My son, if you come forward to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for testing.
The Koine Bible
The Scriptures in Greek with direct English translation.
Rahlfs Septuagint
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 2
Greek text followed verse by verse by a direct English translation.
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Set your heart straight and endure, and do not rush in a time of testing
Join yourself to him and do not turn away, so that you may grow at your last days.
Whatever is brought upon you, accept, and in the exchanges of your humiliation be long-suffering
For gold is tried in fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
Trust in him and he will take hold of you; make straight your ways and hope in him
You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy, and do not turn aside, lest you fall.
You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will surely not fail.
You who fear the Lord, hope for good things and for everlasting joy and mercy
εἰς ἀρχαίας γενεὰς καὶ ἴδετε τίς ἐνεπίστευσεν κυρίῳ καὶ κατῃσχύνθη ἢ τίς ἐνέμεινεν τῷ φόβῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγκατελείφθη ἢ τίς ἐπεκαλέσατο αὐτόν καὶ ὑπερεῖδεν αὐτόν
Look at the former generations and see: who trusted in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who remained in his fear and was forsaken? Or who called upon him and he overlooked him?
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful and forgives sins and saves in time of affliction
Woe to faint hearts and slack hands and to the sinner who goes on two paths
Woe to a slack heart, because it does not believe; therefore it will not be protected.
Woe to you who have lost endurance, and what will you do when the Lord visits?
φοβούμενοι κύριον οὐκ ἀπειθήσουσιν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτὸν συντηρήσουσιν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ
Those who fear the Lord will not disobey his words, and those who love him will keep his ways.
Those who fear the Lord will seek his favor, and those who love him will be filled with the law.
Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and before him they will humble their souls.
Let us fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men; for as his greatness, so also is his mercy.