Proverbs 18

1 Προφάσεις ζητεῖ ἀνὴρ βουλόμενος χωρίζεσθαι ἀπὸ φίλων, ἐν παντὶ δὲ καιρῷ ἐπονείδιστος ἔσται.

2 Οὐ χρείαν ἔχει σοφίας ἐνδεὴς φρενῶν, μᾶλλον γᾶρ ἄγεται ἀφροσύνῃ.

3 Ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἀσεβὴς εἰς βάθος κακῶν, καταφρονεῖ, ἐπέρχεται δὲ αὐτῷ ἀτιμία καὶ ὄνειδος.

4 Ὕδωρ βαθὺ λόγος ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνδρὸς, ποταμὸς δὲ ἀναπηδύει καὶ πηγὴ ζωῆς.

5 Θαυμάσαι πρόσωπον ἀσεβοῦς οὐ καλὸν, οὐδὲ ὅσιον ἐκκλίνειν τὸ δίκαιον ἐν κρίσει.

6 Χείλη ἄφρονος ἄγουσιν αὐτὸν εἰς κακὰ, τὸ δὲ στόμα αὐτοῦ τὸ θρασὺ θάνατον ἐπικαλεῖται.

7 Στόμα ἄφρονος συντριβὴ αὐτῷ, τὰ δὲ χείλη αὐτοῦ παγὶς τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ.

8 Ὀκνηροὺς καταβάλλει φόβος, ψυχαὶ δὲ ἀνδρογύνων πεινάσουσιν.

9 Ὁ μὴ ἰώμενος αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ, ἀδελφός ἐστι τοῦ λυμαινομένου ἑαυτόν.

10 Ἐκ μεγαλωσύνης ἰσχύος ὄνομα Κυρίου, αὐτῷ δὲ προσδραμόντες δίκαιοι ὑψοῦνται.

11 Ὕπαρξις πλουσίου ἀνδρὸς πόλις ὀχυρὰ, ἡ δὲ δόξα αὐτῆς μέγα ἐπισκιάζει.

12 Πρὸ συντριβῆς ὑψοῦται καρδία ἀνδρὸς, καὶ πρὸ δόξης ταπεινοῦνται.

13 Ὃς ἀποκρίνεται λόγον πρὶν ἀκοῦσαι, ἀφροσύνη αὐτῷ ἐστι καὶ ὄνειδος.

14 Θυμὸν ἀνδρὸς πρᾳΰνει θεράπων φρόνιμος, ὀλιγόψυχον δὲ ἄνδρα τίς ὑποίσει;

15 Καρδία φρονίμου κτᾶται αἴσθησιν, ὦτα δὲ σοφῶν ζητεῖ ἔννοιαν.

16 Δόμα ἀνθρώπου ἐμπλατύνει αὐτὸν, καὶ παρὰ δυνάσταις καθιζάνει αὐτόν.

17 Δίκαιος ἑαυτοῦ κατήγορος ἐν πρωτολογίᾳ, ὡς δʼ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃ ὁ ἀντίδικος ἐλέγχεται.

18 Ἀντιλογίας παύει σιγηρὸς, ἐν δὲ δυναστείαις ὁρίζει.

19 Ἀδελφὸς ὑπὸ ἀδελφοῦ βοηθούμενος, ὡς πόλις ὀχυρὰ καὶ ὑψηλὴ, ἰσχύει δὲ ὥσπερ τεθεμελιωμένον βασίλειον.

20 Ἀπὸ καρπῶν στόματος ἀνὴρ πίμπλησι κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ, ἀπὸ δὲ καρπῶν χειλέων αὐτοῦ ἐμπλησθήσεται.

21 Θάνατος καὶ ζωὴ ἐν χειρὶ γλώσσης, οἱ δὲ κρατοῦντες αὐτῆς ἔδονται τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς.

22 Ὃς εὗρε γυναῖκα ἀγαθὴν, εὗρε χάριτας, ἔλαβε δὲ παρὰ Θεοῦ ἱλαρότητα·

22a ὃς ἐκβάλλει γυναῖκα ἀγαθὴν, ἐκβάλλει τὰ ἀγαθὰ, ὁ δὲ κατέχων μοιχαλίδα, ἄφρων καὶ ἀσεβής.

1 A man who wishes to separate from friends seeks excuses; but at all times he will be liable to reproach.

2 A senseless man feels no need of wisdom, for he is rather led by folly.

3 When an ungodly man comes into a depth of evils, he despises them ; but dishonour and reproach come upon him.

4 A word in the heart of a man is a deep water, and a river and fountain of life spring forth.

5 It is not good to accept the person of the ungodly, nor is it holy to pervert justice in judgment.

6 The lips of a fool bring him into troubles, and his bold mouth calls for death.

7 A fool's mouth is ruin to him, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

8 Fear casts down the slothful; and the souls of the effeminate shall hunger.

9 A man who helps not himself by his labour is brother of him that ruins himself.

10 The name of the Lord is of great strength; and the righteous running to it are exalted.

having run.

11 The wealth of a rich man is a strong city; and its glory casts a broad shadow.

12 Before ruin a man's heart is exalted, and before honour it is humble.

13 Whoso answers a word before he hears a cause , it is folly and reproach to him.

14 A wise servant calms a man's anger; but who can endure a faint-hearted man?

15 The heart of the sensible man purchases discretion; and the ears of the wise seek understanding.

16 A man's gift enlarges him, and seats him among princes.

See Ps. 118. 32.

17 A righteous man accuses himself at the beginning of his speech, but when he has entered upon the attack, the adversary is reproved.

Comp. Mark 14. ult. and margin, with 2 Tim. 4. 14-17.

18 A silent man quells strifes, and determines between great powers.

19 A brother helped by a brother is as a strong and high city; and is as strong as a well -founded palace.

20 A man fills his belly with the fruits of his mouth; and he shall be satisfied with the fruits of his lips.

21 Life and death are in the power of the tongue; and they that rule it shall eat the fruits thereof.

22 He that has found a good wife has found favours, and has received gladness from God.

22a [He that puts away a good wife, puts away a good thing, and he that keeps an adulteress is foolish and ungodly.]

omits this verse.

plural.