1 μακαριος ανηρ ος ουκ ωλισθησεν εν τω στοματι αυτου και ου κατενυγη εν λυπη αμαρτιων | 1 Happy the man whose mouth brings him no grief, who is not stung by remorse for sin. |
2 μακαριος ου ου κατεγνω η ψυχη αυτου και ος ουκ επεσεν απο της ελπιδος αυτου | 2 Happy the man whose conscience does not reproach him, who has not lost hope. |
3 ανδρι μικρολογω ου καλος ο πλουτος και ανθρωπω βασκανω ινα τι χρηματα | 3 Wealth ill becomes the mean man; and to the miser, of what use is gold? |
4 ο συναγων απο της ψυχης αυτου συναγει αλλοις και εν τοις αγαθοις αυτου τρυφησουσιν ετεροι | 4 What he denies himself he collects for others, and in his possessions a stranger will revel. |
5 ο πονηρος εαυτω τινι αγαθος εσται και ου μη ευφρανθησεται εν τοις χρημασιν αυτου | 5 To whom will he be generous who is stingy with himself and does not enjoy what is his own? |
6 του βασκαινοντος εαυτον ουκ εστιν πονηροτερος και τουτο ανταποδομα της κακιας αυτου | 6 None is more stingy than he who is stingy with himself; he punishes his own miserliness. |
7 καν ευ ποιη εν ληθη ποιει και επ' εσχατων εκφαινει την κακιαν αυτου | 7 If ever he is generous, it is by mistake; and in the end he displays his greed. |
8 πονηρος ο βασκαινων οφθαλμω αποστρεφων προσωπον και υπερορων ψυχας | 8 In the miser's opinion his share is too small; |
9 πλεονεκτου οφθαλμος ουκ εμπιπλαται μεριδι και αδικια πονηρα αναξηραινει ψυχην | 9 he refuses his neighbor and brings ruin on himself. |
10 οφθαλμος πονηρος φθονερος επ' αρτω και ελλιπης επι της τραπεζης αυτου | 10 The miser's eye is rapacious for bread, but on his own table he sets it stale. |
11 τεκνον καθως εαν εχης ευ ποιει σεαυτον και προσφορας κυριω αξιως προσαγε | 11 My son, use freely whatever you have and enjoy it as best you can; |
12 μνησθητι οτι θανατος ου χρονιει και διαθηκη αδου ουχ υπεδειχθη σοι | 12 Remember that death does not tarry, nor have you been told the grave's appointed time. |
13 πριν σε τελευτησαι ευ ποιει φιλω και κατα την ισχυν σου εκτεινον και δος αυτω | 13 Before you die, be good to your friend, and give him a share in what you possess. |
14 μη αφυστερησης απο αγαθης ημερας και μερις επιθυμιας αγαθης μη σε παρελθατω | 14 Deprive not yourself of present good things, let no choice portion escape you. |
15 ουχι ετερω καταλειψεις τους πονους σου και τους κοπους σου εις διαιρεσιν κληρου | 15 Will you not leave your riches to others, and your earnings to be divided by lot? |
16 δος και λαβε και απατησον την ψυχην σου οτι ουκ εστιν εν αδου ζητησαι τρυφην | 16 Give, take, and treat yourself well, for in the nether world there are no joys to seek. |
17 πασα σαρξ ως ιματιον παλαιουται η γαρ διαθηκη απ' αιωνος θανατω αποθανη | 17 All flesh grows old, like a garment; the age-old law is: All must die. |
18 ως φυλλον θαλλον επι δενδρου δασεος τα μεν καταβαλλει αλλα δε φυει ουτως γενεα σαρκος και αιματος η μεν τελευτα ετερα δε γενναται | 18 As with the leaves that grow on a vigorous tree: one falls off and another sprouts-- So with the generations of flesh and blood: one dies and another is born. |
19 παν εργον σηπομενον εκλειπει και ο εργαζομενος αυτο μετ' αυτου απελευσεται | 19 All man's works will perish in decay, and his handiwork will follow after him. |
20 μακαριος ανηρ ος εν σοφια μελετησει και ος εν συνεσει αυτου διαλεχθησεται | 20 Happy the man who meditates on wisdom, and reflects on knowledge; |
21 ο διανοουμενος τας οδους αυτης εν καρδια αυτου και εν τοις αποκρυφοις αυτης εννοηθησεται | 21 Who ponders her ways in his heart, and understands her paths; |
22 εξελθε οπισω αυτης ως ιχνευτης και εν ταις οδοις αυτης ενεδρευε | 22 Who pursues her like a scout, and lies in wait at her entry way; |
23 ο παρακυπτων δια των θυριδων αυτης και επι των θυρωματων αυτης ακροασεται | 23 Who peeps through her windows, and listens at her doors; |
24 ο καταλυων συνεγγυς του οικου αυτης και πηξει πασσαλον εν τοις τοιχοις αυτης | 24 Who encamps near her house, and fastens his tent pegs next to her walls; |
25 στησει την σκηνην αυτου κατα χειρας αυτης και καταλυσει εν καταλυματι αγαθων | 25 Who pitches his tent beside her, and lives as her welcome neighbor; |
26 θησει τα τεκνα αυτου εν τη σκεπη αυτης και υπο τους κλαδους αυτης αυλισθησεται | 26 Who builds his nest in her leafage, and lodges in her branches; |
27 σκεπασθησεται υπ' αυτης απο καυματος και εν τη δοξη αυτης καταλυσει | 27 Who takes shelter with her from the heat, and dwells in her home. |