Özdeyişler 24

¹Oğlum, kötü insanlara özenme ve onlarla birlikte olmayı arzulama.

²Çünkü onların yüreği yalanlar tasarlar ve dudakları kötülük konuşur.

³Bir ev bilgelikle kurulur ve anlayışla ayağa kaldırılır.

⁴İdrak sayesinde odalar her türlü değerli ve güzel servetle dolar.

⁵Bilge kişi güçlü olandan daha üstündür ve akıllı kişi büyük bir araziden daha iyidir.

⁶Savaş iyi bir yönetimle yürütülür, yardım ise danışan bir yürekle gelir.

⁷Bilgelik ve iyi düşünce bilgelerin kapılarındadır; bilgeler Rab'bin ağzından çıkan sözlerden sapmazlar,

⁸aksine meclislerde derin derin düşünürler. Eğitimsizlerin karşısına ise ölüm çıkar,

⁹ve aptal da günahları içinde ölür. Fesatçı adama ise murdarlık bulaşır,

¹⁰kötü günde ve sıkıntı gününde, tamamen yok olana dek kirlenecektir.

¹¹Ölüme götürülenleri kurtar ve öldürülmek üzere olanları esirgeyip kurtar, yardımını esirgeme.

¹²"Ben bu adamı tanımıyorum" dersen, bil ki Rab herkesin yüreğini bilir; herkese nefes veren O'dur, her şeyi bilir ve herkese işlerine göre karşılık verir.

¹³Oğlum, bal ye, çünkü petek balı iyidir, boğazını tatlandırır.

¹⁴Ruhun için bilgeliği de böyle bil; eğer onu bulursan, sonun iyi olacak ve umudun seni terk etmeyecektir.

¹⁵Kötü adamı doğruların otlağına götürme, karnını doyurma arzusuyla aldanma.

¹⁶Çünkü doğru kişi yedi kez düşse de yine kalkar, ama kötüler belaya uğrayınca yıkılırlar.

¹⁷Düşmanın düşerse sevinme, ayağı tökezleyince yüreğin coşmasın.

¹⁸Yoksa Rab görür ve bunu beğenmez, ona olan öfkesini ondan uzaklaştırır.

¹⁹Kötülük yapanlara sevinme, günahkarlara özenme.

²⁰Çünkü kötü insanın soyu kalmayacak, kötülerin çırası sönecektir.

²¹Oğlum, Tanrı'dan ve kraldan kork; ikisinden hiçbirine itaatsizlik etme.

²²Çünkü kötülere ansızın ceza verirler; her ikisinin vereceği cezayı kim bilebilir?

⁰22α Sözü tutan oğul yıkımdan uzak kalır, onu kabul eden tamamen kabul etmiştir.

⁰22β Krala dille hiçbir yalan söylenmesin ve onun kendi dilinden de hiçbir yalan çıkmasın.

⁰22γ Kralın dili etten değil, kılıçtandır; ona teslim edilen her kimse mahvolacaktır.

⁰22δ Çünkü öfkesi alevlenirse, insanları bağlarıyla birlikte yok eder,

⁰22ε İnsanların kemiklerini kemirir ve bir alev gibi yakıp kül eder, öyle ki kartal yavrularının yiyemeyeceği hale gelirler. Oğlum, sözlerimden kork ve onları kabul edip tövbe et.

⁰1α Tanrı'ya güvenenlere o adam şöyle der ve ben sözümü bitiririm:

²Çünkü ben insanların en cahiliyim, bende insani anlayış yoktur.

³Tanrı bana bilgeliği öğretti, Kutsal Olan'ın bilgisini bilirim.

⁴Kim göklere çıkıp indi? Rüzgarı avuçlarında kim topladı? Suları giysisine kim sardı? Yeryüzünün bütün uçlarını kim belirledi? O'nun adı nedir, çocuklarının adı nedir?

⁵Çünkü Tanrı'nın her sözü sınanmıştır; O, kendisinden korkanlara kalkandır.

⁶O'nun sözlerine hiçbir şey ekleme, yoksa seni azarlar ve yalancı çıkarsın.

