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Proverbs 27

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1 μὴ καυχῶ τὰ εἰς αὔριον οὐ γὰρ γινώσκεις τί τέξεται ἡ ἐπιοῦσα

1 Do not flatter thyself with hopes of to-morrow; what lies in the womb of the future thou canst not tell.

1

Ne glorieris in crastinum,
ignorans quid superventura pariat dies.

2 ἐγκωμιαζέτω σε ὁ πέλας καὶ μὴ τὸ σὸν στόμα ἀλλότριος καὶ μὴ τὰ σὰ χείλη

2 Seek praise, but not of thy own bestowing; another’s lips, not thine, must sound it.

2
Laudet te alienus, et non os tuum;
extraneus, et non labia tua.

3 βαρὺ λίθος καὶ δυσβάστακτον ἄμμος ὀργὴ δὲ ἄφρονος βαρυτέρα ἀμφοτέρων 4 ἀνελεήμων θυμὸς καὶ ὀξεῖα ὀργή ἀλ{L'} οὐδένα ὑφίσταται ζῆλος

3 What is more crushing than stone, more burdensome than sand? A fool’s ill humour. 4 Fierce, fierce is rage, and indignation mounts like a flood, but the pangs of jealousy, these there is no resisting.

3
Grave est saxum, et onerosa arena,
sed ira stulti utroque gravior. 4
Ira non habet misericordiam nec erumpens furor,
et impetum concitati ferre quis poterit?

5 κρείσσους ἔλεγχοι ἀποκεκαλυμμένοι κρυπτομένης φιλίας 6 ἀξιοπιστότερά ἐστιν τραύματα φίλου ἢ ἑκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ

5 Better open reproof than the love that gives no sign. 6 Better the love that scourges, than hate’s false kiss.

5
Melior est manifesta correptio
quam amor absconditus. 6
Meliora sunt vulnera diligentis
quam fraudulenta oscula odientis.

7 ψυχὴ ἐν πλησμονῇ οὖσα κηρίοις ἐμπαίζει ψυχῇ δὲ ἐνδεεῖ καὶ τὰ πικρὰ γλυκεῖα φαίνεται

7 Full-fed spurns the honeycomb; to Hunger’s lips, bitter is sweet.

7
Anima saturata calcabit favum,
et anima esuriens etiam amarum pro dulci sumet.

8 ὥσπερ ὅταν ὄρνεον καταπετασθῇ ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας νοσσιᾶς οὕτως ἄνθρωπος δουλοῦται ὅταν ἀποξενωθῇ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων τόπων

8 When bird leaves nest, let a man leave his home.

8
Sicut avis transmigrans de nido suo,
sic vir qui derelinquit locum suum.

9 μύροις καὶ οἴνοις καὶ θυμιάμασιν τέρπεται καρδία καταρρήγνυται δὲ ὑπὸ συμπτωμάτων ψυχή 10 φίλον σὸν ἢ φίλον πατρῷον μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς εἰς δὲ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου μὴ εἰσέλθῃς ἀτυχῶν κρείσσων φίλος ἐγγὺς ἢ ἀδελφὸς μακρὰν οἰκῶν

9 Sweeter than ointment, sweeter than any perfume, when man’s heart talks to heart of friend. 10 Friend of thine, and friend that was thy father’s, never forsake; so, in thy sore need, no kinsman’s door thou shalt need to enter.

Neighbour over the way is better than kinsman at a distance.

9
Unguento et variis odoribus delectatur cor,
et bonis amici consiliis anima dulcoratur. 10

Amicum tuum et amicum patris tui ne dimiseris,
et domum fratris tui ne ingrediaris in die afflictionis tuæ.
Melior est vicinus juxta
quam frater procul.

11 σοφὸς γίνου υἱέ ἵνα εὐφραίνηταί μου ἡ καρδία καὶ ἀπόστρεψον ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐπονειδίστους λόγους

11 My son, wouldst thou be thy father’s pride? Court wisdom, and silence thy detractors.

11
Stude sapientiæ, fili mi, et lætifica cor meum,
ut possis exprobranti respondere sermonem.

12 πανοῦργος κακῶν ἐπερχομένων ἀπεκρύβη ἄφρονες δὲ ἐπελθόντες ζημίαν τείσουσιν

12 When ill times come, prudence is on its guard, and takes refuge; the unwary march on, and pay the penalty.[1]

12
Astutus videns malum, absconditus est:
parvuli transeuntes sustinuerunt dispendia.

13 ἀφελοῦ τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ παρῆλθεν γάρ ὑβριστὴς ὅστις τὰ ἀλλότρια λυμαίνεται

13 Does a man go bail for a stranger? Without more ado, take his garment from him; who trusts without knowledge, forfeits the pledge.[2]

13
Tolle vestimentum ejus qui spopondit pro extraneo,
et pro alienis aufer ei pignus.

14 ὃς ἂν εὐλογῇ φίλον τὸ πρωὶ μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ καταρωμένου οὐδὲν διαφέρειν δόξει

14 So early abroad, so loudly wishing thy neighbour well? This is curse, not blessing.[3]

14
Qui benedicit proximo suo voce grandi,
de nocte consurgens maledicenti similis erit.

15 σταγόνες ἐκβάλλουσιν ἄνθρωπον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ χειμερινῇ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ ὡσαύτως καὶ γυνὴ λοίδορος ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου 16 βορέας σκληρὸς ἄνεμος ὀνόματι δὲ ἐπιδέξιος καλεῖται

15 Between a scold and a roof that drips in winter there is nothing to choose. 16 As well store up the wind in thy house, though thou call her the marrow of thy right hand.[4]

15
Tecta perstillantia in die frigoris
et litigiosa mulier comparantur. 16
Qui retinet eam quasi qui ventum teneat,
et oleum dexteræ suæ vocabit.

