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THE OLD TESTAMENT SEPTUAGINT GREEK / ENGLISH PROVERBS CHAPTERS 1-10
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ΠΑΡΟΙΜΙΑΙ
ΣΟΛΟΜΩΝΤΟΣ 1 ΠΑΡΟΙΜΙΑΙ Σολομῶντος υἱοῦ Δαυίδ, ὃς ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ, 2 γνῶναι σοφίαν καὶ παιδείαν νοῆσαί τε λόγους φρονήσεως 3 δέξασθαί τε στροφὰς λόγων νοῆσαί τε δικαιοσύνην ἀληθῆ καὶ κρίμα κατευθύνειν, 4 ἵνα δῷ ἀκάκοις πανουργίαν, παιδὶ δὲ νέῳ αἴσθησίν τε καὶ ἔννοιαν· 5 τῶνδε γὰρ ἀκούσας σοφὸς σοφώτερος ἔσται, ὁ δὲ νοήμων κυβέρνησιν κτήσεται. 6 νοήσει τε παραβολὴν καὶ σκοτεινὸν λόγον ρήσεις τε σοφῶν καὶ αἰνίγματα. 7 ᾿Αρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου, σύνεσις δὲ ἀγαθὴ πᾶσι τοῖς ποιοῦσι αὐτήν· εὐσέβεια δὲ εἰς Θεὸν ἀρχὴ αἰσθήσεως, σοφίαν δὲ καὶ παιδείαν ἀσεβεῖς ἐξουθενήσουσιν.
8 ἄκουε, υἱέ, παιδείαν πατρός σου καὶ μὴ ἀπώσῃ θεσμοὺς μητρός σου· 9 στέφανον γὰρ χαρίτων δέξῃ σῇ κορυφῇ καὶ κλοιὸν χρύσεον περὶ σῷ τραχήλῳ. 10 υἱέ, μή σε πλανήσωσιν ἄνδρες ἀσεβεῖς, μηδὲ βουληθῇς, 11 ἐὰν παρακαλέσωσί σε λέγοντες· ἐλθὲ μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, κοινώνησον αἵματος, κρύψωμεν δὲ εἰς γῆν ἄνδρα δίκαιον ἀδίκως, 12 καταπίωμεν δὲ αὐτὸν ὥσπερ ᾅδης ζῶντα καὶ ἄρωμεν αὐτοῦ τὴν μνήμην ἐκ γῆς· 13 τὴν κτῆσιν αὐτοῦ τὴν πολυτελῆ καταλαβώμεθα, πλήσωμεν δὲ οἴκους ἡμετέρους σκύλων· 14 τὸν δὲ σὸν κλῆρον βάλε ἐν ἡμῖν, κοινὸν δὲ βαλάντιον κτησώμεθα πάντες, καὶ μαρσίππιον ἓν γενηθήτω ἡμῖν. 15 μὴ πορευθῆς ἐν ὁδῷ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν, ἔκλινον δὲ τὸν πόδα σου ἐκ τῶν τρίβων αὐτῶν· 16 οἱ γὰρ πόδες αὐτῶν εἰς κακίαν τρέχουσι καὶ ταχινοὶ τοῦ ἐκχέαι αἷμα· 17 οὐ γὰρ ἀδίκως ἐκτείνεται δίκτυα πτερωτοῖς. 18 αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἱ φόνου μετέχοντες θησαυρίζουσιν ἑαυτοῖς κακά, ἡ δὲ καταστροφὴ ἀνδρῶν παρανόμων κακή. 19 αὗται αἱ ὁδοί εἰσι πάντων τῶν συντελούντων τὰ ἄνομα· τῇ γὰρ ἀσεβείᾳ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ψυχὴν ἀφαιροῦνται. 20 Σοφία ἐν ἐξόδοις ὑμνεῖται, ἐν δὲ πλατείαις παρρησίαν ἄγει· 21 ἐπ᾿ ἄκρων τειχέων κηρύσσεται, ἐπὶ δὲ πύλαις δυναστῶν παρεδρεύει, ἐπὶ δὲ πύλαις πόλεως θαρροῦσα λέγει· 22 ὅσον ἂν χρόνον ἄκακοι ἔχωνται τῆς δικαιοσύνης, οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσονται· οἱ δὲ ἄφρονες, τῆς ὕβρεως ὄντες ἐπιθυμηταί, ἀσεβεῖς γενόμενοι ἐμίσησαν αἴσθησιν 23 καὶ ὑπεύθυνοι ἐγένοντο ἐλέγχοις, ἰδοὺ προήσομαι ὑμῖν ἐμῆς πνοῆς ρῆσιν, διδάξω δὲ ὑμᾶς τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον. 24 ἐπειδὴ ἐκάλουν καὶ οὐχ ὑπηκούσατε καὶ ἐξέτεινα λόγους καὶ οὐ προσείχετε, 25 ἀλλὰ ἀκύρους ἐποιεῖτε ἐμᾶς βουλάς, τοῖς δὲ ἐμοῖς ἐλέγχοις οὐ προσείχετε, 26 τοιγαροῦν κἀγὼ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ ἀπωλείᾳ ἐπιγελάσομαι, καταχαροῦμαι δὲ ἡνίκα ἔρχηται ὑμῖν ὄλεθρος, 27 καὶ ὡς ἂν ἀφίκηται ὑμῖν ἄφνω θόρυβος, ἡ δὲ καταστροφὴ ὁμοίως καταιγίδι παρῇ, καὶ ὅταν ἔρχηται ὑμῖν θλῖψις καὶ πολιορκία ἢ ὅταν ἔρχηται ὑμῖν ὄλεθρος. 28 ἔσται γὰρ ὅταν ἐπικαλέσησθέ με, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ εἰσακούσομαι ὑμῶν· ζητήσουσί με κακοί, καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσουσιν· 29 ἐμίσησαν γὰρ σοφίαν, τὸν δὲ λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου οὐ προείλαντο, 30 οὐδὲ ἤθελον ἐμαῖς προσέχειν βουλαῖς, ἐμυκτήριζον δὲ ἐμοὺς ἐλέγχους. 31 τοιγαροῦν ἔδονται τῆς ἑαυτῶν ὁδοῦ τοὺς καρποὺς καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀσεβείας πλησθήσονται· 32 ἀνθ᾿ ὧν γὰρ ἠδίκουν νηπίους, φονευθήσονται, καὶ ἐξετασμὸς ἀσεβεῖς ὀλεῖ. 33 ὁ δὲ ἐμοῦ ἀκούων κατασκηνώσει ἐπ᾿ ἐλπίδι καὶ ἡσυχάσει ἀφόβως ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ.
