Proverbs 25

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 25

1These are the * miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.Αὗται αἱ παιδεῖαι Σαλωμῶντος αἱ ἀδιάκριτοι, ἃς ἐξεγράψαντο οἱ φίλοι Ἐζεκίου τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας.

2The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honors business.Δόξα Θεοῦ κρύπτει λόγον, δόξα δὲ βασιλέως τιμᾷ πράγματα.

3Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.Οὐρανὸς ὑψηλὸς, γῆ δὲ βαθεῖα, καρδία δὲ βασιλέως ἀνεξέλεγκτος.

4Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.Τύπτε ἀδόκιμον ἀργύριον, καὶ καθαρισθήσεται καθαρὸν ἅπαν.

5Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.Κτεῖνε ἀσεβεῖς ἐκ προσώπου βασιλέως, καὶ κατορθώσει ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ.

6Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;Μὴ ἀλαζονεύου ἐνώπιον βασιλέως, μηδὲ ἐν τόποις δυναστῶν ὑφίστασο·

7for it is better for you that it should be said, Come up to me, than that one should humble you in the presence of the prince; speak of that which your eyes have seen.Κρεῖσσον γάρ σοι τὸ ῥηθῆναι, ἀνάβαινε πρὸς μὲ, ἢ ταπεινῶσαί σε ἐν προσώπῳ δυνάστου· ἃ εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου λέγε.

8Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest you repent at last.Μὴ πρόσπιπτε εἰς μάχην ταχέως, ἵνα μὴ μεταμεληθῇς ἐπʼ ἐσχάτων· ἡνίκα ἄν σε ὀνειδίσῃ ὁ σὸς φίλος,

9Whenever your friend shall reproach you, retreat backward, despise him not;ἀναχώρει εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω· μὴ καταφρόνει,

10lest your friend continue to reproach you, so your quarrel and enmity shall not depart, but shall be to you like death. Favour and friendship set a man free, which do you keep for yourself, lest you be made liable to reproach; but take heed to your ways peaceably.μή σε ὀνειδίσῃ μὲν ὁ φίλος, ἡ δὲ μάχη σου καὶ ἡ ἔχθρα οὐκ ἀπέσται, ἀλλὰ ἔσται σοι ἴση θανάτῳ·

10aχάρις καὶ φιλία ἐλευθεροῖ, ἃς τήρησον σεαυτῷ, ἵνα μὴ ἐπονείδιστος γένῃ, ἀλλὰ φύλαξον τὰς ὁδούς σου εὐσυναλλάκτως.

11As a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so is it to speak a wise word.Μῆλον χρυσοῦν ἐν ὁρμίσκῳ σαρδίου, οὕτως εἰπεῖν λόγον.

12In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; so is a wise word to an obedient ear.Εἰς ἐνώτιον χρυσοῦν καὶ σάρδιον πολυτελὲς δέδεται, λόγος σοφὸς εἰς εὐήκοον οὖς.

13As a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a faithful messenger refreshes those that send him; for he helps the souls of his employers.Ὥσπερ ἔξοδος χιόνος ἐν ἀμητῷ κατὰ καῦμα ὠφελεῖ, οὕτως ἄγγελος πιστὸς τοὺς ἀποστείλαντας αὐτόν· ψυχὰς γὰρ τῶν αὐτῷ χρωμένων ὠφελεῖ.

14As winds and clouds and rains are most evident objects, so is he that boasts of a false gift.Ὥσπερ ἄνεμοι καὶ νέφη καὶ ὑετοὶ, ἐπιφανέστατα, οὕτως ὁ καυχώμενος ἐπὶ δόσει ψευδεῖ.

15In longsuffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.Ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ εὐοδία βασιλεῦσι, γλῶσσα δὲ μαλακὴ συντρίβει ὀστᾶ.

16Having found honey, eat only what is enough, lest haply you be filled, and vomit it up.Μέλι εὑρὼν φάγε τὸ ἱκανὸν, μή ποτε πλησθεὶς ἐξεμέσῃς.

17Enter sparingly into your friend's house, lest he be satiated with your company, and hate you.Σπάνιον εἴσαγε σὸν πόδα πρὸς σεαυτοῦ φίλον, μή ποτε πλησθείς σου μισήσῃ σε.

18As a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend.Ῥόπαλον καὶ μάχαιρα καὶ τόξευμα ἀκιδωτὸν, οὕτως καὶ ἀνὴρ ὁ καταμαρτυρῶν τοῦ φίλου αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ.

19The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.Οδὸς κακοῦ καὶ ποὺς παρανόμου ὀλεῖται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ.

20As vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the heart.Ὥσπερ ὄξος ἕλκει ἀσύμφορον, οὕτως προσπεσὸν πάθος ἐν σώματι καρδίαν λυπεῖ·

20aὥσπερ σὴς ἐν ἱματίῳ καὶ σκώληξ ξύλῳ, οὕτως λύπη ἀνδρὸς βλάπτει καρδίαν.

21If your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;Ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτὸν, ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν·

22for so doing you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward you with good.Τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἀνταποδώσει σοι ἀγαθά.

23The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.Ἄνεμος Βορέας ἐξεγείρει νέφη, πρόσωπον δὲ ἀναιδὲς γλῶσσαν ἐρεθίζει·

24It is better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.Κρεῖσσον οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας δώματος, ἢ μετὰ γυναικὸς λοιδόρου ἐν οἰκίᾳ κοινῇ.

25As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.Ὥσπερ ὕδωρ ψυχρὸν ψυχῇ διψώσῃ προσηνὲς, οὕτως ἀγγελία ἀγαθὴ ἐκ γῆς μακρόθεν.

26As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so is it unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.Ὥσπερ εἴ τις πηγὴν φράσσοι καὶ ὕδατος ἔξοδον λυμαίνοιτο, οὕτως ἄκοσμον δίκαιον πεπτωκέναι ἐνώπιον ἀσεβοῦς.

27It is not good to eat much honey; but it is right to honor venerable sayings.Ἐσθίειν μέλι πολὺ οὐ καλὸν, τιμᾷν δὲ χρὴ λόγους ἐνδόξους.

28As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.Ὥσπερ πόλις τὰ τείχη καταβεβλημένη καὶ ἀτείχιστος, οὕτως ἀνὴρ ὃς οὐ μετὰ βουλῆς τι πράσσει.

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. 1*Possibly genuine, q. d. beyond doubt.