⁷Senden iki şey diliyorum, ben ölmeden önce bunları benden esirgeme:

⁸Boş ve yalan sözü benden uzak tut; bana ne zenginlik ne de yoksulluk ver, sadece bana gereken ve yetecek olanı sağla.

⁹Öyle ki, doyup da yalan söylemeyeyim ve "Beni kim görüyor?" demeyeyim; ya da yoksullaşıp hırsızlık yapmayayım ve Tanrım'ın adıyla boş yere ant içmeyeyim.

¹⁰Bir köleyi efendisinin eline teslim etme, yoksa sana lanet eder ve mahvolursun.

¹¹Öyle bir kuşak var ki, babasına lanet eder, annesini kutsamaz.

¹²Öyle bir kuşak var ki, kendini doğru sanır, ama kendi pisliğinden temizlenmemiştir.

¹³Öyle bir kuşak var ki, gözleri kibirlidir, bakışları tepeden bakar.

¹⁴Öyle bir kuşak var ki, dişleri kılıç, azı dişleri bıçaktır; yeryüzündeki mazlumları ve insanlar arasındaki yoksulları yiyip bitirirler. Bilgelere de şunları söylüyorum ki bilsinler: Yargılarken hatır saymak iyi değildir.

²⁴Kötüye "Sen doğrusun" diyen kişi, halklar tarafından lanetlenecek, uluslarca nefret edilecektir.

²⁵Ama onu azarlayanlar daha iyi görünecek ve üzerlerine bereket gelecektir.

²⁶Doğru yanıt veren dudaklar öpülür.

²⁷Dışarıdaki işini yoluna koy, tarlanı hazırla; ondan sonra ardımdan gel ve evini kur.

²⁸Yurttaşına karşı nedensiz yere yalan tanıklık etme, dudaklarınla yalanı yayma.

²⁹"Bana ne yaptıysa ben de ona aynısını yapacağım, bana yaptığı haksızlığın öcünü alacağım" deme.

³⁰Aptal adam bir tarlaya benzer, akıldan yoksun insan da bir bağa benzer.

³¹Onu kendi haline bırakırsan, her yerini dikenler kaplar, yabani otlar bürür ve terk edilmiş bir yer olur; taş duvarları da yıkılır.

³²Sonra düşündüm, ders çıkarmak için dikkatle baktım:

³³"Biraz uyuyayım, biraz kestireyim, ellerimi kavuşturup biraz uzanayım" dersin.

³⁴Ama bunu yaparsan, yoksulluğun öncü gibi gelir, yoksunluk da iyi bir koşucu gibi yetişir.

¹⁵Sülüğün çok sevilen üç kızı vardı; bu üçü onu doyurmadı ve dördüncüsü de "Yeter" demeye doymadı.

¹⁶Ölüler diyarı, kadının aşkı, suya doymayan toprak, su ve ateş asla "Yeter" demez.

¹⁷Babasıyla alay eden, annesinin yaşlılığını hor gören gözü, vadideki kargalar oysun, kartal yavruları yesin.

¹⁸Aklımın ermediği üç şey var, hatta anlayamadığım dört şey:

¹⁹Havada uçan kartalın izi, kayadaki yılanın yolu, denizde yol alan geminin rotası ve gençlikteki bir adamın yolları.

²⁰Zina eden kadının yolu da böyledir; yıkanıp, "Kötü bir şey yapmadım" der.

²¹Yeryüzü üç şey yüzünden sarsılır, dördüncüsüne ise dayanamaz:

²²Köle kral olursa, aptalın karnı yemekle doyarsa,

²³hizmetçi hanımını kovarsa ve nefret edilen kadın iyi bir adamla evlenirse.

²⁴Yeryüzünde dör küçük canlı var ki, bilgelerden daha bilgedirler:

²⁵Güçsüz bir halk olan karıncalar, yiyeceklerini yazdan biriktirirler;

²⁶Zayıf bir topluluk olan kaya porsukları, yuvalarını kayalıklarda kurarlar;

²⁷Kralları olmayan çekirgeler, tek bir komutla düzenli bir ordu gibi ilerlerler;

²⁸Elleriyle tutunan ve kolayca yakalanabilen kertenkele, kralların saraylarında yaşar.

