Proverbs 27
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Proverbs chapter 27 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.
Patristic commentary for this chapter has not yet been attached. The translator's notes for this chapter (1) follow the text. Related material may be found among the Church Fathers and the theology tables.
Proverbs 27
1Boast not of to-morrow; for you know not what the next day shall bring forth.Μὴ καυχῶ τὰ εἰς αὔριον, οὐ γὰρ γινώσκεις τί τέξεται ἡ ἐπιοῦσα.
2Let your neighbor, and not your own mouth, praise you; a stranger, and not your own lips.Ἐγκωμιαζέτω σε ὁ πέλας καὶ μὴ τὸ σὸν στόμα, ἀλλότριος καὶ μὴ τὰ σὰ χείλη.
3A stone is heavy, and sand cumbersome; but a fool's wrath is heavier than both.Βαρὺ λίθος καὶ δυσβάστακτον ἄμμος, ὀργὴ δὲ ἄφρονος βαρυτέρα ἀμφοτέρων.
4Wrath is merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.Ἀνελεήμων θυμὸς καὶ ὀξεῖα ὀργὴ, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ὑφίσταται ζῆλος.
5Open reproofs are better than secret love.Κρείσσους ἔλεγχοι ἀποκεκαλυμμένοι κρυπτομένης φιλίας.
6The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.Ἀξιοπιστότερά ἐστι τραύματα φίλου, ἢ ἑκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ.
7A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear sweet.Ψυχὴ ἐν πλησμονῇ οὖσα κηρίοις ἐμπαίζει, ψυχῇ δὲ ἐνδεεῖ καὶ τὰ πικρὰ γλυκέα φαίνεται.
8As when a bird flies down from its own nest, so a man is brought into bondage whenever he estranges himself from his own place.Ὥσπερ ὅταν ὄρνεον καταπετασθῇ ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας νοσσιᾶς, οὕτως ἄνθρωπος δουλοῦται ὅταν ἀποξενωθῇ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων τόπων.
9The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.Μύροις καὶ οἴνοις καὶ θυμιάμασι τέρπεται καρδία, καταῤῥήγνυται δὲ ὑπὸ συμπτωμάτων ψυχή.
10Your own friend, and your father's friend, forsake not; and when you are in distress go not into your brother's house: better is a friend that is near than a brother living far off.Φίλον σὸν ἢ φίλον πατρῷον μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς, εἰς δὲ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου μὴ εἰσέλθῃς ἀτυχῶν· κρείσσων φίλος ἐγγὺς, ἢ ἀδελφὸς μακρὰν οἰκῶν.
11Son, be wise, that your heart may rejoice; and remove you from yourself reproachful words.Σοφὸς γίνου υἱὲ, ἵνα σου εὐφραίνηται ἡ καρδία, καὶ ἀπόστρεψον ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐπονειδίστους λόγους.
12A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.Πανοῦργος κακῶν ἐπερχομένων ἀπεκρύβη, ἄφρονες δὲ ἐπελθόντες ζημίαν τίσουσιν.
13Take away the man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.Ἀφελοῦ τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ, παρῆλθε γὰρ ὑβριστὴς, ὅστις τὰ ἀλλότρια λυμαίνεται.
14Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses him.Ὃς ἂν εὐλογῇ θίλον τοπρωῒ μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ, καταρωμένου οὐδὲν διαφέρειν δόξει.
15On a stormy day drops of rain drive a man out of his house; so also does a railing woman drive a man out of his own house.Σταγόνες ἐκβάλλουσιν ἄνθρωπον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ χειμερινῇ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ, ὡσαύτως καὶ γυνὴ λοίδορος ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου.
16The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.Βορέας σκληρὸς ἄνεμος, ὀνόματι δὲ ἐπιδέξιος καλεῖται.
17Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend's countenance.Σίδηρος σίδηρον ὀξύνει, ἀνὴρ δὲ παροξύνει πρόσωπον ἑταίρου.
18He that plants a fig tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honored.Ὃς φυτεύει συκὴν φάγεται τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς, ὃς δὲ φυλάσσει τὸν ἑαυτοῦ κύριον τιμηθήσεται.
19As faces are not like other faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.Ὥσπερ οὐχ ὅμοια πρόσωπα προσώποις, οὕτως οὐδὲ αἱ διάνοιαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
20Hell and destruction are not filled; so also are the eyes of men insatiable. * He that fixes his eye is an abomination to the Lord; and the uninstructed do not restrain their tongue.Ἅδης καὶ ἀπώλεια οὐκ ἐμπίμπλανται, ὡσαύτως καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄπληστοι·
20aβδέλυγμα Κυρίῳ στηρίζων ὀφθαλμὸν, καὶ οἱ ἀπαίδευτοι ἀκρατεῖς γλώσσῃ.
21Fire is the trial for silver and gold; and a man is tried by the mouth of them that praise him. The heart of the transgressor seeks after mischiefs; but an upright heart seeks knowledge.Δοκίμιον ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσῷ πύρωσις, ἀνὴρ δὲ δοκιμάζεται διὰ στόματος ἐγκωμιαζόντων αὐτόν.
21aκαρδία ἀνόμου ἐκζητεῖ κακὰ, καρδία δὲ εὐθὴς ζητεῖ γνῶσιν.
22Though you scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, you will still in no wise remove his folly from him.Ἐὰν μαστιγοῖς ἄφρονα ἐν μέσῳ συνεδρίου ἀτιμάζων, οὐ μὴ περιέλῃς τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ.
23Do you thoroughly know the number of your flock, and pay attention to your herds.Γνωστῶς ἐπιγνώσῃ ψυχὰς ποιμνίου σου, καὶ ἐπιστήσεις καρδίαν σου σαῖς ἀγέλαις.
24For a man has not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.Ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἀνδρὶ κράτος καὶ ἰσχὺς, οὐδὲ παραδίδωσιν ἐκ γενεᾶς εἰς γενεάν.
25Take care of the herbage in the field, and you shall cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;Ἐπιμελοῦ τῶν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ χλωρῶν, καὶ κερεῖς πόαν, καὶ σύναγε χόρτον ὀρεινὸν,
26that you may have wool of sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that you may have lambs.ἵνα ἔχῃς πρόβατα εἰς ἱματισμόν· τίμα πεδίον, ἵνα ὠσί σοι ἄρνες.
27My son, you have from me words very useful for your life, and for the life of your servants.Υἱὲ, παρʼ ἐμοῦ ἔχεις ῥήσεις ἰσχυρὰς εἰς τὴν ζωήν σου, καὶ εἰς τὴν ζωὴν σῶν θεραπόντων.
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. 20*Heb. omits to ver 21.