ΥΙΕ, ἐὰν δεξάμενος ρῆσιν ἐμῆς ἐντολῆς κρύψῃς παρὰ σεαυτῷ, 2 ὑπακούσεται σοφία τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ παραβαλεῖς καρδίαν σου εἰς σύνεσιν, παραβαλεῖς δὲ αὐτὴν ἐπὶ νουθέτησιν τῷ υἱῷ σου. 3 ἐὰν γὰρ τὴν σοφίαν ἐπικαλέσῃ καὶ τῇ συνέσει δῷς φωνήν σου, τὴν δὲ αἴσθησιν ζητήσῃς μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ, 4 καὶ ἐὰν ζητήσῃς αὐτὴν ὡς ἀργύριον καὶ ὡς θησαυροὺς ἐξερευνήσῃς αὐτήν, 5 τότε συνήσεις φόβον Κυρίου καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν Θεοῦ εὑρήσεις. 6 ὅτι Κύριος δίδωσι σοφίαν, καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ γνῶσις καὶ σύνεσις· 7 καὶ θησαυρίζει τοῖς κατορθοῦσι σωτηρίαν, ὑπερασπιεῖ τὴν πορείαν αὐτῶν 8 τοῦ φυλάξαι ὁδοὺς δικαιωμάτων καὶ ὁδὸν εὐλαβουμένων αὐτὸν διαφυλάξει. 9 τότε συνήσεις δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα καὶ κατορθώσεις πάντας ἄξονας ἀγαθούς. 10 ἐὰν γὰρ ἔλθῃ ἡ σοφία εἰς σὴν διάνοιαν, ἡ δὲ αἴσθησις τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ καλὴ εἶναι δόξῃ, 11 βουλὴ καλὴ φυλάξει σε, ἔννοια δὲ ὁσία τηρήσει σε, 12 ἵνα ρύσηταί σε ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ κακῆς καὶ ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς λαλοῦντος μηδὲν πιστόν. 13 ὦ οἱ ἐγκαταλείποντες ὁδοὺς εὐθείας τοῦ πορεύεσθαι ἐν ὁδοῖς σκότους· 14 οἱ εὐφραινόμενοι ἐπὶ κακοῖς καὶ χαίροντες ἐπὶ διαστροφῇ κακῆ· 15 ὧν αἱ τρίβοι σκολίαι καὶ καμπύλαι αἱ τροχιαὶ αὐτῶν 16 τοῦ μακράν σε ποιῆσαι ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ εὐθείας καὶ ἀλλότριον τῆς δικαίας γνώμης. 17 υἱέ, μή σὲ καταλάβῃ κακὴ βουλή, ἡ ἀπολιποῦσα διδασκαλίαν νεότητος καὶ διαθήκην θείαν ἐπιλελησμένη· 18 ἔθετο γὰρ παρὰ τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς καὶ παρὰ τῷ ἅδῃ μετὰ τῶν γηγενῶν τοὺς ἄξονας αὐτῆς. 19 πάντες οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν αὐτῇ οὐκ ἀναστρέψουσιν, οὐδὲ μὴ καταλάβωσι τρίβους εὐθείας· οὐ γὰρ καταλαμβάνονται ὑπὸ ἐνιαυτῶν ζωῆς. 20 εἰ γὰρ ἐπορεύοντο τρίβους ἀγαθάς, εὕροσαν ἂν τρίβους δικαιοσύνης λείας. 21 χρηστοὶ ἔσονται οἰκήτορες γῆς, ἄκακοι δὲ ὑπολειφθήσονται ἐν αὐτῇ· ὅτι εὐθεῖς κατασκηνώσουσι γῆν, καὶ ὅσιοι ὑπολειφθήσονται ἐν αὐτῇ. 22 ὁδοὶ ἀσεβῶν ἐκ γῆς ὀλοῦνται, οἱ δὲ παράνομοι ἐξωσθήσονται ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς.
ΥΙΕ, ἐμῶν νομίμων μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου, τὰ δὲ ρήματά μου τηρείτω σὴ καρδία· 2 μῆκος γὰρ βίου καὶ ἔτη ζωῆς καὶ εἰρήνην προσθήσουσί σοι. 3 ἐλεημοσύναι καὶ πίστεις μὴ ἐκλιπέτωσάν σε, ἄφαψαι δὲ αὐτὰς ἐπὶ σῷ τραχήλῳ, καὶ εὑρήσεις χάριν· 4 καὶ προνοοῦ καλὰ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων. 5 ἴσθι πεποιθὼς ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐπὶ Θεῷ ἐπὶ δὲ σῇ σοφίᾳ μὴ ἐπαίρου· 6 ἐν πάσαις ὁδοῖς σου γνώριζε αὐτήν, ἵνα ὀρθοτομῇ τὰς ὁδούς σου, ὁ δὲ πούς σου μὴ προσκόψῃ. 7 μὴ ἴσθι φρόνιμος παρὰ σεαυτῷ, φοβοῦ δὲ τὸν Θεὸν καὶ ἔκκλινε ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ· 8 τότε ἴασις ἔσται τῷ σώματί σου καὶ ἐπιμέλεια τοῖς ὀστέοις σου. 9 τίμα τὸν Κύριον ἀπὸ σῶν δικαίων πόνων καὶ ἀπάρχου αὐτῷ ἀπὸ σῶν καρπῶν δικαιοσύνης, 10 ἵνα πίμπληται τὰ ταμιεῖά σου πλησμονῆς σίτῳ, οἴνῳ δὲ αἱ ληνοί σου ἐκβλύζωσιν. 11 Υἱέ, μὴ ὀλιγώρει παιδείας Κυρίου, μηδὲ ἐκλύου ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐλεγχόμενος· 12 ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται. 13 μακάριος ἄνθρωπος ὃς εὗρε σοφίαν καὶ θνητὸς ὃς εἶδε φρόνησιν· 14 κρεῖσσον γὰρ αὐτὴν ἐμπορεύεσθαι ἢ χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου θησαυρούς. 15 τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστι λίθων πολυτελῶν, οὐκ ἀντιτάξεται αὐτῇ οὐδὲν πονηρόν· εὔγνωστός ἐστι πᾶσι τοῖς ἐγγίζουσιν αὐτῇ, πᾶν δὲ τίμιον οὐκ ἄξιον αὐτῆς ἐστι. 16 μῆκος γὰρ βίου καὶ ἔτη ζωῆς ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτῆς, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀριστερᾷ αὐτῆς πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα· ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτῆς ἐκπορεύεται δικαιοσύνη, νόμον δὲ καὶ ἔλεον ἐπὶ γλώσσης φορεῖ. 17 αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτῆς ὁδοὶ καλαί, καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ τρίβοι αὐτῆς ἐν εἰρήνῃ· 18 ξύλον ζωῆς ἐστι πᾶσι τοῖς ἀντεχομένοις αὐτῆς, καὶ τοῖς ἐπερειδομένοις ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν ὡς ἐπὶ Κύριον ἀσφαλής. 19 ὁ Θεὸς τῇ σοφίᾳ ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν, ἡτοίμασε δὲ οὐρανοὺς φρονήσει· 20 ἐν αἰσθήσει ἄβυσσοι ἐρράγησαν, νέφη δὲ ἐρρύησαν δρόσους. 21 Υἱέ, μὴ παραρρυῇς, τήρησον δὲ ἐμὴν βουλὴν καὶ ἔννοιαν, 22 ἵνα ζήσῃ ἡ ψυχή σου, καὶ χάρις ᾖ περὶ σῷ τραχήλῳ. ἔσται δὲ ἴασις ταῖς σαρξί σου καὶ ἐπιμέλεια τοῖς σοῖς ὀστέοις, 23 ἵνα πορεύῃ πεποιθὼς ἐν εἰρήνῃ πάσας τὰς ὁδούς σου, ὁ δὲ πούς σου οὐ μὴ προσκόψῃ· 24 ἐὰν γὰρ κάθῃ, ἄφοβος ἔσῃ, ἐὰν δὲ καθεύδῃς, ἡδέως ὑπνώσεις· 25 καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσῃ πτόησιν ἐπελθοῦσαν, οὐδὲ ὁρμὰς ἀσεβῶν ἐπερχομένας· 26 ὁ γὰρ Κύριος ἔσται ἐπὶ πασῶν ὁδῶν σου καὶ ἐρείσει σὸν πόδα, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῇς. 27 μὴ ἀπόσχῃ εὖ ποιεῖν ἐνδεῆ, ἡνίκα ἂν ἔχῃ ἡ χείρ σου βοηθεῖν· 28 μὴ εἴπῃς· ἐπανελθὼν ἐπάνηκε, αὔριον δώσω, δυνατοῦ σου ὄντος εὖ ποιεῖν· οὐ γὰρ οἶδας τί τέξεται ἡ ἐπιοῦσα. 29 μὴ τέκταινε ἐπὶ σὸν φίλον κακὰ παροικοῦντα καὶ πεποιθότα ἐπὶ σοί. 30 μὴ φιλεχθρήσῃς πρὸς ἄνθρωπον μάτην, μήτι σε ἐργάσηται κακόν. 31 μὴ κτήσῃ κακῶν ἀνδρῶν ὀνείδη, μηδὲ ζηλώσῃς τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν· 32 ἀκάθαρτος γὰρ ἔναντι Κυρίου πᾶς παράνομος, ἐν δὲ δικαίοις οὐ συνεδριάζει. 33 κατάρα Θεοῦ ἐν οἴκοις ἀσεβῶν, ἐπαύλεις δὲ δικαίων εὐλογοῦνται. 34 Κύριος ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν. 35 δόξαν σοφοὶ κληρονομήσουσιν, οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ὕψωσαν ἀτιμίαν.
