4. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 3.1-3.15, 3.30, 4.7-4.10, 15.9-15.10, 16.4, 16.17-16.23, 17.11-17.14, 17.17, 17.19, 17.21-17.27, 21.1-21.2, 21.6, 22.10-22.11, 24.1-24.30, 28.2-28.5, 29.12, 37.21, 38.9-38.24, 39.20-39.35, 40.17, 40.24, 45.5-45.8 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 3.1. Listen to me your father, O children;and act accordingly, that you may be kept in safety. 3.1. Do not glorify yourself by dishonoring your father,for your fathers dishonor is no glory to you. 3.2. For the Lord honored the father above the children,and he confirmed the right of the mother over her sons. 3.2. For great is the might of the Lord;he is glorified by the humble. 3.3. Whoever honors his father atones for sins 3.3. Water extinguishes a blazing fire:so almsgiving atones for sin. 3.4. and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure. 3.5. Whoever honors his father will be gladdened by his own children,and when he prays he will be heard. 3.6. Whoever glorifies his father will have long life,and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh his mother; 3.7. he will serve his parents as his masters. 3.8. Honor your father by word and deed,that a blessing from him may come upon you. 3.9. For a fathers blessing strengthens the houses of the children,but a mothers curse uproots their foundations. 3.11. For a mans glory comes from honoring his father,and it is a disgrace for children not to respect their mother. 3.12. O son, help your father in his old age,and do not grieve him as long as he lives; 3.13. even if he is lacking in understanding, show forbearance;in all your strength do not despise him. 3.14. For kindness to a father will not be forgotten,and against your sins it will be credited to you; 3.15. in the day of your affliction it will be remembered in your favor;as frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away. 4.7. Make yourself beloved in the congregation;bow your head low to a great man. 4.8. Incline your ear to the poor,and answer him peaceably and gently. 4.9. Deliver him who is wronged from the hand of the wrongdoer;and do not be fainthearted in judging a case. 15.9. A hymn of praise is not fitting on the lips of a sinner,for it has not been sent from the Lord. 16.4. For through one man of understanding a city will be filled with people,but through a tribe of lawless men it will be made desolate. 16.17. Do not say, "I shall be hidden from the Lord,and who from on high will remember me?Among so many people I shall not be known,for what is my soul in the boundless creation? 16.18. Behold, heaven and the highest heaven,the abyss and the earth, will tremble at his visitation. 16.19. The mountains also and the foundations of the earth shake with trembling when he looks upon them. 16.21. Like a tempest which no man can see,so most of his works are concealed. 16.22. Who will announce his acts of justice?Or who will await them? For the covet is far off. 16.23. This is what one devoid of understanding thinks;a senseless and misguided man thinks foolishly. 17.11. He bestowed knowledge upon them,and allotted to them the law of life. 17.12. He established with them an eternal covet,and showed them his judgments. 17.13. Their eyes saw his glorious majesty,and their ears heard the glory of his voice. 17.14. And he said to them, "Beware of all unrighteousness." And he gave commandment to each of them concerning his neighbor. 17.17. He appointed a ruler for every nation,but Israel is the Lords own portion. 17.19. All their works are as the sun before him,and his eyes are continually upon their ways. 17.22. A mans almsgiving is like a signet with the Lord and he will keep a persons kindness like the apple of his eye. 17.23. Afterward he will arise and requite them,and he will bring their recompense on their heads. 17.24. Yet to those who repent he grants a return,and he encourages those whose endurance is failing. 17.25. Turn to the Lord and forsake your sins;pray in his presence and lessen your offenses. 17.26. Return to the Most High and turn away from iniquity,and hate abominations intensely. 17.27. Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades,as do those who are alive and give thanks? 21.1. Have you sinned, my son? Do so no more,but pray about your former sins. 21.1. The way of sinners is smoothly paved with stones,but at its end is the pit of Hades. 21.2. Flee from sin as from a snake;for if you approach sin, it will bite you. Its teeth are lions teeth,and destroy the souls of men. 21.2. A fool raises his voice when he laughs,but a clever man smiles quietly. 21.6. Whoever hates reproof walks in the steps of the sinner,but he that fears the Lord will repent in his heart. 22.11. Weep for the dead, for he lacks the light;and weep for the fool, for he lacks intelligence;weep less bitterly for the dead, for he has attained rest;but the life of the fool is worse than death. 22.11. A man who swears many oaths will be filled with iniquity,and the scourge will not leave his house;if he offends, his sin remains on him,and if he disregards it, he sins doubly;if he has sworn needlessly, he will not be justified,for his house will be filled with calamities. 24.1. Wisdom will praise herself,and will glory in the midst of her people. 24.1. In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him,and so I was established in Zion. 24.2. In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth,and in the presence of his host she will glory: 24.2. For the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey,and my inheritance sweeter than the honeycomb. 24.3. I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,and covered the earth like a mist. 24.3. I went forth like a canal from a river and like a water channel into a garden. 24.4. I dwelt in high places,and my throne was in a pillar of cloud. 24.5. Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven and have walked in the depths of the abyss. 24.6. In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth,and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession. 24.7. Among all these I sought a resting place;I sought in whose territory I might lodge. 24.8. Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment,and the one who created me assigned a place for my tent. And he said, `Make your dwelling in Jacob,and in Israel receive your inheritance. 