Παροιμίαι 25
1 αὗται αἱ παιδεῖαι σαλωμῶντος αἱ ἀδιάκριτοι ἃς ἐξεγράψαντο οἱ φίλοι Εζεκιου τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς Ιουδαίας
These [are] also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 δόξα θεοῦ κρύπτει λόγον δόξα δὲ βασιλέως τιμᾷ πράγματα
[It is] the glory 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
The heaven for hight, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [is] unsearchable.
4 τύπτε ἀδόκιμον ἀργύριον καὶ καθαρισθήσεται καθαρὸν ἅπαν
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 κτεῖνε ἀσεβεῖς ἐκ προσώπου βασιλέως καὶ κατορθώσει ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ
Take away the wicked [from] before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 μὴ ἀλαζονεύου ἐνώπιον βασιλέως μηδὲ ἐν τόποις δυναστῶν ὑφίστασο
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in 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 to thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thy eyes have seen.
8 μὴ πρόσπιπτε εἰς μάχην ταχέως ἵνα μὴ μεταμεληθῇς ἐπ’ ἐσχάτων ἡνίκα ἄν σε ὀνειδίσῃ ὁ σὸς φίλος
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
9 ἀναχώρει εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω μὴ καταφρόνει
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor [himself]; and reveal not a secret to 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 turn not away.
11 μῆλον χρυσοῦν ἐν ὁρμίσκῳ σαρδίου οὕτως εἰπεῖν λόγον
A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 εἰς ἐνώτιον χρυσοῦν σάρδιον πολυτελὲς δέδεται λόγος σοφὸς εἰς εὐήκοον οὖς
[As] an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [so is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
13 ὥσπερ ἔξοδος χιόνος ἐν ἀμήτῳ κατὰ καῦμα ὠφελεῖ οὕτως ἄγγελος πιστὸς τοὺς ἀποστείλαντας αὐτόν ψυχὰς γὰρ τῶν αὐτῷ χρωμένων ὠφελεῖ
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, [so is] a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 ὥσπερ ἄνεμοι καὶ νέφη καὶ ὑετοὶ ἐπιφανέστατοι οὕτως οἱ καυχώμενοι ἐπὶ δόσει ψευδεῖ
Whoever boasteth himself of a false gift [is like] clouds and wind without rain.
15 ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ εὐοδία βασιλεῦσιν γλῶσσα δὲ μαλακὴ συντρίβει ὀστᾶ
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 μέλι εὑρὼν φάγε τὸ ἱκανόν μήποτε πλησθεὶς ἐξεμέσῃς
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled with it, and vomit it.
17 σπάνιον εἴσαγε σὸν πόδα πρὸς τὸν σεαυτοῦ φίλον μήποτε πλησθείς σου μισήσῃ σε
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor's house; lest he be weary of thee, and [so] hate thee.
18 ῥόπαλον καὶ μάχαιρα καὶ τόξευμα ἀκιδωτόν οὕτως καὶ ἀνὴρ ὁ καταμαρτυρῶν τοῦ φίλου αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor [is] a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 ὀδοὺς κακοῦ καὶ ποὺς παρανόμου ὀλεῖται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
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 away a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre; so [is] he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21 ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου τρέφε αὐτόν ἐὰν διψᾷ πότιζε αὐτόν
If thy enemy shall hunger, give him bread to eat; and if he shall thirst, give him water to drink:
22 τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ὁ δὲ κύριος ἀνταποδώσει σοι ἀγαθά
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward thee.
23 ἄνεμος βορέας ἐξεγείρει νέφη πρόσωπον δὲ ἀναιδὲς γλῶσσαν ἐρεθίζει
The north wind driveth away rain: so [doth] an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 κρεῖττον οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας δώματος ἢ μετὰ γυναικὸς λοιδόρου ἐν οἰκίᾳ κοινῇ
[It is] better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 ὥσπερ ὕδωρ ψυχρὸν ψυχῇ διψώσῃ προσηνές οὕτως ἀγγελία ἀγαθὴ ἐκ γῆς μακρόθεν
[As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, so [is] good news from a far country.
26 ὥσπερ εἴ τις πηγὴν φράσσοι καὶ ὕδατος ἔξοδον λυμαίνοιτο οὕτως ἄκοσμον δίκαιον πεπτωκέναι ἐνώπιον ἀσεβοῦς
A righteous man falling down before the wicked [is as] a turbid fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 ἐσθίειν μέλι πολὺ οὐ καλόν τιμᾶν δὲ χρὴ λόγους ἐνδόξους
[It is] not good to eat much honey: so [for men] to search their own glory [is not] glory.
28 ὥσπερ πόλις τὰ τείχη καταβεβλημένη καὶ ἀτείχιστος οὕτως ἀνὴρ ὃς οὐ μετὰ βουλῆς τι πράσσει
He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.
