Proverbs 15

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 15

1Anger slays even wise men; yet a submissive answer turns away wrath: but a grievous word stirs up anger.Ὀργὴ ἀπόλλυσι καὶ φρονίμους, ἀπόκρισις δὲ ὑποπίπτουσα ἀποστρέφει θυμὸν, λόγος δὲ λυπηρὸς ἐγείρει ὀργάς.

2The tongue of the wise knows what is good: but the mouth of the foolish tells out evil things.Γλῶσσα σοφῶν καλὰ ἐπίσταται, στόμα δὲ ἀφρόνων ἀναγγέλλει κακά.

3The eyes of the Lord behold both the evil and the good in every place.Ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου σκοπεύουσι κακούς τε καὶ ἀγαθούς.

4* The wholesome tongue is a tree of life, and he that keeps it shall be filled with † understanding.Ἴασις γλώσσης δένδρον ζωῆς, ὁ δὲ συντηρῶν αὐτὴν πλησθήσεται πνεύματος.

5A fool scorns his father's instruction; but he that keeps his commandments is more prudent. In abounding righteousness is great strength: but the ungodly shall ‡ utterly perish from the earth.Ἄφρων μυκτηρίζει παιδείαν πατρὸς, ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων ἐντολὰς, πανουργότερος· ἐν πλεοναζούσῃ δικαιοσύνῃ ἰσχὺς πολλὴ, οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ὁλόῤῥιζοι ἐκ γῆς ἀπολοῦνται.

6In the houses of the righteous is much strength: but the fruits of the ungodly shall perish.Οἴκοις δικαίων ἰσχὺς πολλή, καρποὶ δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἀπολοῦνται.

7The lips of the wise are bound by discretion: but the hearts of the foolish are not safe.Χείλη σοφῶν δέδεται αἰσθήσει, καρδίαι δὲ ἀφρόνων οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς.

8The sacrifices of the ungodly are an abomination to the Lord; but the prayers of them that walk honestly are acceptable with him.Θυσίαι ἀσεβῶν βδέλυγμα Κυρίῳ, εὐχαὶ δὲ κατευθυνόντων δεκταὶ παρʼ αὐτῷ.

9The ways of an ungodly man are an abomination to the Lord; but he loves those that follow after righteousness.Βδέλυγμα Κυρίῳ ὁδοὶ ἀσεβοῦς, διώκοντας δὲ δικαιοσύνην ἀγαπᾷ.

10The instruction of the simple is known by them that pass by; but they that hate reproofs die disgracefully.Παιδεία ἀκάκου γνωρίζεται ὑπὸ τῶν παριόντων, οἱ δὲ μισοῦντες ἐλέγχους τελευτῶσιν αἰσχρῶς.

11Hell and destruction are manifest to the Lord; how shall not also be the hearts of men?Ἅδης καὶ ἀπώλεια φανερὰ παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ· πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ αἱ καρδίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων;

12An uninstructed person will not love those that reprove him; neither will he associate with the wise.Οὐκ ἀγαπήσει ἀπαίδευτος τοὺς ἐλέγχοντας αὐτόν, μετὰ δὲ σοφῶν οὐχ ὁμιλήσει.

13When the heart rejoices the countenance is cheerful; but when it is in sorrow, the countenance is sad.Καρδίας εὐφραινομένης πρόσωπον θάλλει, ἐν δὲ λύπαις οὔσης σκυθρωπάζει.

14An upright heart seeks discretion; but the mouth of the uninstructed will experience evils.Καρδία ὀρθὴ ζητεῖ αἴσθησιν, στόμα δὲ ἀπαιδεύτων γνώσεται κακά.

15The eyes of the wicked are always looking for evil things; but the good are always quiet.Πάντα τὸν χρόνον οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν κακῶν προσδέχονται κακὰ, οἱ δὲ ἀγαθοὶ ἡσυχάζουσι διαπαντός.

16Better is a small portion with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures without the fear of the Lord.Κρεῖσσον μικρὰ μερὶς μετὰ φόβου Κυρίου, ἢ θησαυροὶ μεγάλοι μετὰ ἀφοβίας.

17Better is an entertainment of herbs with friendliness and kindness, than a feast of calves, with enmity.Κρείσσων ξενισμὸς μετὰ λαχάνων πρὸς φιλίαν καὶ χάριν, ἢ παράθεσις μόσχων μετὰ ἔχθρας.

18A passionate man stirs up strife; but he that is slow to anger appeases even a § rising one. A man slow to anger will extinguish quarrels; but an ungodly man rather stirs them up.Ἀνὴρ θυμώδης παρασκευάζει μάχας· μακρόθυμος δὲ καὶ τὴν μέλλουσαν καταπρᾳΰνει·

18aμακρόθυμος ἀνὴρ κατασβέσει κρίσεις, ὁ δὲ ἀσεβὴς ἐγείρει μᾶλλον.