24.9. From eternity, in the beginning, he created me,and for eternity I shall not cease to exist. 24.11. In the beloved city likewise he gave me a resting place,and in Jerusalem was my dominion. 24.12. So I took root in an honored people,in the portion of the Lord, who is their inheritance. 24.13. I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon,and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon. 24.14. I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi,and like rose plants in Jericho;like a beautiful olive tree in the field,and like a plane tree I grew tall. 24.15. Like cassia and camels thorn I gave forth the aroma of spices,and like choice myrrh I spread a pleasant odor,like galbanum, onycha, and stacte,and like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle. 24.16. Like a terebinth I spread out my branches,and my branches are glorious and graceful. 24.17. Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud,and my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit. 24.19. Come to me, you who desire me,and eat your fill of my produce. 24.21. Those who eat me will hunger for more,and those who drink me will thirst for more. 24.22. Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,and those who work with my help will not sin. 24.23. All this is the book of the covet of the Most High God,the law which Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob. 24.25. It fills men with wisdom, like the Pishon,and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits. 24.26. It makes them full of understanding, like the Euphrates,and like the Jordan at harvest time. 24.27. It makes instruction shine forth like light,like the Gihon at the time of vintage. 24.28. Just as the first man did not know her perfectly,the last one has not fathomed her; 24.29. for her thought is more abundant than the sea,and her counsel deeper than the great abyss. 28.2. Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. 28.2. for its yoke is a yoke of iron,and its fetters are fetters of bronze; 28.3. Does a man harbor anger against another,and yet seek for healing from the Lord? 28.4. Does he have no mercy toward a man like himself,and yet pray for his own sins? 28.5. If he himself, being flesh, maintains wrath,who will make expiation for his sins? 29.12. Store up almsgiving in your treasury,and it will rescue you from all affliction; 37.21. for grace was not given him by the Lord,since he is lacking in all wisdom. 38.9. My son, when you are sick do not be negligent,but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you. 38.11. offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of fine flour,and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford. 38.12. And give the physician his place, for the Lord created him;let him not leave you, for there is need of him. 38.13. There is a time when success lies in the hands of physicians 38.14. for they too will pray to the Lord that he should grant them success in diagnosis and in healing, for the sake of preserving life. 38.15. He who sins before his Maker,may he fall into the care of a physician. 38.16. My son, let your tears fall for the dead,and as one who is suffering grievously begin the lament. Lay out his body with the honor due him,and do not neglect his burial. 38.17. Let your weeping be bitter and your wailing fervent;observe the mourning according to his merit,for one day, or two, to avoid criticism;then be comforted for your sorrow. 38.18. For sorrow results in death,and sorrow of heart saps ones strength. 38.19. In calamity sorrow continues,and the life of the poor man weighs down his heart. 38.21. Do not forget, there is no coming back;you do the dead no good, and you injure yourself. 38.22. Remember my doom, for yours is like it:yesterday it was mine, and today it is yours. 38.23. When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance cease,and be comforted for him when his spirit is departed. 38.24. The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure;and he who has little business may become wise. 39.21. No one can say, "What is this?" "Why is that?" for everything has been created for its use. 39.22. His blessing covers the dry land like a river,and drenches it like a flood. 39.23. The nations will incur his wrath,just as he turns fresh water into salt. 39.24. To the holy his ways are straight,just as they are obstacles to the wicked. 39.25. From the beginning good things were created for good people,just as evil things for sinners. 39.26. Basic to all the needs of mans life are water and fire and iron and salt and wheat flour and milk and honey,the blood of the grape, and oil and clothing. 39.27. All these are for good to the godly,just as they turn into evils for sinners. 39.28. There are winds that have been created for vengeance,and in their anger they scourge heavily;in the time of consummation they will pour out their strength and calm the anger of their Maker. 39.29. Fire and hail and famine and pestilence,all these have been created for vengeance; 39.31. they will rejoice in his commands,and be made ready on earth for their service,and when their times come they will not transgress his word. 39.32. Therefore from the beginning I have been convinced,and have thought this out and left it in writing: 39.33. The works of the Lord are all good,and he will supply every need in its hour. 39.34. And no one can say, "This is worse than that," for all things will prove good in their season. 39.35. So now sing praise with all your heart and voice,and bless the name of the Lord. 40.17. Kindness is like a garden of blessings,and almsgiving endures for ever. 40.24. Brothers and help are for a time of trouble,but almsgiving rescues better than both. 45.5. He made him hear his voice,and led him into the thick darkness,and gave him the commandments face to face,the law of life and knowledge,to teach Jacob the covet,and Israel his judgments. 45.6. He exalted Aaron, the brother of Moses,a holy man like him, of the tribe of Levi. 45.7. He made an everlasting covet with him,and gave him the priesthood of the people. He blessed him with splendid vestments,and put a glorious robe upon him. 45.8. He clothed him with superb perfection,and strengthened him with the symbols of authority,the linen breeches, the long robe, and the ephod. |
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