ΑΚΟΥΣΑΤΕ, παῖδες, παιδείαν πατρὸς καὶ προσέχετε γνῶναι ἔννοιαν· 2 δῶρον γὰρ ἀγαθὸν δωροῦμαι ὑμῖν, τὸν ἐμὸν νόμον μὴ ἐγκαταλίπητε. 3 υἱὸς γὰρ ἐγενόμην κἀγὼ πατρὶ ὑπήκοος καὶ ἀγαπώμενος ἐν προσώπῳ μητρός, 4 οἳ ἐδίδασκόν με καὶ ἔλεγον· ἐρειδέτω ὁ ἡμέτερος λόγος εἰς σὴν καρδίαν· φύλασσε ἐντολάς, μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ 5 μηδὲ παρίδῃς ρῆσιν ἐμοῦ στόματος, 6 μηδὲ ἐγκαταλίπῃς αὐτήν, καὶ ἀνθέξεταί σου· ἐράσθητι αὐτῆς, καὶ τηρήσει σε· 8 περιχαράκωσον αὐτήν, καὶ ὑψώσει σε· τίμησον αὐτήν, ἵνα σε περιλάβῃ, 9 ἵνα δῷ τῇ σῇ κεφαλῇ στέφανον χαρίτων, στεφάνῳ δὲ τρυφῆς ὑπερασπίσῃ σου. 10 ῎Ακουε, υἱέ, καὶ δέξαι ἐμοὺς λόγους, καὶ πληθυνθήσεται ἔτη ζωῆς σου, ἵνα σοι γένωνται πολλαὶ ὁδοὶ βίου· 11 ὁδοὺς γὰρ σοφίας διδάσκω σε, ἐμβιβάζω δέ σε τροχιαῖς ὀρθαῖς. 12 ἐὰν γὰρ πορεύῃ, οὐ συγκλεισθήσεταί σου τὰ διαβήματα, ἐὰν δὲ τρέχῃς οὐ κοπιάσεις.
13 ἐπιλαβοῦ ἐμῆς παιδείας, μὴ ἀφῇς, ἀλλὰ φύλαξον αὐτὴν σεαυτῷ εἰς ζωήν σου. 14 ὁδοὺς ἀσεβῶν μὴ ἐπέλθῃς, μηδὲ ζηλώσῃς ὁδοὺς παρανόμων· 15 ἐν ᾧ ἂν τόπῳ στρατοπεδεύσωσι, μὴ ἐπέλθῃς ἐκεῖ, ἔκκλινον δὲ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ παράλλαξον. 16 οὐ γὰρ μὴ ὑπνώσωσιν, ἐὰν μὴ κακοποιήσωσιν, ἀφῄρηται ὁ ὕπνος αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐ κοιμῶνται· 17 οἵδε γὰρ σιτοῦνται σῖτα ἀσεβείας, οἴνῳ δὲ παρανόμῳ μεθύσκονται. 18 αἱ δὲ ὁδοὶ τῶν δικαίων ὁμοίως φωτὶ λάμπουσι, προπορεύονται καὶ φωτίζουσιν, ἕως κατορθώσῃ ἡ ἡμέρα· 19 αἱ δὲ ὁδοὶ τῶν ἀσεβῶν σκοτειναί, οὐκ οἴδασι πῶς προσκόπτουσιν. 20 Υἱέ, ἐμῇ ρήσει πρόσεχε, τοῖς δὲ ἐμοῖς λόγοις παράβαλλε σὸν οὖς, 21 ὅπως μὴ ἐκλίπωσί σε αἱ πηγαί σου, φύλασσε αὐτὰς ἐν καρδίᾳ· 22 ζωὴ γάρ ἐστι τοῖς εὑρίσκουσιν αὐτὰς καὶ πάσῃ σαρκὶ ἴασις. 23 πάσῃ φυλακῇ τήρει σὴν καρδίαν, ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἔξοδοι ζωῆς. 24 περίελε σεαυτοῦ σκολιὸν στόμα καὶ ἄδικα χείλη μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ ἄπωσαι. 25 οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου ὀρθὰ βλεπέτωσαν, τὰ δὲ βλέφαρά σου νευέτω δίκαια. 26 ὀρθὰς τροχιὰς ποίει σοῖς ποσὶ καὶ τὰς ὁδούς σου κατεύθυνε. 27 μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ μηδὲ εἰς τὰ ἀριστερά, ἀπόστρεψον δὲ σὸν πόδα ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ κακῆς· ὁδοὺς γὰρ τὰς ἐκ δεξιῶν οἶδεν ὁ Θεός, διεστραμμέναι δέ εἰσιν αἱ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν· αὐτὸς δὲ ὀρθὰς ποιήσει τὰς τροχιάς σου, τὰς δὲ πορείας σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ προάξει.
ΥΙΕ, ἐμῇ σοφίᾳ πρόσεχε, ἐμοῖς δὲ λόγοις παράβαλλε σὸν οὗς, 2 ἵνα φυλάξῃς ἔννοιαν ἀγαθήν· αἴσθησις δὲ ἐμῶν χειλέων ἐντέλλεταί σοι. 3 μὴ πρόσεχε φαύλῃ γυναικί· μέλι γὰρ ἀποστάζει ἀπὸ χειλέων γυναικὸς πόρνης, ἣ πρὸς καιρὸν λιπαίνει σὸν φάρυγγα, 4 ὕστερον μέντοι πικρότερον χολῆς εὑρήσεις καὶ ἠκονημένον μᾶλλον μαχαίρας διστόμου. 5 τῆς γὰρ ἀφροσύνης οἱ πόδες κατάγουσι τοὺς χρωμένους αὐτῇ μετὰ θανάτου εἰς τὸν ᾅδην, τὰ δὲ ἴχνη αὐτῆς οὐκ ἐρείδεται· 6 ὁδοὺς γὰρ ζωῆς οὐκ ἐπέρχεται, σφαλεραὶ δὲ αἱ τροχιαὶ αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ εὔγνωστοι. 7 νῦν οὖν, υἱέ, ἄκουέ μου καὶ μὴ ἀκύρους ποιήσῃς ἐμοὺς λόγους. 8 μακρὰν ποίησον ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς σὴν ὁδόν, μὴ ἐγγίσῃς πρὸς θύραις οἴκων αὐτῆς, 9 ἵνα μὴ πρόῃ ἄλλοις ζωήν σου καὶ σὸν βίον ἀνελεήμοσιν· 10 ἵνα μὴ πλησθῶσιν ἀλλότριοι σῆς ἰσχύος, οἱ δὲ σοὶ πόνοι εἰς οἴκους ἀλλοτρίων ἔλθωσι 11 καὶ μεταμεληθήσῃ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων, ἡνίκα ἂν κατατριβῶσι σάρκες σωματός σου, 12 καὶ ἐρεῖς· πῶς ἐμίσησα παιδείαν, καὶ ἐλέγχους ἐξέκλινεν ἡ καρδία μου; 13 οὐκ ἤκουον φωνὴν παιδεύοντός με καὶ διδάσκοντός με, οὐδὲ παρέβαλλον τὸ οὖς μου· 14 παρ᾿ ὀλίγον ἐγενόμην ἐν παντὶ κακῷ ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας καὶ συναγωγῆς. 15 πῖνε ὕδατα ἀπὸ σῶν ἀγγείων καὶ ἀπὸ σῶν φρεάτων πηγῆς. 16 μὴ ὑπερεκχείσθω σοι ὕδατα ἐκ τῆς σῆς πηγῆς, εἰς δὲ σὰς πλατείας διαπορευέσθω τὰ σὰ ὕδατα· 17 ἔστω σοι μόνῳ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ μηδεὶς ἀλλότριος μετασχέτω σοι· 18 ἡ πηγή σου τοῦ ὕδατος ἔστω σοι ἰδία, καὶ συνευφραίνου μετὰ γυναικὸς τῆς ἐκ νεότητός σου. 19 ἔλαφος φιλίας καὶ πῶλος σῶν χαρίτων ὁμιλείτω σοι· ἡ δὲ ἰδία ἡγείσθω σου καὶ συνέστω σοι ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ, ἐν γὰρ τῇ ταύτης φιλίᾳ συμπεριφερόμενος πολλοστὸς ἔσῃ. 20 μὴ πολὺς ἴσθι πρὸς ἀλλοτρίαν, μηδὲ συνέχου ἀγκάλαις τῆς μὴ ἰδίας· 21 ἐνώπιον γάρ εἰσι τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀφθαλμῶν ὁδοὶ ἀνδρός, εἰς δὲ πάσας τὰς τροχιὰς αὐτοῦ σκοπεύει. 22 παρονομίαι ἄνδρα ἀγρεύουσι, σειραῖς δὲ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτιῶν ἕκαστος σφίγγεται· 23 οὗτος τελευτᾷ μετὰ ἀπαιδεύτων, ἐκ δὲ πλήθους τῆς ἑαυτοῦ βιότητος ἐξερρίφη καὶ ἀπώλετο δι᾿ ἀφροσύνην.
