Proverbs 20

1 Ἀκολάστον οἶνος, καὶ ὑβριστικὸν μέθη, πᾶς δὲ ἄφρων τοιούτοις συμπλέκεται.

2 Οὐ διαφέρει ἀπειλὴ βασιλέως θυμοῦ λέοντος, ὁ δὲ παροξύνων αὐτὸν ἁμαρτάνει εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν.

3 Δόξα ἀνδρὶ ἀποστρέφεσθαι λοιδορίας, πᾶς δὲ ἄφρων τοιούτοις συμπλέκεται.

4 Ὀνειδιζόμενος ὀκνηρὸς οὐκ αἰσχύνεται, ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ δανειζόμενος σῖτον ἐν ἀμητῷ.

5 Ὕδωρ βαθὺ βουλὴ ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνδρὸς, ἀνὴρ δὲ φρόνιμος ἐξαντλήσει αὐτήν.

6 Μέγα ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τίμιον ἀνὴρ ἐλεήμων, ἄνδρα δὲ πιστὸν ἔργον εὑρεῖν.

7 Ὃς ἀναστρέφεται ἄμωμος ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, μακαρίους τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ καταλείψει.

8 Ὅταν βασιλεὺς δίκαιος καθίσῃ ἐπὶ θρόνου, οὐκ ἐναντιοῦται ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ πᾶν πονηρόν.

9 Τίς καυχήσεται ἁγνὴν ἔχειν τὴν καρδίαν; ἢ τίς παῤῥησιάσεται καθαρὸς εἶναι ἀπὸ ἁμαρτιῶν;

9a Κακολογοῦντος πατέρα ἢ μητέρα σβεσθήσεται λαμπτὴρ, αἱ δὲ κόραι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ ὄψονται σκότος.

9b Μερὶς ἐπισπουδαζομένη ἐν πρώτοις, ἐν τοῖς τελευταίοις οὐκ εὐλογηθήσεται.

9c Μὴ εἴπῃς, τίσομαι τὸν ἐχθρὸν, ἀλλʼ ὑπόμεινον τὸν Κύριον, ἵνα σοι βοηθήσῃ.

10 Στάθμιον μέγα καὶ μικρὸν, καὶ μέτρα δισσὰ, ἀκάθαρτα ἐνώπιον Κυρίου καὶ ἀμφότερα, καὶ ὁ ποιῶν αὐτά.

11 Ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτοῦ συμποδισθήσεται νεανίσκος μετὰ ὁσίου, καὶ εὐθεῖα ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ.

12 Οὖς ἀκούει, καὶ ὀφθαλμὸς ὁρᾷ, Κυρίου ἔργα καὶ ἀμφότερα.

13 Μὴ ἀγάπα καταλαλεῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἐξαρθῇς· διάνοιξον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, καὶ ἐμπλήσθητι ἄρτων.

23 Βδέλυγμα Κυρίῳ δισσὸν στάθμιον, καὶ ζυγὸς δόλιος οὐ καλὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.

24 Παρὰ Κυρίου εὐθύνεται τὰ διαβήματα ἀνδρὶ, θνητὸς δὲ πῶς ἂν νοήσαι τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ;

25 Παγὶς ἀνδρὶ ταχύ τι τῶν ἰδίων ἁγιάσαι, μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εὔξασθαι μετανοεῖν γίνεται.

26 Λικμήτωρ ἀσεβῶν βασιλεὺς σοφὸς, καὶ ἐπιβαλεῖ αὐτοῖς τροχόν.

27 Φῶς Κυρίου πνοὴ ἀνθρώπων, ὃς ἐρευνᾷ ταμιεῖα κοιλίας.

28 Ἐλεημοσύνη καὶ ἀλήθεια φυλακὴ βασιλεῖ, καὶ περικυκλώσουσιν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ.

29 Κόσμος νεανίαις σοφία, δόξα δὲ πρεσβυτέρων πολιαί.

30 Ὑπώπια καὶ συντρίμματα συναντᾷ κακοῖς, πληγαὶ δὲ εἰς ταμιεῖα κοιλίας.

1 Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink full of violence: but every fool is entangled with them.

2 The threat of a king differs not from the rage of a lion; and he that provokes him sins against his own soul.

3 It is a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters.

4 A sluggard when reproached is not ashamed: so also he who borrows corn in harvest.

5 Counsel in a man's heart is deep water; but a prudent man will draw it out.

6 A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but it is hard to find a faithful man.

7 He that walks blameless in justice, shall leave his children blessed.

8 Whenever a righteous king sits on the throne, no evil thing can stand before his presence.

9 Who will boast that he has a pure heart? or who will boldly say that he is pure from sins?

9a The lamp of him that reviles father or mother shall be put out, and his eyeballs shall see darkness.

9b A portion hastily gotten at first shall not be blessed in the end.

9c Say not, I will avenge myself on my enemy; but wait on the Lord, that he may help thee.

10 A large and small weight, and divers measures, are even both of them unclean before the Lord; and so is he that makes them.

double.

11 A youth when in company with a godly man, will be restrained in his devices, and then his way will be straight.

12 The ear hears, and the eye sees: even both of them are the Lord's work.

13 Love not to speak ill, lest thou be cut off: open thine eyes, and be filled with bread.

23 A double weight is an abomination to the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good in his sight.

24 A man's goings are directed of the Lord: how then can a mortal understand his ways?

25 It is a snare to a man hastily to consecrate some of his own property: for in that case repentance comes after vowing.

26 A wise king utterly crushes the ungodly, and will bring a wheel upon them.

27 The spirit of man is a light of the Lord, who searches the inmost parts of the belly.

Comp. chap 11. 13.

28 Mercy and truth are a guard to a king, and will surround his throne with righteousness.

29 Wisdom is an ornament to young men; and grey hairs are the glory of old men.

30 Bruises and contusions befall bad men; and plagues shall come into the inward parts of their belly.