untaught.
25 αἱρετὸν κλέπτης ἢ ὁ ἐνδελεχίζων ψεύδει, ἀμφότεροι δὲ ἀπώλειαν κληρονομήσουσιν. 25 A thief is better than a man that is accustomed to lie: but they both shall have destruction to heritage.
26 ἦθος ἀνθρώπου ψευδοῦς ἀτιμία, καὶ ἡ αἰσχύνη αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐνδελεχῶς. 26 The disposition of a liar is dishonourable, and his shame is ever with him.
27 ὁ σοφὸς ἐν λόγοις προάξει ἑαυτόν, καὶ ἄνθρωπος φρόνιμος ἀρέσει μεγιστᾶσιν. 27 A wise man shall promote himself to honour with his words: and he that hath understanding will please great men.
28 ὁ ἐργαζόμενος γῆν ἀνυψώσει θιμωνιὰν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ ἀρέσκων μεγιστᾶσιν ἐξιλάσεται ἀδικίαν. 28 He that tilleth his land shall increase his heap: and he that pleaseth great men shall get pardon for iniquity.
29 ξένια καὶ δῶρα ἀποτυφλοῖ ὀφθαλμοὺς σοφῶν καὶ ὡς φιμὸς ἐν στόματι ἀποτρέπει ἐλεγμούς. 29 Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and stop up his mouth that he cannot reprove.
30 σοφία κεκρυμμένη καὶ θησαυρὸς ἀφανής, τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν ἀμφοτέροις; 30 Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is hoarded up, what profit is in them both?
31 κρείσσων ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν μωρίαν αὐτοῦ ἢ ἄνθρωπος ἀποκρύπτων τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ. 31 Better is he that hideth his folly than a man that hideth his wisdom.