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Proverbs 15

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1 ὀργὴ ἀπόλλυσιν καὶ φρονίμους ἀπόκρισις δὲ ὑποπίπτουσα ἀποστρέφει θυμόν λόγος δὲ λυπηρὸς ἐγείρει ὀργάς 2 γλῶσσα σοφῶν καλὰ ἐπίσταται στόμα δὲ ἀφρόνων ἀναγγελεῖ κακά 3 ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου σκοπεύουσιν κακούς τε καὶ ἀγαθούς 4 ἴασις γλώσσης δένδρον ζωῆς ὁ δὲ συντηρῶν αὐτὴν πλησθήσεται πνεύματος

1 A gentle answer is a quarrel averted; a word that gives pain does but fan the flame of resentment. 2 The speech of the wise is learning’s ornament; the fool babbles on. 3 Go where thou wilt, the Lord’s eye is watching; good nor evil escapes his scrutiny. 4 Tongue that speaks peaceably is a tree whose fruit gives life; tongue undisciplined can break hearts.

1

Responsio mollis frangit iram;
sermo durus suscitat furorem. 2
Lingua sapientium ornat scientiam;
os fatuorum ebullit stultitiam. 3
In omni loco, oculi Domini
contemplantur bonos et malos. 4
Lingua placabilis lignum vitæ;
quæ autem immoderata est conteret spiritum.

5 ἄφρων μυκτηρίζει παιδείαν πατρός ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων ἐντολὰς πανουργότερος 6 ἐν πλεοναζούσῃ δικαιοσύνῃ ἰσχὺς πολλή οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ὁλόρριζοι ἐκ γῆς ὀλοῦνται οἴκοις δικαίων ἰσχὺς πολλή καρποὶ δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἀπολοῦνται

5 He is a fool that makes light of his father’s warnings; would he but listen to reproof, he should be prudent yet.

(Might is most where right is most; root and branch the sinner shall be plucked up.[1]) 6 The just man’s home guards its treasure well; the hopes of the wicked are all confusion.

5
Stultus irridet disciplinam patris sui;
qui autem custodit increpationes astutior fiet.
In abundanti justitia virtus maxima est:
cogitationes autem impiorum eradicabuntur. 6
Domus justi plurima fortitudo,
et in fructibus impii conturbatio.

7 χείλη σοφῶν δέδεται αἰσθήσει καρδίαι δὲ ἀφρόνων οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς

7 The talk of the wise is a seed-ground of learning; the thoughts of fools are ill matched with it.

7
Labia sapientium disseminabunt scientiam;
cor stultorum dissimile erit.

8 θυσίαι ἀσεβῶν βδέλυγμα κυρίῳ εὐχαὶ δὲ κατευθυνόντων δεκταὶ πα{R'} αὐτῷ 9 βδέλυγμα κυρίῳ ὁδοὶ ἀσεβοῦς διώκοντας δὲ δικαιοσύνην ἀγαπᾷ 10 παιδεία ἀκάκου γνωρίζεται ὑπὸ τῶν παριόντων οἱ δὲ μισοῦντες ἐλέγχους τελευτῶσιν αἰσχρῶς 11 ᾅδης καὶ ἀπώλεια φανερὰ παρὰ τῷ κυρίῳ πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ αἱ καρδίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων

8 From the wicked man’s sacrifice the Lord turns away with loathing; only the just with their vows win his favour. 9 The whole course of the sinner’s life he cannot brook; pursue the right, if thou wouldst win his love. 10 Forsake the right path, and correction shall seem hard to thee; grow weary of reproof, and thy life shall pay for it. 11 Shall the Lord read the secrets of the devouring grave, and not men’s hearts?

8
Victimæ impiorum abominabiles Domino;
vota justorum placabilia. 9
Abominatio est Domino via impii;
qui sequitur justitiam diligitur ab eo. 10
Doctrina mala deserenti viam vitæ;
qui increpationes odit, morietur. 11
Infernus et perditio coram Domino;
quanto magis corda filiorum hominum!

