1
σοφίαν πάντων ἀρχαίων ἐκζητήσει, καὶ ἐν προφητείαις ἀσχοληθήσεται.
Will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, And be occupied in prophecies.
2
Διηγήσεις ἀνδρῶν ὀνομαστῶν συντηρήσει, καὶ ἐν στροφαῖς παραβολῶν συνεισελεύσεται.
He will keep the sayings of the renowned men: And where subtle parables are, he will be there also.
3
Ἀπόκρυφα παροιμιῶν ἐκζητήσει, καὶ ἐν αἰνίγμασι παραβολῶν ἀναστραφήσεται.
He will seek out the secrets of grave sentences, And be conversant in dark parables.
4
Ἀναμέσον μεγιστάνων ὑπηρετήσει, καὶ ἔναντι ἡγουμένου ὀφθήσεται· ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίων ἐθνῶν διελεύσεται, ἀγαθὰ γὰρ καὶ κακὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπείρασε.
He 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.
5
Τὴν 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.
He 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.
6
Ἐὰν Κύριος ὁ μέγας θελήσῃ, πνεύματι συνέσεως ἐμπλησθήσεται· αὐτὸς ἀνομβρήσει ῥήματα σοφίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν προσευχῇ ἐξομολογήσεται Κυρίῳ.
When 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.
7
Αὐτὸς κατευθύνει βουλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμην, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποκρύφοις αὐτοῦ διανοηθήσεται.
He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, And on his secrets shall he meditate.
8
Αὐτὸς ἐκφανεῖ παιδείαν διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν νόμῳ διαθήκης Κυρίου καυχήσεται.
He shall show forth that which he hath learned, And shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
9
Αἰνέσουσι τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ πολλοὶ, ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται· οὐκ ἀποστήσεται τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ζήσεται εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν.
Many 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.
10
Τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ διηγήσονται ἔθνη, καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον αὐτοῦ ἐξαγγελεῖ ἐκκλησία.
Nations shall show forth his wisdom, And the congregation shall declare his praise.
11
Ἐὰν ἐμμείνῃ ὄνομα καταλείψει ἢ χίλιοι, καὶ ἐὰν ἀναπαύσηται ἐμποιεῖ αὐτῷ.
If he die, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: And if he live, he shall increase it.
12
Ἔτι διανοηθεὶς ἐκδιηγήσομαι, καὶ ὡς διχομηνία ἐπληρώθην.
Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; For I am filled as the moon at the full.
13
Εἰσακούσετέ μου υἱοὶ ὅσιοι, καὶ βλαστήσατε ὡς ῥόδον φυόμενον ἐπὶ ῥεύματος ἀγροῦ·
Hearken unto me, ye holy children, And bud forth as a rose growing by the brook of the field:
14
[הרימו קולכם וברכו יחדו, והודו ליהוה על כל מעשיו].
[Lift up your voice and bless together, and give thanks to the Lord for all his works.]
καὶ ὡς λίβανος εὐωδιάσατε ὀσμὴν, καὶ ἀνθήσατε ἄνθος ὡς κρίνον· διάδοτε ὀσμὴν καὶ αἰνέσατε ᾆσμα· εὐλογήσατε Κύριον ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις.
And give ye a sweet savor as frankincense, And flourish as a lily, Send forth a smell, and sing a song of praise, Bless the Lord in all his works.
15
בשירות נבל וכלי מינים, וכן תאמרו בתרועה.
With songs of harp and every kind of instrument, and thus you shall say with a shout:
Δότε τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μεγαλωσύνην, καὶ ἐξομολογήσασθε ἐν αἰνέσει αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾠδαῖς χειλέων καὶ ἐν κινύραις, καὶ οὕτως ἐρεῖτε ἐν ἐξομολογήσει,
Magnify his name, And show forth his praise With the songs of your lips, and with harps, And in praising him ye shall say after this manner:
16
מעשי אל כלם טובים, לכל צורך בעתו יספיק.
The works of God are all good; he supplies every need in its time.
Τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου πάντα ὅτι καλὰ σφόδρα, καὶ πᾶν πρόσταγμα ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ἔσται.
All the works of the Lord are exceeding good, And whatsoever he commandeth shall be [accomplished] in due season.
17
בדברו יעריך כנד מים, ובמוצא פיו אוצרו.
By his word he sets the waters as a heap, and the utterance of his mouth is his storehouse.
Πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ ζητηθήσεται· ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ ἔστη ὡς θημωνία ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐν ῥήματι στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀποδοχεῖα ὑδάτων.
For at time convenient they shall all be sought out: At his commandment the waters stood as a heap, And at the words of his mouth, the receptacles of waters.
18
תאות רצונו יצליח, ואין מעצור לתשועתו.
He accomplishes whatever he pleases, and there is no hindrance to his saving power.
Ἐν προστάγματι αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ εὐδοκία, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐλαττώσει τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ.
At his commandment is done whatsoever pleaseth him; And none can hinder, when he will save.
19
מעשה כל בשר נגדו, ואין נסתר מנגד עיניו.
The deeds of all flesh are before him, and nothing is hidden from his eyes.
Ἔργα πάσης σαρκὸς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κρυβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ.
The works of all flesh are before him, And nothing can be hidden from his eyes.
20
מעולם ועד עולם יביט, ואין נפלא וחזק ממנו.
From eternity to eternity he looks, and nothing is too wonderful or too hard for him.
Ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐπέβλεψε, καὶ οὐθέν ἐστι θαυμάσιον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ.
He seeth from everlasting to everlasting; And there is nothing wonderful before him.
