Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 51 — Rahlfs Septuagint

ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι κύριε βασιλεῦ καὶ αἰνέσω σε θεὸν τὸν σωτῆρά μου ἐξομολογοῦμαι τῷ ὀνόματί σου

I will give thanks to you, Lord, King, and I will praise you, God my Savior; I give thanks to your name.

for you became a protector and helper to me and you redeemed my body from destruction and from the snare of a slanderous tongue, from lips working falsehood, and before those standing by you became a helper and you redeemed me

3

according to the abundance of your mercy and your name, from gnashed teeth, ready for food, from the hand of those seeking my life, from more afflictions than I had suffered

4

ἀπὸ πνιγμοῦ πυρᾶς κυκλόθεν καὶ ἐκ μέσου πυρός οὗ οὐκ ἐξέκαυσα

from suffocation of a fire all around, and from the midst of fire which I did not burn out

5

ἐκ βάθους κοιλίας ᾅδου καὶ ἀπὸ γλώσσης ἀκαθάρτου καὶ λόγου ψευδοῦς

from the depth of the belly of Hades and from an unclean tongue and from false speech

6

βασιλεῖ διαβολὴ γλώσσης ἀδίκου ἤγγισεν ἕως θανάτου ἡ ψυχή μου καὶ ἡ ζωή μου ἦν σύνεγγυς ᾅδου κάτω

Against slander of an unjust tongue, my soul drew near even to death, and my life was close to Hades below.

7

περιέσχον με πάντοθεν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ βοηθῶν ἐνέβλεπον εἰς ἀντίλημψιν ἀνθρώπων καὶ οὐκ ἦν

They surrounded me on every side, and there was no one helping; I looked for human support, and there was none.

8

And I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your work from of old, because you deliver those who wait for you and save them from the hand of enemies.

9

καὶ ἀνύψωσα ἀπὸ γῆς ἱκετείαν μου καὶ ὑπὲρ θανάτου ῥύσεως ἐδεήθην

And I lifted up my supplication from the earth, and for deliverance from death I begged.

10

I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, not to forsake me in days of affliction, in a time of proud helplessness; I will praise your name continually, and I will hymn in confession.

11

καὶ εἰσηκούσθη ἡ δέησίς μου ἔσωσας γάρ με ἐξ ἀπωλείας καὶ ἐξείλου με ἐκ καιροῦ πονηροῦ

and my supplication was heard, for you saved me from destruction and delivered me from an evil time

12

διὰ τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι καὶ αἰνέσω σε καὶ εὐλογήσω τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου

Therefore I will give thanks to you and praise you and bless the name of the Lord

13

ἔτι ὢν νεώτερος πρὶν ἢ πλανηθῆναί με ἐζήτησα σοφίαν προφανῶς ἐν προσευχῇ μου

While I was still younger, before I went astray, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer

14

ἔναντι ναοῦ ἠξίουν περὶ αὐτῆς καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτων ἐκζητήσω αὐτήν

Before the temple I prayed concerning her, and even to the last I will seek her out

15

My heart was gladdened by her, as by the flower of a ripening grape; my foot stepped upon her in uprightness; from my youth I tracked her out

16

ἔκλινα ὀλίγον τὸ οὖς μου καὶ ἐδεξάμην καὶ πολλὴν εὗρον ἐμαυτῷ παιδείαν

I inclined my ear a little and received, and I found much instruction for myself

17

προκοπὴ ἐγένετό μοι ἐν αὐτῇ τῷ διδόντι μοι σοφίαν δώσω δόξαν

Through her there came to me progress; to the one giving me wisdom I will give glory

18

διενοήθην γὰρ τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτὴν καὶ ἐζήλωσα τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ

For I intended to do it, and I was zealous for the good, and I shall surely not be put to shame

19

My soul has contended over it, and in doing the law I examined my hands; I stretched out my hands toward the height, and I mourned for its ignorances.