Apo

1 There shall no evil happen unto him that feareth the Lord; but in temptation even again he will deliver him.

2 A wise man hateth not the law; but he that is an hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm.

3 A man of understanding trusteth in the law; and the law is faithful unto him, as an oracle.

4 Prepare what to say, and so thou shalt be heard: and bind up instruction, and then make answer.

5 The heart of the foolish is like a cartwheel; and his thoughts are like a rolling axletree.

6 A stallion horse is as a mocking friend, he neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.

7 Why doth one day excel another, when as all the light of every day in the year is of the sun?

8 By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished: and he altered seasons and feasts.

9 Some of them hath he made high days, and hallowed them, and some of them hath he made ordinary days.

10 And all men are from the ground, and Adam was created of earth:

11 In much knowledge the Lord hath divided them, and made their ways diverse.

12 Some of them hath he blessed and exalted and some of them he sanctified, and set near himself: but some of them hath he cursed and brought low, and turned out of their places.

13 As the clay is in the potter's hand, to fashion it at his pleasure: so man is in the hand of him that made him, to render to them as liketh him best.

14 Good is set against evil, and life against death: so is the godly against the sinner, and the sinner against the godly.

15 So look upon all the works of the most High; and there are two and two, one against another.

16 I awaked up last of all, as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers: by the blessing of the Lord I profited, and tred my winepress like a gatherer of grapes.

17 Consider that I laboured not for myself only, but for all them that seek learning.

18 Hear me, O ye great men of the people, and hearken with your ears, ye rulers of the congregation.

19 Give not thy son and wife, thy brother and friend, power over thee while thou livest, and give not thy goods to another: lest it repent thee, and thou intreat for the same again.

20 As long as thou livest and hast breath in thee, give not thyself over to any.

21 For better it is that thy children should seek to thee, than that thou shouldest stand to their courtesy.

22 In all thy works keep to thyself the preeminence; leave not a stain in thine honour.

23 At the time when thou shalt end thy days, and finish thy life, distribute thine inheritance.

24 Fodder, a wand, and burdens, are for the ass; and bread, correction, and work, for a servant. .

25 If thou set thy servant to labour, thou shalt find rest: but if thou let him go idle, he shall seek liberty.

26 A yoke and a collar do bow the neck: so are tortures and torments for an evil servant.

27 Send him to labour, that he be not idle; for idleness teacheth much evil.

28 Set him to work, as is fit for him: if he be not obedient, put on more heavy fetters.

29 But be not excessive toward any; and without discretion do nothing.

30 If thou have a servant, let him be unto thee as thyself, because thou hast bought him with a price.

31 If thou have a servant, entreat him as a brother: for thou hast need of him, as of thine own soul: if thou entreat him evil, and he run from thee, which way wilt thou go to seek him?

Sep

1 τῷ φοβουμένῳ κύριον οὐκ ἀπαντήσει κακόν ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πειρασμῷ καὶ πάλιν ἐξελεῖται

2 ἀνὴρ σοφὸς οὐ μισήσει νόμον ὁ δὲ ὑποκρινόμενος ἐν αὐτῷ ὡς ἐν καταιγίδι πλοῖον

3 ἄνθρωπος συνετὸς ἐμπιστεύσει νόμῳ καὶ ὁ νόμος αὐτῷ πιστὸς ὡς ἐρώτημα δήλων

4 ἑτοίμασον λόγον καὶ οὕτως ἀκουσθήσῃ σύνδησον παιδείαν καὶ ἀποκρίθητι

5 τροχὸς ἁμάξης σπλάγχνα μωροῦ καὶ ὡς ἄξων στρεφόμενος ὁ διαλογισμὸς αὐτοῦ

6 ἵππος εἰς ὀχείαν ὡς φίλος μωκός ὑποκάτω παντὸς ἐπικαθημένου χρεμετίζει

7 διὰ τί ἡμέρα ἡμέρας ὑπερέχει καὶ πᾶν φῶς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀφ᾽ ἡλίου