ΥΙΕ, ἐὰν ἐγγυήσῃ σὸν φίλον, παραδώσεις σὴν χεῖρα ἐχθρῷ· 2 παγὶς γὰρ ἰσχυρὰ ἀνδρὶ τὰ ἴδια χείλη, καὶ ἁλίσκεται χείλεσιν ἰδίου στόματος. 3 ποίει, υἱέ, ἃ ἐγώ σοι ἐντέλλομαι, καὶ σώζου· ἥκεις γὰρ εἰς χεῖρας κακῶν διὰ σὸν φίλον. ἴσθι μὴ ἐκλυόμενος, παρόξυνε δὲ καὶ τὸν φίλον σου, ὃν ἐνεγγυήσω. 4 μὴ δῷς ὕπνον σοῖς ὄμμασι, μηδὲ ἐπινυστάξῃς σοῖς βλεφάροις, 5 ἵνα σώζῃ ὥσπερ δορκὰς ἐκ βρόχων καὶ ὥσπερ ὄρνεον ἐκ παγίδος. 6 ῎Ιθι πρὸς τὸν μύρμηκα, ὦ ὀκνηρέ, καὶ ζήλωσον ἰδὼν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ γενοῦ ἐκείνου σοφώτερος· 7 ἐκείνῳ γὰρ γεωργίου μὴ ὑπάρχοντος, μηδὲ τὸν ἀναγκάζοντα ἔχων, μηδὲ ὑπὸ δεσπότην ὤν, 8 ἑτοιμάζεται θέρους τὴν τροφὴν πολλήν τε ἐν τῷ ἀμητῷ ποιεῖται τὴν παράθεσιν. 8α ἢ πορεύθητι πρὸς τὴν μέλισσαν καὶ μάθε ὡς ἐργάτις ἐστὶ τήν τε ἐργασίαν ὡς σεμνὴν ποιεῖται· 8β ἦς τοὺς πόνους βασιλεῖς καὶ ἰδιῶται πρὸς ὑγίειαν προσφέρονται· ποθεινὴ δέ ἐστι πᾶσι καὶ ἐπίδοξος· 8γ καί περ οὖσα τῇ ρώμῃ ἀσθενής, τὴν σοφίαν τιμήσασα προήχθη. 9 ἕως τίνος, ὀκνηρέ, κατάκεισαι; πότε δὲ ἐξ ὕπνου ἐγερθήσῃ; 10 ὀλίγον μὲν ὑπνοῖς, ὀλίγον δὲ κάθησαι, μικρὸν δὲ νυστάζεις, ὀλίγον δὲ ἐναγκαλίζῃ χερσὶ στήθη·
11 εἶτ᾿ ἐμπαραγίνεταί σοι ὥσπερ κακὸς ὁδοιπόρος ἡ πενία καὶ ἡ ἔνδεια ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς δρομεύς. 11α ἐὰν δὲ ἄοκνος ᾖς, ἥξει ὥσπερ πηγὴ ὁ ἀμητός σου, ἡ δὲ ἔνδεια ὥσπερ κακὸς δρομεὺς ἀπαυτομολήσει. 12 ᾿Ανὴρ ἄφρων καὶ παράνομος πορεύεται ὁδοὺς οὐκ ἀγαθάς· 13 ὁ δ᾿ αὐτὸς ἐννεύει ὀφθαλμῷ, σημαίνει δὲ ποδί, διδάσκει δὲ ἐννεύμασι δακτύλων.
14 διεστραμμένῃ καρδίᾳ τεκταίνεται κακά, ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ὁ τοιοῦτος ταραχὰς συνίστησι πόλει. 15 διὰ τοῦτο ἐξαπίνης ἔρχεται ἡ ἀπώλεια αὐτοῦ, διακοπὴ καὶ συντριβὴ ἀνίατος· 16 ὅτι χαίρει πᾶσιν, οἷς μισεῖ ὁ Θεός, συντρίβεται δὲ δι᾿ ἀκαθαρσίαν ψυχῆς. 17 ὀφθαλμὸς ὑβριστοῦ, γλῶσσα ἄδικος, χεῖρες ἐκχέουσαι αἷμα δικαίου 18 καὶ καρδία τεκταινομένη λογισμοὺς κακοὺς καὶ πόδες ἐπισπεύδοντες κακοποιεῖν. 19 ἐκκαίει ψεύδη μάρτυς ἄδικος καὶ ἐπιπέμπει κρίσεις ἀνὰ μέσον ἀδελφῶν. 20 Υἱέ, φύλασσε νόμους πατρός σου καὶ μὴ ἀπώσῃ θεσμοὺς μητρός σου· 21 ἄφαψαι δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ σῇ ψυχῇ διαπαντὸς καὶ ἐγκλοίωσαι περὶ σῷ τραχήλῳ. 22 ἡνίκα ἂν περιπατῇς, ἐπάγου αὐτὴν καὶ μετὰ σοῦ ἔστω· ὡς δ᾿ ἂν καθεύδῃς, φυλασσέτω σε, ἵνα ἐγειρομένῳ συλλαλῇ σοι. 23 ὅτι λύχνος ἐντολὴ νόμου καὶ φῶς, ὁδὸς ζωῆς καὶ ἔλεγχος καὶ παιδεία 24 τοῦ διαφυλάσσειν σὲ ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ὑπάνδρου καὶ ἀπὸ διαβολῆς γλώσσης ἀλλοτρίας. 25 μή σε νικήσῃ κάλλους ἐπιθυμία, μηδὲ ἀγρευθῇς σοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, μηδὲ συναρπασθῇς ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῆς βλεφάρων· 26 τιμὴ γὰρ πόρνης ὅση καὶ ἑνὸς ἄρτου, γυνὴ δὲ ἀνδρῶν τιμίας ψυχὰς ἀγρεύει. 27 ἀποδήσει τις πῦρ ἐν κόλπῳ, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια οὐ κατακαύσει; 28 ἢ περιπατήσει τις ἐπ᾿ ἀνθράκων πυρός, τοὺς δὲ πόδας οὐ κατακαύσει; 29 οὕτως ὁ εἰσελθὼν πρὸς γυναῖκα ὕπανδρον, οὐκ ἀθῳωθήσεται, οὐδὲ πᾶς ὁ ἁπτόμενος αὐτῆς. 30 οὐ θαυμαστὸν ἐὰν ἁλῷ τις κλέπτων, κλέπτει γὰρ ἵνα ἐμπλήσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν πεινῶν·
31 ἐὰν δὲ ἁλῷ, ἀποτίσει ἑπταπλάσια καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ δοὺς ρύσεται ἑαυτόν. 32 ὁ δὲ μοιχὸς δι᾿ ἔνδειαν φρενῶν ἀπώλειαν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ περιποιεῖται, 33 ὀδύνας τε καὶ ἀτιμίας ὑποφέρει, τὸ δὲ ὄνειδος αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. 34 μεστὸς γὰρ ζήλου θυμὸς ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς· οὐ φείσεται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, 35 οὐκ ἀνταλλάξεται οὐδενὸς λύτρου τὴν ἔχθραν, οὐδὲ μὴ διαλυθῇ πολλῶν δώρων.
