Forgiveness and the Evil Tongue
Sirach 28
The chapter urges forgiving one's neighbor and giving up anger and strife, since a man who nurses hatred cannot rightly ask the Lord's pardon for his own sins. It then describes at length the destructive power of a backbiting tongue, which has overthrown cities and great men, and urges the reader to guard his own mouth carefully.
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
BrentonHe that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins [in remembrance].
GreekὉ ἐκδίκων παρὰ Κυρίου εὑρήσει ἐκδίκησιν, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ διατηρῶν διατηρήσει.
2
BrentonForgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest.
GreekἌφες ἀδίκημα τῷ πλησίον σου, καὶ τότε δεηθέντος σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου λυθήσονται.
3
BrentonOne man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from the Lord?
GreekἌνθρωπος ἀνθρώπῳ συντηρεῖ ὀργὴν, καὶ παρὰ Κυρίου ζητεῖ ἴασιν.
4
BrentonHe sheweth no mercy to a man, which is like himself: and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins?
GreekἘπʼ ἄνθρωπον ὅμοιον αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔχει ἔλεος, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ δεῖται.
5
BrentonIf he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sins?
GreekΑὐτὸς σὰρξ ὢν διατηρεῖ μῆνιν, τίς ἐξιλάσεται τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ;
6
BrentonRemember thy end, and let thy enmity cease; [remember] corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.
GreekΜνήσθητι τὰ ἔσχατα, καὶ παῦσαι ἔχθραίνων· καταφθορὰν καὶ θάνατον, καὶ ἔμμενε ἐντολαῖς.
7
BrentonRemember the commandments, and bear no malice to thy neighbour: [remember] the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance.
GreekΜνήσθητι ἐντολῶν, καὶ μὴ μηνίσῃς τῷ πλησίον· καὶ διαθήκην ὑψίστου, καὶ πάριδε ἄγνοιαν.
8
BrentonAbstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins: for a furious man will kindle strife.
GreekἈπόσχου ἀπὸ μάχης, καὶ ἐλαττώσεις ἁμαρτίας· ἄνθρωπος γὰρ θυμώδης ἐκκαύσει μάχην.
9
BrentonA sinful man disquieteth friends, and maketh debate among them that be at peace.
GreekΚαὶ ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλὸς ταράξει φίλους, καὶ ἀναμέσον εἰρηνευόντων ἐμβάλλει διαβολήν.
10
BrentonAs the matter of the fire is, so it burneth: and as a man's strength is, so is his wrath; and according to his riches his anger riseth; and the stronger they are which contend, the more they will be inflamed.
GreekΚατὰ τὴν ὕλην πυρὸς οὕτως ἐκκαυθήσεται, κατὰ τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ ἔσται, καὶ κατὰ τὸν πλοῦτον ἀνυψώσει ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατὰ τὴν στερέωσιν τῆς μάχης ἐκκαυθήσεται.
11
BrentonAn hasty contention kindleth a fire: and an hasty fighting sheddeth blood.
GreekἜρις κατασπευδομένη ἐκκαίει πῦρ, καὶ μάχη κατασπεύδουσα ἐκχέει αἷμα.
12
BrentonIf thou blow the spark, it shall burn: if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these come out of thy mouth.
GreekἘὰν φυσήσῃς σπινθῆρα ἐκκαήσεται, καὶ ἐὰν πτύσῃς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν σβεσθήσεται· καὶ ἀμφότερα ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου ἐκπορεύεται.
13
BrentonCurse the whisperer and double-tongued: for such have destroyed many that were at peace.
GreekΨίθυρον καὶ δίγλωσσον καταρᾶσθαι, πολλοὺς γὰρ εἰρηνεύοντας ἀπώλεσαν.
14
BrentonA backbiting tongue hath disquieted many, and driven them from nation to nation: strong cities hath it pulled down, and overthrown the houses of great men.
GreekΓλῶσσα τρίτη πολλοὺς ἐσάλευσε, καὶ διέστησεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ ἔθνους εἰς ἔθνος, καὶ πόλεις ὀχυρὰς καθεῖλε, καὶ οἰκίας μεγιστάνων κατέστρεψε.
15
BrentonA backbiting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labours.
GreekΓλῶσσα τρίτη γυναῖκας ἀνδρείας ἐξέβαλε, καὶ ἐστέρησεν αὐτὰς τῶν πόνων αὐτῶν.
16
BrentonWhoso hearkeneth unto it shall never find rest, and never dwell quietly.
GreekὉ προσέχων αὐτῇ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ ἀνάπαυσιν, οὐδὲ κατασκηνώσει μεθʼ ἡσυχίας.
17
BrentonThe stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones.
GreekΠληγὴ μάστιγος ποιεῖ μώλωπας, πληγὴ δὲ γλώσσης συγκλάσει ὀστᾶ.
18
BrentonMany have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.
GreekΠολλοὶ ἔπεσαν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας, καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ πεπτωκότες διὰ γλῶσσαν.
19
BrentonWell is he that is defended from it, and hath not passed through the venom thereof, who hath not drawn the yoke thereof, nor hath been bound in her bands.
GreekΜακάριος ὁ σκεπασθεὶς ἀπʼ αὐτῆς, ὃς οὐ διῆλθεν ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτῆς, ὃς οὐχ εἵλκυσε τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἐδέθη.
20
BrentonFor the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands of brass.
GreekὉ γὰρ ζυγὸς αὐτῆς ζυγὸς σιδηροῦς, καὶ οἱ δεσμοὶ αὐτῆς δεσμοὶ χάλκεοι.
21
BrentonThe death thereof is an evil death, the grave were better than it.
GreekΘάνατος πονηρὸς ὁ θάνατος αὐτῆς, καὶ λυσιτελὴς μᾶλλον ὁ ᾅδης αὐτῆς.
22
BrentonIt shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burned with the flame thereof.
GreekΟὐ μὴ κρατήσῃ εὐσεβῶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ φλογὶ αὐτῆς οὐ καήσονται.
23
BrentonSuch as forsake the Lord shall fall into it; and it shall burn in them, and not be quenched; it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and devour them as a leopard.
GreekΟἱ καταλείποντες Κύριον ἐμπεσοῦνται εἰς αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐκκαήσεται, καὶ οὐ μὴ σβεσθῇ· ἐξαποσταλήσεται ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ὡς λέων, καὶ ὡς πάρδαλις λυμανεῖται αὐτούς.
24
BrentonLook that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns, and bind up thy silver and gold,
GreekἼδε περίφραξον τὸ κτῆμά σου ἀκάνθαις, τὸ ἀργύριόν σου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον κατάδησον·
25
Brentonand weigh thy words in a balance, and make a door and bar for thy mouth.
Greekκαὶ τοῖς λόγοις σου ποίησον ζυγὸν καὶ σταθμὸν, καὶ τῷ στόματί σου ποίησον θύραν καὶ μοχλόν.
26
BrentonBeware thou slide not by it, lest thou fall before him that lieth in wait.
GreekΠρόσεχε μήπως ὀλισθήσῃς ἐν αὐτῇ, μὴ πέσῃς κατέναντι ἐνεδρεύοντος.