Παροιμίαι 25
1 αὗται αἱ παιδεῖαι σαλωμῶντος αἱ ἀδιάκριτοι ἃς ἐξεγράψαντο οἱ φίλοι Εζεκιου τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς Ιουδαίας
Also these are the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah the king of Judah have collected.
2 δόξα θεοῦ κρύπτει λόγον δόξα δὲ βασιλέως τιμᾷ πράγματα
It is the honor of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
3 οὐρανὸς ὑψηλός γῆ δὲ βαθεῖα καρδία δὲ βασιλέως ἀνεξέλεγκτος
As are the heavens for height, and the earth is for depth, so should the heart of kings be unsearchable.
4 τύπτε ἀδόκιμον ἀργύριον καὶ καθαρισθήσεται καθαρὸν ἅπαν
Take away the dross from the silver, and there will come forth a vessel for the melter.
5 κτεῖνε ἀσεβεῖς ἐκ προσώπου βασιλέως καὶ κατορθώσει ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be firmly established in righteousness.
6 μὴ ἀλαζονεύου ἐνώπιον βασιλέως μηδὲ ἐν τόποις δυναστῶν ὑφίστασο
Do not glorify thyself in the presence of the king, and force thyself not into the place of great men;
7 κρεῖσσον γάρ σοι τὸ ῥηθῆναι ἀνάβαινε πρός με ἢ ταπεινῶσαί σε ἐν προσώπῳ δυνάστου ἃ εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου λέγε
For better it is that it be said unto thee, “Come up hither,” than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince, which thy own eyes have [often] seen.
8 μὴ πρόσπιπτε εἰς μάχην ταχέως ἵνα μὴ μεταμεληθῇς ἐπ’ ἐσχάτων ἡνίκα ἄν σε ὀνειδίσῃ ὁ σὸς φίλος
Do not proceed to a contest hastily, lest [thou know not] what thou wilt have to do at its end, when thy neighbor hath put thee to confusion.
9 ἀναχώρει εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω μὴ καταφρόνει
Carry on thy cause with thy neighbor; but lay not open the secret of another:
10 μή σε ὀνειδίσῃ μὲν ὁ φίλος ἡ δὲ μάχη σου καὶ ἡ ἔχθρα οὐκ ἀπέσται ἀλλ’ ἔσται σοι ἴση θανάτῳ χάρις καὶ φιλία ἐλευθεροῖ ἃς τήρησον σεαυτῷ ἵνα μὴ ἐπονείδιστος γένῃ ἀλλὰ φύλαξον τὰς ὁδούς σου εὐσυναλλάκτως
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thy infamy never be removed.
11 μῆλον χρυσοῦν ἐν ὁρμίσκῳ σαρδίου οὕτως εἰπεῖν λόγον
Like apples of gold among figures of silver is a word spoken in a proper manner.
12 εἰς ἐνώτιον χρυσοῦν σάρδιον πολυτελὲς δέδεται λόγος σοφὸς εἰς εὐήκοον οὖς
As an earring of gold, and a pendant of fine gold, so is a wise reprover toward an ear that listeneth.
13 ὥσπερ ἔξοδος χιόνος ἐν ἀμήτῳ κατὰ καῦμα ὠφελεῖ οὕτως ἄγγελος πιστὸς τοὺς ἀποστείλαντας αὐτόν ψυχὰς γὰρ τῶν αὐτῷ χρωμένων ὠφελεῖ
As the cooling of snow on a harvest-day, so is a faithful messenger to those that send him; for he refresheth the soul of his master.
14 ὥσπερ ἄνεμοι καὶ νέφη καὶ ὑετοὶ ἐπιφανέστατοι οὕτως οἱ καυχώμενοι ἐπὶ δόσει ψευδεῖ
Like clouds and wind without rain, so is a man that vaunteth falsely of a gift.
15 ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ εὐοδία βασιλεῦσιν γλῶσσα δὲ μαλακὴ συντρίβει ὀστᾶ
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 μέλι εὑρὼν φάγε τὸ ἱκανόν μήποτε πλησθεὶς ἐξεμέσῃς
Hast thou found honey: eat so much as is sufficient for thee: lest thou consume too much of it, and have to vomit it forth.
17 σπάνιον εἴσαγε σὸν πόδα πρὸς τὸν σεαυτοῦ φίλον μήποτε πλησθείς σου μισήσῃ σε
Make thy foot scarce in the house of thy friend: lest he have too much of thee, and so hate thee.
18 ῥόπαλον καὶ μάχαιρα καὶ τόξευμα ἀκιδωτόν οὕτως καὶ ἀνὴρ ὁ καταμαρτυρῶν τοῦ φίλου αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ
A battle-axe, and a sword, and a sharpened arrow is a man that testifieth as a false witness against his neighbor.
19 ὀδοὺς κακοῦ καὶ ποὺς παρανόμου ὀλεῖται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ
Like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint, is confidence in a treacherous man in a time of distress.
20 ὥσπερ ὄξος ἕλκει ἀσύμφορον οὕτως προσπεσὸν πάθος ἐν σώματι καρδίαν λυπεῖ ὥσπερ σὴς ἱματίῳ καὶ σκώληξ ξύλῳ οὕτως λύπη ἀνδρὸς βλάπτει καρδίαν
[As] he that taketh off his garment on a cold day, [as] vinegar is upon natron: so is he that singeth songs before an unhappy heart.
21 ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου τρέφε αὐτόν ἐὰν διψᾷ πότιζε αὐτόν
If thy enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ὁ δὲ κύριος ἀνταποδώσει σοι ἀγαθά
For though thou gatherest coals of fire upon his head, yet will the Lord repay it unto thee.
23 ἄνεμος βορέας ἐξεγείρει νέφη πρόσωπον δὲ ἀναιδὲς γλῶσσαν ἐρεθίζει
The north wind bringeth forth rain: so doth secret talking, angry countenances.
24 κρεῖττον οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας δώματος ἢ μετὰ γυναικὸς λοιδόρου ἐν οἰκίᾳ κοινῇ
It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof, than with a quarrelsome woman even in a roomy house.
25 ὥσπερ ὕδωρ ψυχρὸν ψυχῇ διψώσῃ προσηνές οὕτως ἀγγελία ἀγαθὴ ἐκ γῆς μακρόθεν
As cold water is to a fainting soul, so are good news from a far-off country.
26 ὥσπερ εἴ τις πηγὴν φράσσοι καὶ ὕδατος ἔξοδον λυμαίνοιτο οὕτως ἄκοσμον δίκαιον πεπτωκέναι ἐνώπιον ἀσεβοῦς
Like a turbid spring and a corrupt fountain, is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
27 ἐσθίειν μέλι πολὺ οὐ καλόν τιμᾶν δὲ χρὴ λόγους ἐνδόξους
To eat too much honey is not good: so is it honor to set a limit to men's honor.
28 ὥσπερ πόλις τὰ τείχη καταβεβλημένη καὶ ἀτείχιστος οὕτως ἀνὴρ ὃς οὐ μετὰ βουλῆς τι πράσσει
Like a city that is broken in, and is without walls: so is the man that hath no control over his spirit.
