Sahidic Coptic Old Testament

Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth: he that keepeth it shall never be taken in his lips.

I will extol my God, and my soul shall praise the King of heaven, and shall rejoice in his greatness.

Rejoice not over thy greatest enemy being dead, but remember that we die all.

But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.

There be nine things which I have judged in mine heart to be happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that hath joy of his children; and he that liveth to see the fall of his enemy:

for thou art the Lord most high, compassionate, longsuffering, and most merciful, repenting of the evils of men. Thou, Lord, according to the abundance of thy goodness, hast proclaimed repentance and forgiveness to those that have sinned against thee, and in the multitude of thy kindnesses thou hast decreed for sinners repentance unto salvation.

Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity.

With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but it is honourable to reveal the works of God. Do that which is good, and no evil shall touch you.

What is man, and whereto serveth he? what is his good, and what is his evil?

Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.

Then Tobias said unto him, Tarry for me, till I tell my father.

For they entreated him evil, who nevertheless was a prophet, sanctified in his mother's womb, that he might root out, and afflict, and destroy; and that he might build up also, and plant.

But when they had recovered him, he fell at Judith's feet, and reverenced her, and said, Blessed art thou in all the tabernacles of Juda, and in all nations, which hearing thy name shall be astonished.

We wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction: yea, we have gone through deserts, where there lay no way: but as for the way of the Lord, we have not known it.

And if a man love righteousness her labours are virtues: for she teacheth temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude: which are such things, as men can have nothing more profitable in their life.

Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance:

Thou hast chosen me to be a king of thy people, and a judge of thy sons and daughters:

And approached to his bed, and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day.

And for this cause thou hast put thy fear in our hearts, to the intent that we should call upon thy name, and praise thee in our captivity: for we have called to mind all the iniquity of our forefathers, that sinned before thee.

Of whose wickedness even to this day the waste land that smoketh is a testimony, and plants bearing fruit that never come to ripeness: and a standing pillar of salt is a monument of an unbelieving soul.

and there shall be for one day cold and frost, and that day shall be known to the Lord, and it shall not be day nor night: but towards evening it shall be light.

For he destroyed the enemies on every side, and brought to nought the Philistines his adversaries, and brake their horn in sunder unto this day.

For a manifest reproof of that commandment, whereby the infants were slain, thou gavest unto them abundance of water by a means which they hoped not for:

Then Holofernes commanded his guard that they should not stay her: thus she abode in the camp three days, and went out in the night into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a fountain of water by the camp.

And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble.

In the time of Moses also he did a work of mercy, he and Caleb the son of Jephunne, in that they withstood the congregation, and withheld the people from sin, and appeased the wicked murmuring.

They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none.

That the land, which thou esteemedst above all other, might receive a worthy colony of God's children.

And they sent it to Jerusalem unto Joachim the high priest, the son of Chelcias, son of Salom, and to the priests, and to all the people which were found with him at Jerusalem,

An everlasting covenant he made with him and gave him the priesthood among the people; he beautified him with comely ornaments, and clothed him with a robe of glory.

As Nabuchodonosor king of all the earth liveth, and as his power liveth, who hath sent thee for the upholding of every living thing: for not only men shall serve him by thee, but also the beasts of the field, and the cattle, and the fowls of the air, shall live by thy power under Nabuchodonosor and all his house.

As for their tongue, it is polished by the workman, and they themselves are gilded and laid over with silver; yet are they but false, and cannot speak.

A wise man will hold his tongue till he see opportunity: but a babbler and a fool will regard no time.

For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen.

And the children of Israel that returned from the slaughter had that which remained; and the villages and the cities, that were in the mountains and in the plain, gat many spoils: for the multitude was very great.

And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.

For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh.

And when they saw her, that her countenance was altered, and her apparel was changed, they wondered at her beauty very greatly, and said unto her.

For all these plagues are come upon us, which the Lord hath pronounced against us

But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.

All these were honoured in their generations, and were the glory of their times.

For the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world: and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice.

For the potter, tempering soft earth, fashioneth every vessel with much labour for our service: yea, of the same clay he maketh both the vessels that serve for clean uses, and likewise also all such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of either sort, the potter himself is the judge.

For, behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in their power; they are exalted with horse and man; they glory in the strength of their footmen; they trust in shield, and spear, and bow, and sling; and know not that thou art the Lord that breakest the battles: the Lord is thy name.

From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.

Rehearse not unto another that which is told unto thee, and thou shalt fare never the worse.

For he that turned himself toward it was not saved by the thing that he saw, but by thee, that art the Saviour of all.

Now when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went into her husband's garden to walk.

For he which is Lord over all shall fear no man's person, neither shall he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he hath made the small and great, and careth for all alike.

