The Works of the Lord
Sirach 39
The chapter describes the man who devotes himself to the law of the most High, seeking out the wisdom of the ancients, serving among the great, and being filled with understanding and praise that outlasts his life. It then calls all to bless the Lord for his works, declaring that everything he has made, including things created for vengeance such as fire, famine, and the sword, serves its appointed use in its season.
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
Brentonwill seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and be occupied in prophecies.
Greekσοφίαν πάντων ἀρχαίων ἐκζητήσει, καὶ ἐν προφητείαις ἀσχοληθήσεται.
2
BrentonHe will keep the sayings of the renowned men: and where subtil parables are, he will be there also.
GreekΔιηγήσεις ἀνδρῶν ὀνομαστῶν συντηρήσει, καὶ ἐν στροφαῖς παραβολῶν συνεισελεύσεται.
3
BrentonHe will seek out the secrets of grave sentences, and be conversant in dark parables.
GreekἈπόκρυφα παροιμιῶν ἐκζητήσει, καὶ ἐν αἰνίγμασι παραβολῶν ἀναστραφήσεται.
4
BrentonHe shall serve among great men, and appear before princes: he will travel through strange countries; for he hath tried the good and the evil among men.
GreekἈναμέσον μεγιστάνων ὑπηρετήσει, καὶ ἔναντι ἡγουμένου ὀφθήσεται· ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίων ἐθνῶν διελεύσεται, ἀγαθὰ γὰρ καὶ κακὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπείρασε.
5
BrentonHe will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and will pray before the most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and make supplication for his sins.
GreekΤὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπιδώσει ὀρθρίσαι πρὸς Κύριον τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔναντι ὑψίστου δεηθήσεται· καὶ ἀνοίξει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐν προσευχῇ, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ δεηθήσεται.
6
BrentonWhen the great Lord will, he shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: he shall pour out wise sentences, and give thanks unto the Lord in his prayer.
GreekἘὰν Κύριος ὁ μέγας θελήσῃ, πνεύματι συνέσεως ἐμπλησθήσεται· αὐτὸς ἀνομβρήσει ῥήματα σοφίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν προσευχῇ ἐξομολογήσεται Κυρίῳ.
7
BrentonHe shall direct his counsel and knowledge, and on his secrets shall he meditate.
GreekΑὐτὸς κατευθύνει βουλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμην, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσεται.
8
BrentonHe shall shew forth that which he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
GreekΑὐτὸς ἐκφανεῖ παιδείαν διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν νόμῳ διαθήκης Κυρίου καυχήσεται.
9
BrentonMany shall commend his understanding; and so long as the world endureth, it shall not be blotted out; his memorial shall not depart away, and his name shall live from generation to generation.
GreekΑἰνέσουσι τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ πολλοὶ, ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται· οὐκ ἀποστήσεται τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ζήσεται εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν.
10
BrentonNations shall shew forth his wisdom, and the congregation shall declare his praise.
GreekΤὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ διηγήσονται ἔθνη, καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον αὐτοῦ ἐξαγγελεῖ ἐκκλησία.
11
BrentonIf he die, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: and if he live, he shall increase it.
GreekἘὰν ἐμμείνῃ ὄνομα καταλείψει ἢ χίλιοι, καὶ ἐὰν ἀναπαύσηται ἐμποιεῖ αὐτῷ.
12
BrentonYet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; for I am filled as the moon at the full.
GreekἜτι διανοηθεὶς ἐκδιηγήσομαι, καὶ ὡς διχομηνία ἐπληρώθην.
13
BrentonHearken unto me, ye holy children, and bud forth as a rose growing by the brook of the field:
GreekΕἰσακούσετέ μου υἱοὶ ὅσιοι, καὶ βλαστήσατε ὡς ῥόδον φυόμενον ἐπὶ ῥεύματος ἀγροῦ·
14
Brentonand give ye a sweet savour as frankincense, and flourish as a lily, send forth a smell, and sing a song of praise, bless the Lord in all his works.
Greekκαὶ ὡς λίβανος εὐωδιάσατε ὀσμὴν, καὶ ἀνθήσατε ἄνθος ὡς κρίνον· διάδοτε ὀσμὴν καὶ αἰνέσατε ᾆσμα· εὐλογήσατε Κύριον ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις.
15
BrentonMagnify his name, and shew forth his praise with the songs of your lips, and with harps, and in praising him ye shall say after this manner:
GreekΔότε τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μεγαλωσύνην, καὶ ἐξομολογήσασθε ἐν αἰνέσει αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾠδαῖς χειλέων καὶ ἐν κινύραις, καὶ οὕτως ἐρεῖτε ἐν ἐξομολογήσει,
16
BrentonAll the works of the Lord are exceeding good, and whatsoever he commandeth shall be accomplished in due season.
