Proverbs 14

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 14

1Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs hers down with her hands.Σοφαὶ γυναῖκες ᾠκοδόμησαν οἴκους, ἡ δὲ ἄφρων κατέσκαψε ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῆς.

2He that walks uprightly fears the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways shall be dishonored.Ὁ πορευόμενος ὀρθῶς φοβεῖται τὸν Κύριον, ὁ δὲ σκολιάζων ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ ἀτιμασθήσεται.

3Out of the mouth of fools comes a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise preserve them.Ἐκ στόματος ἀφρόνων βακτηρία ὕβρεως, χείλη δὲ σοφῶν φυλάσσει αὐτούς.

4Where no oxen are, the cribs are clean; but where there is abundant produce, the strength of the ox is apparent.Οὗ μή εἰσι βόες, φάτναι καθαραί· οὗ δὲ πολλὰ γεννήματα, φανερὰ βοὸς ἰσχύς.

5A faithful witness does not lie; but an unjust witness kindles falsehoods.Μάρτυς πιστὸς οὐ ψεύδεται, ἐκκαίει δὲ ψευδῆ μάρτυς ἄδικος.

6You shall seek wisdom with bad men, and shall not find it; but discretion is easily available with the prudent.Ζητήσεις σοφίαν παρὰ κακοῖς καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσεις, αἴσθησις δὲ παρὰ φρονίμοις εὐχερής.

7All things are adverse to a foolish man; but wise lips are the weapons of discretion.Πάντα ἐναντία ἀνδρὶ ἄφρονι, ὅπλα δὲ αἰσθήσεως χείλη σοφά.

8The wisdom of the prudent will understand their ways; but the folly of fools leads astray.Σοφία πανούργων ἐπιγνώσεται τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν, ἄνοια δὲ ἀφρόνων ἐν πλάνῃ.

9The houses of transgressors * will need purification; but the houses of the just are acceptable.Οἰκίαι παρανόμων ὀφειλήσουσι καθαρισμὸν, οἰκίαι δὲ δικαίων δεκταί.

10If a man's † mind is intelligent, his soul is sorrowful; and when he rejoices, he has no fellowship with pride.Καρδία ἀνδρὸς αἰσθητικὴ, λυπηρὰ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, ὅταν δὲ εὐφραίνηται οὐκ ἐπιμίγνυται ὕβρει.

11The houses of ungodly men shall be utterly destroyed; but the tabernacles of them that walk uprightly shall stand.Οἰκίαι ἀσεβῶν ἀφανισθήσονται, σκηναὶ δὲ κατορθούντων στήσονται.

12There is a way which seems to be right with men, but the ends of it ‡ reach to the depths of hell.Ἔστιν ὁδὸς ἣ δοκεῖ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ὀρθὴ εἶναι, τὰ δὲ τελευταῖα αὐτῆς ἔρχεται εἰς πυθμένα ᾅδου.

13Grief mingles not with mirth; and joy in the end comes to grief.Ἐν εὐφροσύναις οὐ προσμίγνυται λύπη, τελευταῖα δὲ χαρὰ εἰς πένθος ἔρχεται.

14A § stout-hearted man shall be filled with his own ways; and a good man with his own thoughts.Τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ὁδῶν πλησθήσεται θρασυκάρδιος, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν διανοημάτων αὐτοῦ ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός.

15The simple believes every word: but the prudent man betakes himself to afterthought.Ἄκακος πιστεύει παντὶ λόγῳ, πανοῦργος δὲ ἔρχεται εἰς μετάνοιαν.

16A wise man fears, and departs from evil; but the fool trusts in himself, and joins himself with the transgressor.Σοφὸς φοβηθεὶς ἐξέκλινεν ἀπὸ κακοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἄφρων ἑαυτῷ πεποιθὼς μίγνυται ἀνόμῳ.

17A passionate man acts inconsiderately; but a sensible man bears up under many things.Ὀξύθυμος πράσσει μετὰ ἀβουλίας, ἀνὴρ δὲ φρόνιμος πολλὰ ὑποφέρει.

18Fools shall have mischief for their portion; but the prudent shall take fast hold of understanding.Μεριοῦνται ἄφρονες κακίαν, οἱ δὲ πανοῦργοι κρατήσουσιν αἰσθήσεως.