²⁹Yürüyüşü görkemli olan üç şey var, adımları heybetli olan dört şey:

³⁰Hayvanların en güçlüsü olan ve hiçbir hayvandan kaçmayan genç aslan,

³¹dişilerin arasında cesurca yürüyen horoz, sürüye öncülük eden teke ve halkının önünde konuşan kral.

³²Kendini eğlenceye kaptırır ve kavga etmek için elini uzatırsan, rezil olursun.

³³Sütü döversen tereyağı elde edersin, burnu sıkarsan kan çıkar; sözleri zorlarsan da davalar ve kavgalar çıkar.

¹Sözlerim Tanrı tarafından söylenmiştir; annesinin eğittiği bir kralın vahyidir.

²Ne koruyacaksın oğlum, ne? Tanrı'nın sözlerini. İlk doğan oğlum, sana söylüyorum: Ne? Bağrımdan çıkan oğlum? Ne? Adaklarımın oğlu?

³Gücünü kadınlara verme, zihnini ve yaşamını pişmanlığa teslim etme.

⁴Her şeyi danışarak yap, şarabı danışarak iç; hükümdarlar öfkelidir, şarap içmesinler,

⁵Öyle ki, içip de bilgeliği unutmasınlar ve zayıf olanları doğru yargılamaktan aciz kalmasınlar.

⁶İçkiyi kederli olanlara verin, şarabı acı çekenlere içirin;

⁷öyle ki, içip yoksulluklarını unutsunlar ve artık sıkıntılarını hatırlamasınlar.

⁸Ağzını Tanrı'nın sözüyle aç ve herkesi dürüstçe yargıla.

⁹Ağzını aç ve adaletle yargıla, yoksulun ve zayıfın davasını savun.

¹ΥΙΕ, μὴ ζηλώσῃς κακοὺς ἄνδρας μηδὲ ἐπιθυμήσῃς εἶναι μετ᾿ αὐτῶν·

²ψευδῆ γὰρ μελετᾷ ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν, καὶ πόνους τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν λαλεῖ.

³μετὰ σοφίας οἰκοδομεῖται οἶκος καὶ μετὰ συνέσεως ἀνορθοῦται.

⁴μετὰ αἰσθήσεως ἐμπίπλανται ταμιεῖα ἐκ παντὸς πλούτου τιμίου καὶ καλοῦ.

⁵κρείσσων σοφὸς ἰσχυροῦ καὶ ἀνὴρ φρόνησιν ἔχων γεωργίου μεγάλου.

⁶μετὰ κυβερνήσεως γίνεται πόλεμος, βοήθεια δὲ μετὰ καρδίας βουλευτικῆς.

⁷σοφία καὶ ἔννοια ἀγαθὴ ἐν πύλαις σοφῶν· σοφοὶ οὐκ ἐκκλίνουσιν ἐκ στόματος Κυρίου,

⁸ἀλλὰ λογίζονται ἐν συνεδρίοις. ἀπαιδεύτοις συναντᾷ θάνατος,

⁹ἀποθνήσκει δὲ ἄφρων ἐν ἁμαρτίαις. ἀκαθαρσία δὲ ἀνδρὶ λοιμῷ

¹⁰ἐμμολυνθήσεται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεως, ἕως ἂν ἐκλίπῃ.

¹¹ῥῦσαι ἀγομένους εἰς θάνατον καὶ ἐκπρίου κτεινομένους, μὴ φείσῃ·

¹²ἐὰν δὲ εἴπῃς, οὐκ οἶδα τοῦτον, γίνωσκε ὅτι Κύριος καρδίας πάντων γινώσκει, καὶ ὁ πλάσας πνοὴν πᾶσιν, αὐτὸς οἶδε πάντα, ὃς ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.

¹³φάγε μέλι, υἱέ, ἀγαθὸν γὰρ κηρίον, ἵνα γλυκανθῇ σου ὁ φάρυγξ·

¹⁴οὕτως αἰσθήσῃ σοφίαν τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ· ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς, ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου, καὶ ἐλπίς σε οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει.