12 οὐκ ἀγαπήσει ἀπαίδευτος τοὺς ἐλέγχοντας αὐτόν μετὰ δὲ σοφῶν οὐχ ὁμιλήσει

12 Warn the headstrong, and thou wilt get no thanks for it; not for him the company of the wise.

12
Non amat pestilens eum qui se corripit,
nec ad sapientes graditur.

13 καρδίας εὐφραινομένης πρόσωπον θάλλει ἐν δὲ λύπαις οὔσης σκυθρωπάζει

13 Gay heart, gay looks; sad thoughts crush the spirit.

13

Cor gaudens exhilarat faciem;
in mœrore animi dejicitur spiritus.

14 καρδία ὀρθὴ ζητεῖ αἴσθησιν στόμα δὲ ἀπαιδεύτων γνώσεται κακά

14 Truth is the quest of discerning minds, trifling the pasture-ground of the foolish.

14
Cor sapientis quærit doctrinam,
et os stultorum pascitur imperitia.

15 πάντα τὸν χρόνον οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν κακῶν προσδέχονται κακά οἱ δὲ ἀγαθοὶ ἡσυχάζουσιν διὰ παντός 16 κρείσσων μικρὰ μερὶς μετὰ φόβου κυρίου ἢ θησαυροὶ μεγάλοι μετὰ ἀφοβίας 17 κρείσσων ξενισμὸς λαχάνων πρὸς φιλίαν καὶ χάριν ἢ παράθεσις μόσχων μετὰ ἔχθρας

15 To the friendless, every day brings trouble, but every day is a feast-day to a contented heart. 16 Better a humble lot, and the fear of the Lord present, than great riches that leave a man unsatisfied. 17 Better sit down to a dish of herbs seasoned with charity, than feast on a fattened ox in ill-will.

15
Omnes dies pauperis, mali;
secura mens quasi juge convivium. 16
Melius est parum cum timore Domini,
quam thesauri magni et insatiabiles. 17
Melius est vocari ad olera cum caritate,
quam ad vitulum saginatum cum odio.

18 ἀνὴρ θυμώδης παρασκευάζει μάχας μακρόθυμος δὲ καὶ τὴν μέλλουσαν καταπραΰνει μακρόθυμος ἀνὴρ κατασβέσει κρίσεις ὁ δὲ ἀσεβὴς ἐγείρει μᾶλλον

18 Any brawler can provoke a quarrel; it needs a patient man to lay it by.

18
Vir iracundus provocat rixas;
qui patiens est mitigat suscitatas.

19 ὁδοὶ ἀεργῶν ἐστρωμέναι ἀκάνθαις αἱ δὲ τῶν ἀνδρείων τετριμμέναι

19 Idleness finds ever a hedge of thorns in its path; the man of duty walks on unhampered.

19
Iter pigrorum quasi sepes spinarum;
via justorum absque offendiculo.

20 υἱὸς σοφὸς εὐφραίνει πατέρα υἱὸς δὲ ἄφρων μυκτηρίζει μητέρα αὐτοῦ

20 A father well content, a mother slighted, tell of a son’s wisdom or mortal folly.

20
Filius sapiens lætificat patrem,
et stultus homo despicit matrem suam.

21 ἀνοήτου τρίβοι ἐνδεεῖς φρενῶν ἀνὴρ δὲ φρόνιμος κατευθύνων πορεύεται 22 ὑπερτίθενται λογισμοὺς οἱ μὴ τιμῶντες συνέδρια ἐν δὲ καρδίαις βουλευομένων μένει βουλή 23 οὐ μὴ ὑπακούσῃ ὁ κακὸς αὐτῇ οὐδὲ μὴ εἴπῃ καίριόν τι καὶ καλὸν τῷ κοινῷ

21 A man of little sense is in love with his follies; prudence keeps to its chosen path. 22 Counsel lacking, all designs go amiss; with the advice of many, they should have thriven. 23 There are times when a counsellor has good cause to be proud; nothing better than the right word spoken.

21
Stultitia gaudium stulto,
et vir prudens dirigit gressus suos. 22
Dissipantur cogitationes ubi non est consilium;
ubi vero sunt plures consiliarii, confirmantur. 23
Lætatur homo in sententia oris sui,
et sermo opportunus est optimus.

