Proverbs 9
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Proverbs chapter 9 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 (3) follow the text. Related material may be found among the Church Fathers and the theology tables.
Proverbs 9
1Wisdom has built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars.Ἡ σοφία ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον, καὶ ὑπήρεισε στύλους ἑπτά.
2She has killed her beasts; she has mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table.Ἔσφαξε τὰ ἑαυτῆς θύματα, ἐκέρασεν εἰς κρατῆρα τὸν ἑαυτῆς οἶνον, καὶ ἡτοιμάσατο τὴν ἑαυτῆς τράπεζαν.
3She has sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying,Ἀπέστειλε τοὺς ἑαυτῆς δούλους, συγκαλοῦσα μετὰ ὑψηλοῦ κηρύγματος ἐπὶ κρατῆρα, λέγουσα,
4Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: and to them that lack understanding she says,Ὅς ἐστιν ἄφρων, ἐκκλινάτω πρὸς μέ· καὶ τοῖς ἐνδεέσι φρενῶν εἶπεν,
5Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you.ἔλθατε, φάγετε τῶν ἐμῶν ἄρτων, καὶ πίετε οἶνον ὃν ἐκέρασα ὑμῖν.
6Leave folly, that you may reign for ever; and seek * wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.Ἀπολείπετε ἀφροσύνην, ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε· καὶ ζητήσατε φρόνησιν, καὶ κατορθώσατε ἐν γνώσει σύνεσιν.
7He that reproves evil men shall get dishonor to himself; and he that rebukes an ungodly man shall disgrace himself.Ὁ παιδεύων κακοὺς λήψεται ἑαυτῷ ἀτιμίαν· ἐλέγχων δὲ τὸν ἀσεβῆ μωμήσεται ἑαυτόν.
8Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate you: rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.Μὴ ἔλεγχε κακοὺς, ἵνα μὴ μισήσωσί σε· ἔλεγχε σοφὸν, καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε.
9Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction.Δίδου σοφῷ ἀφορμὴν, καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται· γνώριζε δικαίῳ, καὶ προσθήσει τοῦ δέχεσθαι.
10The fear of the Lord is the † beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: for to know the law is the character of a sound mind.Ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου, καὶ βουλὴ ἁγίων σύνεσις·
10aτὸ γὰρ γνῶναι νόμον, διανοίας ἐστὶν ἀγαθῆς.
11For in this way you shall live long, and years of your life shall be added to you.Τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ τρόπῳ πολὺν ζήσεις χρόνον, καὶ προστεθήσεταί σοι ἔτη ζωῆς σου.
12Son, if you be wise for yourself, you shall also be wise for your neighbors; and if you should prove wicked, you alone will bear the evil. ‡ He that stays himself upon falsehoods, attempts to rule the winds, and the same will pursue birds in their fight: for he has forsaken the ways of his own vineyard, and he has caused the axles of his own husbandry to go astray; and he goes through a dry desert, and a land appointed to drought, and he gathers barrenness with his hands.Υἱὲ ἐὰν σοφὸς γένῃ σεαυτῷ, σοφὸς ἔσῃ καὶ τοῖς πλησίον· ἐὰν δὲ κακὸς ἀποβῇς, μόνος ἂν ἀντλήσεις κακά·
12aὃς ἐρείδεται ἐπὶ ψεύδεσιν, οὗτος ποιμαίνει ἀνέμους, ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς διώξεται ὄρνεα πετόμενα·
12bἀπέλιπε γὰρ ὁδοὺς τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ ἀμπελῶνος, τοὺς δὲ ἄξονας τοῦ ἰδίου γεωργίου πεπλάνηται·
12cδιαπορεύεται δὲ διʼ ἀνύδρου ἐρήμου, καὶ γῆν διατεταγμένην ἐν διψώδεσι, συνάγει δὲ χερσὶν ἀκαρπίαν.
13A foolish and bold woman, who knows not modesty, comes to lack a morsel.Γυνὴ ἄφρων καὶ θρασεῖα ἐνδεὴς ψωμοῦ γίνεται, ἣ οὐκ ἐπίσταται αἰσχύνην.
14She sits at the doors of her house, on a seat openly in the streets,Ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ θύραις τοῦ ἑαυτῆς οἴκου, ἐπὶ δίφρου ἐμφανῶς ἐν πλατείαις,
15calling to passers by, and to those that are going right on their ways;προσκαλουμένη τοὺς παριόντας καὶ κατευθύνοντας ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν·
16saying, Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those that lack prudence, saying,Ὅς ἐστιν ὑμῶν ἀφρονέστατος, ἐκκλινάτω πρὸς μέ· καὶ τοῖς ἐνδεέσι φρονήσεως παρακελεύομαι, λέγουσα,
17Take and enjoy secret bread, and the sweet water of theft.ἄρτων κρυφίων ἡδέως ἅψασθε, καὶ ὕδατος κλοπῆς γλυκεροῦ.
18But he knows that mighty men die by her, and he falls in with a snare of hell. But hasten away, delay not in the place, neither fix your eye upon her: for thus shall you go through strange water; but do you abstain from strange water, and drink not of a strange fountain, that you may live long, and years of life may be added to you.Ὁ δὲ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι γηγενεῖς παρʼ αὐτῇ ὄλλυνται, καὶ ἐπὶ πέταυρον ᾅδου συναντᾷ·
18aἀλλὰ ἀποπήδησον, μὴ χρονίσῃς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, μηδὲ ἐπιστήσῃς τὸ σὸν ὄμμα πρὸς αὐτὴν,
18bοὕτως γὰρ διαβήσῃ ὕδωρ ἀλλότριον·
18cἀπὸ δὲ ὕδατος ἀλλοτρίου ἀπόσχου, καὶ ἀπὸ πηγῆς ἀλλοτρίας μὴ πίῃς
18dἵνα πολὺν ζησῃς χρόνον, προστεθῇ δέ σοι ἔτη ζωῆς.
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. 6*Alex. + 'that you may live.'
- v. 10†Or, summit.
- v. 12‡Heb. — to beginning of verse 13.