19Evil men shall fall before the good; and the ungodly shall attend at the gates of the righteous.Ὀλισθήσουσι κακοὶ ἔναντι ἀγαθῶν, καὶ ἀσεβεῖς θεραπεύσουσι θύρας δικαίων.

20Friends will hate poor friends; but the friends of the rich are many.Φίλοι μισήσουσι φίλους πτωχούς, φίλοι δὲ πλουσίων πολλοί.

21He that dishonors the needy sins: but he that has pity on the poor is most blessed.Ὁ ἀτιμάζων πένητας ἁμαρτάνει, ἐλεῶν δὲ πτωχοὺς μακαριστός.

22They that go astray devise evils: but the good devise mercy and truth. The framers of evil do not understand mercy and truth: but compassion and faithfulness are with the framers of good.Πλανώμενοι τεκταίνουσι κακά, ἔλεον δὲ καὶ ἀλήθειαν τεκταίνουσιν ἀγαθοί· οὐκ ἐπίστανται ἔλεον καὶ πίστιν τέκτονες κακῶν, ἐλεημοσύναι δὲ καὶ πίστεις παρὰ τέκτοσιν ἀγαθοῖς.

23With every one who is careful there is abundance: but the pleasure-taking and indolent shall be in lack.Ἐν παντὶ μεριμνῶντι ἔνεστι περισσόν, ὁ δὲ ἡδὺς καὶ ἀνάλγητος ἐν ἐνδείᾳ ἔσται.

24A prudent man is the crown of the wise: but the occupation of fools is evil.Στέφανος σοφῶν πανοῦργος, ἡ δὲ διατριβὴ ἀφρόνων κακή.

25A faithful witness shall deliver a soul from evil: but a deceitful man kindles falsehoods.Ῥύσεται ἐκ κακῶν ψυχὴν μάρτυς πιστὸς, ἐκκαίει δὲ ψευδῆ δόλιος.

26In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and he leaves his children a support.Ἐν φόβῳ Κυρίου ἐλπὶς ἰσχύος, τοῖς δὲ τέκνοις αὐτοῦ καταλείπει ἔρεισμα.

27The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life; and it causes men to turn aside from the snare of death.Πρόσταγμα Κυρίου πηγὴ ζωῆς, ποιεῖ δὲ ἐκκλίνειν ἐκ παγίδος θανάτου.

28In a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure of people is the ruin of a prince.Ἐν πολλῷ ἔθνει δόξα βασιλέως, ἐν δὲ ἐκλείψει λαοῦ συντριβὴ δυνάστου.

29A man slow to wrath abounds in wisdom: but a man of impatient spirit is very foolish.Μακρόθυμος ἀνὴρ πολὺς ἐν φρονήσει, ὁ δὲ ὀλιγόψυχος ἰσχυρῶς ἄφρων.

30A meek-spirited man is a healer of the heart: but a sensitive heart is a corruption of the bones.Πρᾳΰθυμος ἀνὴρ καρδίας ἰατρὸς, σὴς δὲ ὀστέων καρδία αἰσθητική·

31He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honors him has pity upon the poor.Ὁ συκοφαντῶν πένητα παροξύνει τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸν, ὁ δὲ τιμῶν αὐτὸν ἐλεεῖ πτωχόν.

32The ungodly shall be driven away in his wickedness: but ** he who is secure in his own holiness is just.Ἐν κακίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀπωσθήσεται ἀσεβής, ὁ δὲ πεποιθὼς τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ὁσιότητι δίκαιος.

33There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned.Ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀγαθῇ ἀνδρὸς σοφία, ἐν δὲ καρδίᾳ ἀφρόνων οὐ διαγινώσκεται.

34Righteousness exalts a nation: but sins diminish tribes.Δικαιοσύνη ὑψοῖ ἔθνος, ἐλασσονοῦσι δὲ φυλὰς ἁμαρτίαι.

35An understanding servant is acceptable to a king; and by his good behavior he removes disgrace.Δεκτὸς βασιλεῖ ὑπηρέτης νοήμων, τῇ δὲ ἑαυτοῦ εὐστροφίᾳ ἀφαιρεῖται ἀτιμίαν.

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. 9*Gr. shall owe. See Job 6:21.
• v. 10†Or, heart be sensitive.
• v. 12‡Gr. come.
• v. 14§Lit. bold-hearted.
• v. 32**Comp. Heb.