ΥΙΕ, φύλασσε ἐμοὺς λόγους, τὰς δὲ ἐμὰς ἐντολὰς κρύψον παρὰ σεαυτῷ. υἱέ, τίμα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἰσχύσεις, πλὴν δὲ αὐτοῦ μὴ φοβοῦ ἄλλον. 2 φύλαξον ἐμὰς ἐντολάς, καὶ βιώσεις, τοὺς δὲ ἐμοὺς λόγους ὥσπερ κόρας ὀμμάτων· 3 περίθου δὲ αὐτοὺς σοῖς δακτύλοις, ἐπίγραψον δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς καρδίας σου. 4 εἶπον τὴν σοφίαν σὴν ἀδελφὴν εἶναι, τὴν δὲ φρόνησιν γνώριμον περιποίησαι σεαυτῷ· 5 ἵνα σε τηρήσῃ ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἀλλοτρίας καὶ πονηρᾶς, ἐάν σε λόγοις τοῖς πρὸς χάριν ἐμβάλληται. 6 ἀπὸ γὰρ θυρίδος ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς εἰς τὰς πλατείας παρακύπτουσα, 7 ὃν ἂν ἴδῃ τῶν ἀφρόνων τέκνων νεανίαν ἐνδεῆ φρενῶν, 8 παραπορευόμενον παρὰ γωνίαν ἐν διόδοις οἴκων αὐτῆς καὶ λαλοῦντα 9 ἐν σκότει ἑσπερινῷ, ἡνίκα ἂν ἡσυχία νυκτερινὴ ᾖ καὶ γνοφώδης, 10 ἡ δὲ γυνὴ συναντᾷ αὐτῷ, εἶδος ἔχουσα πορνικόν, ἣ ποιεῖ νέων ἐξίπτασθαι καρδίας.
11 ἀνεπτερωμένη δέ ἐστι καὶ ἄσωτος, ἐν οἴκῳ δὲ οὐχ ἡσυχάζουσιν οἱ πόδες αὐτῆς· 12 χρόνον γάρ τινα ἔξω ρέμβεται, χρόνον δὲ ἐν πλατείαις παρὰ πᾶσαν γωνίαν ἐνεδρεύει.
13 εἶτα ἐπιλαβομένη ἐφίλησεν αὐτόν, ἀναιδεῖ δὲ προσώπῳ προσεῖπεν αὐτῷ· 14 θυσία εἰρηνική μοί ἐστι, σήμερον ἀποδίδωμι τὰς εὐχάς μου· 15 ἕνεκα τούτου ἐξῆλθον εἰς συνάντησίν σοι, ποθοῦσα τὸ σὸν πρόσωπον εὕρηκά σε. 16 κειρίαις τέτακα τὴν κλίνην μου, ἀμφιτάποις δὲ ἔστρωκα τοῖς ἀπ᾿ Αἰγύπτου· 17 διέρρακα τὴν κοίτην μου κροκίνῳ, τὸν δὲ οἶκόν μου κινναμώμῳ· 18 ἐλθὲ καὶ ἀπολαύσωμεν φιλίας ἕως ὄρθρου, δεῦρο καὶ ἐγκυλισθῶμεν ἔρωτι· 19 οὐ γὰρ πάρεστιν ὁ ἀνήρ μου ἐν οἴκῳ, πεπόρευται δὲ ὁδὸν μακρὰν 20 ἔνδεσμον ἀργυρίου λαβὼν ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, δι᾿ ἡμερῶν πολλῶν ἐπανήξει εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. 21 ἀπεπλάνησε δὲ αὐτὸν πολλῇ ὁμιλίᾳ βρόχοις τε τοῖς ἀπὸ χειλέων ἐξώκειλεν αὐτόν.
22 ὁ δὲ ἐπηκολούθησεν αὐτῇ κεπφωθείς, ὥσπερ δὲ βοῦς ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἄγεται καὶ ὥσπερ κύων ἐπὶ δεσμοὺς 23 ἢ ὡς ἔλαφος τοξεύματι πεπληγὼς εἰς τὸ ἧπαρ, σπεύδει δὲ ὥσπερ ὄρνεον εἰς παγίδα, οὐκ εἰδὼς ὅτι περὶ ψυχῆς τρέχει. 24 νῦν οὖν, υἱέ, ἄκουέ μου καὶ πρόσεχε ρήμασι στόματός μου· 25 μὴ ἐκκλινάτω εἰς τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῆς ἡ καρδία σου, 26 πολλοὺς γὰρ τρώσασα καταβέβληκε, καὶ ἀναρίθμητοί εἰσιν οὓς πεφόνευκεν· 27 ὁδοὶ ᾅδου ὁ οἶκος αὐτῆς κατάγουσαι εἰς τὰ ταμιεῖα τοῦ θανάτου.
ΣΥ τὴν σοφίαν κηρύξεις, ἵνα φρόνησίς σοι ὑπακούσῃ· 2 ἐπὶ γὰρ τῶν ὑψηλῶν ἄκρων ἐστίν, ἀνὰ μέσον δὲ τῶν τρίβων ἕστηκε· 3 παρὰ γὰρ πύλαις δυναστῶν παρεδρεύει, ἐν δὲ εἰσόδοις ὑμνεῖται. 4 ῾Υμᾶς, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, παρακαλῶ, καὶ προΐεμαι ἐμὴν φωνὴν υἱοῖς ἀνθρώπων· 5 νοήσατε, ἄκακοι, πανουργίαν, οἱ δὲ ἀπαίδευτοι ἔνθεσθε καρδίαν. 6 εἰσακούσατέ μου, σεμνὰ γὰρ ἐρῶ καὶ ἀνοίσω ἀπὸ χειλέων ὀρθά· 7 ὅτι ἀλήθειαν μελετήσει ὁ φάρυγξ μου, ἐβδελυγμένα δὲ ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ χείλη ψευδῆ. 8 μετὰ δικαιοσύνης πάντα τὰ ρήματα τοῦ στόματός μου, οὐδὲν ἐν αὐτοῖς σκολιὸν οὐδὲ στραγγαλιῶδες· 9 πάντα ἐνώπια τοῖς συνιοῦσι καὶ ὀρθὰ τοῖς εὑρίσκουσι γνῶσιν. 10 λάβετε παιδείαν καὶ μὴ ἀργύριον, καὶ γνῶσιν ὑπὲρ χρυσίον δεδοκιμασμένον· 11 κρείσσων γὰρ σοφία λίθων πολυτελῶν, πᾶν δὲ τίμιον οὐκ ἄξιον αὐτῆς ἐστιν. 12 ἐγὼ ἡ σοφία κατεσκήνωσα βουλήν, καὶ γνῶσιν καὶ ἔννοιαν ἐγὼ ἐπεκαλεσάμην. 13 φόβος Κυρίου μισεῖ ἀδικίαν, ὕβριν τε καὶ ὑπερηφανίαν καὶ ὁδοὺς πονηρῶν· μεμίσηκα δὲ ἐγὼ διεστραμμένας ὁδοὺς κακῶν. 14 ἐμὴ βουλὴ καὶ ἀσφάλεια, ἐμὴ φρόνησις, ἐμὴ δὲ ἰσχύς· 15 δι᾿ ἐμοῦ βασιλεῖς βασιλεύουσι καὶ οἱ δυνάσται γράφουσι δικαιοσύνην· 16 δι᾿ ἐμοῦ μεγιστᾶνες μεγαλύνονται, καὶ τύραννοι δι᾿ ἐμοῦ κρατοῦσι γῆς. 17 ἐγὼ τοὺς ἐμὲ φιλοῦντας ἀγαπῶ, οἱ δὲ ἐμὲ ζητοῦντες εὑρήσουσι χάριν. 18 πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα ἐμοὶ ὑπάρχει καὶ κτῆσις πολλῶν καὶ δικαιοσύνη. 19 βέλτιον ἐμὲ καρπίζεσθαι ὑπὲρ χρυσίον καὶ λίθον τίμιον, τὰ δὲ ἐμὰ γεννήματα κρείσσω ἀργυρίου ἐκλεκτοῦ. 20 ἐν ὁδοῖς δικαιοσύνης περιπατῶ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τρίβων δικαιοσύνης ἀναστρέφομαι, 21 ἵνα μερίσω τοῖς ἐμὲ ἀγαπῶσιν ὕπαρξιν καὶ τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶν ἐμπλήσω ἀγαθῶν. ἐὰν ἀναγγείλω ὑμῖν τὰ καθ᾿ ἡμέραν γινόμενα, μνημονεύσω τὰ ἐξ αἰῶνος ἀριθμῆσαι. 22 Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ, 23 πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐθεμελίωσέ με ἐν ἀρχῇ, πρὸ τοῦ τὴν γῆν ποιῆσαι 24 καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὰς ἀβύσους ποιῆσαι, πρὸ τοῦ προελθεῖν τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων, 25 πρὸ τοῦ ὄρη ἑδρασθῆναι, πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με. 26 Κύριος ἐποίησε χώρας καὶ ἀοικήτους καὶ ἄκρα οἰκούμενα τῆς ὑπ᾿ οὐρανόν. 27 ἡνίκα ἡτοίμαζε τὸν οὐρανόν, συμπαρήμην αὐτῷ, καὶ ὅτε ἀφώριζε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θρόνον ἐπ᾿ ἀνέμων· 28 ἡνίκα ἰσχυρὰ ἐποίει τὰ ἄνω νέφη, καὶ ὡς ἀσφαλεῖς ἐτίθει πηγὰς τῆς ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν 29 καὶ ἰσχυρὰ ἐποίει τὰ θεμέλια τῆς γῆς,
30 ἤμην παρ᾿ αὐτῷ ἁρμόζουσα. ἐγὼ ἤμην ᾗ προσέχαιρε, καθ᾿ ἡμέραν δὲ εὐφραινόμην ἐν προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ, 31 ὅτε ἐνευφραίνετο τὴν οἰκουμένην συντελέσας, καὶ ἐνευφραίνετο ἐν υἱοῖς ἀνθρώπων. 32 νῦν οὖν, υἱέ, ἄκουέ μου καὶ μακάριοι, οἳ ὁδούς μου φυλάσσοντες, 33 ἀκούσατε παιδείαν καὶ σοφίσθητε καὶ μὴ ἀποφραγῆτε. 34 μακάριος ἀνήρ, ὃς εἰσακούεταί μου, καὶ ἄνθρωπος, ὃς τὰς ἐμὰς ὁδοὺς φυλάξει ἀγρυπνῶν ἐπ᾿ ἐμαῖς θύραις καθ᾿ ἡμέραν, τηρῶν σταθμοὺς ἐμῶν εἰσόδων· 35 αἱ γὰρ ἔξοδοί μου ἔξοδοι ζωῆς, καὶ ἑτοιμάζεται θέλησις παρὰ Κυρίου. 36 οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες εἰς ἐμὲ ἀσεβοῦσιν εἰς τὰ ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς, καὶ οἱ μισοῦντές με ἀγαπῶσι θάνατον.
