DeaconGuarded desire

Sirach — Chapter 9 — Hebrew–Greek comparison

Guarded Desire and Wise Companionship

Saints Translation · V2 · Hebrew–Greek working comparison

Sirach 9 · 18 source units
Hebrew–English · Literal-Smooth	Greek–English · Literal-Smooth	Classification & Notes
Hebrew 9:1 · translated Do not be jealous of the wife at your bosom, lest you teach her evil against you. Hebrew witness A · A III Recto אל תקנא את אשת חיקך פן תלמד עליך רעה ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:1 Do not be jealous of the wife at your bosom, and do not teach her an evil lesson against yourself.	Similar · Hebrew 9:1 — Both warn that jealousy teaches harmful behavior. Inherited Greek note 9:1 The warning concerns jealous conduct that teaches the wrong lesson; the source’s bosom image is retained.
Hebrew 9:2 · translated Do not be jealous for a woman with your very self, allowing her to tread upon your heights. Hebrew witness A · A III Recto; A III Verso אל תקנא לאשה נפשך להדריכה על במותיך ׃ Manuscript transcription Additional folio transcriptions: 2	9:2 Do not give your soul to a woman so that she steps upon your strength.	Different · Hebrew 9:2 — A reads אל תקנא, do not be jealous, where the Greek has do not give; heights contrasts with Greek strength. Hebrew wording is awkward and is not silently corrected.
Hebrew 9:3 · translated Do not approach a strange woman, lest you fall into her snares. Do not become intimate with a prostitute, lest you be caught in her traps. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso אַ ל תִ קְ רַ ב אֶ ל אִשָּ ה זָרָ ה ָפֶ ן תִ פוֹל בִ מְ צוֹדֹתֶ יה ׃ ע֯ ם זוֹנָ ה אַ ל תִ סְ תַ ייָד פֶ ן תִ לָ כֵ ד בְ לְ קוֹתֶ יהָ ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:3 Do not encounter a woman who acts as a courtesan, lest you fall into her traps.	Different · Hebrew 9:3 — A has two parallel cautions; Greek has one warning about a courtesan.
Hebrew 9:4 · translated Do not lie down with women musicians, lest they burn you up with their mouths. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso עם מְ נַגְּ ינֹת אַ ל תִ דְ מוְֹך פן ִי {{<<רְ >>פֻ ָך בְ פִ יפִ יתָ ם°}} ְש ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:4 Do not spend your time with a female musician, lest you be caught by her undertakings.	Different · Hebrew 9:4 — Hebrew lying down and consuming mouths differ from Greek spending time and undertakings. The corrected word for burning is uncertain. The final noun literally evokes mouths or edges; its precise image remains uncertain. Inherited Greek note 9:4 Female musician represents ψαλλούσης, a woman singing or playing a stringed instrument; no specific occupation beyond the source is added.
Hebrew 9:5 · translated Do not gaze intently at a virgin, lest you be snared by her penalties. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso בבתולה אל תתבונן פן תּוקש בעונשיה ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:5 Do not study a virgin closely, lest you stumble into penalties on her account.	Similar · Hebrew 9:5 — Both preserve the difficult image of penalties associated with the woman. Inherited Greek note 9:5 The difficult ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτιμίοις αὐτῆς is retained as penalties associated with her, not silently changed to charms or beauty.
Hebrew 9:6 · translated Do not give your soul to a prostitute, lest she turn away your inheritance. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso אל תתן לזונה נפשך פן תסוב את נחלתך ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:6 Do not give your soul to prostitutes, so that you do not lose your inheritance.	Similar · Hebrew 9:6 — Same warning; Hebrew makes the woman the agent of the loss.
Hebrew 9:7 · fragmentary [Do not] act foolishly at what your eyes see, or wander desolately after her house. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso להתנבל במראה עיניך ולשומם אחר ביתה ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:7 Do not look around in the streets of a city, or wander in its deserted places.	Different · Hebrew 9:7 — The Hebrew is a dependent fragment without its own prohibition; Greek refers to city streets and deserted places. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions.
Hebrew 9:8 · translated Hide your eye from a graceful woman, and do not look upon beauty that is not yours. Through a woman many have been ruined, and her lovers burn in fire. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso העלים עין מאשת חן ואל תביט אל יפי לא לך ׃ בעד אשה ה֯ שחתׄ וׄ רבים וכן אהביה באש תלהט ·· Manuscript transcription	9:8 Turn your eye away from a shapely woman, and do not study another’s beauty closely. Many have been led astray by a woman’s beauty, and from it affection is kindled like fire.	Similar · Hebrew 9:8 — Both connect illicit attraction with ruin and fire; Hebrew speaks of lovers rather than affection. Inherited Greek note 9:8 Another’s beauty follows ἀλλότριον; affection renders φιλία here in an erotic warning, not every form of friendship.
Hebrew 9:9 · fragmentary Do not dine with a married woman, and do [not] recline with him drunk, lest you incline your heart [toward] her and through bloodshed descend to the pit. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso עם בעלה אל תטעם ׃ וא]ל [ת֯ סׄ ב עמו שכור ׃ פן תטה ]ע[לׄ יה לב ובדמים תטה אל שחת ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:9 Do not sit at all with a married woman or share a wine feast with her, lest your soul turn toward her and you slip in your spirit into destruction.	Different · Hebrew 9:9 — A shifts to masculine with him and reads bloodshed; Greek continues with her and speaks of slipping in spirit. The gender shift remains unresolved. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions. Inherited Greek note 9:9 Married woman is explicit; the ancient prohibition is translated without being widened into all social contact with women.
Hebrew 9:10 · fragmentary Do not abandon an old friend, for a new one is not acquainted with you. A new friend is new wine; let it age, and afterward you may drink it. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso אל תטש אוהב ישן כי חָ ]ד[ש לא ידו֯ע֯ יך ׃ יי]ן[ חדש אוהב <<חדש << תֵ ינּו°[וישן אחר֯ תׄ ]ש ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:10 Do not abandon an old friend, for a recent one is not his equal. A new friend is new wine; when it has aged, you will drink it with gladness.	Similar · Hebrew 9:10 — Hebrew stresses acquaintance; Greek says the new friend is not the old one's equal and adds gladness. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions.
