Proverbs 23

If thou sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before thee:

ΕΑΝ καθίσῃς δειπνεῖν ἐπὶ τραπέζης δυναστῶν, νοητῶς νόει τὰ παρατιθέμενά σοι

and apply thine hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such [meats]: but if thou art very insatiable,

καὶ ἐπίβαλλε τὴν χεῖρά σου, εἰδὼς ὅτι τοιαῦτά σε δεῖ παρασκευάσαι· εἰ δὲ ἀπληστότερος εἶ,

desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.

μὴ ἐπιθύμει τῶν ἐδεσμάτων αὐτοῦ, ταῦτα γὰρ ἔχεται ζωῆς ψευδοῦς.

If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in thy wisdom.

μὴ παρεκτείνου πένης ὢν πλουσίῳ, τῇ δὲ σῇ ἐννοίᾳ ἀπόσχου.

If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle’s are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.

ἐὰν ἐπιστήσῃς τὸ σὸν ὄμμα πρὸς αὐτόν, οὐδαμοῦ φανεῖται· κατεσκεύασται γὰρ αὐτῷ πτέρυγες ὥσπερ ἀετοῦ, καὶ ὑποστρέφει εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ προεστηκότος αὐτοῦ.

Sup not with an envious man, neither desire thou his meats:

μὴ συνδείπνει ἀνδρὶ βασκάνῳ, μηδὲ ἐπιθύμει τῶν βρωμάτων αὐτοῦ·

so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him:

ὃν τρόπον γὰρ εἴ τις καταπίοι τρίχα, οὕτως ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει.

for he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair words.

μηδὲ πρός σε εἰσαγάγῃς αὐτὸν καὶ φάγῃς τὸν ψωμόν σου μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ἐξεμέσει γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ λυμανεῖται τοὺς λόγους σου τοὺς καλούς.

Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at thy wise words.

εἰς ὦτα ἄφρονος μηδὲν λέγε, μήποτε μυκτηρίσῃ τοὺς συνετοὺς λόγους σου.

Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:

μὴ μεταθῇς ὅρια αἰώνια, εἰς δὲ κτῆμα ὀρφανῶν μὴ εἰσέλθῃς·

for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with thee.

ὁ γὰρ λυτρούμενος αὐτοὺς Κύριος κραταιός ἐστι καὶ κρινεῖ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτῶν μετὰ σοῦ.

Apply thine heart to instruction, and prepare thine ears for words of discretion.

δὸς εἰς παιδείαν τὴν καρδίαν σου, τὰ δὲ ὦτά σου ἑτοίμασον λόγοις αἰσθήσεως.

Refrain not from chastening a child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die.

μὴ ἀπόσχῃ νήπιον παιδεύειν, ὅτι ἐὰν πατάξῃς αὐτὸν ῥάβδῳ, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ·

For thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from death.

σὺ μὲν γὰρ πατάξεις αὐτὸν ράβδῳ, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου ρύσῃ.

Son, if thy heart be wise, thou shalt also gladden my heart;

υἱέ, ἐὰν σοφὴ γένηταί σου ἡ καρδία, εὐφρανεῖς καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν καρδίαν,

and thy lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.

καὶ ἐνδιατρίψει λόγοις τὰ σὰ χείλη πρὸς τὰ ἐμὰ χείλη, ἐὰν ὀρθὰ ὦσι.

Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day.

μὴ ζηλούτω ἡ καρδία σου ἁμαρτωλούς, ἀλλὰ ἐν φόβῳ Κυρίου ἴσθι ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν·

For if thou shouldest keep these things, thou shalt have posterity; and thine hope shall not be removed.

ἐὰν γὰρ τηρήσῃς αὐτά, ἔσται σοι ἔκγονα, ἡ δὲ ἐλπίς σου οὐκ ἀποστήσεται.

Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of thine heart.

ἄκουε, υἱέ, καὶ σοφὸς γίνου, καὶ κατεύθυνε ἐννοίας σῆς καρδίας·

Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:

μὴ ἴσθι οἰνοπότης, μηδὲ ἐκτείνου συμβουλαῖς κρεῶν τε ἀγορασμοῖς·

for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.

πᾶς γὰρ μέθυσος καὶ πορνοκόπος πτωχεύσει, καὶ ἐνδύσεται διερρηγμένα καὶ ρακώδη πᾶς ὑπνώδης.

Hearken, [my] son, to thy father which begot thee, and despise not [thy mother] because she is grown old.

ἄκουε, υἱέ, πατρὸς τοῦ γεννήσαντός σε καὶ μὴ καταφρόνει ὅτι γεγήρακέ σου ἡ μήτηρ.

Acquire truth, and you should not thrust away wisdom and instruction and understanding.

ἀλήθειαν κτῆσαι καὶ μὴ ἀπώσῃ σοφίαν καὶ παιδείαν καὶ σύνεσιν.

A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.

καλῶς ἐκτρέφει πατὴρ δίκαιος, ἐπὶ δὲ υἱῷ σοφῷ εὐφραίνεται ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ.

Let thy father and thy mother rejoice over thee, and let her that bore thee be glad.

εὐφραινέσθω ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ ἐπὶ σοί, καὶ χαιρέτω ἡ τεκοῦσά σε.

[My] son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

δός μοι, υἱέ, σὴν καρδίαν, οἱ δὲ σοὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἐμὰς ὁδοὺς τηρείτωσαν·

For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.

πίθος γὰρ τετρημένος ἐστὶν ἀλλότριος οἶκος, καὶ φρέαρ στενὸν ἀλλότριον·

For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.

οὗτος γὰρ συντόμως ἀπολεῖται, καὶ πᾶς παράνομος ἀναλωθήσεται.

Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?

τίνι οὐαί; τίνι θόρυβος; τίνι κρίσεις; τίνι δὲ ἀηδίαι καὶ λέσχαι; τίνι συντρίμματα διακενῆς; τίνος πελιδνοὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοί;

Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are?

οὐ τῶν ἐγχρονιζόντων ἐν οἴνοις; οὐ τῶν ἰχνευόντων ποῦ πότοι γίνονται;

Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly. For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle.

μὴ μεθύσκεσθε ἐν οἴνοις, ἀλλὰ ὁμιλεῖτε ἀνθρώποις δικαίοις καὶ ὁμιλεῖτε ἐν περιπάτοις· ἐὰν γὰρ εἰς τὰς φιάλας καὶ τὰ ποτήρια δῷς τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, ὕστερον περιπατήσεις γυμνότερος ὑπέρου.

But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one smitten by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.

τὸ δὲ ἔσχατον ὥσπερ ὑπὸ ὄφεως πεπληγὼς ἐκτείνεται, καὶ ὥσπερ ὑπὸ κεράστου διαχεῖται αὐτῷ ὁ ἰός.

Whenever thine eyes shall behold a strange woman, then thy mouth shall speak perverse things.

οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου ὅταν ἴδωσιν ἀλλοτρίαν, τὸ στόμα σου τότε λαλήσει σκολιά,

And thou shalt lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.

καὶ κατακείσῃ ὥσπερ ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης καὶ ὥσπερ κυβερνήτης ἐν πολλῷ κλύδωνι.

And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?

ἐρεῖς δέ· τύπτουσί με καὶ οὐκ ἐπόνεσα, καὶ ἐνέπαιξάν μοι, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ᾔδειν· πότε ὄρθρος ἔσται, ἵνα ἐλθὼν ζητήσω μεθ᾿ ὧν συνελεύσομαι;