Wisdom of Solomon, Chapter 4 - Interlinear Translation

1 κρείσσων ἀτεκνία μετὰ ἀρετῆς· ἀθανασία γάρ ἐστιν ἐν μνήμῃ αὐτῆς, ὅτι καὶ παρὰ θεῷ γινώσκεται καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις.

1 Better is childlessness with virtue, for immortality is its remembrance, that is also known with God and with men.

2 παροῦσάν τε μιμοῦνται αὐτὴν καὶ ποθοῦσιν ἀπελθοῦσαν· καὶ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι στεφανηφοροῦσα πομπεύει τὸν τῶν ἀμιάντων ἄθλων ἀγῶνα νικήσασα.

2 Being present, they imitate it, and desire it when it is gone, and forever wearing a crown, prevailing it leads the contest of the undefiled in the struggle.

3 πολύγονον δὲ ἀσεβῶν πλῆθος οὐ χρησιμεύσει καὶ ἐκ νόθων μοσχευμάτων οὐ δώσει ῥίζαν εἰς βάθος οὐδὲ ἀσφαλῆ βάσιν ἑδράσει·

3 But the many-breeding multitude of the impious shall not be useful, and from bastard seedlings it shall not give a deep root, nor shall it establish a firm foundation.

4 κἂν γὰρ ἐν κλάδοις πρὸς καιρὸν ἀναθάλῃ, ἐπισφαλῶς βεβηκότα ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευθήσεται καὶ ὑπὸ βίας ἀνέμων ἐκριζωθήσεται.

4 For even if it sprouts up in branches for a time, standing unsafely it is shaken by the wind and by the force of the winds it is uprooted.

5 περικλασθήσονται κλῶνες ἀτέλεστοι, καὶ ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῶν ἄχρηστος, ἄωρος εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ εἰς οὐθὲν ἐπιτήδειος·

5 The imperfected branches shall be broken off and their fruit useless, unseasonable for food and suitable for nothing.

6 ἐκ γὰρ ἀνόμων ὕπνων τέκνα γεννώμενα μάρτυρές εἰσιν πονηρίας κατὰ γονέων ἐν ἐξετασμῷ αὐτῶν.

6 For children begotten from of lawless slumber are witnesses of wickedness against their parents at their examination.

7 Δίκαιος δὲ ἐὰν φθάσῃ τελευτῆσαι, ἐν ἀναπαύσει ἔσται·

7 But even if the righteous dies earlier, he shall be at rest.

8 γῆρας γὰρ τίμιον οὐ τὸ πολυχρόνιον οὐδὲ ἀριθμῷ ἐτῶν μεμέτρηται,

8 For honorable old age is not the long-lasting nor in the number of years measured,

9 πολιὰ δέ ἐστιν φρόνησις ἀνθρώποις καὶ ἡλικία γήρως βίος ἀκηλίδωτος.

9 but understanding is grayness of hair for men, and an unspotted life is the maturity of old age.

10 εὐάρεστος θεῷ γενόμενος ἠγαπήθη καὶ ζῶν μεταξὺ ἁμαρτωλῶν μετετέθη·

10 Becoming well-pleasing to God he is loved, and living in the midst of sinners he is translated.

11 ἡρπάγη, μὴ κακία ἀλλάξῃ σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ ἢ δόλος ἀπατήσῃ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ·

11 He is taken lest malice should alter his comprehension, or guile should deceive his soul.

12 βασκανία γὰρ φαυλότητος ἀμαυροῖ τὰ καλά, καὶ ῥεμβασμὸς ἐπιθυμίας μεταλλεύει νοῦν ἄκακον.

12 For the malign influence of wickedness obscures good things and the wandering of concupiscence undermines the innocent mind.

13 τελειωθεὶς ἐν ὀλίγῳ ἐπλήρωσεν χρόνους μακρούς·

13 He being perfected in a short time has fulfilled a long time.

14 ἀρεστὴ γὰρ ἦν κυρίῳ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, διὰ τοῦτο ἔσπευσεν ἐκ μέσου πονηρίας· οἱ δὲ λαοὶ ἰδόντες καὶ μὴ νοήσαντες μηδὲ θέντες ἐπὶ διανοίᾳ τὸ τοιοῦτο,

14 For his soul was pleasing to Yahweh, for which reason he was hastened from the midst of iniquity. But the peoples seeing neither understood nor set in the mind so great a thing:

15 ὅτι χάρις καὶ ἔλεος ἐν τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπισκοπὴ ἐν τοῖς ὁσίοις αὐτοῦ.

15 That grace and mercy are with His elect, and that He is Overseer among his saints.

16 κατακρινεῖ δὲ δίκαιος καμὼν τοὺς ζῶντας ἀσεβεῖς καὶ νεότης τελεσθεῖσα ταχέως πολυετὲς γῆρας ἀδίκου·

16 Thus the righteous suffering shall condemn the impious who are living, and youth quickly fulfills many years of unrighteous old age.

17 ὄψονται γὰρ τελευτὴν σοφοῦ καὶ οὐ νοήσουσιν τί ἐβουλεύσατο περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς τί ἠσφαλίσατο αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος.

17 For they shall see the end of the wise, and shall not understand what Yahweh has considered concerning him and for what He has safeguarded him.

18 ὄψονται καὶ ἐξουθενήσουσιν· αὐτοὺς δὲ ὁ κύριος ἐκγελάσεται,

18 They shall see and they shall despise, but at them Yahweh shall laugh aloud.

19 καὶ ἔσονται μετὰ τοῦτο εἰς πτῶμα ἄτιμον καὶ εἰς ὕβριν ἐν νεκροῖς δι’ αἰῶνος, ὅτι ῥήξει αὐτοὺς ἀφώνους πρηνεῖς καὶ σαλεύσει αὐτοὺς ἐκ θεμελίων, καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτου χερσωθήσονται καὶ ἔσονται ἐν ὀδύνῃ, καὶ ἡ μνήμη αὐτῶν ἀπολεῖται.

19 And they shall be after this for dishonored corpses, and for a reproach among the dead throughout the age, because He shall throw them down speechless prostrate, and He shall shake them from the foundations and unto the end they shall be barren, and they shall be in sorrow and their memory shall perish.

20 ἐλεύσονται ἐν συλλογισμῷ ἁμαρτημάτων αὐτῶν δειλοί, καὶ ἐλέγξει αὐτοὺς ἐξ ἐναντίας τὰ ἀνομήματα αὐτῶν.

20 They shall appear in fear at the reckoning of their sins then He shall convict them in the face of their iniquities.