Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.
ὥσπερ δρόσος ἐν ἀμήτῳ καὶ ὥσπερ ὑετὸς ἐν θέρει οὕτως οὐκ ἔστιν ἄφρονι τιμή
2 As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.
ὥσπερ ὄρνεα πέταται καὶ στρουθοί οὕτως ἀρὰ ματαία οὐκ ἐπελεύσεται οὐδενί
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.
ὥσπερ μάστιξ ἵππῳ καὶ κέντρον ὄνῳ οὕτως ῥάβδος ἔθνει παρανόμῳ
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
μὴ ἀποκρίνου ἄφρονι πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου ἀφροσύνην ἵνα μὴ ὅμοιος γένῃ αὐτῷ
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
ἀλλὰ ἀποκρίνου ἄφρονι κατὰ τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ ἵνα μὴ φαίνηται σοφὸς παρ’ ἑαυτῷ
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh damage.
ἐκ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ποδῶν ὄνειδος πίεται ὁ ἀποστείλας δῑ ἀγγέλου ἄφρονος λόγον
7 The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
ἀφελοῦ πορείαν σκελῶν καὶ παροιμίαν ἐκ στόματος ἀφρόνων
8 As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
ὃς ἀποδεσμεύει λίθον ἐν σφενδόνῃ ὅμοιός ἐστιν τῷ διδόντι ἄφρονι δόξαν
9 [As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
ἄκανθαι φύονται ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ μεθύσου δουλεία δὲ ἐν χειρὶ τῶν ἀφρόνων
10 A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.
πολλὰ χειμάζεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἀφρόνων συντρίβεται γὰρ ἡ ἔκστασις αὐτῶν
11 As a dog turneth back to its vomit, [so] a fool repeateth his folly.
ὥσπερ κύων ὅταν ἐπέλθῃ ἐπὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἔμετον καὶ μισητὸς γένηται οὕτως ἄφρων τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κακίᾳ ἀναστρέψας ἐπὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίαν ἔστιν αἰσχύνη ἐπάγουσα ἁμαρτίαν καὶ ἔστιν αἰσχύνη δόξα καὶ χάρις
12 Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
εἶδον ἄνδρα δόξαντα παρ’ ἑαυτῷ σοφὸν εἶναι ἐλπίδα μέντοι ἔσχεν μᾶλλον ἄφρων αὐτοῦ
13 The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!
λέγει ὀκνηρὸς ἀποστελλόμενος εἰς ὁδόν λέων ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς
14 [As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.
ὥσπερ θύρα στρέφεται ἐπὶ τοῦ στρόφιγγος οὕτως ὀκνηρὸς ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης αὐτοῦ
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
κρύψας ὀκνηρὸς τὴν χεῖρα ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτοῦ οὐ δυνήσεται ἐπενεγκεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ στόμα
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven [men] that answer discreetly.
σοφώτερος ἑαυτῷ ὀκνηρὸς φαίνεται τοῦ ἐν πλησμονῇ ἀποκομίζοντος ἀγγελίαν
17 He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
ὥσπερ ὁ κρατῶν κέρκου κυνός οὕτως ὁ προεστὼς ἀλλοτρίας κρίσεως
18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
ὥσπερ οἱ ἰώμενοι προβάλλουσιν λόγους εἰς ἀνθρώπους ὁ δὲ ἀπαντήσας τῷ λόγῳ πρῶτος ὑποσκελισθήσεται
19 so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?
οὕτως πάντες οἱ ἐνεδρεύοντες τοὺς ἑαυτῶν φίλους ὅταν δὲ φωραθῶσιν λέγουσιν ὅτι παίζων ἔπραξα
20 Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.
ἐν πολλοῖς ξύλοις θάλλει πῦρ ὅπου δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν δίθυμος ἡσυχάζει μάχη
21 [As] coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.
ἐσχάρα ἄνθραξιν καὶ ξύλα πυρί ἀνὴρ δὲ λοίδορος εἰς ταραχὴν μάχης
22 The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
λόγοι κερκώπων μαλακοί οὗτοι δὲ τύπτουσιν εἰς ταμίεια σπλάγχνων
23 Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are [as] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
ἀργύριον διδόμενον μετὰ δόλου ὥσπερ ὄστρακον ἡγητέον χείλη λεῖα καρδίαν καλύπτει λυπηράν
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:
χείλεσιν πάντα ἐπινεύει ἀποκλαιόμενος ἐχθρός ἐν δὲ τῇ καρδίᾳ τεκταίνεται δόλους
25 when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
ἐάν σου δέηται ὁ ἐχθρὸς μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ μὴ πεισθῇς ἑπτὰ γάρ εἰσιν πονηρίαι ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ
26 Though [his] hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.
ὁ κρύπτων ἔχθραν συνίστησιν δόλον ἐκκαλύπτει δὲ τὰς ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίας εὔγνωστος ἐν συνεδρίοις
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
ὁ ὀρύσσων βόθρον τῷ πλησίον ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς αὐτόν ὁ δὲ κυλίων λίθον ἐφ’ ἑαυτὸν κυλίει
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
γλῶσσα ψευδὴς μισεῖ ἀλήθειαν στόμα δὲ ἄστεγον ποιεῖ ἀκαταστασίας
