Proverbs 28

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 28

1The ungodly man flees when no one pursues: but the righteous is confident as a lion.Φεύγει ἀσεβὴς μηδενὸς διώκοντος, δίκαιος δὲ ὥσπερ λέων πέποιθε.

2By reason of the sins of ungodly men quarrels arise; but a wise man will * quell them.Διʼ ἁμαρτίας ἀσεβῶν κρίσεις ἐγείρονται, ἀνὴρ δὲ πανοῦργος κατασβέσει αὐτάς.

3A bold man oppresses the poor by ungodly deeds. As an impetuous and profitable rain,Ἀνδρεῖος ἐν ἀσεβείαις συκοφαντεῖ πτωχούς· ὥσπερ ὑετὸς λάβρος καὶ ἀνωφελὴς,

4so they that forsake the law praise ungodliness; but they that love the law fortify themselves with a wall.οὕτως οἱ ἐγκαταλείποντες τὸν νόμον ἐγκωμιάζουσιν ἀσέβειαν· οἱ δὲ ἀγαπῶντες τὸν νόμον, περιβάλλουσιν ἑαυτοῖς τεῖχος.

5Evil men will not understand judgment: but they that seek the Lord will understand † everything.Ἄνδρες κακοὶ οὐ συνήσουσι κρίμα, οἱ δὲ ζητοῦντες τὸν Κύριον συνήσουσιν ἐν παντί.

6A poor man walking in truth is better than a rich liar.Κρείσσων πτωχὸς πορευόμενος ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, πλουσίου ψευδοῦς.

7A wise son keeps the law: but he that keeps up debauchery dishonors his father.Φυλάσσει νόμον υἱὸς συνετὸς, ὃς δὲ ποιμαίνει ἀσωτίαν ἀτιμάζει πατέρα.

8He that increases his wealth by usuries and unjust gains, gathers it for him that pities the poor.Ὁ πληθύνων τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτοῦ μετὰ τόκων καὶ πλεονασμῶν, τῷ ἐλεῶντι πτωχοὺς συνάγει αὐτόν.

9He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even he has ‡ made his prayer abominable.Ὁ ἐκκλίνων τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ μὴ εἰσακοῦσαι νόμου, καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν προσευχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐβδέλυκται.

10He that causes upright men to err in an evil way, himself shall fall into destruction: transgressor also shall pass by prosperity, but shall not enter into it.Ὃς πλανᾷ εὐθεῖς ἐν ὁδῷ κακῇ, εἰς διαφθορὰν αὐτὸς ἐμπεσεῖται· οἱ δὲ ἄνομοι διελεύσονται ἀγαθὰ, καὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς αὐτά.

11A rich man is wise in his own conceit; but an intelligent poor man will condemn him.Σοφὸς παρʼ ἑαυτῷ ἀνὴρ πλούσιος, πένης δὲ νοήμων καταγνώσεται αὐτοῦ.

12By reason of the help of righteous men great glory arises: but in the places of the ungodly men are caught.Διὰ βοήθειαν δικαίων πολλὴ γίνεται δόξα, ἐν δὲ τόποις ἀσεβῶν ἁλίσκονται ἄνθρωποι.

13He that covers his own ungodliness shall not prosper: but he that blames himself shall be loved.Ὁ ἐπικαλύπτων ἀσέβειαν ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εὐοδωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἐξηγούμενος ἐλέγχους ἀγαπηθήσεται.

14Blessed is the man who religiously fears § always: but the hard of heart shall fall into mischiefs.Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς καταπτήσσει πάντα διʼ εὐλάβειαν, ὁ δὲ σκληρὸς τὴν καρδίαν ἐμπεσεῖται κακοῖς.

15A hungry lion and a thirsty wolf is he, who, being poor, rules over a poor nation.Λέων πεινῶν καὶ λύκος διψῶν, ὃς τυραννεῖ, πτωχὸς ὢν, ἔθνους πενιχροῦ.