Η σοφία ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον καὶ ὑπήρεισε στύλους ἑπτά· 2 ἔσφαξε τὰ ἑαυτῆς θύματα, ἐκέρασεν εἰς κρατῆρα τὸν ἑαυτῆς οἶνον καὶ ἡτοιμάσατο τὴν ἑαυτῆς τράπεζαν· 3 ἀπέστειλε τοὺς ἑαυτῆς δούλους συγκαλοῦσα μετὰ ὑψηλοῦ κηρύγματος ἐπὶ κρατῆρα λέγουσα· 4 ὅς ἐστιν ἄφρων, ἐκκλινάτω πρός με· καὶ τοῖς ἐνδεέσι φρενῶν εἶπεν· 5 ἔλθετε φάγετε τῶν ἐμῶν ἄρτων καὶ πίετε οἶνον, ὃν ἐκέρασα ὑμῖν· 6 ἀπολείπετε ἀφροσύνην, ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε, καὶ ζητήσατε φρόνησιν, καὶ κατορθώσατε ἐν γνώσει σύνεσιν. 7 ῾Ο παιδεύων κακοὺς λήψεται ἑαυτῷ ἀτιμίαν· ἐλέγχων δὲ τὸν ἀσεβῆ μωμήσεται ἑαυτόν.
8 μὴ ἔλεγχε κακούς, ἵνα μὴ μισήσωσί σε· ἔλεγχε σοφόν, καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε. 9 δίδου σοφῷ ἀφορμήν, καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται· γνώριζε δικαίῳ, καὶ προσθήσει τοῦ δέχεσθαι.
10 ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου, καὶ βουλὴ ἁγίων σύνεσις, τὸ δὲ γνῶναι νόμον διανοίας ἐστὶν ἀγαθῆς· 11 τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ τρόπῳ πολὺν ζήσεις χρόνον, καὶ προστεθήσεταί σοι ἔτη ζωῆς σου. 12 υἱέ, ἐὰν σοφὸς γένῃ σεαυτῷ, σοφὸς ἔση καὶ τοῖς πλησίον· ἐὰν δὲ κακὸς ἀποβῇς, μόνος ἂν ἀντλήσεις κακά. ὃς ἐρείδεται ἐπὶ ψεύδεσιν, οὗτος ποιμαίνει ἀνέμους, ὁ δ᾿ αὐτὸς διώξεται ὄρνεα πετόμενα· ἀπέλιπε γὰρ ὁδοὺς τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ ἀμπελῶνος, τοὺς δὲ ἄξονας τοῦ ἰδίου γεωργίου πεπλάνηται· διαπορεύεται δὲ δι᾿ ἀνύδρου ἐρήμου καὶ γῆν διατεταγμένην ἐν διψώδεσι, συνάγει δὲ χερσὶν ἀκαρπίαν.
13 Γυνὴ ἄφρων καὶ θρασεῖα ἐνδεὴς ψωμοῦ γίνεται, ἣ οὐκ ἐπίσταται αἰσχύνην. 14 ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ θύραις τοῦ ἑαυτῆς οἴκου, ἐπὶ δίφρου ἐμφανῶς ἐν πλατείαις, 15 προσκαλουμένη τοὺς παριόντας καὶ κατευθύνοντας ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν· 16 ὅς ἐστιν ὑμῶν ἀφρονέστατος, ἐκκλινάτω πρός με καὶ τοῖς ἐνδεέσι φρονήσεως παρακελεύομαι λέγουσα· 17 ἄρτων κρυφίων ἡδέως ἅψασθε καὶ ὕδατος κλοπῆς γλυκεροῦ. 18 ὁ δὲ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι γηγενεῖς παρ᾿ αὐτῇ ὄλλυνται, καὶ ἐπὶ πέταυρον ᾅδου συναντᾷ. 18α ἀλλὰ ἀποπήδησον, μὴ χρονίσῃς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, μηδὲ ἐπιστήσῃς τὸ σὸν ὄμμα πρὸς αὐτήν· 18β οὕτως γὰρ διαβήσῃ ὕδωρ ἀλλότριον καὶ ὑπερβήσῃ ποταμὸν ἀλλότριον· 18γ ἀπὸ δὲ ὕδατος ἀλλοτρίου ἀπόσχου καὶ ἀπὸ πηγῆς ἀλλοτρίας μὴ πίῃς, 18δ ἵνα πολὺν ζήσῃς χρόνον, προστεθῇ δέ σοι ἔτη ζωῆς.
ΥΙΟΣ σοφὸς εὐφραίνει πατέρα, υἱὸς δὲ ἄφρων λύπη τῇ μητρί. 2 οὐκ ὠφελήσουσι θησαυροὶ ἀνόμους, δικαιοσύνη δὲ ρύσεται ἐκ θανάτου. 3 οὐ λιμοκτονήσει Κύριος ψυχὴν δικαίαν, ζωὴν δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἀνατρέψει. 4 πενία ἄνδρα ταπεινοῖ, χεῖρες δὲ ἀνδρείων πλουτίζουσιν. 4α υἱὸς πεπαιδευμένος σοφὸς ἔσται, τῷ δὲ ἄφρονι διακόνῳ χρήσεται. 5 διεσώθη ἀπὸ καύματος υἱὸς νοήμων, ἀνεμόφθορος δὲ γίνεται ἐν ἀμητῷ υἱὸς παράνομος. 6 εὐλογία Κυρίου ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν δικαίου, στόμα δὲ ἀσεβῶν καλύψει πένθος ἄωρον.
7 μνήμη δικαίων μετ᾿ ἐγκωμίων, ὄνομα δὲ ἀσεβοῦς σβέννυται. 8 σοφὸς καρδίᾳ δέξεται ἐντολάς, ὁ δὲ ἄστεγος χείλεσι σκολιάζων ὑποσκελισθήσεται.
9 ὃς πορεύεται ἁπλῶς, πορεύεται πεποιθώς, ὁ δὲ διαστρέφων τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, γνωσθήσεται. 10 ὁ ἐννεύων ὀφθαλμοῖς μετὰ δόλου, συνάγει ἀνδράσι λύπας, ὁ δὲ ἐλέγχων μετὰ παρρησίας, εἰρηνοποιεῖ. 11 πηγὴ ζωῆς ἐν χειρὶ δικαίου, στόμα δὲ ἀσεβοῦς καλύψει ἀπώλεια.
12 μῖσος ἐγείρει νεῖκος, πάντας δὲ τοὺς μὴ φιλονεικοῦντας καλύπτει φιλία. 13 ὃς ἐκ χειλέων προφέρει σοφίαν, ράβδῳ τύπτει ἄνδρα ἀκάρδιον. 14 σοφοὶ κρύψουσιν αἴσθησιν, στόμα δὲ προπετοῦς ἐγγίζει συντριβῇ. 15 κτῆσις πλουσίων πόλις ὀχυρά, συντριβὴ δὲ ἀσεβῶν πενία. 16 ἔργα δικαίων ζωὴν ποιεῖ, καρποὶ δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἁμαρτίας. 17 ὁδοὺς δικαίας ζωῆς φυλάσσει παιδεία, παιδεία δὲ ἀνεξέλεγκτος πλανᾶται. 18 καλύπτουσιν ἔχθραν χείλη δίκαια, οἱ δὲ ἐκφέροντες λοιδορίας ἀφρονέστατοί εἰσιν. 19 ἐκ πολυλογίας οὐκ ἐκφεύξῃ ἁμαρτίαν, φειδόμενος δὲ χειλέων νοήμων ἔσῃ. 20 ἄργυρος πεπυρωμένος γλῶσσα δικαίου, καρδία δὲ ἀσεβοῦς ἐκλείψει. 21 χείλη δικαίων ἐπίσταται ὑψηλά, οἱ δὲ ἄφρονες ἐν ἐνδείᾳ τελευτῶσιν. 22 εὐλογία Κυρίου ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν δικαίου· αὕτη πλουτίζει, καὶ οὐ μὴ προστεθῇ αὐτῇ λύπη ἐν καρδία. 23 ἐν γέλωτι ἄφρων πράσσει κακά, ἡ δὲ σοφία ἀνδρὶ τίκτει φρόνησιν. 24 ἐν ἀπωλείᾳ ἀσεβὴς περιφέρεται, ἐπιθυμία δὲ δικαίου δεκτή. 25 παραπορευομένης καταιγίδος ἀφανίζεται ἀσεβής, δίκαιος δὲ ἐκκλίνας σώζεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. 26 ὥσπερ ὄμφαξ ὀδοῦσι βλαβερὸν καὶ καπνὸς ὄμμασιν, οὕτως παρανομία τοῖς χρωμένοις αὐτῇ. 27 φόβος Κυρίου προστίθησιν ἡμέρας, ἔτη δὲ ἀσεβῶν ὀλιγωθήσεται. 28 ἐγχρονίζει δικαίοις εὐφροσύνη, ἐλπὶς δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἀπολεῖται. 29 ὀχύρωμα ὁσίου φόβος Κυρίου, συντριβὴ δὲ τοῖς ἐργαζομένοις κακά. 30 δίκαιος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα οὐκ ἐνδώσει, ἀσεβεῖς δὲ οὐκ οἰκήσουσι γῆν. 31 στόμα δικαίου ἀποστάζει σοφίαν, γλῶσσα δὲ ἀδίκου ἐξολεῖται.
32 χείλη ἀνδρῶν δικαίων ἀποστάζει χάριτας, στόμα δὲ ἀσεβῶν
ἀποστρέφεται.
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PROVERBS 1 The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel; 2 to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding; 3 to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and how to direct judgment; 4 that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding. 5 For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction; 6 and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and there is good understanding to all that practise it: and piety toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nought wisdom and instruction. 8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and reject not the rules of thy mother. 9 For thou shalt receive for thine head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round thy neck. 10 My son, let not ungodly men lead thee astray, neither consent thou to them. 11 If they should exhort thee, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth: 12 and let us swallow him alive, as Hades would, and remove the memorial of him from the earth: 13 let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:
14 but do thou cast in thy lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:
15 go not in the way with them, but turn aside thy foot from their paths: 16 for their feet run into iniquity, and are swift to shed blood. 17 for nets are not without cause spread for birds. 18 For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil. 19 These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
20 Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly. 21 And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says, 22 So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, 23 and are become subject to reproofs. Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech. 24 Since I called, and ye did not hearken; and I spoke at length, and ye gave no heed; 25 but ye set at nought my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs; 26 therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against you when ruin comes upon you:
27 yea when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and your overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you. 28 For it shall be that when ye call upon me, I will not hearken to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find me. 29 For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord: 30 neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs. 31 Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness. 32 For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly. 33 But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.
2 My son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with thee; 2 thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son. 3 For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding;
4 and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures; 5 then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence come knowledge and understanding, 7 and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way; 8 that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear him. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment; and shalt direct all thy course aright. 10 For if wisdom shall come into thine understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to thy soul, 11 good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee; 12 to deliver thee from the evil way, and from the man that speaks nothing faithfully. 13 Alas for those who forsake right paths, to walk in ways of darkness; 14 who rejoice in evils, and delight in wicked perverseness; 15 whose paths are crooked, and their courses winding; 16 to remove thee far from the straight way, and to estrange thee from a righteous purpose. 17 My son, let not evil counsel overtake thee, of her who has forsaken the instruction of her youth, and forgotten the covenant of God. 18 For she has fixed her house near death, and guided her wheels near Hades with the giants.
19 None that go by her shall return, neither shall they take hold of right paths, for they are not apprehended of the years of life.
20 For had they gone in good paths, they would have found the paths of righteousness easy. 21 For the upright shall dwell in the earth, and the holy shall be left behind in it.
22 The paths of the ungodly shall perish out of the earth, and transgressors shall be driven away from it.
3 My son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words: 2 for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck: so shalt thou find favour:
4 and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men. 5 Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom. 6 In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil. 8 Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones. 9 Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness: 10 that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine. 11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 12 for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives. 13 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence. 14 For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver. 15 And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value. 16 For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue. 17 Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful. 18 She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is a secure help to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord. 19 God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens. 20 By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water. 21 My son, let them not pass from thee, but keep my counsel and understanding: 22 that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones: 23 that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble. 24 For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly. 25 And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men. 26 For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved. 27 Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have power to help him. 28 Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do him good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth. 29 Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee. 30 Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm. 31 Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways. 32 For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous. 33 The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed. 34 The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted their own dishonour.
4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law.
3 For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother: 4 who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep our commandments, forget them not: 5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth. 6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee. 8 Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee; 9 that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee with a crown of delight. 10 Hear, my son, and receive my words; and the years of thy life shall be increased, that the resources of thy life may be many. 11 For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right paths. 12 For when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not be distressed. 13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for thyself for thy life. 14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors. 15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn from them, and pass away. 16 For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not. 17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression. 18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble. 20 My son, attend to my speech; and apply thine ear to my words: 21 that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in thine heart. 22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life. 24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips. 25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent to just things. 26 Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright. 27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil way: [for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those on the left are crooked:] and he will make thy ways straight, and will guide thy steps in peace.
5 My son, attend to my wisdom, and apply thine ear to my words; 2 that thou mayest keep good understanding, and the discretion of my lips gives thee a charge. 3 Give no heed to a worthless woman; for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases thy palate: 4 but afterwards thou wilt find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword. 5 For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established. 6 For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known. 7 Now then, my son, hear me, and make not my words of none effect. 8 Remove thy way far from her; draw not near to the doors of her house: 9 lest thou give away thy life to others, and thy substance to the merciless: 10 lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours come into the houses of strangers; 11 And thou repent at last, when the flesh of thy body is consumed, 12 and thou shalt say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart avoided reproofs! 13 I heard not the voice of him that instructed me, and taught me, neither did I apply mine ear. 14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. 15 Drink waters out of thine own vessels, and out of thine own springing wells. 16 Let not waters out of thy fountain be spilt by thee, but let thy waters go into thy streets. 17 Let them be only thine own, and let no stranger partake with thee. 18 Let thy fountain of water be truly thine own; and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. 19 Let thy loving hart and thy graceful colt company with thee, and let her be considered thine own, and be with thee at all times; for ravished with her love thou shalt be greatly increased. 20 Be not intimate with a strange woman, neither fold thyself in the arms of a woman not thine own. 21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of God, and he looks on all his paths. 22 Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins. 23 Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly.