¹⁵μὴ προσαγάγῃς ἀσεβῆ νομῇ δικαίων μηδὲ ἀπατηθῇς χορτασίᾳ κοιλίας·

¹⁶ἑπτάκις γὰρ πεσεῖται δίκαιος καὶ ἀναστήσεται, οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ἀσθενήσουσιν ἐν κακοῖς.

¹⁷ἐὰν πέσῃ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, μὴ ἐπιχαρῇς αὐτῷ, ἐν δὲ τῷ ὑποσκελίσματι αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐπαίρου·

¹⁸ὅτι ὄψεται Κύριος καὶ οὐκ ἀρέσει αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀποστρέψει τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

¹⁹μὴ χαῖρε ἐπὶ κακοποιοῖς, μηδὲ ζήλου ἁμαρτωλούς·

²⁰οὐ γὰρ μὴ γένηται ἔκγονα πονηρῷ, λαμπτὴρ δὲ ἀσεβῶν σβεσθήσεται.

²¹φοβοῦ τὸν Θεόν, υἱέ, καὶ βασιλέα καὶ μηθετέρῳ αὐτῶν ἀπειθήσῃς·

²²ἐξαίφνης γὰρ τίσονται τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς, τὰς δὲ τιμωρίας ἀμφοτέρων τίς γνώσεται; 22α λόγον φυλασσόμενος υἱὸς ἀπωλείας ἐκτὸς ἔσται, δεχόμενος δὲ ἐδέξατο αὐτόν. 22β μηδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ γλώσσης βασιλεῖ λεγέσθω, καὶ οὐδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ γλώσσης αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃ. 22γ μάχαιρα γλῶσσα βασιλέως καὶ οὐ σαρκίνη, ὃς δ᾿ ἂν παραδοθῇ, συντριβήσεται· 22δ ἐὰν γὰρ ὀξυνθῇ ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ, σὺν νεύροις ἀνθρώπους ἀναλίσκει, 22ε καὶ ὀστᾶ ἀνθρώπων κατατρώγει, καὶ συγκαίει ὥσπερ φλόξ, ὥστε ἄβρωτα εἶναι νεοσσοῖς ἀετῶν. (Μασ. Λ´, 1). Τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους, υἱέ, φοβήθητι, καὶ δεξάμενος αὐτοὺς μετανόει· 1α τάδε λέγει ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῖς πιστεύουσι Θεῷ, καὶ παύομαι·

²ἀφρονέστατος γάρ εἰμι ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων, καὶ φρόνησις ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἐμοί·

³Θεὸς δεδίδαχέ με σοφίαν, καὶ γνῶσιν ἁγίων ἔγνωκα.

⁴τίς ἀνέβη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ κατέβη; τίς συνήγαγεν ἀνέμους ἐν κόλπῳ; τίς συνέστρεψεν ὕδωρ ἐν ἱματίῳ; τίς ἐκράτησε πάντων τῶν ἄκρων τῆς γῆς; τί ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ἢ τί ὄνομα τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτοῦ;

⁵πάντες γὰρ λόγοι Θεοῦ πεπυρωμένοι, ὑπερασπίζει δὲ αὐτὸς τῶν εὐλαβουμένων αὐτόν.

⁶μὴ προσθῇς τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἐλέγξῃ σε καὶ ψευδὴς γένῃ.

⁷δύο αἰτοῦμαι παρὰ σοῦ, μὴ ἀφέλῃς μου χάριν πρὸ τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν με·

⁸μάταιον λόγον καὶ ψευδῆ μακράν μου ποίησον, πλοῦτον δὲ καὶ πενίαν μή μοι δῷς, σύνταξόν δέ μοι τὰ δέοντα καὶ τὰ αὐτάρκη,

⁹ἵνα μὴ πλησθεὶς ψευδὴς γένωμαι καὶ εἴπω· τίς με ὁρᾶ; ἢ πενηθεὶς κλέψω καὶ ὀμόσω τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ.

