Proverbs 22

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 22

1A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favor is above silver and gold.Αἱρετώτερον ὄνομα καλὸν ἢ πλοῦτος πολύς, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον χάρις ἀγαθή.

2The rich and the poor meet together; but the Lord made them both.Πλούσιος καὶ πτωχὸς συνήντησαν ἀλλήλοις, ἀμφοτέρους δὲ ὁ κύριος ἐποίησε.

3An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.Πανοῦργος ἰδὼν πονηρὸν τιμωρούμενον κραταιῶς αὐτὸς παιδεύεται, οἱ δὲ ἄφρονες παρελθόντες ἐζημιώθησαν.

4The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and glory, and life.Γενεὰ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου, καὶ πλοῦτος, καὶ δόξα, καὶ ζωή.

5Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his soul will refrain from them.Τρίβολοι καὶ παγίδες ἐν ὁδοῖς σκολιαῖς, ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἀφέξεται αὐτῶν.

7The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.Πλούσιοι πτωχῶν ἄρξουσι, καὶ οἰκέται ἰδίοις δεσπόταις δανειοῦσιν.

8He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully receive the punishment of his deeds. * God loves a cheerful and liberal man; but a man shall fully prove the folly of his works.Ὁ σπείρων φαῦλα θερίσει κακὰ, πληγὴν δὲ ἔργων αὐτοῦ συντελέσει·

8aἄνδρα ἱλαρὸν καὶ δότην εὐλογεῖ ὁ Θεὸς, ματαιότητα δὲ ἔργων αὐτοῦ συντελέσει.

9He that has pity on the poor shall himself be maintained; for he has given of his own bread to the poor. He that gives liberally secures victory an honor; but he takes away the life of them that posses them.Ὁ ἐλεῶν πτωχὸν αὐτὸς διατραφήσεται, τῶν γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ ἄρτων ἔδωκε τῷ πτωχῷ·

9aνίκην καὶ τιμὴν περιποιεῖται ὁ δῶρα δοὺς, τὴν μέντοι ψυχὴν ἀφαιρεῖται τῶν κεκτημένων.

10Cast out a pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonors all.Ἔκβαλε ἐκ συνεδρίου λοιμὸν, καὶ συνεξελεύσεται αὐτῷ νεῖκος, ὅταν γὰρ καθίσῃ ἐν συνεδρίῳ πάντας ἀτιμάζει.

11The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are acceptable with him: a king rules with his lips.Ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος ὁσίας καρδίας, δεκτοὶ δὲ αὐτῷ πάντες ἄμωμοι· χείλεσι ποιμαίνει βασιλεύς.

12But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises wise words.Οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου διατηροῦσιν αἴσθησιν, φαυλίζει δὲ λόγους παράνομος.

13The sluggard makes excuses, and says, There is a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.Προφασίζεται, καὶ λέγει ὀκνηρὸς, λέων ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, ἐν δὲ ταῖς πλατείαις φονευταί.

14The mouth of a transgressor is a deep pit; and he that is hated of the Lord shall fall into it. Evil ways are before a man, and he does not like to turn away from them; but it is needful to turn aside from a perverse and bad way.Βόθρος βαθὺς στόμα παρανόμου, ὁ δὲ μισηθεὶς ὑπὸ Κυρίου ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς αὐτόν.

14aεἰσὶν ὁδοὶ κακαὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνδρὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἀγαπᾷ τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι ἀπʼ αὐτῶν, ἀποστρέφειν δὲ δεῖ ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ σκολιᾶς καὶ κακῆς.

15Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and instruction are then far from him.Ἄνοια ἐξῆπται καρδίας νέου, ῥάβδος δὲ καὶ παιδεία μακρὰν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.

16He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.Ὁ συκοφαντῶν πένητα, πολλὰ ποιεῖ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, δίδωσι δὲ πλουσίῳ ἐπʼ ἐλάσσονι.

17Incline your ear to the words of wise men: hear also my word, and apply your heart,Λόγοις σοφῶν παράβαλλε σὸν οὖς, καὶ ἄκουε ἐμὸν λόγον, τὴν δὲ σὴν καρδίαν ἐπίστησον, ἵνα γνῷς ὅτι καλοί εἰσι·

18that you may know that they are good: and if you lay them to heart, they shall also gladden you on your lips.καὶ ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου, εὐφρανοῦσί σε ἅμα ἐπὶ σοῖς χείλεσιν·

19That your hope may be in the Lord, and he may make your way known to you.Ἵνα σου γένηται ἐπὶ Κύριον ἡ ἐλπὶς, καὶ γνωρίσῃ σοι τὴν ὁδόν σου.

20And do you too repeatedly record them for yourself on the table of your heart, for counsel and knowledge.Καὶ σὺ δὲ ἀπόγραψαι αὐτὰ σεαυτῷ τρισσῶς, εἰς βουλὴν καὶ γνῶσιν ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς καρδίας σου.

21I therefore teach you truth, and knowledge good to hear; that you may answer words of truth to them that † question you.Διδάσκω οὖν σε ἀληθῆ λόγον, καὶ γνῶσιν ἀγαθὴν ὑπακούειν, τοῦ ἀποκρίνεσθαί σε λόγους ἀληθείας τοῖς προβαλλομένοις σοι.

22Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonor the helpless man in the gates.Μὴ ἀποβιάζου πένητα, πτωχὸς γὰρ ἐστι, καὶ μὴ ἀτιμάσῃς ἀσθενῆ ἐν πύλαις.

23For the Lord will plead his cause, and you shall deliver your soul in safety.Ὁ γὰρ Κύριος κρινεῖ αὐτοῦ τὴν κρίσιν, καὶ ῥύσῃ σὴν ἄσυλον ψυχήν.

24Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man:Μὴ ἴσθι ἑταῖρος ἀνδρὶ θυμώδει, φίλῳ δὲ ὀργίλῳ μὴ συναυλίζου·

25lest you learn of his ways, and get snares to your soul.μήποτε μάθῃς τῶν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ λάβῃς βρόχους τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ.

26Become not surety from respect of a man's person.Μὴ δίδου σεαυτὸν εἰς ἐγγύην αἰσχυνόμενος πρόσωπον·

27For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed that is under you.Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἔχῃ πόθεν ἀποτίσῃς, λήψονται τὸ στρῶμα τὸ ὑπὸ τὰς πλευράς σου.

28Remove not the old ‡ landmarks, which your fathers placed.Μὴ μέταιρε ὅρια αἰώνια, ἃ ἔθεντο οἱ πατέρες σου.

29It is fit that an observant man and one diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.Ὁρατικὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ὀξὺν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ βασιλεῦσι δεῖ παρεστάναι, καὶ μὴ παρεστάναι ἀνδράσι νωθροῖς.

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. 8*See 2 Cor 9:7. Compare Heb.
• v. 21†See 1 Peter 3:15.
• v. 28‡Gr. eternal.