21
אין לאמר זה למה זה, כי הכל בעתו יגבר.
One cannot say, 'What is this? Why is this?', for everything prevails in its time.
Οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, τί τοῦτο; εἰς τί τοῦτο; πάντα γὰρ εἰς χρείας αὐτῶν ἔκτισται.
A man need not to say, What is this? wherefore is that? For he hath made all things for their uses.
22
ברכות כיאור הציפה, וכנהר תבל ריותה.
His blessing overflows like the Nile, and like the river it waters the world.
Ἡ εὐλογία αὐτοῦ ὡς ποταμὸς ἐπεκάλυψε, καὶ ὡς κατακλυσμὸς ξηρὰν ἐμέθυσεν.
His blessing covered the dry land as a river, And watered it as a flood.
23
כן זעמו גוים יוריש, ויהפך למלח משקה.
So his anger dispossesses nations, and he turns well-watered land into salt.
Οὕτως ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη κληρονομήσει, ὡς μετέστρεψεν ὕδατα εἰς ἅλμην.
As he hath turned the waters into saltness: So shall the heathen inherit his wrath.
24
ארחות תמים יישרו, כן לזרים יסתוללו.
The paths of the blameless are level; so for strangers they are heaped with obstacles.
Αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὁσίοις εὐθεῖαι, οὕτως τοῖς ἀνόμοις προσκόμματα.
As his ways are plain unto the holy; So are they stumbling blocks unto the wicked.
25
טוב לטוב חלק מראש, כן לרעים טוב ורע.
Good he allotted to the good from the beginning; so to the wicked good and evil.
Ἀγαθὰ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔκτισται ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς κακά.
For the good are good things created from the beginning: So evil things for sinners.
26
ראש לחיי אדם מים, ואש וברזל ומלח. חלב חטה חלב ודבש, דם עינב יצהר ובגד.
The chief things for man's life are water, fire, iron and salt, the finest of the wheat, milk and honey, the blood of the grape, oil and clothing.
Ἀρχὴ πάσης χρείας εἰς ζωὴν ἀνθρώπου, ὕδωρ, πῦρ, καὶ σίδηρος, καὶ ἅλα, καὶ σεμίδαλις πυροῦ, καὶ μέλι, καὶ γάλα, αἷμα σταφυλῆς, καὶ ἔλαιον, καὶ ἱμάτιον.
The 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.
27
כל אלה לטובים ייטיבו, כן לרעים לרעה נהפכו.
All these do good to the good; so for the wicked they turn to evil.
Ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν εἰς ἀγαθὰ, οὕτως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς τραπήσεται εἰς κακά.
All these things are for good to the godly: So to the sinners they are turned into evil.
28
יש רוחות למשפט נוצרו, ובאפם הרים יעתיקו. [בעת זעם גבורתם יראו, וסער מן שדה יעוררו]
There are winds created for judgment, and in their anger they move mountains. [In the time of wrath they show their might, and stir up a storm from the field.]
Ἔστι 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.
There 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.
29
אש וברד רעב ודבר, גם אלה למשפט נוצרו.
Fire and hail, famine and plague — these too were created for judgment.
Πῦρ καὶ χάλαζα καὶ λιμὸς καὶ θάνατος, πάντα ταῦτα εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἔκτισται.
Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, All these were created for vengeance;
30
חית שן עקרב ופתן, וחרב נקמות להחרים רשעים. כל אלה לצורכם נבראו, והמה באוצר ולעת יפקדו.
Beasts of prey, scorpion and viper, and the sword of vengeance to destroy the wicked: all these were created for their purpose, and they are in his storehouse, to be summoned in their time.
Θηρίων ὁδόντες καὶ σκορπίοι καὶ ἔχεις καὶ ῥομφαία ἐκδικοῦσα εἰς ὄλεθρον ἀσεβεῖς,
Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, serpents, And the sword, punishing the wicked to destruction,
31
בצותו אתם ישישו, ובחקם לא ימרו פיו.
When he commands them they rejoice, and at their appointed time they do not disobey his word.
ἐν τῇ ἐντολῇ αὐτοῦ εὐφρανθήσονται, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἰς χρείας ἑτοιμασθήσονται, καὶ ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν οὐ παραβήσονται λόγον.
Shall 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.
32
על כן מראש התיצבתי, והתבוננתי ובכתב הנחתי.
Therefore I took my stand from the beginning, considered, and set it down in writing:
Διὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐστηρίχθην, καὶ διενοήθην, καὶ ἐν γραφῇ ἀφῆκα.
Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, And thought upon these things, and have left them in writing.
33
מעשה אל כלם טובים, לכל צורך בעתו יספיק.
The works of God are all good; he supplies every need in its time.
Τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου πάντα ἀγαθὰ, καὶ πᾶσαν χρείαν ἐν ὥρᾳ αὐτῆς χορηγήσει.
All the works of the Lord are good: And he will give every needful thing in due season.
34
אל לאמר זה רע מה זה, כי הכל בעתו יגביר.
One cannot say, 'This is worse than that', for everything proves strong in its time.
Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, τοῦτο τούτου πονηρότερον, πάντα γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ εὐδοκιμηθήσεται.
So that a man cannot say, This is worse than that: For in time they shall all be well approved.
35
עתה בכל לב הרנינו, וברכו את שם הקדוש.
Now sing for joy with all your heart, and bless the holy name.
Καὶ νῦν ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ καὶ στόματι ὑμνήσατε, καὶ εὐλογήσατε τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου.
And therefore praise ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth, And bless the name of the Lord.