Proverbs 11

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 11

1False balances are an abomination before the Lord: but a just weight is acceptable to him.Ζυγοί δόλιοι βδέλυγμα ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, στάθμιον δὲ δίκαιον δεκτὸν αὐτῷ.

2Wherever pride enters, there will be also disgrace: but the mouth of the lowly meditates wisdom.Οὗ ἐὰν εἰσέλθῃ ὕβρις, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀτιμία· στόμα δὲ ταπεινῶν μελετᾷ σοφίαν.

3* When a just man dies he † leaves regret: but the destruction of the ungodly is speedy, and causes joy.Ἀποθανὼν δίκαιος ἔλιπε μετάμελον, πρόχειρος δὲ γίνεται καὶ ἐπίχαρτος ἀσεβῶν ἀπώλεια.

4‡Possessions will not profit in a day of wrath, but righteousness will deliver from death.

5Righteousness § traces out blameless paths: but ungodliness encounters unjust dealing.Δικαιοσύνη ἀμώμους ὀρθοτομεῖ ὁδοὺς, ἀσέβεια δὲ περιπίπτει ἀδικίᾳ.

6The righteousness of upright men delivers them: but transgressors are caught in their own destruction.Δικαιοσύνη ἀνδρῶν ὀρθῶν ῥύεται αὐτούς, τῇ δὲ ἀπωλείᾳ αὐτῶν ἁλίσκονται παράνομοι.

7At the death of a just man his hope does not perish: but the boast of the ungodly perishes.Τελευτήσαντος ἀνδρὸς δικαίου, οὐκ ὄλλυται ἐλπίς, τὸ δὲ καύχημα τῶν ἀσεβῶν ὄλλυται.

8A righteous man escapes from a snare, and the ungodly man is delivered up in his place.Δίκαιος ἐκ θήρας ἐκδύνει, ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ δὲ παραδίδοται ὁ ἀσεβής.

9In the mouth of ungodly men is a snare to citizens: but the understanding of righteous men is prosperous.Ἐν στόματι ἀσεβῶν παγὶς πολίταις, αἴσθησις δὲ δικαίων εὔοδος.

10In the prosperity of righteous men a city prospers: ** but by the mouth of ungodly men it is overthrown.Ἐν ἀγαθοῖς δικαίων κατώρθωσε πόλις,

11††At the blessing of the upright a city shall be exalted.στόμασι δὲ ἀσεβῶν κατεσκάφη.

12A man void of understanding sneers at his fellow citizens: but a sensible man is quiet.Μυκτηρίζει πολίτας ἐνδεὴς φρενῶν, ἀνὴρ δὲ φρόνιμος ἡσυχίαν ἄγει.

13A double-tongued man discloses the secret counsels of an assembly: but he that is ‡‡ faithful in spirit conceals matters.Ἀνὴρ δίγλωσσος ἀποκαλύπτει βουλὰς ἐν συνεδρίῳ, πιστὸς δὲ πνοῇ κρύπτει πράγματα.

14They that have no §§ guidance fall like leaves: but in much counsel there is safety.Οἷς μὴ ὑπάρχει κυβέρνησις, πίπτουσιν ὥσπερ φύλλα, σωτηρία δὲ ὑπάρχει ἐν πολλῇ βουλῇ.

15A bad man does harm wherever he meets a just man: and he hates the sound of safety.Πονηρὸς κακοποιεῖ ὅταν συνμίξῃ δικαίῳ, μισεῖ δὲ ἦχον ἀσφαλείας.

16A gracious wife *** brings glory to her husband: but a woman hating righteousness is a theme of dishonor. The slothful come to lack: but the ††† diligent support themselves with wealth.Γυνὴ εὐχάριστος ἐγείρει ἀνδρὶ δόξαν, θρόνος δὲ ἀτιμίας γυνὴ μισοῦσα δίκαια· πλούτου ὀκνηροὶ ἐνδεεῖς γίνονται, οἱ δὲ ἀνδρεῖοι ἐρείδονται πλούτῳ.

17A merciful man does good to his own soul: but the merciless destroys his own body.Τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ἀγαθὸν ποιεῖ ἀνὴρ ἐλεήμων, ἐξολλύει δὲ αὐτοῦ σῶμα ὁ ἀνελεήμων.