8 ἐν γνώσει κυρίου διεχωρίσθησαν καὶ ἠλλοίωσεν καιροὺς καὶ ἑορτάς

9 ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἡγίασεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἔθηκεν εἰς ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν

10 καὶ ἄνθρωποι πάντες ἀπὸ ἐδάφους καὶ ἐκ γῆς ἐκτίσθη Αδαμ

11 ἐν πλήθει ἐπιστήμης κύριος διεχώρισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἠλλοίωσεν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν

12 ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐλόγησεν καὶ ἀνύψωσεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἡγίασεν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἤγγισεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν κατηράσατο καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ στάσεως αὐτῶν

13 ὡς πηλὸς κεραμέως ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ οὕτως ἄνθρωποι ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς ἀποδοῦναι αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτοῦ

14 ἀπέναντι τοῦ κακοῦ τὸ ἀγαθόν καὶ ἀπέναντι τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ζωή οὕτως ἀπέναντι εὐσεβοῦς ἁμαρτωλός

15 καὶ οὕτως ἔμβλεψον εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ὑψίστου δύο δύο ἓν κατέναντι τοῦ ἑνός

16 κἀγὼ ἔσχατος ἠγρύπνησα ὡς καλαμώμενος ὀπίσω τρυγητῶν

17 ἐν εὐλογίᾳ κυρίου ἔφθασα καὶ ὡς τρυγῶν ἐπλήρωσα ληνόν

18 κατανοήσατε ὅτι οὐκ ἐμοὶ μόνῳ ἐκοπίασα ἀλλὰ πᾶσιν τοῖς ζητοῦσιν παιδείαν

19 ἀκούσατέ μου μεγιστᾶνες λαοῦ καὶ οἱ ἡγούμενοι ἐκκλησίας ἐνωτίσασθε

20 υἱῷ καὶ γυναικί ἀδελφῷ καὶ φίλῳ μὴ δῷς ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ σὲ ἐν ζωῇ σου καὶ μὴ δῷς ἑτέρῳ τὰ χρήματά σου ἵνα μὴ μεταμεληθεὶς δέῃ περὶ αὐτῶν

21 ἕως ἔτι ζῇς καὶ πνοὴ ἐν σοί μὴ ἀλλάξῃς σεαυτὸν ἐν πάσῃ σαρκί

22 κρεῖσσον γάρ ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα δεηθῆναί σου ἢ σὲ ἐμβλέπειν εἰς χεῖρας υἱῶν σου

23 ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου γίνου ὑπεράγων μὴ δῷς μῶμον ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου

24 ἐν ἡμέρᾳ συντελείας ἡμερῶν ζωῆς σου καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τελευτῆς διάδος κληρονομίαν

25 χορτάσματα καὶ ῥάβδος καὶ φορτία ὄνῳ ἄρτος καὶ παιδεία καὶ ἔργον οἰκέτῃ

26 ἔργασαι ἐν παιδί καὶ εὑρήσεις ἀνάπαυσιν ἄνες χεῖρας αὐτῷ καὶ ζητήσει ἐλευθερίαν

27 ζυγὸς καὶ ἱμὰς τράχηλον κάμψουσιν καὶ οἰκέτῃ κακούργῳ στρέβλαι καὶ βάσανοι

28 ἔμβαλε αὐτὸν εἰς ἐργασίαν ἵνα μὴ ἀργῇ πολλὴν γὰρ κακίαν ἐδίδαξεν ἡ ἀργία

29 εἰς ἔργα κατάστησον καθὼς πρέπει αὐτῷ κἂν μὴ πειθαρχῇ βάρυνον τὰς πέδας αὐτοῦ

30 καὶ μὴ περισσεύσῃς ἐπὶ πάσῃ σαρκὶ καὶ ἄνευ κρίσεως μὴ ποιήσῃς μηδέν

31 εἰ ἔστιν σοι οἰκέτης ἔστω ὡς σύ ὅτι ἐν αἵματι ἐκτήσω αὐτόν

32 εἰ ἔστιν σοι οἰκέτης ἄγε αὐτὸν ὡς ἀδελφόν ὅτι ὡς ἡ ψυχή σου ἐπιδεήσεις αὐτῷ

33 ἐὰν κακώσῃς αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπάρας ἀποδρᾷ ἐν ποίᾳ ὁδῷ ζητήσεις αὐτόν

Vul

1 [Timenti Dominum non occurrent mala:
sed in tentatione Deus illum conservabit, et liberabit a malis.
Sapiens non odit mandata et justitias,

2 et non illidetur quasi in procella navis.

