Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 15
Commentary from 8 fathers
He that feareth the Lord will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.
Ο ΦΟΒΟΥΜΕΝΟΣ Κύριον ποιήσει αὐτό, καὶ ὁ ἐγκρατὴς τοῦ νόμου καταλήψεται αὐτήν·
Боѧ́йсѧ гдⷭ҇а сотвори́тъ сїѐ, и҆ держа́йсѧ зако́на пости́гнетъ ю҆̀.
And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
καὶ ὑπαντήσεται αὐτῷ ὡς μήτηρ καὶ ὡς γυνὴ παρθενίας προσδέξεται αὐτόν.
И҆ срѧ́щетъ є҆го̀ ꙗ҆́кѡ ма́ти, и҆ ꙗ҆́кѡ жена̀ дѣ́вства прїи́метъ и҆̀:
With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
ψωμιεῖ αὐτὸν ἄρτον συνέσεως καὶ ὕδωρ σοφίας ποτίσει αὐτόν.
ᲂу҆хлѣ́битъ є҆го̀ хлѣ́бомъ ра́зꙋма и҆ водо́ю премꙋ́дрости напои́тъ и҆̀:
He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.
στηριχθήσεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν καὶ οὐ μὴ κλιθῇ, καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς ἐφέξει καὶ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ·
ᲂу҆тверди́тсѧ на не́й и҆ не преклони́тсѧ, и҆ до неѧ̀ приста́нетъ и҆ не постыди́тсѧ:
She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.
καὶ ὑψώσει αὐτὸν παρὰ τοὺς πλησίον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ἀνοίξει στόμα αὐτοῦ.
и҆ вознесе́тъ є҆го̀ па́че и҆́скреннихъ є҆гѡ̀ и҆ посредѣ̀ цр҃кве ѿве́рзетъ ᲂу҆ста̀ є҆гѡ̀:
He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
εὐφροσύνην καὶ στέφανον ἀγαλλιάματος καὶ ὄνομα αἰώνιον κατακληρονομήσει.
весе́лїе и҆ вѣне́цъ ра́дости и҆ и҆́мѧ вѣ́чно наслѣ́дитъ.
But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.
οὐ μὴ καταλήψονται αὐτὴν ἄνθρωποι ἀσύνετοι, καὶ ἄνδρες ἁμαρτωλοὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδωσιν αὐτήν·
Не пости́гнꙋтъ є҆ѧ̀ человѣ́цы неразꙋ́мивїи, и҆ мꙋ́жїе грѣ́шнїи не ᲂу҆́зрѧтъ є҆ѧ̀:
For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.
μακράν ἐστιν ὑπερηφανίας, καὶ ἄνδρες ψεῦσται οὐ μὴ μνησθήσονται αὐτῆς.
дале́че є҆́сть ѿ горды́ни, и҆ мꙋ́жїе лжи́вїи не и҆́мꙋтъ помѧнꙋ́ти є҆ѧ̀.
For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.
ἐν γὰρ σοφίᾳ ῥηθήσεται αἶνος, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εὐοδώσει αὐτόν.
премꙋ́дростїю бо речє́на бꙋ́детъ хвала̀, и҆ гдⷭ҇ь бл҃гопоспѣши́тъ є҆́й.
Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.
μὴ εἴπῃς ὅτι διὰ Κύριον ἀπέστην· ἃ γὰρ ἐμίσησεν, οὐ ποιήσεις.
Не рцы̀, ꙗ҆́кѡ гдⷭ҇а ра́ди ѿстꙋпи́хъ: и҆̀хже бо возненави́дѣ, да не сотвори́ши.
Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.
μὴ εἴπῃς ὅτι αὐτός με ἐπλάνησεν· οὐ γὰρ χρείαν ἔχει ἀνδρὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ.
Не рцы̀, ꙗ҆́кѡ са́мъ мѧ̀ прельстѝ: не тре́бꙋетъ бо мꙋ́жа грѣ́шника.
The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.
πᾶν βδέλυγμα ἐμίσησε Κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαπητὸν τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν.
Всѧ́кꙋ ме́рзость возненави́дѣ гдⷭ҇ь, и҆ нѣ́сть любе́зна боѧ́щымсѧ є҆гѡ̀.
He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;
αὐτὸς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐποίησεν ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ἐν χειρὶ διαβουλίου αὐτοῦ.
Са́мъ и҆з̾ нача́ла сотворѝ человѣ́ка и҆ ѡ҆ста́ви є҆го̀ въ рꙋцѣ̀ произволе́нїѧ є҆гѡ̀:
If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.
ἐὰν θέλῃς, συντηρήσεις ἐντολὰς καὶ πίστιν ποίησαι εὐδοκίας.
