Proverbs 24

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 24

1My son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.Υἱέ, μὴ ζηλώσῃς κακοὺς ἄνδρας, μηδὲ ἐπιθυμήσῃς εἶναι μετʼ αὐτῶν.

2For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.Ψευδῆ γὰρ μελετᾷ ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν, καὶ πόνους τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν λαλεῖ.

3A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.Μετὰ σοφίας οἰκοδομεῖται οἶκος, καὶ μετὰ συνέσεως ἀνορθοῦται.

4By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.Μετὰ αἰσθήσεως ἐμπίμπλανται ταμιεῖα ἐκ παντὸς πλούτου τιμίου καὶ καλοῦ.

5A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.Κρείσσων σοφὸς ἰσχυροῦ, καὶ ἀνὴρ φρόνησιν ἔχων γεωργίου μεγάλου.

6War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor.Μετὰ κυβερνήσεως γίνεται πόλεμος, βοήθεια δὲ μετὰ καρδίας βουλευτικῆς.

7Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,Σοφία καὶ ἔννοια ἀγαθὴ ἐν πύλαις σοφῶν· σοφοὶ οὐκ ἐκκλίνουσιν ἐκ στόματος Κυρίου,

8but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed men.ἀλλὰ λογίζονται ἐν συνεδρίοις· ἀπαιδεύτοις συναντᾷ θάνατος,

9The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness attaches to a pestilent man.ἀποθνήσκει δὲ ἄφρων ἐν ἁμαρτίαις· ἀκαθαρσία δὲ ἀνδρὶ λοιμῷ,

10He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.ἐμμολυνθήσεται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεως ἕως ἂν ἐκλίπῃ.

11Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not your help.Ῥῦσαι ἀγομένους εἰς θάνατον, καὶ ἐκπρίου κτεινομένους, μὴ φείσῃ.

12But if you should say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works.Ἐὰν δὲ εἴπῃς, οὐκ οἶδα τοῦτον, γίνωσκε, ὅτι Κύριος καρδίας πάντων γινώσκει· καὶ ὁ πλάσας πνοὴν πᾶσιν, αὐτὸς οἶδε πάντα, ὃς ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.

13My son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that your throat may be sweetened.Φάγε μέλι υἱὲ, ἀγαθὸν γὰρ κηρίον, ἵνα γλυκανθῇ σου ὁ φάρυγξ.

14Thus shall you perceive wisdom in your soul: for if you find it, your end shall be good, and hope shall not fail you.Οὕτως αἰσθητήσῃ σοφίαν τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ· ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς, ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου, καὶ ἐλπίς σε οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει.

15Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.Μὴ προσαγάγῃς ἀσεβῆ νομῇ δικαίων, μηδὲ ἀπατηθῇς χορτασίᾳ κοιλίας.

16For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise again: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.Ἑπτάκις γὰρ πεσεῖται δίκαιος καὶ ἀναστήσεται, οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ἀσθενήσουσιν ἐν κακοῖς.

17If your enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.Ἐὰν πέσῃ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, μὴ ἐπιχαρῇς αὐτῷ, ἐν δὲ τῷ ὑποσκελίσματι αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐπαίρου.

18For the Lord will see it, and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.Ὅτι ὄψεται Κύριος καὶ οὐκ ἀρέσει αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀποστρέψει τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.

19Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.Μὴ χαῖρε ἐπὶ κακοποιοῖς, μηδὲ ζήλου ἁμαρτωλούς.

20For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.Οὐ γὰρ μὴ γένηται ἔκγονα πονηρῷ, λαμπτὴρ δὲ ἀσεβῶν σβεσθήσεται.

21My son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.Φοβοῦ τὸν Θεὸν υἱὲ, καὶ βασιλέα, καὶ μηθʼ ἑτέρῳ αὐτῶν ἀπειθήσῃς.

22For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance inflicted by both? * [A son that keeps the commandment shall † escape destruction; for such an one has fully received it. Let no falsehood be spoken by the king from the tongue; yes, let no falsehood proceed from his tongue. The king's tongue is a sword, and not one of flesh; and whoever shall be given up to it shall be destroyed: for if his wrath should be provoked, he destroys men with cords, and devours men's bones, and burns them up as a flame, so that they are not even fit to be eaten by the young eagles. My son, reverence my words, and receive them, and repent.]Ἐξαίφνης γὰρ τίσονται τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς, τὰς δὲ τιμωρίας ἀμφοτέρων τίς γνώσεται;

22aΛόγον φυλασσόμενος υἱὸς ἀπωλείας ἐκτὸς ἔσται, [δεχόμενος δὲ ἐδέξατο αὐτόν·

22bμηδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ γλώσσης βασιλεῖ λεγέσθω, καὶ οὐδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ γλώσσης αὐτοῦ οὐ μή ἐξέλθῃ·

22cμάχαιρα γλῶσσα βασιλέως καὶ οὐ σαρκίνη, ὃς δʼ ἂν παραδοθῇ συντριβήσεται·

22dἐὰν γὰρ ὀξυνθῇ ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ, σὺν νεύροις ἀνθρώπους ἀναλίσκει,

22eκαὶ ὀστᾶ ἀνθρώπων κατατρώγει, καὶ συγκαίει ὥσπερ φλὸξ, ὥστε ἄβρωτα εἶναι νεοσσοῖς ἀετῶν·

22fτοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους υἱὲ φοβήθητι, καὶ δεξάμενος αὐτοὺς μετανόει.] Τάδε λέγει ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῖς πιστεύουσι Θεῷ, καὶ παύομαι.

22gἈφρονέστατος γάρ εἰμι ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων, καὶ φρόνησις ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἐμοί.

22hΘεὸς δεδίδαχέ με σοφίαν, καὶ γνῶσιν ἁγίων ἔγνωκα.

22iΤίς ἀνέβη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ κατέβη; τίς συνήγαγεν ἀνέμους ἐν κόλπῳ; τίς συνέστρεψεν ὕδωρ ἐν ἱματίῳ; τίς ἐκράτησε πάντων τῶν ἄκρων τῆς γῆς; τί ὄνομα αὐτῷ; ἢ τί ὄνομα τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτοῦ;

22kΠάντες γὰρ λόγοι Θεοῦ πεπυρωμένοι, ὑπερασπίζει δὲ αὐτὸς τῶν εὐλαβουμένων αὐτόν.

22lΜὴ προσθῇς τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἐλέγξῃ σε, καὶ ψευδὴς γένῃ.

22mΔύο αἰτοῦμαι παρὰ σοῦ, μὴ ἀφέλῃς μου χάριν πρὸ τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν με.

22nΜάταιον λόγον καὶ ψευδῆ μακράν μου ποίησον, πλοῦτον δὲ καὶ πενίαν μή μοι δῷς, σύνταξον δέ μοι τὰ δέοντα καὶ τὰ αὐτάρκη·

22oἽνα μὴ πλησθεὶς ψευδὴς γένωμαι, καὶ εἴπω, τίς με ὁρᾷ; ἢ πενηθεὶς κλέψω, καὶ ὀμόσω τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ.

22pΜὴ παραδῷς οἰκέτην εἰς χεῖρας δεσπότου, μήποτε καταράσηταί σε καὶ ἀφανισθῇς.

22qἜκγονον κακὸν πατέρα καταρᾶται, τὴς δὲ μητέρα οὐκ εὐλογεῖ.

22rἜκγονον κακὸν δίκαιον ἑαυτὸν κρίνει, τὴν δʼ ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀπένιψεν.

22sἜκγονον κακὸν ὑψηλοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχει, τοῖς δὲ βλεφάροις αὐτοῦ ἐπαίρεται.

22tἜκγονον κακὸν μαχαίρας τοὺς ὀδόντας ἔχει, καὶ τὰς μύλας, τομίδας, ὥστε ἀναλίσκειν καὶ κατεσθίειν τοὺς ταπεινοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τοὺς πένητας αὐτῶν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων.

23And this thing I say to you that are wise for you to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.Ταῦτα δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν τοῖς σοφοῖς ἐπιγινώσκειν· αἰδεῖσθαι πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει οὐ καλόν.

24He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.Ὁ εἰπὼν τὸν ἀσεβῆ, δίκαιός ἐστιν, ἐπικατάρατος λαοῖς ἔσται καὶ μισητὸς εἰς ἔθνη.

25But they that reprove him shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;Οἱ δὲ ἐλέγχοντες βελτίους φανοῦνται, ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς δὲ ἥξει εὐλογία·

26and men will kiss lips that answer well.χείλη δὲ φιλήσουσιν ἀποκρινόμενα λόγους ἀγαθούς.

27Prepare your works for your going forth, and prepare yourself for the field; and come after me, and you shall rebuild your house.Ἑτοίμαζε εἰς τὴν ἔξοδον τὰ ἔργα σου, καὶ παρασκευάζου εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν, καὶ πορεύου κατόπισθέν μου, καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσεις τὸν οἶκόν σου.

28Be not a false witness against your fellow citizen, neither exaggerate with your lips.Μὴ ἴσθι ψευδὴς μάρτυς ἐπὶ σὸν πολίτην, μηδὲ πλατύνου σοῖς χείλεσι.

29Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.Μὴ εἴπῃς, ὃν τρόπον ἐχρήσατό μοι, χρήσομαι αὐτῷ, τίσομαι δὲ αὐτὸν ἅ με ἠδίκησεν.

30A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.Ὥσπερ γεώργιον ἀνὴρ ἄφρων, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀμπελὼν ἄνθρωπος ἐνδεὴς φρενῶν.

31If you let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; ‡ and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.Ἐὰν ἀφῇς αὐτὸν, χερσωθήσεται καὶ χορτομανήσει ὅλος, καὶ γίνεται ἐκλελειμμένος, οἱ δὲ φραγμοὶ τῶν λίθων αὐτοῦ κατασκάπτονται.

32Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.Ὕστερον ἐγὼ μετενόησα, ἐπέβλεψα τοῦ ἐκλέξασθαι παιδείαν.

33The sluggard says, I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across my breast.Ὀλίγον νυστάζω, ὀλίγον δὲ καθυπνῶ, ὀλίγον δὲ ἐναγκαλίζομαι χερσὶ στήθη.

34But if you do this, your poverty will come speedily; and your lack like a swift courier.Ἐὰν δὲ τοῦτο ποιῇς, ἥξει προπορευομένη ἡ πενία σου, καὶ ἡ ἔνδειά σου ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς δρομεύς.

35Τῇ βδέλλῃ τρεῖς θυγατέρες ἦσαν ἀγαπήσει ἀγαπώμεναι, καὶ αἱ τρεῖς αὗται οὐκ ἐνεπίμπλασαν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἡ τετάρτη οὐκ ἠρκέσθη εἰπεῖν, ἱκανόν.

36Ἄδης καὶ ἔρως γυναικὸς, καὶ γῆ οὐκ ἐμπιπλαμένη ὕδατος, καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ πῦρ οὐ μὴ εἴπωσιν, ἀρκεῖ.

37Ὀφθαλμὸν καταγελῶντα πατρὸς, καὶ ἀτιμάζοντα γῆρας μητρὸς, ἐκκόψαισαν αὐτὸν κόρακες ἐκ τῶν φαράγγων, καὶ καταφάγοισαν αὐτὸν νεοσσοὶ ἀετῶν.

38Τρία δέ ἐστιν ἀδύνατά μοι νοῆσαι, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκω·

39Ἴχνη ἀετοῦ πετομένου, καὶ ὁδοὺς ὄφεως ἐπὶ πέτρας, καὶ τρίβους νηὸς ποντοπορούσης, καὶ ὁδοὺς ἀνδρὸς ἐν νεότητι.

40Τοιαύτη ὁδὸς γυναικὸς μοιχαλίδος, ἣ ὅτʼ ἂν πράξῃ ἀπονιψαμένη, οὐδέν φησι πεπραχέναι ἄτοπον.

41Διὰ τριῶν σείεται ἡ γῆ, τὸ δὲ τέταρτον οὐ δύναται φέρειν·

42Ἐὰν οἰκέτης βασιλεύσῃ, καὶ ἄφρων πλησθῇ σιτίων,

43καὶ οἰκέτις ἐὰν ἐκβάλῃ τὴν ἑαυτῆς κυρίαν, καὶ μισητὴ γυνὴ ἐὰν τύχῃ ἀνδρὸς ἀγαθοῦ.

44Τέσσαρα δὲ ἐλάχιστα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ταῦτα δέ ἐστι σοφώτερα τῶν σοφῶν·

45Οἱ μύρμηκες οἷς μή ἐστιν ἰσχὺς, καὶ ἑτοιμάζονται θέρους τὴν τροφήν·

46Καὶ οἱ χοιρογρύλλιοι ἔθνος οὐκ ἰσχυρὸν, οἳ ἐποιήσαντο ἐν πέτραις τοὺς ἑαυτῶν οἴκους·

47Ἀβασίλευτόν ἐστιν ἡ ἀκρὶς, καὶ στρατεύει ἀφʼ ἑνὸς κελεύσματος εὐτάκτως·

48Καὶ καλαβώτης χερσὶν ἐρειδόμενος, καὶ εὐάλωτος ὢν, κατοικεῖ ἐν ὀχυρώμασι βασιλέων.

49Τρία δέ ἐστιν ἃ εὐόδως πορεύεται, καὶ τέταρτον ὃ καλῶς διαβαίνει·

50Σκύμνος λέοντος ἰσχυρότερος κτηνῶν, ὃς οὐκ ἀποστρέφεται, οὐδὲ καταπτήσσει κτῆνος·

51Καὶ ἀλέκτωρ ἐμπεριπατῶν θηλείαις εὔψυχος, καὶ τράγος ἡγούμενος αἰπολίου, καὶ βασιλεὺς δημηγορῶν ἐν ἔθνει.

52Ἐὰν πρόῃ σεαυτὸν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ, καὶ ἐκτείνῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου μετὰ μάχης, ἀτιμασθήσῃ.

53Ἄμελγε γάλα, καὶ ἔσται βούτυρον· ἐὰν δὲ ἐκπιέζῃς μυκτῆρας ἐξελεύσεται αἷμα, ἐὰν δὲ ἐξέλκῃς λόγους, ἐξελεύσονται κρίσεις καὶ μάχαι.

54Οἱ ἐμοὶ λόγοι εἴρηνται ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, βασιλέως χρηματισμὸς, ὃν ἐπαίδευσεν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ.

55Τί τέκνον τηρήσεις; τί; ῥήσεις Θεοῦ· πρωτογενὲς σοὶ λέγω υἱέ· τί τέκνον ἐμῆς κοιλίας; τί τέκνον ἐμῶν εὐχῶν;

56Μὴ δῷς γυναιξὶ σὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ τὸν σὸν νοῦν καὶ βίον εἰς ὑστεροβουλίαν·

57μετὰ βουλῆς πάντα ποίει, μετὰ βουλῆς οἰνοπότει. Οἱ δυνάσται θυμώδεις εἰσὶν, οἶνον δὲ μὴ πινέτωσαν,

58ἵνα μὴ πιόντες ἐπιλάθωνται τῆς σοφίας, καὶ ὀρθὰ κρῖναι οὐ μὴ δύνωνται τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς.

59Δίδοτε μέθην τοῖς ἐν λύπαις, καὶ οἶνον πίνειν τοῖς ἐν ὀδύναις,

60ἵνα ἐπιλάθωνται τῆς πενίας, καὶ τῶν πόνων μὴ μνησθῶσιν ἔτι.

61Ἄνοιγε σὸν στόμα λόγῳ Θεοῦ, καὶ κρίνε πάντας ὑγιῶς.

62Ἄνοιγε σὸν στόμα καὶ κρίνε δικαίως, διάκρινε δὲ πένητα καὶ ἀσθενῆ.

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. 22*Heb. omits to the end.
• v. 22†Lit. be outside of.
• v. 31‡Gr. grass.