¹⁰μὴ παραδῷς οἰκέτην εἰς χεῖρας δεσπότου, μήποτε καταράσηταί σε καὶ ἀφανισθῇς.

¹¹ἔκγονον κακὸν πατέρα καταρᾶται, τὴν δὲ μητέρα οὐκ εὐλογεῖ.

¹²ἔκγονον κακὸν δίκαιον ἑαυτὸν κρίνει. τὴν δ᾿ ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀπένιψεν.

¹³ἔκγονον κακὸν ὑψηλοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχει, τοῖς δὲ βλεφάροις αὐτοῦ ἐπαίρεται.

¹⁴ἔκγονον κακὸν μαχαίρας τοὺς ὀδόντας ἔχει καὶ τὰς μύλας τομίδας, ὥστε ἀναλίσκειν καὶ κατεσθίειν τοὺς ταπεινοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ τοὺς πένητας αὐτῶν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων. (Μασ. ΚΔ´, 23). Ταῦτα δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν τοῖς σοφοῖς ἐπιγινώσκειν· αἰδεῖσθαι πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει οὐ καλόν.

²⁴ὁ εἰπὼν τὸν ἀσεβῆ· δίκαιός ἐστιν, ἐπικατάρατος λαοῖς ἔσται καὶ μισητὸς εἰς ἔθνη·

²⁵οἱ δὲ ἐλέγχοντες βελτίους φανοῦνται, ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς δὲ ἥξει εὐλογία·

²⁶χείλη δὲ φιλήσουσιν ἀποκρινόμενα λόγους ἀγαθούς.

²⁷ἑτοίμαζε εἰς τὴν ἔξοδον τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ παρασκευάζου εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν καὶ πορεύου κατόπισθέν μου καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσεις τὸν οἶκον σου.

²⁸μή ἴσθι ψευδὴς μάρτυς ἐπὶ σὸν πολίτην, μηδὲ πλατύνου σοῖς χείλεσι.

²⁹μὴ εἴπῃς· ὃν τρόπον ἐχρήσατό μοι, χρήσομαι αὐτῷ, τίσομαι δὲ αὐτὸν ἅ με ἠδίκησεν.

³⁰ὥσπερ γεώργιον ἀνὴρ ἄφρων, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀμπελὼν ἄνθρωπος ἐνδεὴς φρενῶν·

³¹ἐὰν ἀφῇς αὐτόν, χερσωθήσεται καὶ χορτομανήσει ὅλος καὶ γίνεται ἐκλελειμμένος, οἱ δὲ φραγμοὶ τῶν λίθων αὐτοῦ κατασκάπτονται.

³²ὕστερον ἐγὼ μετενόησα, ἐπέβλεψα τοῦ ἐκλέξασθαι παιδείαν,

³³ὀλίγον νυστάζω, ὀλίγον δὲ καθυπνῶ, ὀλίγον δὲ ἐναγκαλίζομαι χερσὶ στήθη·

³⁴ἐὰν δὲ τοῦτο ποιῇς, ἥξει προπορευομένη ἡ πενία σου καὶ ἡ ἔνδειά σου ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς δρομεύς. (Μασ. Λ´, 15). Τῇ βδέλλῃ τρεῖς θυγατέρες ἦσαν ἀγαπήσει ἀγαπώμεναι, καὶ αἱ τρεῖς αὗται οὐκ ἐνεπίμπλασαν αὐτήν, καὶ ἡ τετάρτη οὐκ ἠρκέσθη εἰπεῖν· ἱκανόν.

¹⁶ᾅδης καὶ ἔρως γυναικὸς καὶ γῆ οὐκ ἐμπιπλαμένη ὕδατος καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ πῦρ οὐ μὴ εἴπωσιν· ἀρκεῖ·

¹⁷ὀφθαλμὸν καταγελῶντα πατρὸς καὶ ἀτιμάζοντα γῆρας μητρός, ἐκκόψαισαν αὐτὸν κόρακες ἐκ τῶν φαράγγων καὶ καταφάγοισαν αὐτὸν νεοσσοὶ ἀετῶν.

