Proverbs 13
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Proverbs chapter 13 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.
Patristic commentary for this chapter has not yet been attached. The translator's notes for this chapter (2) follow the text. Related material may be found among the Church Fathers and the theology tables.
Proverbs 13
1A wise son is obedient to his father: but a disobedient son will be destroyed.Υἱὸς πανοῦργος ὑπήκοος πατρὶ, υἱὸς δὲ ἀνήκοος ἐν ἀπωλείᾳ.
2A good man shall eat of the fruits of righteousness: but the lives of transgressors shall perish before their time.Ἀπὸ καρπῶν δικαιοσύνης φάγεται ἀγαθὸς, ψυχαὶ δὲ παρανόμων ὀλοῦνται ἄωροι.
3He that keeps his own mouth keeps his own life: but he that is hasty with his lips shall bring terror upon himself.Ὃς φυλάσσει τὸ ἑαυτοῦ στόμα τηρεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν, ὁ δὲ προπετὴς χείλεσι πτοήσει ἑαυτόν.
4Every slothful man desires, but the hands of the active are diligent.Ἐν ἐπιθυμίαις ἐστὶ πᾶς ἀεργὸς, χεῖρες δὲ ἀνδρείων ἐν ἐπιμελείᾳ.
5A righteous man hates an unjust word: but an ungodly man is ashamed, and will have no confidence. *Λόγον ἄδικον μισεῖ δίκαιος, ἀσεβὴς δὲ αἰσχύνεται, καὶ οὐκ ἕξει παῤῥησίαν.
7There are some who, having nothing, enrich themselves: and there are some who bring themselves down in the midst of much wealth.Εἰσὶν οἱ πλουτίζοντες ἑαυτοὺς μηδὲν ἔχοντες, καὶ εἰσὶν οἱ ταπεινοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐν πολλῷ πλούτῳ.
8A man's own wealth is the ransom of his life: but the poor † endures not threatening.Λύτρον ἀνδρὸς ψυχῆς ὁ ἴδιος πλοῦτος, πτωχὸς δὲ οὐχ ὑφίσταται ἀπειλήν.
9The righteous always have light: but the light of the ungodly is quenched. Crafty souls go astray in sins: but just men pity, and are merciful.Φῶς δικαίοις διαπαντὸς, φῶς δὲ ἀσεβῶν σβέννυται·
9aψυχαὶ δόλιαι πλανῶνται ἐν ἁμαρτίαις, δίκαιοι δὲ οἰκτείρουσι καὶ ἐλεοῦσι.
10A bad man does evil with insolence: but they that are judges of themselves are wise.Κακὸς μεθʼ ὕβρεως πράσσει κακὰ, οἱ δʼ ἑαυτῶν ἐπιγνώμονες σοφοί.
11Wealth gotten hastily with iniquity is diminished: but he that gathers for himself with godliness shall be increased. The righteous is merciful, and lends.Ὕπαρξις ἐπισπουδαζομένη μετὰ ἀνομίας, ἐλάσσων γίνεται, ὁ δὲ συνάγων ἑαυτῷ μετʼ εὐσεβείας πληθυνθήσεται· δίκαιος οἰκτείρει καὶ κιχρᾷ.
12Better is he that begins to help heartily, than he that promises and leads another to hope: for a good desire is a tree of life.Κρείσσων ἐναρχόμενος βοηθῶν καρδίᾳ, τοῦ ἐπαγγελλομένου καὶ εἰς ἐλπίδα ἄγοντος· δένδρον γὰρ ζωῆς, ἐπιθυμία ἀγαθή.
13He that slights a matter shall be slighted of it: but he that fears the commandment has health of soul. To a crafty son there shall be nothing good: but a wise servant shall have prosperous doings, and his way shall be directed aright.Ὃς καταφρονεῖ πράγματος, καταφρονηθήσεται ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ· ὁ δὲ φοβούμενος ἐντολὴν, οὗτος ὑγιαίνει·
13aυἱῷ δολίῳ οὐδὲν ἔσται ἀγαθὸν, οἰκέτῃ δὲ σοφῷ εὔοδοι ἔσονται πράξεις, καὶ κατευθυνθήσεται ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ.
14The law of the wise is fountain of life: but the man void of understanding shall die by a snare.Νόμος σοφοῦ πηγὴ ζωῆς, ὁ δὲ ἄνους ὑπὸ παγίδος θανεῖται.
15Sound discretion gives favor, and to know the law is the part of a sound understanding: but the ways of scorners tend to destruction.Σύνεσις ἀγαθὴ δίδωσι χάριν, τὸ δὲ γνῶναι νόμον διανοίας ἐστὶν ἀγαθῆς, ὁδοὶ δὲ καταφρονούντων ἐν ἀπωλείᾳ.
16Every prudent man acts with knowledge: but the fool displays his own mischief.Πᾶς πανοῦργος πράσσει μετὰ γνώσεως, ὁ δὲ ἄφρων ἐξεπέτασεν ἑαυτοῦ κακίαν.
17A rash king shall fall into mischief: but a wise messenger shall deliver him.Βασιλεὺς θρασὺς ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακὰ, ἄγγελος δὲ σοφὸς ῥύσεται αὐτόν.
18Instruction removes poverty and disgrace: but he that attends to reproofs shall be honored.Πενίαν καὶ ἀτιμίαν ἀφαιρεῖται παιδεία, ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων ἐλέγχους δοξασθήσεται.
19The desires of the godly gladden the soul, but the works of the ungodly are far from knowledge.Ἐπιθυμίαι εὐσεβῶν ἡδύνουσι ψυχὴν, ἔργα δὲ ἀσεβῶν μακρὰν ἀπὸ γνώσεως.
20If you walk with wise men you shall be wise: but he that walks with fools shall be known.Συμπορευόμενος σοφοῖς σοφὸς ἔσῃ, ὁ δὲ συμπορευόμενος ἄφροσι γνωσθήσεται.
21Evil shall pursue sinners; but good shall overtake the righteous.Ἁμαρτάνοντας καταδιώξεται κακὰ, τοὺς δὲ δικαίους καταλήψεται ἀγαθά.
22A good man shall inherit children's children; and the wealth of ungodly men is laid up for the just.Ἀγαθὸς ἀνὴρ κληρονομήσει υἱοὺς υἱῶν, θησαυρίζεται δὲ δικαίοις πλοῦτος ἀσεβῶν.
23The righteous shall spend many years in wealth: but the unrighteous shall perish suddenly.Δίκαιοι ποιήσουσιν ἐν πλούτῳ ἔτη πολλὰ, ἄδικοι δὲ ἀπολοῦνται συντόμως.
24He that spares the rod hates his son: but he that loves, carefully chastens him.Ὃς φείδεται τῆς βακτηρίας, μισεῖ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν, ἐπιμελῶς παιδεύει.
25A just man eats and satisfies his soul: but the souls of the ungodly are in lack.Δίκαιος ἔσθων ἐμπιπλᾷ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, ψυχαὶ δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἐνδεεῖς.
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. 5*Alexandrine text reads: “Righteousness preserves the simple in the way, but sin makes worthless the ungodly.”
- v. 8†Or, comes not in for.