3 Homo sensatus credit legi Dei,
et lex illi fidelis.]

4 [Qui interrogationem manifestat parabit verbum,
et sic deprecatus exaudietur:
et conservabit disciplinam, et tunc respondebit.

5 Præcordia fatui quasi rota carri,
et quasi axis versatilis cogitatus illius.

6 Equus emissarius, sic et amicus subsannator:
sub omni supra sedente hinnit.]

7 [Quare dies diem superat, et iterum lux lucem,
et annus annum a sole?

8 A Domini scientia separati sunt,
facto sole, et præceptum custodiente.

9 Et immutavit tempora, et dies festos ipsorum,
et in illis dies festos celebraverunt ad horam.

10 Ex ipsis exaltavit et magnificavit Deus,
et ex ipsis posuit in numerum dierum:
et omnes homines de solo et ex terra unde creatus est Adam.

11 In multitudine disciplinæ Dominus separavit eos,
et immutavit vias eorum.

12 Ex ipsis benedixit et exaltavit,
et ex ipsis sanctificavit, et ad se applicavit,
et ex ipsis maledixit, et humiliavit,
et convertit illos a separatione ipsorum.

13 Quasi lutum figuli in manu ipsius,
plasmare illud et disponere.

14 Omnes viæ ejus secundum dispositionem ejus:
sic homo in manu illius qui se fecit,
et reddet illi secundum judicium suum.

15 Contra malum bonum est, et contra mortem vita:
sic et contra virum justum peccator,
et sic intuere in omnia opera Altissimi,
duo et duo, et unum contra unum.]

16 [Et ego novissimus evigilavi,
et quasi qui colligit acinos post vindemiatores.

17 In benedictione Dei et ipse speravi,
et quasi qui vindemiat replevi torcular.

18 Respicite quoniam non mihi soli laboravi,
sed omnibus exquirentibus disciplinam.

19 Audite me, magnates et omnes populi:
et rectores ecclesiæ, auribus percipite.]

20 [Filio et mulieri, fratri et amico,
non des potestatem super te in vita tua:
et non dederis alii possessionem tuam,
ne forte pœniteat te, et depreceris pro illis.

21 Dum adhuc superes et aspiras,
non immutabit te omnis caro.

22 Melius est enim ut filii tui te rogent,
quam te respicere in manus filiorum tuorum.

23 In omnibus operibus tuis præcellens esto.

24 Ne dederis maculam in gloria tua.
In die consummationis dierum vitæ tuæ, et in tempore exitus tui,
distribue hæreditatem tuam.]

25 [Cibaria, et virga, et onus asino:
panis, et disciplina, et opus servo.

26 Operatur in disciplina, et quærit requiescere:
laxa manus illi, et quærit libertatem.

27 Jugum et lorum curvant collum durum,
et servum inclinant operationes assiduæ.

28 Servo malevolo tortura et compedes:
mitte illum in operationem, ne vacet:

29 multam enim malitiam docuit otiositas.

30 In opera constitue eum:
sic enim condecet illum.
Quod si non obaudierit, curva illum compedibus,
et non amplifices super omnem carnem:
verum sine judicio nihil facias grave.

31 Si est tibi servus fidelis, sit tibi quasi anima tua:
quasi fratrem sic eum tracta,
quoniam in sanguine animæ comparasti illum.

32 Si læseris eum injuste,
in fugam convertetur:

33 et si extollens discesserit,
quem quæras et in qua via quæras illum nescis.]