6 My son, if thou become surety for thy friend, thou shalt deliver thine hand to an enemy. 2 For a man’s own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth. 3 My son, do what I command thee, and deliver thyself; for on thy friend’s account thou art come into the power of evil men: faint not, but stir up even thy friend for whom thou art become surety. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber with thine eyelids; 5 that thou mayest deliver thyself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare. 6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.
7 For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master, 8 he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store in harvest. 8a Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; 8b whose labours kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all:
8c though weak in body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom. 9 How long wilt thou lie, O sluggard? and when wilt thou awake out of sleep? 10 Thou sleepest a little, and thou restest a little, and thou slumberest a short time, and thou foldest thine arms over thy breast a little. 11 Then poverty comes upon thee as an evil traveller, and want as a swift courier: 11a but if thou be diligent, thine harvest shall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier. 12 A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good. 13 And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers. 14 His perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city. 15 Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin. 16 For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul. 17 The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just; 18 and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil. 19 An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between brethren. 20 My son, keep the laws of thy father, and reject not the ordinances of thy mother: 21 but bind them upon thy soul continually, and hang them as a chain about thy neck. 22 Whensoever thou walkest, lead this along and let it be with thee; that it may talk with thee when thou wakest. 23 For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction: 24 to keep thee continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue. 25 Let not the desire of beauty overcome thee, neither be thou caught by thine eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids. 26 For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts for the precious souls of men. 27 Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments? 28 or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet? 29 So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her. 30 It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul: 31 but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods. 32 But the adulterer through want of sense procures destruction to his soul. 33 He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off. 34 For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will not forego his enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.
7 My son, keep my words, and hide with thee my commandments. My son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong; and fear none but him: 2 keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; and keep my words as the pupils of thine eyes. 3 And bind them on thy fingers, and write them on the table of thine heart. 4 Say that wisdom is thy sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for thyself; 5 that she may keep thee from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail thee with flattering words. 6 For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, 7 at whom she may observe of the foolish children, a youngster lacking sense, 8 passing by the corner in the passages near her house, and speaking, 9 in the dark of the evening, when there happens to be the stillness of night and of darkness: 10 and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter. 11 And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home. 12 For at one time she wanders without, and at another time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner. 13 Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him, 14 I have a peace-offering; today I pay my vows:
15 therefore I came forth to meet thee, desiring thy face; and I have found thee. 16 I have spread my bed with sheets, and I have covered it with double tapestry from Egypt. 17 I have sprinkled my couch with saffron, and my house with cinnamon. 18 Come, and let us enjoy love until the morning; come, and let us embrace in love. 19 For my husband is not at home, but is gone on a long journey, 20 having taken in his hand a bundle of money: after many days he will return to his house. 21 So with much converse she prevailed on him to go astray, and with the snares of her lips forced him from the right path. 22 And he followed her, being gently led on, and that as an ox is led to the slaughter, and as a dog to bonds, 23 or as a hart shot in the liver with an arrow: and he hastens as a bird into a snare, not knowing that he is running for his life.
24 Now then, my son, hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25 Let not thine heart turn aside to her ways: 26 for she has wounded and cast down many, and those whom she has slain are innumerable. 27 Her house is the way of hell, leading down to the chambers of death.
8 Thou shalt proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to thee. 2 For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways. 3 For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, saying, 4 You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men. 5 O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, take heart 6 Hearken to me; for I will speak solemn truths; and will produce right sayings from my lips. 7 For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me. 8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
9 They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge. 10 Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold. 11 For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it. 12 I wisdom have dwelt with counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding. 13 The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men. 14 Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine. 15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth. 17 I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find me. 18 Wealth and glory belong to me; yea, abundant possessions and righteousness. 19 It is better to have my fruit than to have gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver. 20 I walk in ways of righteousness, and am conversant with the paths of judgment; 21 that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember also to recount the things of old. 22 The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works. 23 He established me before time was in the beginning, before he made the earth: 24 even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth: 25 before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me. 26 The Lord made countries and uninhabited tracks, and the highest inhabited parts of the world. 27 When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds: 28 and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth: 29 and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth: 30 I was by him, suiting myself to him, I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually. 31 For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men. 32 Now then, hearken unto me, O my son; for blessed are they that keep my ways 33 hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that shall hear me, and the mortal that shall keep my ways; watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
35 For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and in them is prepared favour from the Lord. 36 But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.
9 Wisdom has built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars. 2 She has killed her beasts; she has mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table.
3 She has sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying, 4 Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: and to them that want understanding she says, 5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you. 6 Leave folly, that ye may reign for ever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.
7 He that reproves evil men shall get dishonour to himself; and he that rebukes an ungodly man shall disgrace himself. 8 Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9 Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: for to know the law is the character of a sound mind. 11 For in this way thou shalt live long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee. 12 Son, if thou be wise for thyself, thou shalt also be wise for thy neighbours; and if thou shouldest prove wicked, thou alone wilt bear the evil. He that stays himself upon falsehoods, attempts to rule the winds, and the same will pursue birds in their fight: for he has forsaken the ways of his own vineyard, and he has caused the axles of his own husbandry to go astray; and he goes through a dry desert, and a land appointed to drought, and he gathers barrenness with his hands. 13 A foolish and bold woman, who knows not modesty, comes to want a morsel. 14 She sits at the doors of her house, on a seat openly in the streets, 15 calling to passers by, and to those that are going right on their ways; 16 saying, Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those that want prudence, saying, 17 Take and enjoy secret bread, and the sweet water of theft. 18 But he knows that mighty men die by her, and he falls in with a snare of hell. 18a But hasten away, delay not in the place, neither fix thine eye upon her: 18b for thus shalt thou go through strange water; and pass through a strange river. 18c but do thou abstain from strange water, and drink not of a strange fountain, 18d that thou mayest live long, and years of life may be added to thee.
10 A wise son makes his father glad: but a foolish son is a grief to his mother. 2 Treasures shall not profit the lawless: but righteousness shall deliver from death. 3 The Lord will not famish a righteous soul: but he will overthrow the life of the ungodly. 4 Poverty brings a man low: but the hands of the vigorous make rich. 4a A son who is instructed shall be wise, and shall use the fool for a servant. 5 A wise son is saved from heat: but a lawless son is blighted of the winds in harvest.
6 The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the just: but untimely grief shall cover the mouth of the ungodly. 7 The memory of the just is praised; but the name of the ungodly man is extinguished. 8 A wise man in heart will receive commandments; but he that is unguarded in his lips shall be overthrown in his perverseness. 9 He that walks simply, walks confidently; but he that perverts his ways shall be known. 10 He that winks with his eyes deceitfully, procures griefs for men; but he that reproves boldly is a peacemaker. 11 There is a fountain of life in the hand of a righteous man; but destruction shall cover the mouth of the ungodly. 12 Hatred stirs up strife; but affection covers all that do not love strife. 13 He that brings forth wisdom from his lips smites the fool with a rod. 14 The wise will hide discretion; but the mouth of the hasty draws near to ruin. 15 The wealth of rich men is a strong city; but poverty is the ruin of the ungodly. 16 The works of the righteous produce life; but the fruits of the ungodly produce sins. 17 Instruction keeps the right ways of life; but instruction unchastened goes astray. 18 Righteous lips cover enmity; but they that utter railings are most foolish. 19 By a multitude of words thou shalt not escape sin; but if thou refrain thy lips thou wilt be prudent. 20 The tongue of the just is tried silver; but the heart of the ungodly shall fail. 21 The lips of the righteous know sublime truths: but the foolish die in want. 22 The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the righteous; it enriches him, and grief of heart shall not be added to it. 23 A fool does mischief in sport; but wisdom brings forth prudence for a man. 24 The ungodly is engulphed in destruction; but the desire of the righteous is acceptable. 25 When the storm passes by, the ungodly vanishes away; but the righteous turns aside and escapes for ever. 26 As a sour grape is hurtful to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, so iniquity hurts those that practise it. 27 The fear of the Lord adds length of days: but the years of the ungodly shall be shortened. 28 Joy rests long with the righteous: but the hope of the ungodly shall perish. 29 The fear of the Lord is a strong hold of the saints: but ruin comes to them that work wickedness. 30 The righteous shall never fail: but the ungodly shall not dwell in the earth. 31 The mouth of the righteous drops wisdom: but the tongue of the unjust shall perish. 32 The lips of just men drop grace: but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse.
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