¹⁸τρία δέ ἐστι ἀδύνατά μοι νοῆσαι, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκω·

¹⁹ἴχνη ἀετοῦ πετομένου καὶ ὁδοὺς ὄφεως ἐπὶ πέτρας καὶ τρίβους νηὸς ποντοπορούσης καὶ ὁδοὺς ἀνδρὸς ἐν νεότητι.

²⁰τοιαύτη ὁδὸς γυναικὸς μοιχαλίδος, ἥ, ὅταν πράξῃ, ἀπονιψαμένη, οὐδέν φησι πεπραχέναι ἄτοπον.

²¹διὰ τριῶν σείεται ἡ γῆ, τὸ δὲ τέταρτον οὐ δύναται φέρειν·

²²ἐὰν οἰκέτης βασιλεύσῃ καὶ ἄφρων πλησθῇ σιτίων

²³καὶ οἰκέτις ἐὰν ἐκβάλῃ τὴν ἑαυτῆς κυρίαν καὶ μισητὴ γυνὴ ἐὰν τύχῃ ἀνδρὸς ἀγαθοῦ.

²⁴τέσσαρα δὲ ἐλάχιστα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ταῦτα δέ ἐστι σοφώτερα τῶν σοφῶν·

²⁵οἱ μύρμηκες, οἷς μὴ ἔστιν ἰσχὺς καὶ ἑτοιμάζονται θέρους τὴν τροφήν·

²⁶καὶ οἱ χοιρογρύλλιοι, ἔθνος οὐκ ἰσχυρόν, οἳ ἐποιήσαντο ἐν πέτραις τοὺς ἑαυτῶν οἴκους·

²⁷ἀβασίλευτόν ἐστιν ἡ ἀκρὶς καὶ στρατεύει ἀφ᾿ ἑνὸς κελεύσματος εὐτάκτως·

²⁸καὶ καλαβώτης χερσὶν ἐρειδόμενος καὶ εὐάλωτος ὢν κατοικεῖ ἐν ὀχυρώμασι βασιλέως.

²⁹τρία δέ ἐστιν, ἃ εὐόδως πορεύεται, καὶ τέταρτον, ὃ καλῶς διαβαίνει·

³⁰σκύμνος λέοντος ἰσχυρότερος κτηνῶν, ὃς οὐκ ἀποστρέφεται οὐδὲ καταπτήσσει κτῆνος,

³¹καὶ ἀλέκτωρ ἐμπεριπατῶν θηλείαις εὔψυχος καὶ τράγος ἡγούμενος αἰπολίου καὶ βασιλεὺς δημηγορῶν ἐν ἔθνει.

³²ἐὰν πρόῃ σεαυτὸν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἐκτείνῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου μετὰ μάχης, ἀτιμασθήσῃ.

³³ἄμελγε γάλα, καὶ ἔσται βούτυρον· ἐὰν δὲ ἐκπιέζῃς μυκτῆρας, ἐξελεύσεται αἷμα· ἐὰν δὲ ἐξέλκῃς λόγους, ἐξελεύσονται κρίσεις καὶ μάχαι. (Μασ. ΛΑ´, 1). Οἱ ἐμοὶ λόγοι εἴρηνται ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, βασιλέως χρηματισμός, ὃν ἐπαίδευσεν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ.

²τί, τέκνον, τηρήσεις; τί; ρήσεις Θεοῦ. πρωτογενές, σοὶ λέγω, υἱέ· τί τέκνον ἐμῆς κοιλίας; τί τέκνον ἐμῶν εὐχῶν;

³μὴ δῷς γυναιξὶ σὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ τὸν σὸν νοῦν καὶ βίον εἰς ὑστεροβουλίαν.

⁴μετὰ βουλῆς πάντα ποίει, μετὰ βουλῆς οἰνοπότει· οἱ δυνάσται θυμώδεις εἰσίν, οἶνον δὲ μὴ πινέτωσαν,

⁵ἵνα μὴ πιόντες ἐπιλάθωνται τῆς σοφίας καὶ ὀρθὰ κρῖναι οὐ μὴ δύνωνται τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς.