18An ungodly man performs unrighteous works: but the seed of the righteous is a reward of truth.Ἀσεβὴς ποιεῖ ἔργα ἄδικα, σπέρμα δὲ δικαίων μισθὸς ἀληθείας.

19A righteous son is born for life: but the persecution of the ungodly ends in death.Υἱὸς δίκαιος γεννᾶται εἰς ζωὴν, διωγμὸς δὲ ἀσεβοῦς εἰς θάνατον.

20Perverse ways are an abomination to the Lord: but all they that are blameless in their ways are acceptable to him.Βδέλυγμα Κυρίῳ διεστραμμέναι ὁδοὶ, προσδεκτοὶ δὲ αὐτῷ πάντες ἄμωμοι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν.

21He that unjustly strikes hands shall not be unpunished: but he that sows righteousness he shall receive a faithful reward.Χειρὶ χεῖρας ἐμβαλὼν ἀδίκως οὐκ ἀτιμώρητος ἔσται, ὁ δὲ σπείρων δικαιοσύνην λήψεται μισθὸν πιστόν.

22As an ornament in a swine's snout, so is beauty to an ill-minded woman.Ὥσπερ ἐνώτιον ἐν ῥινὶ ὑός, οὕτως γυναικὶ κακόφρονι κάλλος.

23All the desire of the righteous is good: but the hope of the ungodly shall perish.Ἐπιθυμία δικαίων πᾶσα ἀγαθὴ, ἐλπὶς δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἀπολεῖται.

24There are some who scatter their own, and make it more: and there are some also who gather, yet have less. ‡‡‡Εἰσὶν, οἳ τὰ ἴδια σπείροντες πλείονα ποιοῦσιν· εἰσὶδέ καὶ οἳ συνάγοντες ἐλαττονοῦνται.

25Every sincere soul is blessed: but a passionate man is not graceful.Ψυχὴ εὐλογουμένη πᾶσα ἁπλῇ, ἀνὴρ δὲ θυμώδης οὐκ εὐσχήμων.

26May he that hoards corn leave it to the nation: but blessing be on the head of him that gives it.Ὁ συνέχων σῖτον ὑπολείποιτο αὐτὸν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν· εὐλογία δὲ εἰς κεφαλὴν τοῦ μεταδιδόντος.

27He that devises good counsels seeks good favor: but as for him that seeks after evil, evil shall overtake him.Τεκταινόμενος ἀγαθὰ ζητεῖ χάριν ἀγαθὴν, ἐκζητοῦντα δὲ κακὰ καταλήψεται αὐτόν.

28He that trusts in wealth shall fall; but he that helps righteous men shall rise. §§§Ὁ πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ πλούτῳ οὗτος πεσεῖται, ὁ δὲ ἀντιλαμβανόμενος δικαίων οὗτος ἀνατελεῖ.

29He that deals not graciously with his own house shall inherit the wind; and the fool shall be servant to the wise man.Ὁ μὴ συμπεριφερόμενος τῷ ἑαυτοῦ οἴκῳ, κληρονομήσει ἄνεμον, δουλεύσει δὲ ἄφρων φρονίμῳ.

30Out of the fruit of righteousness grows a tree of life; but the souls of transgressors are cut off before their time.Ἐκ καρποῦ δικαιοσύνης φύεται δένδρὅν ζωῆς, ἀφαιροῦνται δὲ ἄωροι ψυχαὶ παρανόμων.

31* If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?Εἰ ὁ μὲν δίκαιος μόλις σώζεται, ὁ ἀσεβὴς καὶ ἁμαρτωλὸς ποῦ φανεῖται;

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 3*the Alexandrine text reads: “The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the overthrow of the rebellious shall spoil them.”
• v. 3†Comp. Heb.
• v. 4‡there is no verse 4. The Alexandrine text has this.
• v. 5§Gr. right divides.
• v. 10**The Alexandrine text reads: “[note - Part of verse 10.]— but at the destruction of the wicked there is exultation.”
• v. 11††there is no verse 11, but the Alexandrine text reads.
• v. 13‡‡See chap 20:27.
• v. 14§§Or, governance.
• v. 16***Gr. raises.
• v. 16†††Gr. manly.
• v. 24‡‡‡Gr. diminished.
• v. 28§§§See 1 Tim 5:8.
• v. 31*See 1 Pet.