Deliver all things in number and weight; and put all in writing that thou givest out, or receivest in.

Let us fill ourselves with costly wine and ointments: and let no flower of the spring pass by us:

As for the illusions of art magick, they were put down, and their vaunting in wisdom was reproved with disgrace.

She was also of a goodly countenance, and very beautiful to behold: and her husband Manasses had left her gold, and silver, and menservants and maidservants, and cattle, and lands; and she remained upon them.

So of thy people was accepted both the salvation of the righteous, and destruction of the enemies.

The children will complain of an ungodly father, because they shall be reproached for his sake.

And in the day of the king's birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices; and when the fast of Bacchus was kept, the Jews were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy.

An eloquent man is known far and near; but a man of understanding knoweth when he slippeth.

As namely, a cloud shadowing the camp; and where water stood before, dry land appeared; and out of the Red sea a way without impediment; and out of the violent stream a green field:

When all is safe, he awaketh, and marvelleth that the fear was nothing.

For all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water thence; so shall thirst kill them, and they shall give up their city, and we and our people shall go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and will camp upon them, to watch that none go out of the city.

Unto whom hath the knowledge of wisdom been made manifest? and who hath understood her great experience?

He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.

And he will shame thee by his meats, until he have drawn thee dry twice or thrice, and at the last he will laugh thee to scorn afterward, when he seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.

As the sun shining upon the temple of the most High, and as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds:

Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest ye fall.

Then Holofernes commanded his servants, that waited in his tent, to take Achior, and bring him to Bethulia, and deliver him into the hands of the children of Israel.

Awake, O sword, against my shepherds, and against the man who is my citizen, saith the Lord Almighty: smite the shepherds, and draw out the sheep: and I will bring mine hand upon the little ones.

He that feareth the Lord will honour his father, and will do service unto his parents, as to his masters.

He set his eye upon their hearts, that he might shew them the greatness of his works.

With such doth he heal men, and taketh away their pains.

If children live honestly, and have wherewithal, they shall cover the baseness of their parents.

Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath: take away the adversary, and destroy the enemy.

So they dwelt in the land of the Amorites, and they destroyed by their strength all them of Esebon, and passing over Jordan they possessed all the hill country.

Get thyself the love of the congregation, and bow thy head to a great man.

He that maketh too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; and his bowels will be troubled at every cry.

Many therefore have refused to lend for other men's ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.

Charging them to keep the passages of the hill country: for by them there was an entrance into Judea, and it was easy to stop them that would come up, because the passage was straight, for two men at the most.

Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance.

Wherefore I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.

If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first and be not hasty to credit him.

A friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

Then Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians sent unto all that dwelt in Persia, and to all that dwelt westward, and to those that dwelt in Cilicia, and Damascus, and Libanus, and Antilibanus, and to all that dwelt upon the sea coast,

So when the first was dead after this number, they brought the second to make him a mocking stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him, Wilt thou eat, before thou be punished throughout every member of thy body?

Abstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins: for a furious man will kindle strife,

Praise no man before thou hearest him speak; for this is the trial of men.

Offend not against the multitude of a city, and then thou shalt not cast thyself down among the people.

So shall all nations praise the Lord, and his people shall confess God, and the Lord shall exalt his people; and all those which love the Lord God in truth and justice shall rejoice, shewing mercy to our brethren.

He was not pacified toward the old giants, who fell away in the strength of their foolishness.

The lips of the wise are bound by discretion: but the hearts of the foolish are not safe.

Speak, young man, if there be need of thee: and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked.

Our sins have risen up against us: O Lord, do thou for us for thine own sake; for our sins are many before thee; for we have sinned against thee.

Mount ye the horses, prepare the chariots; go forth, ye warriors of the Ethiopians, and Libyans armed with shields; and mount, ye Lydians, bend the bow.

Their widows have been multiplied more than the sand of the sea: I have brought young men against the mother, even distress at noon-day: I have suddenly cast upon her trembling and anxiety.

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when they shall no more say, The Lord lives, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

The partridge utters her voice, she gathers eggs which she did not lay; so is a man gaining his wealth unjustly; in the midst of his days his riches shall leave him, and at his latter end he will be a fool.

Forasmuch as evil is rewarded for good; for they have spoken words against my soul, and they have hidden the punishment they meant for me; remember that I stood before thy face, to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.

And I will bring this city to desolation and make it a hissing; every one that passes by it shall scowl, and hiss because of all her plague.

And as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, for their badness; thus saith the Lord, So will I deliver Sedekias king of Juda, and his nobles, and the remnant of Jerusalem, them that are left in this land, and the dwellers in Egypt.