19The ways of sluggards are strewn with thorns; but those of the diligent are made smooth.Ὁδοὶ ἀεργῶν ἐστρωμέναι ἀκάνθαις, αἱ δὲ τῶν ἀνδρείων τετριμμέναι.

20A wise son gladdens his father; but a foolish son sneers at his mother.Υἱὸς σοφὸς εὐφραίνει πατέρα, υἱὸς δὲ ἄφρων μυκτηρίζει μητέρα αὐτοῦ.

21The ways of a foolish man are void of sense; but a wise man proceeds on his way aright.Ἀνοήτου τρίβοι ἐνδεεῖς φρενῶν, ἀνὴρ δὲ φρόνιμος κατευθύνων πορεύεται.

22They that honor not councils put off deliberation; but counsel abides in the hearts of counselors.Ὑπερτίθενται λογισμοὺς οἱ μὴ τιμῶντες συνέδρια, ἐν δὲ καρδίαις βουλευομένων μένει βουλή.

23A bad man will by no means ** attend to counsel; neither will he say anything seasonable, or good for the common weal.Οὐ μὴ ὑπακούσει ὁ κακὸς αὐτῇ, οὐδὲ μὴ εἴπῃ καίριόν τι καὶ καλὸν τῷ κοινῷ.

24The thoughts of the wise are ways of life, that he may turn aside and escape from hell.Ὁδοὶ ζωῆς διανοήματα συνετοῦ, ἵνα ἐκκλίνας ἐκ τοῦ ᾅδου σωθῇ.

25The Lord pulls down the houses of scorners; but he establishes the border of the widow.Οἴκους ὑβριστῶν κατασπᾷ Κύριος, ἐστήρισε δὲ ὅριον χήρας.

26An unrighteous thought is abomination to the Lord; but the sayings of the pure are held in honor.Βδέλυγμα Κυρίῳ λογισμὸς ἄδικος, ἁγνῶν δὲ ῥήσεις σεμναί.

27A receiver of bribes destroys himself; but he that hates the receiving of bribes is safe. By alms and by faithful dealings ††sins are purged away; but by the fear of the Lord every one departs from evil.Ἐξόλλυσιν ἑαυτὸν ὁ δωρολήπτης, ὁ δὲ μισῶν δώρων λήψεις σώζεται·

27aἐλεημοσύναις καὶ πίστεσιν ἀποκαθαίρονται ἁμαρτίαι, τῷ δὲ φόβῳ Κυρίου ἐκκλίνει πᾶς ἀπὸ κακοῦ.

28The hearts of the righteous meditate faithfulness; but the mouth of the ungodly answers evil things. The ways of righteous men are acceptable with the Lord; and through them even enemies become friends.Καρδίαι δικαίων μελετῶσι πίστεις, στόμα δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἀποκρίνεται κακά·

28aδεκταὶ παρὰ Κυρίῳ ὁδοὶ ἀνθρώπων δικαίων, διὰ δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ φίλοι γίνονται.

29God is far from the ungodly; but he hearkens to the prayers of the righteous. Better are small receipts with righteousness, than abundant fruits with unrighteousness. Let the heart of a man think justly, that his steps may be rightly ordered of God. The eye that sees rightly rejoices the heart; and a good report fattens the bones.Μακρὰν ἀπέχει ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ ἀσεβῶν, εὐχαῖς δὲ δικαίων ἐπακούει·

29aκρείσσων ὀλίγη λῆψις μετὰ δικαιοσύνης, ἢ πολλὰ γεννήματα μετὰ ἀδικίας.

29bΚαρδία ἀνδρὸς λογιζέσθω δίκαια, ἵνα ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ διορθωθῇ τὰ διαβήματα αὐτοῦ.

30Θεωρῶν ὀφθαλμὸς καλὰ εὐφραίνει καρδίαν, φημη δὲ ἀγαθὴ πιαίνει ὀστᾶ.

32He that rejects instruction hates himself; but he that mind reproofs loves his soul.Ὃς ἀπωθεῖται παιδείαν, μισεῖ ἑαυτὸν· ὁ δὲ τηρῶν ἐλέγχους, ἀγαπᾷ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ.

33The fear of the Lord is instruction and wisdom; and the highest honor will correspond therewith.Φόβος Κυρίου παιδεία καὶ σοφία, καὶ ἀρχὴ δόξης ἀποκριθήσεται αὐτῇ.

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. 4*Gr. the healing of the tongue.
• v. 4†Gr. spirit.
• v. 5‡Gr. with the roots wholly torn up.
• v. 18§Gr. future.
• v. 23**Or, obey.
• v. 27††Observe, this is not in the Heb. nor any such doctrine.