ὀρθρίζω

From the study of Sirach 4:12

Range of meaning

Literally to rise at dawn (orthros = daybreak). With "toward" (pros) it means to rise early in order to go to someone: to seek them eagerly, diligently, as a first priority.

Against the English

KJV/Brenton and WEB have "seek her early," and NRSV has "from early morning." "Seek early" can be misheard as "seek while young" or "seek soon," and it loses the dawn picture. NABRE follows the Hebrew instead and has "seek her out."

How it drifted

In Early Modern English "early" in "seek early" (compare KJV Proverbs 8:17) carried the dawn idea. Modern readers often take it to mean early in life.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Old Testament uses it for Hebrew šiḥēr (to seek earnestly, related to šaḥar, "dawn") and hiškîm (to rise early). Examples: Psalm 63:1 (Greek 62:2), "O God, my God, to you I rise early"; Psalm 78:34; Isaiah 26:9. Ben Sira's translator uses it often: 6:36 ("rise early to go to" a wise man), 32:14 (those who rise early to the Lord find favor), 39:5 (the scribe "rises early to the Lord who made him"). Wisdom of Solomon 6:14 says, "whoever rises early for her will not grow weary." Its only New Testament use is Luke 21:38: the people came early in the morning to Jesus in the temple to hear him.