Hebrew 9:11 · fragmentary [Do not] envy a wicked man, for you do not know what his day will be. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso [אל[ תקנא֯ באיש רשע כי לא תׄ דע מה יומו ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:11 Do not envy a sinner’s glory, for you do not know what his downfall will be.	Similar · Hebrew 9:11 — Greek specifies the sinner's glory and downfall; Hebrew leaves the day unspecified. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions.
Hebrew 9:12 · fragmentary Do not [envy] arrogance that prospers; remember that at the time of death it will not go unpunished. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso אל ת֯ ]קנא[ בזדון מצליׄחׄ זכר כי עת מׄ ות לא ינקה ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:12 Do not take pleasure in the prosperity of the ungodly; remember that even down to Hades they will certainly not be acquitted.	Similar · Hebrew 9:12 — Hebrew time of death corresponds broadly to Greek down to Hades, with different opening verbs. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions. Inherited Greek note 9:12 Down to Hades retains ἕως ᾅδου; the wording is not made to promise acquittal after death.
Hebrew 9:13 · fragmentary Keep far from a man empowered to kill, and do not fear the terrors of death. If you approach him, do not incur guilt, lest he take your breath. Know that you walk among snares and tread upon a net. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso רחק מאיש ]שלי[ט להרו֯]ג [ואל תפחד פחדי מות · ואם קרבת לא תאשם פן יקח ]א[ת נשמתך ׃ דע כי בין פחים תצעד ֯ועל רשת֯ תתהל֯ ך ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:13 Keep far away from a person who has authority to kill, and you will not suspect the fear of death. If you do approach him, do not offend, so that he does not take away your life. Recognize that you are crossing among traps and walking upon a city’s battlements.	Different · Hebrew 9:13 — Same warning sequence, but Hebrew ends with a net where Greek has a city's battlements. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions. Inherited Greek note 9:13 All three cautions and both danger images are retained.
Hebrew 9:14 · translated As far as you can, answer your neighbor, and associate with the wise. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso ככחך ענה רעך ועם חכמים הסתייד ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:14 To the best of your strength, take the measure of your neighbors, and seek counsel with the wise.	Different · Hebrew 9:14 — Hebrew answer and associate differ from Greek take the measure and seek counsel.
Hebrew 9:15 · translated Let your reckoning be with an understanding person, and all your counsel among them. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso עם נבון יהי חשבונך וכל סודך בינותם ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:15 Let your deliberation be with people of understanding, and let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High.	Different · Hebrew 9:15 — Hebrew ends among them; Greek explicitly places discourse in the law of the Most High.
Hebrew 9:16 · translated Let righteous men share your bread, and let your glory be in the fear of God. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso אנשי צדק בעלי לחמך וביראת אלהים תפארתך ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:16 Let righteous men be your table companions, and let your boast be in the fear of the Lord.	Similar · Hebrew 9:16 — Same instruction; God corresponds to Greek Lord.
Hebrew 9:17 · fragmentary Among skilled hands uprightness is withheld [wording uncertain], and the ruler of his people is wise. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso בחכמי ידים יחשך יושר ומוש]ל [עמו חכם ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:17 A work will be praised through the hand of craftsmen, and a leader of the people is wise through his speech.	Different · Hebrew 9:17 — The Hebrew יחשך means is withheld or grows dark and makes the first clause obscure; no conjectural praise wording is inserted. Greek praises a work and connects the ruler's wisdom to speech. Classification assesses only the surviving/readable wording, not lost portions. Inherited Greek note 9:17 The parallel between craft and a leader’s speech is preserved without adding an unprinted object of praise to the second clause.
Hebrew 9:18 · translated In a town a man of the tongue is feared, and one burdensome with his mouth is hated. Hebrew witness A · A III Verso ביטה נורא בעד איש לשון ומשא על פיהו ישונא ׃ Manuscript transcription	9:18 A talkative man is feared in his city, and one who is rash in his speech will be hated.	Similar · Hebrew 9:18 — Same warning about dangerous speech; the opening town expression is uncertain.

Source and numbering

Hebrew English is newly translated from the manuscript-specific transcriptions in The Book of Ben Sira portal. Each translated unit identifies its selected witness and folio. This is a selected-witness working edition, not an exhaustive collation of every manuscript or a reconstruction of lost Hebrew. Brackets and fragmentary status identify uncertainty; no Greek text has been back-translated to fill Hebrew gaps.

The Greek-source English and its notes are inherited from the existing Sirach edition. The comparison categories are provisional editorial assessments against that English; this update is not a fresh verification of every Greek reading or its apparatus.

Working translation preserved from the recovered manuscript of 8 September 2026. Declared source: Septuaginta, Rahlfs–Hanhart, 2006, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, publisher’s Greek main text. Independent linguistic and critical-apparatus review remains outstanding. Source-access and reception claims in the inherited notes have not been freshly revalidated. Chapter and section headings are editorial.

The translator’s prologue is separate from the 51 chapters. Its eight source units map to publisher labels 1, 1a–1g; main-text 1:1 maps to 1h. Source 5:15 includes material often numbered 6:1, so chapter 6 begins at 6:2. Source label gaps are preserved; no text is invented.