The Prodigal Son in Ancient Greek

Εἶπεν δέ· Ἄνθρωπός τις εἶχεν δύο υἱούς.

He said, “A certain man had two sons.

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ νεώτερος αὐτῶν τῷ πατρί· Πάτερ, δός μοι τὸ ἐπιβάλλον μέρος τῆς οὐσίας· ⸂ὁ δὲ⸃ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὸν βίον.

The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them.

καὶ μετ’ οὐ πολλὰς ἡμέρας συναγαγὼν ⸀πάντα ὁ νεώτερος υἱὸς ἀπεδήμησεν εἰς χώραν μακράν, καὶ ἐκεῖ διεσκόρπισεν τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ ζῶν ἀσώτως.

Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.

δαπανήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐγένετο λιμὸς ⸀ἰσχυρὰ κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι.

When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.

καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐκολλήθη ἑνὶ τῶν πολιτῶν τῆς χώρας ἐκείνης, καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτοῦ βόσκειν χοίρους·

He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

καὶ ἐπεθύμει ⸂γεμίσαι τὴν κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ⸃ τῶν κερατίων ὧν ἤσθιον οἱ χοῖροι, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδίδου αὐτῷ.

He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.

εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐλθὼν ⸀ἔφη· Πόσοι μίσθιοι τοῦ πατρός μου ⸀περισσεύονται ἄρτων, ἐγὼ δὲ ⸂λιμῷ ὧδε⸃ ἀπόλλυμαι·

But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!

ἀναστὰς πορεύσομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ ἐρῶ αὐτῷ· Πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου,

I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

⸀οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου· ποίησόν με ὡς ἕνα τῶν μισθίων σου.

I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’

καὶ ἀναστὰς ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ⸀ἑαυτοῦ. ἔτι δὲ αὐτοῦ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος εἶδεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη καὶ δραμὼν ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν.

“He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him.

εἶπεν δὲ ⸂ὁ υἱὸς αὐτῷ⸃· Πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου, ⸀οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός ⸀σου.

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

εἶπεν δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ· ⸀Ταχὺ ⸀ἐξενέγκατε στολὴν τὴν πρώτην καὶ ἐνδύσατε αὐτόν, καὶ δότε δακτύλιον εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑποδήματα εἰς τοὺς πόδας,

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

καὶ ⸀φέρετε τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν, θύσατε, καὶ φαγόντες εὐφρανθῶμεν,

Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;

ὅτι οὗτος ὁ υἱός μου νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησεν, ⸂ἦν ἀπολωλὼς⸃ καὶ εὑρέθη. καὶ ἤρξαντο εὐφραίνεσθαι.

for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.

Ἦν δὲ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐν ἀγρῷ· καὶ ὡς ἐρχόμενος ἤγγισεν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, ἤκουσεν συμφωνίας καὶ χορῶν,

“Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος ἕνα τῶν παίδων ἐπυνθάνετο τί ⸀ἂν εἴη ταῦτα·

He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι Ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἥκει, καὶ ἔθυσεν ὁ πατήρ σου τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν, ὅτι ὑγιαίνοντα αὐτὸν ἀπέλαβεν.

He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’

ὠργίσθη δὲ καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν εἰσελθεῖν. ὁ ⸀δὲ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐξελθὼν παρεκάλει αὐτόν.

But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.

ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν τῷ πατρὶ ⸀αὐτοῦ· Ἰδοὺ τοσαῦτα ἔτη δουλεύω σοι καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐντολήν σου παρῆλθον, καὶ ἐμοὶ οὐδέποτε ἔδωκας ἔριφον ἵνα μετὰ τῶν φίλων μου εὐφρανθῶ·

But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

ὅτε δὲ ὁ υἱός σου οὗτος ὁ καταφαγών σου τὸν βίον ⸀μετὰ πορνῶν ἦλθεν, ἔθυσας αὐτῷ τὸν ⸂σιτευτὸν μόσχον⸃.

But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τέκνον, σὺ πάντοτε μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἶ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμὰ σά ἐστιν·

“He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

εὐφρανθῆναι δὲ καὶ χαρῆναι ἔδει, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ⸀ἔζησεν, καὶ ⸀ἀπολωλὼς καὶ εὑρέθη.

But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”