Proverbs 17

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 17

1Better is a morsel with pleasure in peace, than a house full of many good things and unjust sacrifices, with strife.Κρείσσων ψωμὸς μεθʼ ἡδονῆς ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ἢ οἶκος πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἀδίκων θυμάτων μετὰ μάχης.

2A wise servant shall have rule over foolish masters, and shall divide portions among brethren.Οἰκέτης νοήμων κρατήσει δεσποτῶν ἀφρόνων, ἐν δὲ ἀδελφοῖς διελεῖται μέρη.

3As silver and gold are tried in a furnace, so are choice hearts with the Lord.Ὥσπερ δοκιμάζεται ἐν καμίνῳ ἄργυρος καὶ χρυσὸς, οὕτως ἐκλεκταὶ καρδίαι παρὰ Κυρίῳ.

4A bad man hearkens to the tongue of transgressors: but a righteous man attends not to false lips.Κακὸς ὑπακούει γλώσσης παρανόμων, δίκαιος δὲ οὐ προσέχει χείλεσι ψευδέσιν.

5He that laughs at the poor provokes him that made him; and he that rejoices at the destruction of another shall not be held guiltless: but he that has compassion shall find mercy.Ὁ καταγελῶν πτωχοῦ παροξύνει τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸν, ὁ δὲ ἐπιχαίρων ἀπολλυμένῳ οὐκ ἀθωωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἐπισπλαγχνιζόμενος ἐλεηθήσεται.

6Children's children are the crown of old men; and their fathers are the glory of children. The faithful has the whole world full of wealth; but the faithless not even a farthing.Στέφανος γερόντων τέκνα τέκνων, καύχημα δὲ τέκνων πατέρες αὐτῶν·

6aτοῦ πιστοῦ ὅλος ὁ κόσμος τῶν χρημάτων, τοῦ δὲ ἀπίστου οὐδὲ ὀβολός.

7Faithful lips will not suit a fool; nor lying lips a just man.Οὐχ ἁρμόσει ἄφρονι χείλη πιστὰ, οὐδὲ δικαίῳ χείλη ψευδῆ.

8Instruction is to them that use it a gracious reward; and wherever it may turn, it shall prosper.Μισθὸς χαρίτων παιδεία τοῖς χρωμένοις, οὗ δʼ ἂν ἐπιστρέψῃ εὐοδωθήσεται.

9He that conceals injuries seeks love; but he that hates to hide them separates friends and * kindred.Ὃς κρύπτει ἀδικήματα, ζητεῖ φιλίαν· ὃς δὲ μισεῖ κρύπτειν, διΐστησι φίλους καὶ οἰκείους.

10A threat breaks down the heart of a wise man; but a fool, though scourged, understands not.Συντρίβει ἀπειλὴ καρδίαν φρονίμου, ἄφρων δὲ μαστιγωθεὶς οὐκ αἰσθάνεται.

11Every bad man stirs up strifes: but the Lord will send out against him an unmerciful messenger.Ἀντιλογίας ἐγείρει πᾶς κακὸς, ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἄγγελον ἀνελεήμονα ἐκπέμψει αὐτῷ.

12Care may befall a man of understanding; but fools will meditate evils.Ἐμπεσεῖται μέριμνα ἀνδρὶ νοήμονι, οἱ δὲ ἄφρονες διαλογιοῦνται κακά.

13Whoso rewards evil for good, evil shall not be removed from his house.Ὃς ἀποδίδωσι κακὰ ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν, οὐ κινηθήσεται κακὰ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ.

14Rightful rule gives power to words; but sedition and strife precede poverty.Ἐξουσίαν δίδωσι λόγοις ἀρχὴ δικαιοσύνης, προηγεῖται δὲ τῆς ἐνδείας στάσις καὶ μάχη.

15He that pronounces the unjust just, and the just unjust, is unclean and abominable with God.Ὃς δίκαιον κρίνει τὸν ἄδικον, ἄδικον δὲ τὸν δίκαιον, ἀκάθαρτος καὶ βδελυκτὸς παρὰ Θεῷ.

16Why has the fool wealth? for a senseless man will not be able to purchase wisdom. He that exalts his own house seeks ruin; and he that turns aside from instruction shall fall into mischief.Ἱνατί ὑπῆρξε χρήματα ἄφρονι; κτήσασθαι γὰρ σοφίαν ἀκάρδιος οὐ δυνήσεται·

16aὃς ὑψηλὸν ποιεῖ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ οἶκον, ζητεῖ συντριβήν· ὁ δὲ σκολιάζων τοῦ μαθεῖν, ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακά.

17Have you a friend for every time, and let brethren be useful in distress; for on this account are they born.Εἰς πάντα καιρὸν φίλος ὑπαρχέτω σοι, ἀδελφοὶ δὲ ἐν ἀνάγκαις χρήσιμοι ἔστωσαν, τούτου γὰρ χάριν γεννῶνται.

18A foolish man applauds and rejoices over himself, as he also that becomes surety would make himself responsible for his own friends.Ἀνὴρ ἄφρων ἐπικροτεῖ καὶ ἐπιχαίρει ἑαυτῷ, ὡς καὶ ὁ ἐγγυώμενος ἐγγύῃ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ φίλων.

19A lover of sin rejoices in strifes;Φιλαμαρτήμων χαίρει μάχαις,

20and the hard-hearted man † comes not in for good. A man of a changeful tongue will fall into mischiefs;ὁ δὲ σκληροκάρδιος οὐ συναντᾷ ἀγαθοῖς· ἀνὴρ εὐμετάβολος γλώσσῃ ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακὰ,

21and the heart of a fool is grief to its possessor. A father rejoices not over an uninstructed son; but a wise son gladdens his mother.καρδία δὲ ἄφρονος ὀδύνη τῷ κεκτημένῳ αὐτήν· οὐκ εὐφραίνεται πατὴρ ἐφʼ υἱῷ ἀπαιδεύτῳ, υἱὸς δὲ φρόνιμος εὐφραίνει μητέρα αὐτοῦ.

22A glad heart promotes health; but the bones of a sorrowful man dry up.Καρδία εὐφραινομένη εὐεκτεῖν ποιεῖ, ἀνδρὸς δὲ λυπηροῦ ξηραίνεται τὰ ὀστᾶ.

23The ways of a man who unjustly receives gifts in his bosom do not prosper; and an ungodly man perverts the ways of righteousness.Λαμβάνοντος δῶρα ἀδίκως ἐν κόλποις οὐ κατευοδοῦνται ὁδοὶ, ἀσεβὴς δὲ ἐκκλίνει ὁδοὺς δικαιοσύνης.

24The countenance of a wise man is sensible; but the eyes of a fool go to the ends of the earth.Πρόσωπον συνετὸν ἀνδρὸς σοφοῦ, οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ τοῦ ἄφρονος ἐπʼ ἄκρα γῆς.

25A foolish son is a cause of anger to his father, and grief to her that bore him.Ὀργὴ πατρὶ υἱὸς ἄφρων, καὶ ὀδύνη τῇ τεκούσῃ αὐτόν.

26It is not right to punish a righteous man, nor is it holy to plot against righteous princes.Ζημιοῦν ἄνδρα δίκαιον οὐ καλὸν, οὐδὲ ὅσιον ἐπιβουλεύειν δυνάσταις δικαίοις.

27He that forbears to utter a hard word is discreet, and a patient man is wise.Ὃς φείδεται ῥῆμα προέσθαι σκληρὸν, ἐπιγνώμων· μακρόθυμος δὲ ἀνὴρ φρόνιμος.

28Wisdom shall be imputed to a fool who asks after wisdom: and he who holds his peace shall seem to be sensible.Ἀνοήτῳ ἐπερωτήσαντι σοφίαν σοφία λογισθήσεται, ἐνεὸν δέ τις ἑαυτὸν ποιήσας, δόξει φρόνιμος εἶναι.

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*Comp. Heb.
• v. 20†Or, meets not with good men.