24 ὁδοὶ ζωῆς διανοήματα συνετοῦ ἵνα ἐκκλίνας ἐκ τοῦ ᾅδου σωθῇ

24 A mind well schooled sees the way of life stretching upwards, leading away from the pit beneath.

24
Semita vitæ super eruditum,
ut declinet de inferno novissimo.

25 οἴκους ὑβριστῶν κατασπᾷ κύριος ἐστήρισεν δὲ ὅριον χήρας 26 βδέλυγμα κυρίῳ λογισμὸς ἄδικος ἁγνῶν δὲ ῥήσεις σεμναί 27 ἐξόλλυσιν ἑαυτὸν ὁ δωρολήμπτης ὁ δὲ μισῶν δώρων λήμψεις σῴζεται ἐλεημοσύναις καὶ πίστεσιν ἀποκαθαίρονται ἁμαρτίαι τῷ δὲ φόβῳ κυρίου ἐκκλίνει πᾶς ἀπὸ κακοῦ

25 A house where pride reigns the Lord will pull down at last; will have no encroaching on the lands of the friendless widow. 26 The schemes of wickedness he abhors; the dreams of innocence he loves, and brings true.[2] 27 Let avarice lead thee away, thy home shall be ruined; long life is his, who scorns the bribe. (Kindness and honour are sin’s purging; ever it is the fear of the Lord turns men away from harm.[3])

25

Domum superborum demolietur Dominus,
et firmos faciet terminos viduæ. 26
Abominatio Domini cogitationes malæ,
et purus sermo pulcherrimus firmabitur ab eo. 27
Conturbat domum suam qui sectatur avaritiam;
qui autem odit munera, vivet.
Per misericordiam et fidem purgantur peccata:
per timorem autem Domini declinat omnis a malo.

28 καρδίαι δικαίων μελετῶσιν πίστεις στόμα δὲ ἀσεβῶν ἀποκρίνεται κακά δεκταὶ παρὰ κυρίῳ ὁδοὶ ἀνθρώπων δικαίων διὰ δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ φίλοι γίνονται 29 μακρὰν ἀπέχει ὁ θεὸς ἀπὸ ἀσεβῶν εὐχαῖς δὲ δικαίων ἐπακούει κρείσσων ὀλίγη λῆμψις μετὰ δικαιοσύνης ἢ πολλὰ γενήματα μετὰ ἀδικίας καρδία ἀνδρὸς λογιζέσθω δίκαια ἵνα ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ διορθωθῇ τὰ διαβήματα αὐτοῦ

28 Attentive and docile is the upright heart; from the lips of the wicked comes mischief in full flood. 29 From the wicked, the Lord withholds his presence, listens only to the prayer of the just.

28
Mens justi meditatur obedientiam;
os impiorum redundat malis. 29
Longe est Dominus ab impiis,
et orationes justorum exaudiet.

30 θεωρῶν ὀφθαλμὸς καλὰ εὐφραίνει καρδίαν φήμη δὲ ἀγαθὴ πιαίνει ὀστᾶ

30 The eye that smiles, how it cheers the heart! Good news, how it lends vigour to a man’s frame!

30
Lux oculorum lætificat animam;
fama bona impinguat ossa.

31 32 ὃς ἀπωθεῖται παιδείαν μισεῖ ἑαυτόν ὁ δὲ τηρῶν ἐλέγχους ἀγαπᾷ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ 33 φόβος θεοῦ παιδεία καὶ σοφία καὶ ἀρχὴ δόξης ἀποκριθήσεται αὐτῇ

31 A man’s ear once attentive to the discipline that brings life, no company shall be welcome thenceforward, but the wise. 32 He holds his life cheap, that will not listen to a warning; heed reproof, and be master of thy soul. 33 It is the fear of the Lord teaches the lessons of wisdom; humility goes first, and honour comes in her train.

31
Auris quæ audit increpationes vitæ
in medio sapientium commorabitur. 32
Qui abjicit disciplinam despicit animam suam;
qui autem acquiescit increpationibus possessor est cordis. 33
Timor Domini disciplina sapientiæ,
et gloriam præcedit humilitas.

[1] The words enclosed in brackets occur in the Septuagint Greek, but not in the Hebrew text.

[2] The second half of this verse reads, in the Hebrew text, ‘but pleasant words are pure’; it is not certain in what sense.

[3] The Latin version gives the second maxim twice over (see 16.6 below).

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd