A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favour is above silver and gold.
Αἱρετώτερον ὄνομα καλὸν ἢ πλοῦτος πολύς, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον χάρις ἀγαθή.
The Old Testament
Proverbs 22
ΠΑΡΟΙΜΙΑΙ ΣΟΛΟΜΩΝΤΟΣ · 22
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31 Brenton verses
The rich and the poor meet together; but the Lord made them both.
Πλούσιος καὶ πτωχὸς συνήντησαν ἀλλήλοις, ἀμφοτέρους δὲ ὁ κύριος ἐποίησε.
An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.
Πανοῦργος ἰδὼν πονηρὸν τιμωρούμενον κραταιῶς αὐτὸς παιδεύεται, οἱ δὲ ἄφρονες παρελθόντες ἐζημιώθησαν.
The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and glory, and life.
Γενεὰ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου, καὶ πλοῦτος, καὶ δόξα, καὶ ζωή.
Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his soul will refrain from them.
Τρίβολοι καὶ παγίδες ἐν ὁδοῖς σκολιαῖς, ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἀφέξεται αὐτῶν.
The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.
Πλούσιοι πτωχῶν ἄρξουσι, καὶ οἰκέται ἰδίοις δεσπόταις δανειοῦσιν.
He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully receive the punishment of his deeds.
Ὁ σπείρων φαῦλα θερίσει κακὰ, πληγὴν δὲ ἔργων αὐτοῦ συντελέσει·
God loves a cheerful and liberal man; but a man shall fully prove the folly of his works.
Source notes (1)
- See 2 Cor. 9. 7. Compare Heb.
ἄνδρα ἱλαρὸν καὶ δότην εὐλογεῖ ὁ Θεὸς, ματαιότητα δὲ ἔργων αὐτοῦ συντελέσει.
He that has pity on the poor shall himself be maintained; for he has given of his own bread to the poor.
Ὁ ἐλεῶν πτωχὸν αὐτὸς διατραφήσεται, τῶν γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ ἄρτων ἔδωκε τῷ πτωχῷ·
He that gives liberally secures victory and honour; but he takes away the life of them that possess them.
νίκην καὶ τιμὴν περιποιεῖται ὁ δῶρα δοὺς, τὴν μέντοι ψυχὴν ἀφαιρεῖται τῶν κεκτημένων.
Cast out a pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonours all.
Ἔκβαλε ἐκ συνεδρίου λοιμὸν, καὶ συνεξελεύσεται αὐτῷ νεῖκος, ὅταν γὰρ καθίσῃ ἐν συνεδρίῳ πάντας ἀτιμάζει.
The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are acceptable with him: a king rules with his lips.
Ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος ὁσίας καρδίας, δεκτοὶ δὲ αὐτῷ πάντες ἄμωμοι· χείλεσι ποιμαίνει βασιλεύς.
But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises wise words.
Οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου διατηροῦσιν αἴσθησιν, φαυλίζει δὲ λόγους παράνομος.
The sluggard makes excuses, and says, There is a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.
Προφασίζεται, καὶ λέγει ὀκνηρὸς, λέων ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, ἐν δὲ ταῖς πλατείαις φονευταί.
The mouth of a transgressor is a deep pit; and he that is hated of the Lord shall fall into it.
Βόθρος βαθὺς στόμα παρανόμου, ὁ δὲ μισηθεὶς ὑπὸ Κυρίου ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς αὐτόν.
Evil ways are before a man, and he does not like to turn away from them; but it is needful to turn aside from a perverse and bad way.
εἰσὶν ὁδοὶ κακαὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνδρὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἀγαπᾷ τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι ἀπʼ αὐτῶν, ἀποστρέφειν δὲ δεῖ ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ σκολιᾶς καὶ κακῆς.
Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and instruction are then far from him.
Ἄνοια ἐξῆπται καρδίας νέου, ῥάβδος δὲ καὶ παιδεία μακρὰν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.
He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.
Ὁ συκοφαντῶν πένητα, πολλὰ ποιεῖ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, δίδωσι δὲ πλουσίῳ ἐπʼ ἐλάσσονι.
Incline thine ear to the words of wise men: hear also my word, and apply thine heart,
Λόγοις σοφῶν παράβαλλε σὸν οὖς, καὶ ἄκουε ἐμὸν λόγον, τὴν δὲ σὴν καρδίαν ἐπίστησον, ἵνα γνῷς ὅτι καλοί εἰσι·
that thou mayest know that they are good: and if thou lay them to heart, they shall also gladden thee on thy lips.
καὶ ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου, εὐφρανοῦσί σε ἅμα ἐπὶ σοῖς χείλεσιν·
That thy hope may be in the Lord, and he may make thy way known to thee.
Ἵνα σου γένηται ἐπὶ Κύριον ἡ ἐλπὶς, καὶ γνωρίσῃ σοι τὴν ὁδόν σου.
And do thou too repeatedly record them for thyself on the table of thine heart, for counsel and knowledge.
Καὶ σὺ δὲ ἀπόγραψαι αὐτὰ σεαυτῷ τρισσῶς, εἰς βουλὴν καὶ γνῶσιν ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς καρδίας σου.
I therefore teach thee truth, and knowledge good to hear; that thou mayest answer words of truth to them that question thee.
Source notes (1)
- See 1 Pet. 3. 15.
Διδάσκω οὖν σε ἀληθῆ λόγον, καὶ γνῶσιν ἀγαθὴν ὑπακούειν, τοῦ ἀποκρίνεσθαί σε λόγους ἀληθείας τοῖς προβαλλομένοις σοι.
Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonour the helpless man in the gates.
Μὴ ἀποβιάζου πένητα, πτωχὸς γὰρ ἐστι, καὶ μὴ ἀτιμάσῃς ἀσθενῆ ἐν πύλαις.
For the Lord will plead his cause, and thou shalt deliver thy soul in safety.
Ὁ γὰρ Κύριος κρινεῖ αὐτοῦ τὴν κρίσιν, καὶ ῥύσῃ σὴν ἄσυλον ψυχήν.
Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man:
Μὴ ἴσθι ἑταῖρος ἀνδρὶ θυμώδει, φίλῳ δὲ ὀργίλῳ μὴ συναυλίζου·
lest thou learn of his ways, and get snares to thy soul.
μήποτε μάθῃς τῶν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ λάβῃς βρόχους τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ.
Become not surety from respect of a man's person.
Μὴ δίδου σεαυτὸν εἰς ἐγγύην αἰσχυνόμενος πρόσωπον·
For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed that is under thee.
Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἔχῃ πόθεν ἀποτίσῃς, λήψονται τὸ στρῶμα τὸ ὑπὸ τὰς πλευράς σου.
Remove not the old landmarks, which thy fathers placed.
Source notes (1)
- Gr. eternal.
Μὴ μέταιρε ὅρια αἰώνια, ἃ ἔθεντο οἱ πατέρες σου.
It is fit that an observant man and one diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.
Ὁρατικὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ὀξὺν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ βασιλεῦσι δεῖ παρεστάναι, καὶ μὴ παρεστάναι ἀνδράσι νωθροῖς.
Brenton supplied wording, small capitals, translation notes, Greek wording, and edition-specific verse identifiers are retained. Parallel passages keep each edition's own references. Editions and sources.