⁶δίδοτε μέθην τοῖς ἐν λύπαις καὶ οἶνον πίνειν τοῖς ἐν ὀδύναις,

⁷ἵνα ἐπιλάθωνται τῆς πενίας καὶ τῶν πόνων μὴ μνησθῶσιν ἔτι.

⁸ἄνοιγε σὸν στόμα λόγῳ Θεοῦ, καὶ κρῖνε πάντας ὑγιῶς.

⁹ἄνοιγε σὸν στόμα καὶ κρῖνε δικαίως, διάκρινε δὲ πένητα καὶ ἀσθενῆ.

¹[My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.

²For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.

³A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.

⁴By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.

⁵A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.

⁶War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor.

⁷Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,

⁸but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men].

⁹The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man.

¹⁰He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.

¹¹Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [thy help].

¹²But if thou shouldest say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works.

¹³[My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that thy throat may be sweetened.

¹⁴Thus shalt thou perceive wisdom in thy soul: for if thou find it, thine end shall be good, and hope shall not fail thee.

¹⁵Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.

¹⁶For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.

¹⁷If thine enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.

¹⁸For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.

²⁰For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.

²¹[My] son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.

²²For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both? 22α A son that keeps the commandment shall escape destruction; for [such an one] has fully received it. 22β Let no falsehood be spoken by the king from the tongue; yea, let no falsehood proceed from his tongue. 22γ The king’s tongue is a sword, and not one of flesh; and whosoever shall be given up to [it] shall be destroyed: 22δ for if his wrath should be provoked, he destroys men with cords, 22ε and devours men’s bones, and burns them up as a flame, so that they are not [even] fit to be eaten by the young eagles. (Mas. 30, 1) [My] son, reverence my words, and receive them, and repent. 1α These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.

²For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.

³God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy.

⁴Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children?

⁵For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him.

⁶Add not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be made a liar.

⁷Two things I ask of thee; take not favour from me before I die.

⁸Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth or poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient:

⁹lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear vainly by the name of God.

¹⁰Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be utterly destroyed.

¹¹A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother.

¹²A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way.

¹³A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids.

¹⁴A wicked generation have swords for teeth and jaw-teeth as knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them from among men. (Mas. 24, 23).

²³And this thing I say to you that are wise [for you] to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

²⁴He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.

²⁵But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;

²⁶and [men] will kiss lips that answer well.

²⁷Prepare thy works for [thy] going forth, and prepare thyself for the field; and come after me, and thou shalt rebuild thine house.

²⁸Be not a false witness against thy [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with thy lips.

²⁹Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.

³⁰A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.

³¹If thou let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.

³²Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.

³³[The sluggard says,] I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across [my] breast.

³⁴But if thou do this, thy poverty will come speedily; and thy want like a swift courier. (Mas. 30, 15)

¹⁵The horse-leech had three dearly-beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough.

¹⁶The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is enough.

¹⁷The eye that laughs to scorn a father, and dishonours the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it.

¹⁸Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not:

¹⁹the track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth.

²⁰Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss.

²¹By three thing the earth is troubled, and the fourth it cannot bear:

²²if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food;

²³or if a maid-servant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man.

²⁴And there are four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise:

²⁵the ants which are weak, and yet prepare their food in summer;

²⁶the rabbits also are a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks.

²⁷The locusts have no king, and yet march orderly at one command.

²⁸And the eft, which supports itself by its hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings.

²⁹And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely.

³⁰A lion’s whelp, stronger than all other beasts, which turns not away, nor fears any beast;

³¹and a cock walking in boldly among the hens, and the goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation.

³²If thou abandon thyself to mirth, and stretch forth thine hand in a quarrel, thou shalt be disgraced.

³³Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if thou wing one’s nostrils there shall come out blood: so if thou extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes. (Mas. 31, 1)

¹My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.

²What wilt thou keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to thee: what? son of my womb? what? son of my vows?

³Give not thy wealth to women, nor thy mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel.

⁴Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine:

⁵lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.

⁶Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain:

⁷that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more.

⁸Open thy mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly.

⁹Open thy mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.