17 σίδηρος σίδηρον ὀξύνει ἀνὴρ δὲ παροξύνει πρόσωπον ἑταίρου

17 Iron whets iron, friend shapes friend.

17
Ferrum ferro exacuitur,
et homo exacuit faciem amici sui.

18 ὃς φυτεύει συκῆν φάγεται τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς ὃς δὲ φυλάσσει τὸν ἑαυτοῦ κύριον τιμηθήσεται

18 If figs thou wouldst eat, tend thy fig-tree well; if honour thou wouldst have, wait well on thy master.

18
Qui servat ficum comedet fructus ejus,
et qui custos est domini sui glorificabitur.

19 ὥσπερ οὐχ ὅμοια πρόσωπα προσώποις οὕτως οὐδὲ αἱ καρδίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων

19 Clear as a face mirrored in water, the wise see men’s hearts.[5]

19
Quomodo in aquis resplendent vultus prospicientium,
sic corda hominum manifesta sunt prudentibus.

20 ᾅδης καὶ ἀπώλεια οὐκ ἐμπίμπλανται ὡσαύτως καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄπληστοι βδέλυγμα κυρίῳ στηρίζων ὀφθαλμόν καὶ οἱ ἀπαίδευτοι ἀκρατεῖς γλώσσῃ

20 Death and the grave were never yet content, nor man’s eyes with gazing.

20
Infernus et perditio numquam implentur:
similiter et oculi hominum insatiabiles.

21 δοκίμιον ἀργύρῳ καὶ χρυσῷ πύρωσις ἀνὴρ δὲ δοκιμάζεται διὰ στόματος ἐγκωμιαζόντων αὐτόν καρδία ἀνόμου ἐκζητεῖ κακά καρδία δὲ εὐθὴς ἐκζητεῖ γνῶσιν

21 Silver and gold are judged by furnace and crucible, man by his repute.[6] (Heart of knave is ever set on mischief, heart of true man on wisdom.)

21
Quomodo probatur in conflatorio argentum et in fornace aurum,
sic probatur homo ore laudantis.
Cor iniqui inquirit mala,
cor autem rectum inquirit scientiam.

22 ἐὰν μαστιγοῖς ἄφρονα ἐν μέσῳ συνεδρίου ἀτιμάζων οὐ μὴ περιέλῃς τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ

22 Bray a fool like corn, with pestle and mortar, he will be a fool still.

22
Si contuderis stultum in pila
quasi ptisanas feriente desuper pilo,
non auferetur ab eo stultitia ejus.

23 γνωστῶς ἐπιγνώσῃ ψυχὰς ποιμνίου σου καὶ ἐπιστήσεις καρδίαν σου σαῖς ἀγέλαις 24 ὅτι οὐ τὸν αἰῶνα ἀνδρὶ κράτος καὶ ἰσχύς οὐδὲ παραδίδωσιν ἐκ γενεᾶς εἰς γενεάν 25 ἐπιμελοῦ τῶν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ χλωρῶν καὶ κερεῖς πόαν καὶ σύναγε χόρτον ὀρεινόν 26 ἵνα ἔχῃς πρόβατα εἰς ἱματισμόν τίμα πεδίον ἵνα ὦσίν σοι ἄρνες 27 υἱέ πα{R'} ἐμοῦ ἔχεις ῥήσεις ἰσχυρὰς εἰς τὴν ζωήν σου καὶ εἰς τὴν ζωὴν σῶν θεραπόντων

23 Spent be thy care, thy eyes watchful, over flock and herd of thine; 24 riches will slip from thy grasp, and crowns, will they last for ever?[7] 25 See, where the meadows are laid bare, and the aftermath is springing, the hay all carried, now, from the hill-slopes! 26 Pasture for the lambs that shall clothe thee, for the goats that shall be the price of more fields yet; 27 goat’s milk, too, shall suffice to feed thee, give life and strength to thy men and thy serving-maids.

23

Diligenter agnosce vultum pecoris tui,
tuosque greges considera: 24
non enim habebis jugiter potestatem,
sed corona tribuetur in generationem et generationem. 25
Aperta sunt prata, et apparuerunt herbæ virentes,
et collecta sunt fœna de montibus. 26
Agni ad vestimentum tuum,
et hædi ad agri pretium. 27
Sufficiat tibi lac caprarum in cibos tuos,
et in necessaria domus tuæ, et ad victum ancillis tuis.

[1] See 22.3.

[2] See 20.16.

[3] The precise bearing of this proverb remains in doubt.

[4] The whole of this verse is obscure, and the second half of it probably corrupt.

[5] The Hebrew text reads simply, ‘As water face to face, so heart of man to man’, it is not clear in what sense.

[6] That common repute should be regarded as a test of what a man really is, seems unlikely (cp. especially 17.3 above). Some think the Hebrew text means a man should be judged by what he holds in repute, and this would fit in well with the second part of the verse (which is found in the Septuagint Greek, but not in the Hebrew text itself). Others would read, instead of ‘repute’, ‘adversity’, and this would lead on well to verse 22.

[7] The Latin version here ignores the question, and runs ‘but a crown shall be granted for ever’; a rendering which yields no good sense in the context.

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