а҆́ще хо́щеши, соблюде́ши за́пѡвѣди и҆ вѣ́рꙋ сотвори́ши благоволе́нїѧ.
Scripture shows beyond a doubt that the seeds of a good will have been sown in human beings when it says, “If you want to, you will keep the commandments. Faithfulness depends on your good will,” and, “Do not despise the Lord’s instruction,” and, “Do not withhold a benefit from one in need,” and, “Do not plot evil against your neighbor,” and, “Do not be like the horse and mule, without intelligence,” and, “Do not despise your mother’s teaching,” and, “Do not listen to a deceitful woman,” and, “He refuses to understand, to do good,” and, “They do not want to be converted.” If someone is accused of not willing something, it is clearly demonstrated that it was in his power to do so. And there are many other similar examples in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, all of which blame and show as culpable especially the will itself. Even the new books of the gospel and of the apostles demonstrate nothing other than free will.
On Grace 1:12
He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.
παρέθηκέ σοι πῦρ καὶ ὕδωρ· οὗ ἐὰν θέλῃς, ἐκτενεῖς τὴν χεῖρά σου.
Предложи́лъ тѝ ѻ҆́гнь и҆ во́дꙋ, и҆ на не́же хо́щеши, простре́ши рꙋ́кꙋ твою̀.
The Lord, who is truly a just judge, wants that everyone be the cause of what he merits. He wants the just to suffer for justice alone, and the wicked person, if he persists in evil, to be judged as liable to death based on his free will. As Scripture attests, God formed human beings, making them in his image and likeness, and left the faculty of decision in their hands. “He put before them fire and water, saying, ‘Reach out your hand to what you will.’ ” God “put before the man,” it said, “water and fire,” that is, rest and punishment, forgiveness and torment, life and death. Who, I ask, would not flee torment, punishment and death and not choose rest, forgiveness and life? One flees death, however, who walks in the ways of the precepts that give life. One attains the gift of life who, through the effort of his commitment to spiritual things, avoids actions that bring death. This is why it was said, “Here is water and fire. Reach out your hand” (that is, your actions) “to what you will.” By the hand are meant actions, since we cannot be subjected to sufferings without offenses or merit the prize without a fight, since the apostle says, “Is God unjust in inflicting his wrath?” And also, “Because no one who takes part in a contest is crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”
Sermons 13:16-18
Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.
ἔναντι ἀνθρώπων ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ὁ θάνατος, καὶ ὃ ἐὰν εὐδοκήσῃ, δοθήσεται αὐτῷ.
Пред̾ человѣ́комъ живо́тъ и҆ сме́рть, и҆ є҆́же а҆́ще и҆зво́литъ, да́стсѧ є҆мꙋ̀.
“He must reign until all things are placed under his feet,” until “the last enemy to be destroyed will be death.” Once this is destroyed, there will be only the Life in which we believe. And while death is present among people, those whom it holds prisoner do not believe in Life. But once death is done away with, then all will believe in Life. In the Law, however, you will find both the words, “I have placed before you life and death,” and, “You will live in constant suspense. You will never be sure of your life.”
Commentary on Matthew 15:23
It is written that life and death both confront humankind and that he reaches out his hand toward what he wants. We draw from these words that everyone will possess for eternity those goods that they seized with their hand, so to speak, during this life. And whatever they became attached to, they will remain attached to, with his mind and will entirely fixated on it.
Against Avarice 1:1.7
For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:
ὅτι πολλὴ σοφία τοῦ Κυρίου· ἰσχυρὸς ἐν δυναστείᾳ καὶ βλέπων τὰ πάντα,
Ꙗ҆́кѡ мно́га премꙋ́дрость гдⷭ҇нѧ: крѣ́покъ си́лою и҆ ви́дѧй всѧ̑:
And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.
καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιγνώσεται πᾶν ἔργον ἀνθρώπου.
и҆ ѻ҆́чи є҆гѡ̀ на боѧ́щихсѧ є҆гѡ̀, и҆ то́й позна́етъ всѧ́ко дѣ́ло человѣ́ческо.
He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.
καὶ οὐκ ἐνετείλατο οὐδενὶ ἀσεβεῖν καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκεν ἄνεσιν οὐδενὶ ἁμαρτάνειν.
Не заповѣ́да ни є҆ди́номꙋ же нече́ствовати и҆ не дадѐ ѡ҆сла́бы ни є҆ди́номꙋ же согрѣша́ти.
Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.
Οὐχ ὡραῖος αἶνος ἐν στόματι ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ὅτι οὐ παρὰ Κυρίου ἀπεστάλη·
Не красна̀ похвала̀ во ᲂу҆стѣ́хъ грѣ́шника, ꙗ҆́кѡ не ѿ гдⷭ҇а послана̀ бы́сть: