Proverbs 27
Boast not of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what the next day shall bring forth.
ΜΗ καυχῶ τὰ εἰς αὔριον, οὐ γὰρ γινώσκεις τί τέξεται ἡ ἐπιοῦσα.
Let thy neighbour, and not thine own mouth, praise thee; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
ἐγκωμιαζέτω σε ὁ πέλας καὶ μὴ τὸ σὸν στόμα, ἀλλότριος καὶ μὴ τὰ σὰ χείλη.
A stone is heavy, and sand cumbersome; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than both.
βαρὺ λίθος καὶ δυσβάστακτον ἄμμος, ὀργὴ δὲ ἄφρονος βαρυτέρα ἀμφοτέρων.
Wrath is merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.
ἀνελεήμων θυμὸς καὶ ὀξεῖα ὀργή, ἀλλ᾿ οὐδένα ὑφίσταται ζῆλος.
The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
ἀξιοπιστόστερά εἰσι τραύματα φίλου ἢ ἐκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ.
A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear sweet.
ψυχὴ ἐν πλησμονῇ οὖσα κηρίοις ἐμπαίζει, ψυχῇ δὲ ἐνδεεῖ καὶ τὰ πικρὰ γλυκέα φαίνεται.
As when a bird flies down from its own nest, so a man is brought into bondage whenever he estranges himself from his own place.
ὥσπερ ὅταν ὄρνεον καταπετασθῇ ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας νοσσιᾶς, οὕτως ἄνθρωπος δουλοῦται ὅταν ἀποξενωθῇ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων τόπων.
The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
μύροις καὶ οἴνοις καὶ θυμιάμασι τέρπεται καρδία, καταρρήγνυται δὲ ὑπὸ συμπτωμάτων ψυχή.
Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; and when thou art in distress go not into thy brother’s house: better is a friend [that is] near than a brother living far off.
φίλον σὸν ἢ φίλον πατρῷον μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς, εἰς δὲ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου μὴ εἰσέλθης ἀτυχῶν· κρείσσων φίλος ἐγγὺς ἢ ἀδελφὸς μακρὰν οἰκῶν.
Son, be wise, that thy heart may rejoice; and remove thou from thyself reproachful words.
σοφὸς γίνου, υἱέ, ἵνα σου εὐφραίνηται ἡ καρδία, καὶ ἀπόστρεψον ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐπονειδίστους λόγους.
A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
πανοῦργος κακῶν ἐπερχομένων ἀπεκρύβη, ἄφρονες δὲ ἐπελθόντες ζημίαν τίσουσιν.
Take away the man’s garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another’s goods.
ἀφελοῦ τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ, παρῆλθε γὰρ ὑβριστής, ὅστις τὰ ἀλλότρια λυμαίνεται.
Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [him].
ὃς ἂν εὐλογῇ φίλον τὸ πρωΐ μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ, καταρωμένου οὐδὲν διαφέρειν δόξει.
On a stormy day drops [of rain] drive a man out of his house; so also does a railing woman [drive a man] out of his own house.
σταγόνες ἐκβάλλουσιν ἄνθρωπον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ χειμερινῇ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ, ὡσαύτως καὶ γυνὴ λοίδορος ἐκ τοῦ ἱδίου οἴκου.
The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
Βορέας σκληρὸς ἄνεμος, ὀνόματι δὲ ἐπιδέξιος καλεῖται.
Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
σίδηρος σίδηρον ὀξύνει, ἀνὴρ δὲ παροξύνει πρόσωπον ἑταίρου.
He that plants a fig-tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honoured.
ὃς φυτεύει συκῆν φάγεται τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς, ὃς δὲ φυλάσσει τὸν ἑαυτοῦ κύριον, τιμηθήσεται.
As faces are not like [other] faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.
ὥσπερ οὐκ ὅμοια πρόσωπα προσώποις, οὕτως οὐδὲ αἱ διάνοιαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
Hell and destruction are not filled; so also are the eyes of men insatiable. [[ 20α He that fixes his eye is an abomination to the Lord; and the uninstructed do not restrain their tongue.]]
α βδέλυγμα Κυρίῳ στηρίζων ὀφθαλμόν, καὶ οἱ ἀπαίδευτοι ἀκρατεῖς γλώσσῃ.
Fire is the trial for silver and gold; and a man is tried by the mouth of them that praise him. [[21α The heart of the transgressor seeks after mischiefs; but an upright heart seeks knowledge.]]
α καρδία ἀνόμου ἐκζητεῖ κακά, καρδία δὲ εὐθὴς ἐκζητεῖ γνῶσιν.
Though thou scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, thou wilt [still] in no wise remove his folly from him.
ἐὰν μαστιγοῖς ἄφρονα ἐν μέσῳ συνεδρίου ἀτιμάζων, οὐ μὴ περιέλῃς τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ.
Do thou thoroughly know the number of thy flock, and pay attention to thine herds.
γνωστῶς ἐπιγνώσῃ ψυχὰς ποιμνίου σου καὶ ἐπιστήσεις καρδίαν σου σαῖς ἀγέλαις·
For a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.
ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἀνδρὶ κράτος καὶ ἰσχύς, οὐδὲ παραδίδωσιν ἐκ γενεᾶς εἰς γενεάν.
Take care of the herbage in the field, and thou shalt cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
ἐπιμελοῦ τῶν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ χλωρῶν καὶ κερεῖς πόαν, καὶ σύναγε χόρτον ὀρεινόν,
that thou mayest have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that thou mayest have lambs.
ἵνα ἔχῃς πρόβατα εἰς ἱματισμόν· τίμα πεδίον, ἵνα ὦσί σοι ἄρνες.
[My] son, thou hast from me words very useful for thy life, and for the life of thy servants.
υἱέ, παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἔχεις ῥήσεις ἰσχυρὰς εἰς τὴν ζωήν σου καὶ εἰς τὴν ζωὴν σῶν θεραπόντων.