GreekΤὰ ἔργα Κυρίου πάντα ὅτι καλὰ σφόδρα, καὶ πᾶν πρόσταγμα ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ἔσται.
17
BrentonFor at time convenient they shall all be sought out: at his commandment the waters stood as an heap, and at the words of his mouth, the receptacles of waters.
GreekΠάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ζητηθήσεται· ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ ἔστη ὡς θημωνία ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐν ῥήματι στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀποδοχεῖα ὑδάτων.
18
BrentonAt his commandment is done whatsoever pleaseth him; and none can hinder, when he will save.
GreekἘν προστάγματι αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ εὐδοκία, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐλαττώσει τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ.
19
BrentonThe works of all flesh are before him, and nothing can be hid from his eyes.
GreekἜργα πάσης σαρκὸς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κρυβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ.
20
BrentonHe seeth from everlasting to everlasting; and there is nothing wonderful before him.
GreekἈπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐπέβλεψε, καὶ οὐθέν ἐστι θαυμάσιον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ.
21
BrentonA man need not to say, What is this? wherefore is that? for he hath made all things for their uses.
GreekΟὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, τί τοῦτο; εἰς τί τοῦτο; πάντα γὰρ εἰς χρείας αὐτῶν ἔκτισται.
22
BrentonHis blessing covered the dry land as a river, and watered it as a flood.
GreekἩ εὐλογία αὐτοῦ ὡς ποταμὸς ἐπεκάλυψε, καὶ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς ξηρὰν ἐμέθυσεν.
23
BrentonAs he hath turned the waters into saltness: so shall the heathen inherit his wrath.
GreekΟὕτως ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη κληρονομήσει, ὡς μετέστρεψεν ὕδατα εἰς ἅλμην.
24
BrentonAs his ways are plain unto the holy; so are they stumbling-blocks unto the wicked.
GreekΑἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὁσίοις εὐθεῖαι, οὕτως τοῖς ἀνόμοις προσκόμματα.
25
BrentonFor the good are good things created from the beginning: so evil things for sinners.
GreekἈγαθὰ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔκτισται ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς κακά.
26
BrentonThe principal things for the whole use of man's life are water, fire, iron, and salt, flour of wheat, honey, milk, and the blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing.
GreekἈρχὴ πάσης χρείας εἰς ζωὴν ἀνθρώπου, ὕδωρ, πῦρ, καὶ σίδηρος, καὶ ἅλα, καὶ σεμίδαλις πυροῦ, καὶ μέλι, καὶ γάλα, αἷμα σταφυλῆς, καὶ ἔλαιον, καὶ ἱμάτιον.
27
BrentonAll these things are for good to the godly: so to the sinners they are turned into evil.
GreekΤαῦτα πάντα τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν εἰς ἀγαθὰ, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς τραπήσεται εἰς κακά.
28
BrentonThere be spirits that are created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction they pour out their force, and appease the wrath of him that made them.
GreekἜστι πνεύματα ἃ εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται, καὶ ἐν θυμῷ αὐτῶν ἐστερέωσαν μάστιγας αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐν καιρῷ συντελείας ἰσχὺν ἐκχέουσι, καὶ τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς κοπάσουσι.
29
BrentonFire, and hail, and famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance;
GreekΠῦρ καὶ χάλαζα καὶ λιμὸς καὶ θάνατος, πάντα ταῦτα εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται.
30
Brentonteeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, serpents, and the sword, punishing the wicked to destruction,
GreekΘηρίων ὁδόντες καὶ σκορπίοι καὶ ἔχεις καὶ ῥομφαία ἐκδικοῦσα εἰς ὄλεθρον ἀσεβεῖς,
31
Brentonshall rejoice in his commandment, and they shall be ready upon earth, when need is; and when their time is come, they shall not go beyond his word.
Greekἐν τῇ ἐντολῇ αὐτοῦ εὐφρανθήσονται, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἰς χρείας ἑτοιμασθήσονται, καὶ ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν οὐ παραβήσονται λόγον.
32
BrentonTherefore from the beginning I was resolved, and thought upon these things, and have left them in writing.
GreekΔιὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐστηρίχθην, καὶ διενοήθην, καὶ ἐν γραφῇ ἀφῆκα.
33
BrentonAll the works of the Lord are good: and he will give every needful thing in due season.
GreekΤὰ ἔργα Κυρίου πάντα ἀγαθὰ, καὶ πᾶσαν χρείαν ἐν ὥρᾳ αὐτῆς χορηγήσει.
34
BrentonSo that a man cannot say, This is worse than that: for in time they shall all be well approved.
GreekΚαὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, τοῦτο τούτου πονηρότερον, πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ εὐδοκιμηθήσεται.
35
BrentonAnd therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth, and bless the name of the Lord.
GreekΚαὶ νῦν ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ καὶ στόματι ὑμνήσατε, καὶ εὐλογήσατε τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου.