Παροιμίαι 28
1 φεύγει ἀσεβὴς μηδενὸς διώκοντος δίκαιος δὲ ὥσπερ λέων πέποιθεν
The wicked run away even when no one is chasing them, but the good have the trusting boldness of lions.
2 δῑ ἁμαρτίας ἀσεβῶν κρίσεις ἐγείρονται ἀνὴρ δὲ πανοῦργος κατασβέσει αὐτάς
When a country is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but a ruler who is wise and knowledgeable provides strength and continuity.
3 ἀνδρεῖος ἐν ἀσεβείαις συκοφαντεῖ πτωχούς ὥσπερ ὑετὸς λάβρος καὶ ἀνωφελής
When someone poor oppresses the poor, it's like heavy rain that beats down the crops.
4 οὕτως οἱ ἐγκαταλείποντες τὸν νόμον ἐγκωμιάζουσιν ἀσέβειαν οἱ δὲ ἀγαπῶντες τὸν νόμον περιβάλλουσιν ἑαυτοῖς τεῖχος
People who reject the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law fight against them.
5 ἄνδρες κακοὶ οὐ νοήσουσιν κρίμα οἱ δὲ ζητοῦντες τὸν κύριον συνήσουσιν ἐν παντί
Evil people understand nothing about justice, but those who follow the Lord understand it completely.
6 κρείσσων πτωχὸς πορευόμενος ἐν ἀληθείᾳ πλουσίου ψευδοῦς
Better to be poor and have integrity than to be devious and rich.
7 φυλάσσει νόμον υἱὸς συνετός ὃς δὲ ποιμαίνει ἀσωτίαν ἀτιμάζει πατέρα
If you keep the law, you're a wise son, but if you keep bad company you shame your father.
8 ὁ πληθύνων τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτοῦ μετὰ τόκων καὶ πλεονασμῶν τῷ ἐλεῶντι πτωχοὺς συνάγει αὐτόν
Anyone who gets rich through charging interest and profiteering is only storing it up for someone who is kind to the poor.
9 ὁ ἐκκλίνων τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὴ εἰσακοῦσαι νόμου καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν προσευχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐβδέλυκται
God hates the prayers of people who disregard the law.
10 ὃς πλανᾷ εὐθεῖς ἐν ὁδῷ κακῇ εἰς διαφθορὰν αὐτὸς ἐμπεσεῖται οἱ δὲ ἄνομοι διελεύσονται ἀγαθὰ καὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς αὐτά
Those who lead good people astray into evil ways will fall into their own traps, but the innocent will receive a good reward.
11 σοφὸς παρ’ ἑαυτῷ ἀνὴρ πλούσιος πένης δὲ νοήμων καταγνώσεται αὐτοῦ
The rich see themselves as wise, but poor people with insight see right through them.
12 διὰ βοήθειαν δικαίων πολλὴ γίνεται δόξα ἐν δὲ τόποις ἀσεβῶν ἁλίσκονται ἄνθρωποι
When good people win, everyone celebrates, but when the wicked come to power, people hide.
13 ὁ ἐπικαλύπτων ἀσέβειαν ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εὐοδωθήσεται ὁ δὲ ἐξηγούμενος ἐλέγχους ἀγαπηθήσεται
People who hide their sins won't succeed, but those who confess and renounce their sins will be shown kindness.
14 μακάριος ἀνήρ ὃς καταπτήσσει πάντα δῑ εὐλάβειαν ὁ δὲ σκληρὸς τὴν καρδίαν ἐμπεσεῖται κακοῖς
Blessed are those who always respect the Lord, but those who are stubborn end up in a lot of trouble.
15 λέων πεινῶν καὶ λύκος διψῶν ὃς τυραννεῖ πτωχὸς ὢν ἔθνους πενιχροῦ
A wicked ruler lording it over poor people is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.
16 βασιλεὺς ἐνδεὴς προσόδων μέγας συκοφάντης ὁ δὲ μισῶν ἀδικίαν μακρὸν χρόνον ζήσεται
An unwise ruler thoroughly extorts his people, but one who refuses to profit illegally will live long.
17 ἄνδρα τὸν ἐν αἰτίᾳ φόνου ὁ ἐγγυώμενος φυγὰς ἔσται καὶ οὐκ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ παίδευε υἱόν καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε καὶ δώσει κόσμον τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ οὐ μὴ ὑπακούσῃς ἔθνει παρανόμῳ
Someone guilty of murder will go on running away from it until they die. Don't try and stop them.
18 ὁ πορευόμενος δικαίως βεβοήθηται ὁ δὲ σκολιαῖς ὁδοῖς πορευόμενος ἐμπλακήσεται
If you have integrity, you'll be kept safe, but if you live deviously, you'll fall.
19 ὁ ἐργαζόμενος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γῆν πλησθήσεται ἄρτων ὁ δὲ διώκων σχολὴν πλησθήσεται πενίας
If you cultivate the land you'll have plenty of food, but if you chase fantasies you'll end up with nothing.
20 ἀνὴρ ἀξιόπιστος πολλὰ εὐλογηθήσεται ὁ δὲ κακὸς οὐκ ἀτιμώρητος ἔσται
If you're trustworthy, you'll be richly rewarded; but if you try to get rich quick, you won't go unpunished.
21 ὃς οὐκ αἰσχύνεται πρόσωπα δικαίων οὐκ ἀγαθός ὁ τοιοῦτος ψωμοῦ ἄρτου ἀποδώσεται ἄνδρα
Showing favoritism isn't good, but some people will do wrong just for a piece of bread.
22 σπεύδει πλουτεῖν ἀνὴρ βάσκανος καὶ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι ἐλεήμων κρατήσει αὐτοῦ
Envious people are in a rush to get rich; they don't realize they'll end up poor.
23 ὁ ἐλέγχων ἀνθρώπου ὁδοὺς χάριτας ἕξει μᾶλλον τοῦ γλωσσοχαριτοῦντος
Honest criticism is appreciated later far more than flattery.
24 ὃς ἀποβάλλεται πατέρα ἢ μητέρα καὶ δοκεῖ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν οὗτος κοινωνός ἐστιν ἀνδρὸς ἀσεβοῦς
A man who robs his father and mother, and says, “It's not a crime,” is one step away from becoming a murderer.
25 ἄπληστος ἀνὴρ κρίνει εἰκῇ ὃς δὲ πέποιθεν ἐπὶ κύριον ἐν ἐπιμελείᾳ ἔσται
Greedy people stir up trouble, but those who trust in the Lord will be successful.
26 ὃς πέποιθεν θρασείᾳ καρδίᾳ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἄφρων ὃς δὲ πορεύεται σοφίᾳ σωθήσεται
People who trust their own minds are foolish, but those who follow wise ways will be kept safe.
27 ὃς δίδωσιν πτωχοῖς οὐκ ἐνδεηθήσεται ὃς δὲ ἀποστρέφει τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν πολλῇ ἀπορίᾳ ἔσται
If you give to the poor, you won't be in need; but if you look the other way, you'll have many curses.
28 ἐν τόποις ἀσεβῶν στένουσι δίκαιοι ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐκείνων ἀπωλείᾳ πληθυνθήσονται δίκαιοι
When the wicked come to power, people hide; but when they fall, the good do well.
