A Daughter's Care
Sirach 42
The chapter lists things a man should not be ashamed of, such as the law, honest business dealings, and correcting children, then describes the constant anxiety a daughter causes her father and counsels close watch over her. It closes with a hymn praising the Lord's works as full of his glory, declaring that his wisdom sees and orders all things from everlasting to everlasting.
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
BrentonOf these things be not thou ashamed, and accept no person to sin thereby:
Greekμὴ περὶ τούτων αἰσχυνθῇς, καὶ μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν·
2
Brentonof the law of the most High, and his covenant; and of judgment to justify the ungodly;
Greekπερὶ νόμου ὑψίστου καὶ διαθήκης, καὶ περὶ κρίματος δικαιῶσαι τὸν ἀσεβῆ·
3
Brentonof reckoning with thy partners and travellers; or of the gift of the heritage of friends;
Greekπερὶ λόγου κοινωνοῦ καὶ ὁδοιπόρων, καὶ περὶ δόσεως κληρονομίας ἑταίρων·
4
Brentonof exactness of balance and weights; or of getting much or little;
Greekπερὶ ἀκριβείας ζυγοῦ καὶ σταθμιῶν, περὶ κτήσεως πολλῶν καὶ ὀλίγων·
5
Brentonand of merchants' indifferent selling; of much correction of children; and to make the side of an evil servant to bleed.
Greekπερὶ ἀδιαφόρου πράσεως, καὶ ἐμπόρων, καὶ περὶ παιδείας τέκνων πολλῆς, καὶ οἰκέτῃ πονηρῷ πλευρὰν αἱμάξαι.
6
BrentonSure keeping is good, where an evil wife is; and locked up, where many hands are.
GreekἘπὶ γυναικὶ πονηρᾷ καλὸν σφραγίς· καὶ ὅπου χεῖρες πολλαὶ, κλεῖσον.
7
BrentonDeliver all things in number and weight; and put all in writing that thou givest out, or receivest in.
GreekὋ ἐὰν παραδίδως, ἐν ἀριθμῷ καὶ σταθμῷ, καὶ δόσις καὶ λῆψις παντὶ ἐν γραφῇ.
8
BrentonBe not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the extreme aged that contendeth with those that are young: thus shalt thou be truly learned, and approved of all men living.
GreekΠερὶ παιδείας ἀνοήτου καὶ μωροῦ καὶ ἐσχατογήρου κρινομένου πρὸς νέους, καὶ ἔσῃ πεπαιδευμένος ἀληθινῶς, καὶ δεδοκιμασμένος ἔναντι παντὸς ζῶντος.
9
BrentonA daughter is a wakeful care to a father; and the care for her taketh away sleep: when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age; and being married, lest she should be hated:
GreekΘυγάτηρ πατρὶ ἀπόκρυφος ἀγρυπνία, καὶ ἡ μέριμνα αὐτῆς ἀφιστᾷ ὕπνον· ἐν νεότητι αὐτῆς μήποτε παρακμάσῃ, καὶ συνῳκηκυῖα μήποτε μισηθῇ.
10
Brentonin her virginity, lest she should be defiled and gotten with child in her father's house; and having an husband, lest she should misbehave herself; and when she is married, lest she should be barren.
GreekἘν παρθενίᾳ μήποτε βεβηλωθῇ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς πατρικοῖς αὐτῆς ἔγκυος γένηται· μετὰ ἀνδρὸς οὖσα μήποτε παραβῇ, καὶ συνῳκηκυῖα μήποτε στειρώσῃ.
11
BrentonKeep a sure watch over a shameless daughter, lest she make thee a laughingstock to thine enemies, and a byword in the city, and a reproach among the people, and make thee ashamed before the multitude.
GreekἘπὶ θυγατρὶ ἀδιατρέπτῳ στερέωσον φυλακὴν, μήποτε ποιήσῃ σε ἐπίχαρμα ἐχθροῖς, λαλιὰν ἐν πόλει, καὶ ἔκκλητον λαοῦ, καὶ καταισχύνῇ σε ἐν πλήθει πολλῶν.