16A king in need of revenues is a great oppressor: but he that hates injustice shall live a long time.Βασιλεὺς ἐνδεὴς προσόδων μέγας συκοφάντης, ὁ δὲ μισῶν ἀδικίαν μακρὸν χρόνον ζήσεται.

17He that becomes surety for a man charged with murder shall be an exile, and not in safety. Chasten your son, and he shall love you, and give honor to your soul: he shall not obey a sinful nation.Ἄνδρα τὸν ἐν αἰτίᾳ φόνου ὁ ἐγγυώμενος, φυγὰς ἔσται καὶ οὐκ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ·

17aπαίδευε υἱὸν καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε, καὶ δώσει κόσμον τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ, οὐ μὴ ὑπακούσει ἔθνει παρανόμῳ.

18He that walks justly is assisted: but he that walks in crooked ways shall be entangled therein.Ὁ πορευόμενος δικαίως βεβοήθηται, ὁ δὲ σκολιαῖς ὁδοῖς πορευόμενος ἐμπλακήσεται.

19He that tills his own land shall be satisfied with ** bread: but he that follows idleness shall have plenty of poverty.Ὁ ἐργαζόμενος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γῆν πλησθήσεται ἄρτων, ὁ δὲ διώκων σχολὴν πλησθήσεται πενίας.

20A man worthy of credit shall be much blessed: but the wicked shall not be unpunished.Ἀνὴρ ἀξιόπιστος πολλὰ εὐλογηθήσεται, ὁ δὲ κακὸς οὐκ ἀτιμώρητος ἔσται.

21He that reverences not the persons of the just is not good: such a one will sell a man for a morsel of bread.Ὃς οὐκ αἰσχύνεται πρόσωπα δικαίων, οὐκ ἀγαθὸς, ὁ τοιοῦτος ψωμοῦ ἄρτου ἀποδώσεται ἄνδρα.

22An envious man makes haste to be rich, and knows not that the merciful man will have the mastery over him.Σπεύδει πλουτεῖν ἀνὴρ βάσκανος, καὶ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι ἐλεήμων κρατήσει αὐτοῦ.

23He that reproves a man's ways shall have more favor than he that flatters with the tongue.Ὁ ἐλέγχων ἀνθρώπου ὁδοὺς, χάριτας ἕξει μᾶλλον τοῦ γλωσσοχαριτοῦντος.

24†† He that casts off father or mother, and thinks he sins not; the same is partaker with an ungodly man.Ὃς ἀποβάλλεται πατέρα ἢ μητέρα, καὶ δοκεῖ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν, οὗτος κοινωνός ἐστιν ἀνδρὸς ἀσεβοῦς.

25An unbelieving man judges rashly: but he that trusts in the Lord will act carefully.Ἄπιστος ἀνὴρ κρίνει εἰκῆ, ὃς δὲ πέποιθεν ἐπὶ Κύριον ἐν ἐπιμελείᾳ ἔσται.

26He that trusts to a bold heart, such an one is a fool: but he that walks in wisdom shall be safe.Ὃς πέποιθε θρασείᾳ καρδίᾳ, ὁ τοιοῦτος ἄφρων, ὃς δὲ πορεύεται σοφίᾳ σωθήσεται.

27He that gives to the poor shall not be in lack: but he that turns away his eye from him shall be in great distress.Ὃς δίδωσι πτωχοῖς οὐκ ἐνδεηθήσεται, ὃς δὲ ἀποστρέφει τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν πολλῇ ἀπορίᾳ ἔσται.

28In the places of ungodly men the righteous ‡‡ mourn: but in their destruction the righteous shall be multiplied.Ἐν τόποις ἀσεβῶν στένουσι δίκαιοι, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐκείνων ἀπωλείᾳ πληθυνθήσονται δίκαιοι.

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. 2*Gr. quench.
• v. 5†Gr. in everything.
• v. 9‡Or, abhorred his prayer.
• v. 14§Gr. all things.
• v. 19**Gr. plural.
• v. 24††Mark 7:11.
• v. 28‡‡Gr. groan.