Honoring the Physician
Sirach 38
The chapter honors the physician and the medicines the Lord has created from the earth, urging the sick to pray and also to accept a physician's care, and instructs proper but limited mourning for the dead. It closes by describing the skilled labor of farmers, craftsmen, smiths, and potters who sustain the world through their trades, and contrasts them with the man of leisure who devotes himself to the study of the law.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
1
BrentonHonour a physician with the honour due unto him for the uses which ye may have of him: for the Lord hath created him.
GreekΤίμα ἰατρὸν πρὸς τὰς χρείας τιμαῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔκτισε Κύριος.
2
BrentonFor of the most High cometh healing, and he shall receive honour of the king.
GreekΠαρὰ γὰρ ὑψίστου ἐστὶν ἴασις, καὶ παρὰ βασιλέως λήψεται δόμα.
3
BrentonThe skill of the physician shall lift up his head: and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration.
GreekἘπιστήμη ἰατροῦ ἀνυψώσει κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔναντι μεγιστάνων θαυμασθήσεται.
4
BrentonThe Lord hath created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them.
GreekΚύριος ἔκτισεν ἐκ γῆς φάρμακα, καὶ ἀνὴρ φρόνιμος οὐ προσοχθιεῖ αὐτοῖς.
5
BrentonWas not the water made sweet with wood, that the virtue thereof might be known?
GreekΟὐκ ἀπὸ ξύλου ἐγλυκάνθη ὕδωρ, εἰς τὸ γνωσθῆναι τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτοῦ;
6
BrentonAnd he hath given men skill, that he might be honoured in his marvellous works.
GreekΚαὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν ἀνθρώποις ἐπιστήμην ἐνδοξάζεσθαι ἐν τοῖς θαυμασίοις αὐτοῦ.
7
BrentonWith such doth he heal [men,] and taketh away their pains.
GreekἘν αὐτοῖς ἐθεράπευσε, καὶ ᾖρε τὸν πόνον αὐτοῦ.
8
BrentonOf such doth the apothecary make a confection; and of his works there is no end; and from him is peace over all the earth.
GreekΜυρεψὸς ἐν τούτοις ποιήσει μίγμα, καὶ οὐ μὴ συντελέσῃ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰρήνη παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐπὶ προσώπου τῆς γῆς.
9
BrentonMy son, in thy sickness be not negligent: but pray unto the Lord, and he will make thee whole.
GreekΤέκνον, ἐν ἀῤῥωστήματί σου μὴ παράβλεπε, ἀλλʼ εὖξαι Κυρίῳ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἰάσεταί σε.
10
BrentonLeave off from sin, and order thine hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all wickedness.
GreekἈπόστησον πλημμέλειαν, καὶ εὔθυνον χεῖρας, καὶ ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας καθάρισον καρδίαν.
11
BrentonGive a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour; and make a fat offering, as not being.
GreekΔὸς εὐωδίαν, καὶ μνημόσυνον σεμιδάλεως, καὶ λίπανον προσφορὰν, ὡς μὴ ὑπάρχων.
12
BrentonThen give place to the physician, for the Lord hath created him: let him not go from thee, for thou hast need of him.
GreekΚαὶ ἰατρῷ δὸς τόπον, καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔκτισε Κύριος· καὶ μὴ ἀποστήτω σου, καὶ γὰρ αὐτοῦ χρεία.
13
BrentonThere is a time when in their hands there is good success.
GreekἜστι καιρὸς ὅτε καὶ ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν εὐωδία.
14
BrentonFor they shall also pray unto the Lord, that he would prosper that which they give for ease and remedy to prolong life.
GreekΚαὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ Κυρίου δεηθήσονται, ἵνα εὐοδώσῃ αὐτοῖς ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ ἴασιν χάριν ἐμβιώσεως.
15
BrentonHe that sinneth before his Maker, let him fall into the hand of the physician.
GreekὉ ἁμαρτάνων ἔναντι τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτὸν, ἐμπέσοι εἰς χεῖρας ἰατροῦ.
16
BrentonMy son, let tears fall down over the dead, and begin to lament, as if thou hadst suffered great harm thyself; and then cover his body according to the custom, and neglect not his burial.
GreekΤέκνον, ἐπὶ νεκρῷ κατάγαγε δάκρυα, καὶ ὡς δεινὰ πάσχων ἔναρξε θρήνου· κατὰ δὲ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτοῦ περίστειλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ὑπερίδῃς τὴν ταφὴν αὐτοῦ.
17
BrentonWeep bitterly, and make great moan, and use lamentation, as he is worthy, and that a day or two, lest thou be evil spoken of: and then comfort thyself for thy heaviness;
GreekΠίκρανον κλαυθμὸν, καὶ θέρμανον κοπετὸν, καὶ ποίησον τὸ πένθος κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτοῦ ἡμέραν μίαν καὶ δύο χάριν διαβολῆς, καὶ παρακλήθητι λύπης ἕνεκα·
18
Brentonfor of heaviness cometh death, and the heaviness of the heart breaketh strength.
Greekἀπὸ λύπης γὰρ ἐκβαίνει θάνατος, καὶ λύπη καρδίας κάμψει ἰσχύν.
19
BrentonIn affliction also sorrow remaineth: and the life of the poor is the curse of the heart.
GreekἘν ἀπαγωγῇ παραβαίνει καὶ λύπη, καὶ βίος πτωχοῦ κατὰ καρδίας.
20
BrentonTake no heaviness to heart: drive it away, and remember the last end.
GreekΜὴ δῷς εἰς λύπην τὴν καρδίαν σου, ἀπόστησον αὐτὴν μνησθεὶς τὰ ἔσχατα.
21
BrentonForget him not, for there is no turning again: thou shalt not do him good, but hurt thyself.
GreekΜὴ ἐπιλαθῇ, οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐπάνοδος, καὶ τοῦτον οὐκ ὠφελήσεις, καὶ σεαυτὸν κακώσεις.
22
BrentonRemember his judgment: for thine also shall be so; yesterday for me, and to day for thee.
GreekΜνήσθητι τὸ κρίμα αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὕτω ὡς καὶ τὸ σόν· ἐμοὶ χθὲς, καὶ σοὶ σήμερον.
23
BrentonWhen the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest; and be comforted for him when his spirit is departed from him.
GreekἘν ἀναπαύσει νεκροῦ κατάπαυσον τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ παρακλήθητι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐν ἐξόδῳ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ.
24
BrentonThe wisdom of a learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure: and he that hath little business shall become wise.
GreekΣοφία γραμματέως ἐν εὐκαιρίᾳ σχολῆς, καὶ ὁ ἐλασσούμενος πράξει αὐτοῦ σοφισθήσεται.
25
BrentonHow can he get wisdom that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth oxen, and is occupied in their labours, and whose talk is of bullocks?
GreekΤί σοφισθήσεται ὁ κρατῶν ἀροτροῦ, καὶ καυχώμενος ἐν δόρατι κέντρου, βόας ἐλαύνων καὶ ἀναστρεφόμενος ἐν ἔργοις αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ διήγησις αὐτοῦ ἐν υἱοῖς ταυρῶν;
26
BrentonHe giveth his mind to make furrows; and is diligent to give the kine fodder.
GreekΚαρδίαν αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐκδοῦναι αὔλακας, καὶ ἡ ἀγρυπνία αὐτοῦ εἰς χορτάσματα δαμάλεων.
27
BrentonSo every carpenter and workmaster, that laboureth night and day: and they that cut and grave seals, and are diligent to make great variety, and give themselves to counterfeit imagery, and watch to finish a work:
GreekΟὕτως πᾶς τέκτων καὶ ἀρχιτέκτων, ὅστις νύκτωρ ὡς ἡμέρᾳ διάγει· οἱ γλύφοντες γλύμματα σφραγίδων, καὶ ἡ ὑπομονὴ αὐτοῦ ἀλλοιῶσαι ποικιλίαν· καρδίαν αὐτοῦ δώσει εἰς τὸ ὁμοιῶσαι ζωγραφίαν, καὶ ἡ ἀγρυπνία αὐτοῦ τελέσαι ἔργον.
28
BrentonThe smith also sitting by the anvil, and considering the iron work, the vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace: the noise of the hammer and the anvil is ever in his ears, and his eyes look still upon the pattern of the thing that he maketh; he setteth his mind to finish his work, and watcheth to polish it perfectly:
GreekΟὕτως χαλκεὺς καθήμενος ἐγγὺς ἄκμονος, καὶ καταμανθάνων ἀργῷ σιδήρῳ· ἀτμὶς πυρὸς πήξει σάρκας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν θέρμῃ καμίνου διαμαχήσεται· φωνὴ σφύρης καινιεῖ τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατέναντι ὁμοιώματος σκεύους οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ· καρδίαν αὐτοῦ δώσει εἰς συντέλειαν ἔργων, καὶ ἡ ἀγρυπνία αὐτοῦ κοσμῆσαι ἐπὶ συντελείας.
29
BrentonSo doth the potter sitting at his work, and turning the wheel about with his feet, who is alway carefully set at his work, and maketh all his work by number;
GreekΟὕτω κεραμεὺς καθήμενος ἐν ἔργῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ συστρέφων ἐν ποσὶν αὐτοῦ τροχὸν, ὃς ἐν μεριμνῃ κεῖται διαπαντὸς ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐναρίθμιος πᾶσα ἡ ἐργασία αὐτοῦ.
30
Brentonhe fashioneth the clay with his arm, and boweth down his strength before his feet; he applieth himself to lead it over; and he is diligent to make clean the furnace:
GreekἘν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ τυπώσει πηλὸν, καὶ πρὸ ποδῶν κάμψει ἰσχὺν αὐτοῦ· καρδίαν ἐπιδώσει συντελέσαι τὸ χρίσμα, καὶ ἡ ἀγρυπνία αὐτοῦ καθαρίσαι κάμινον.
31
Brentonall these trust to their hands; and every one is wise in his work.
GreekΠάντες οὗτοι εἰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐνεπίστευσαν, καὶ ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ αὐτοῦ σοφίζεται.
32
BrentonWithout these cannot a city be inhabited: and they shall not dwell where they will, nor go up and down:
GreekἌνευ αὐτῶν οὐκ οἰκισθήσεται πόλις, καὶ οὐ παροικήσουσιν, οὐδὲ περιπατήσουσι·
33
Brentonthey shall not be sought for in public counsel, nor sit high in the congregation: they shall not sit on the judges' seat, nor understand the sentence of judgment: they cannot declare justice and judgment; and they shall not be found where parables are spoken.
Greekκαὶ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ οὐχ ὑπεραλοῦνται· ἐπὶ δίφρον δικαστοῦ οὐ καθιοῦνται, καὶ διαθήκην κρίματος οὐ διανοηθήσονται, οὐδὲ μὴ ἐκφανῶσι δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα· καὶ ἐν παραβολαῖς οὐχ εὑρεθήσονται.
34
BrentonBut they will maintain the state of the world, and [all] their desire is in the work of their craft. But he that giveth his mind to the law of the most High, and is occupied in the meditation thereof,
GreekἈλλὰ κτίσμα αἰῶνος στηρίσουσι· καὶ ἡ δέησις αὐτῶν ἐν ἐργασίᾳ τέχνης. Πλὴν τοῦ ἐπιδόντος τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ διανοουμένου ἐν νόμῳ ὑψίστου,