1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. 5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. 6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. 9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. 10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it ? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it ? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: 14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it , then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Lay not wait, O wicked man , against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: 16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 Lest the LORD see it , and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil men , neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: 22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. 26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. 27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. 29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
1 υἱέ, μὴ ζηλώσῃς κακοὺς ἄνδρας
μηδὲ ἐπιθυμήσῃς εἶναι μετ᾽ αὐτῶν·
2 ψεύδη γὰρ μελετᾷ ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν,
καὶ πόνους τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν λαλεῖ.
3 μετὰ σοφίας οἰκοδομεῖται οἶκος
καὶ μετὰ συνέσεως ἀνορθοῦται·
4 μετὰ αἰσθήσεως ἐμπίμπλαται ταμιεῖα
ἐκ παντὸς πλούτου τιμίου καὶ καλοῦ.
5 κρείσσων σοφὸς ἰσχυροῦ
καὶ ἀνὴρ φρόνησιν ἔχων γεωργίου μεγάλου·
6 μετὰ κυβερνήσεως γίνεται πόλεμος,
βοήθεια δὲ μετὰ καρδίας βουλευτικῆς.
7 σοφία καὶ ἔννοια ἀγαθὴ ἐν πύλαις σοφῶν·
σοφοὶ οὐκ ἐκκλίνουσιν ἐκ στόματος κυρίου,
8 ἀλλὰ λογίζονται ἐν συνεδρίοις.
ἀπαιδεύτοις συναντᾷ θάνατος,
9 ἀποθνῄσκει δὲ ἄφρων ἐν ἁμαρτίαις·
ἀκαθαρσία δὲ ἀνδρὶ λοιμῷ ἐμμολυνθήσεται
10 ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεως, ἕως ἂν ἐκλίπῃ.
11 ῥῦσαι ἀγομένους εἰς θάνατον
καὶ ἐκπρίου κτεινομένους, μὴ φείσῃ·
12 ἐὰν δὲ εἴπῃς Οὐκ οἶδα τοῦτον,
γίνωσκε ὅτι κύριος καρδίας πάντων γινώσκει,
καὶ ὁ πλάσας πνοὴν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς οἶδεν πάντα,
ὃς ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.
13 φάγε μέλι, υἱέ, ἀγαθὸν γὰρ κηρίον,
ἵνα γλυκανθῇ σου ὁ φάρυγξ·
14 οὕτως αἰσθήσῃ σοφίαν τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ·
ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς, ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου,
καὶ ἐλπίς σε οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει.
15 μὴ προσαγάγῃς ἀσεβῆ νομῇ δικαίων
μηδὲ ἀπατηθῇς χορτασίᾳ κοιλίας·
16 ἑπτάκι γὰρ πεσεῖται ὁ δίκαιος καὶ ἀναστήσεται,
οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ἀσθενήσουσιν ἐν κακοῖς.
17 ἐὰν πέσῃ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, μὴ ἐπιχαρῇς αὐτῷ,
ἐν δὲ τῷ ὑποσκελίσματι αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐπαίρου·
18 ὅτι ὄψεται κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἀρέσει αὐτῷ,
καὶ ἀποστρέψει τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
19 μὴ χαῖρε ἐπὶ κακοποιοῖς
μηδὲ ζήλου ἁμαρτωλούς·
20 οὐ γὰρ μὴ γένηται ἔκγονα πονηρῶν,
λαμπτὴρ δὲ ἀσεβῶν σβεσθήσεται.
21 φοβοῦ τὸν θεόν, υἱέ, καὶ βασιλέα
καὶ μηθετέρῳ αὐτῶν ἀπειθήσῃς·
22 ἐξαίφνης γὰρ τείσονται τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς,
τὰς δὲ τιμωρίας ἀμφοτέρων τίς γνώσεται;
22a λόγον φυλασσόμενος υἱὸς ἀπωλείας ἐκτὸς ἔσται,
δεχόμενος δὲ ἐδέξατο αὐτόν.
22b μηδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ γλώσσης βασιλεῖ λεγέσθω,
καὶ οὐδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ γλώσσης αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃ.
22c μάχαιρα γλῶσσα βασιλέως καὶ οὐ σαρκίνη,
ὃς δ᾽ ἂν παραδοθῇ, συντριβήσεται·
22d ἐὰν γὰρ ὀξυνθῇ ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ,
σὺν νεύροις ἀνθρώπους ἀναλίσκει
22e καὶ ὀστᾶ ἀνθρώπων κατατρώγει
καὶ συγκαίει ὥσπερ φλὸξ
ὥστε ἄβρωτα εἶναι νεοσσοῖς ἀετῶν.
23 Ταῦτα δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν τοῖς σοφοῖς ἐπιγινώσκειν·
αἰδεῖσθαι πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει οὐ καλόν·
24 ὁ εἰπὼν τὸν ἀσεβῆ Δίκαιός ἐστιν,
ἐπικατάρατος λαοῖς ἔσται καὶ μισητὸς εἰς ἔθνη·
25 οἱ δὲ ἐλέγχοντες βελτίους φανοῦνται,
ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς δὲ ἥξει εὐλογία ἀγαθή·
26 χείλη δὲ φιλήσουσιν ἀποκρινόμενα λόγους ἀγαθούς.
27 ἑτοίμαζε εἰς τὴν ἔξοδον τὰ ἔργα σου
καὶ παρασκευάζου εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν
καὶ πορεύου κατόπισθέν μου
καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσεις τὸν οἶκόν σου.
28 μὴ ἴσθι ψευδὴς μάρτυς ἐπὶ σὸν πολίτην
μηδὲ πλατύνου σοῖς χείλεσιν·
29 μὴ εἴπῃς Ὃν τρόπον ἐχρήσατό μοι χρήσομαι αὐτῷ,
τείσομαι δὲ αὐτὸν ἅ με ἠδίκησεν.
30 ὥσπερ γεώργιον ἀνὴρ ἄφρων,
καὶ ὥσπερ ἀμπελὼν ἄνθρωπος ἐνδεὴς φρενῶν·
31 ἐὰν ἀφῇς αὐτόν, χερσωθήσεται
καὶ χορτομανήσει ὅλος καὶ γίνεται ἐκλελειμμένος,
οἱ δὲ φραγμοὶ τῶν λίθων αὐτοῦ κατασκάπτονται.
32 ὕστερον ἐγὼ μετενόησα,
ἐπέβλεψα τοῦ ἐκλέξασθαι παιδείαν.
33 ὀλίγον νυστάζω, ὀλίγον δὲ καθυπνῶ,
ὀλίγον δὲ ἐναγκαλίζομαι χερσὶν στήθη·
34 ἐὰν δὲ τοῦτο ποιῇς, ἥξει προπορευομένη ἡ πενία σου
καὶ ἡ ἔνδειά σου ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς δρομεύς.