12
BrentonBehold not everybody's beauty, and sit not in the midst of women.
GreekΠαντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ μὴ ἔμβλεπε ἐν κάλλει, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ γυναικῶν μὴ συνέδρευε·
13
BrentonFor from garments cometh a moth, and from women wickedness.
Greekἀπὸ γὰρ ἱματίων ἐκπορεύεται σὴς, καὶ ἀπὸ γυναικὸς πονηρία γυναικός.
14
BrentonBetter is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which bringeth shame and reproach.
GreekΚρείσσων πονηρία ἀνδρὸς ἢ ἀγαθοποιὸς γυνὴ, καὶ γυνὴ καταισχύνουσα εἰς ὀνειδισμόν.
15
BrentonI will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works.
GreekΜνησθήσομαι δὴ τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου, καὶ ἃ ἑώρακα ἐκδιηγήσομαι· ἐν λόγοις Κυρίου τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.
16
BrentonThe sun that giveth light looketh upon all things, and the work thereof is full of the glory of the Lord.
GreekἭλιος φωτίζων κατὰ πᾶν ἐπέβλεψε, καὶ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ πλῆρες τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ.
17
BrentonThe Lord hath not given power to the saints to declare all his marvellous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that whatsoever is might be established for his glory.
GreekΟὐκ ἐνεποίησε τοῖς ἁγίοις Κύριος ἐκδιηγήσασθαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ, ἃ ἐστερέωσε Κύριος ὁ παντοκράτωρ, στηριχθῆναι ἐν δόξῃ αὐτοῦ τὸ πᾶν.
18
BrentonHe seeketh out the deep, and the heart, and considereth their crafty devices: for the Lord knoweth all that can be known, and he beholdeth the signs of the world,
GreekἌβυσσον καὶ καρδίαν ἐξίχνευσε, καὶ ἐν πανουργεύμασιν αὐτῶν διενοήθη· ἔγνω γὰρ ὁ Κύριος πᾶσαν εἴδησιν, καὶ ἐνέβλεψεν εἰς σημεῖον αἰῶνος·
19
Brentondeclaring the things that are past, and for to come, and revealing the steps of hidden things.
Greekἀπαγγέλλων τὰ παρεληλυθότα καὶ ἐπεσόμενα, καὶ ἀποκαλύπτων ἴχνη ἀποκρύφων.
20
BrentonNo thought escapeth him, neither any word is hidden from him.
GreekΟὐ παρῆλθεν αὐτὸν πᾶν διανόημα, οὐκ ἐκρύβη ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ εἷς λόγος.
21
BrentonHe hath garnished the excellent works of his wisdom, and he is from everlasting to everlasting: unto him may nothing be added, neither can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor.
GreekΤὰ μεγαλεῖα τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ ἐκόσμησε, καὶ ἕως ἐστὶ πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, οὔτε προσετέθη οὔτε ἠλαττώθη, καὶ οὐδὲ προσεδεήθη οὐδενὸς συμβούλου.
22
BrentonOh how desirable are all his works! and that a man may see even to a spark.
GreekὩς πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐπιθυμητὰ, καὶ ὡς σπινθῆρός ἐστι θεωρῆσαι.
23
BrentonAll these things live and remain for ever for all uses, and they are all obedient.
GreekΠάντα ταῦτα ζῇ καὶ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐν πάσαις χρείαις, καὶ πάντα ὑπακούει.
24
BrentonAll things are double one against another: and he hath made nothing imperfect.
GreekΠάντα δισσὰ ἓν κατέναντι τοῦ ἑνὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησεν οὐδὲν ἐκλεῖπον.
25
BrentonOne thing establisheth the good of another: and who shall be filled with beholding his glory?
GreekἛν τοῦ ἑνὸς ἐστερέωσε τὰ ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τίς πλησθήσεται ὁρῶν δόξαν αὐτοῦ;