1 μακαριος ανηρ ος ουκ ωλισθησεν εν τω στοματι αυτου και ου κατενυγη εν λυπη αμαρτιων | 1 Blessed is the man who has not slipped because of a word from his mouth, and who has not been stung by grief because of an offense. |
2 μακαριος ου ου κατεγνω η ψυχη αυτου και ος ουκ επεσεν απο της ελπιδος αυτου | 2 Happy is he who does not have sadness in his mind, and who has not fallen away from his hope. |
3 ανδρι μικρολογω ου καλος ο πλουτος και ανθρωπω βασκανω ινα τι χρηματα | 3 Substance is senseless for a greedy and stingy man. And what would a spiteful man do with gold? |
4 ο συναγων απο της ψυχης αυτου συναγει αλλοις και εν τοις αγαθοις αυτου τρυφησουσιν ετεροι | 4 Whoever acquires unjustly, according to his own mind, gathers for others. For another will spend his goods lavishly. |
5 ο πονηρος εαυτω τινι αγαθος εσται και ου μη ευφρανθησεται εν τοις χρημασιν αυτου | 5 Whoever is wicked to himself, to whom will he be good? For he will not take enjoyment in his own goods. |
6 του βασκαινοντος εαυτον ουκ εστιν πονηροτερος και τουτο ανταποδομα της κακιας αυτου | 6 Whoever has ill will toward himself, nothing is more worthless than he is. But such is the reward of his wickedness. |
7 καν ευ ποιη εν ληθη ποιει και επ' εσχατων εκφαινει την κακιαν αυτου | 7 And if he does good, he does it ignorantly and unwillingly. And in the very end, he realizes his own malice. |
8 πονηρος ο βασκαινων οφθαλμω αποστρεφων προσωπον και υπερορων ψυχας | 8 The eye of the spiteful man is wicked, and he averts his face and despises his own soul. |
9 πλεονεκτου οφθαλμος ουκ εμπιπλαται μεριδι και αδικια πονηρα αναξηραινει ψυχην | 9 The eye of the greedy man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity. He will not be satisfied until he has consumed his own soul, withering it away. |
10 οφθαλμος πονηρος φθονερος επ' αρτω και ελλιπης επι της τραπεζης αυτου | 10 An evil eye is directed at evil things. And he will not be satisfied by bread; instead, he will be needy and grieving at his own table. |
11 τεκνον καθως εαν εχης ευ ποιει σεαυτον και προσφορας κυριω αξιως προσαγε | 11 Son, if you have anything, do good to yourself, and offer worthy oblations to God. |
12 μνησθητι οτι θανατος ου χρονιει και διαθηκη αδου ουχ υπεδειχθη σοι | 12 Remember that death has not been delayed, and that the covenant of the grave has been revealed to you. For the covenant of this world will pass away in death. |
13 πριν σε τελευτησαι ευ ποιει φιλω και κατα την ισχυν σου εκτεινον και δος αυτω | 13 Do good to your friend before you die. And according to your ability, extend your hand and give to the poor. |
14 μη αφυστερησης απο αγαθης ημερας και μερις επιθυμιας αγαθης μη σε παρελθατω | 14 Do not cheat yourself out of a good day, and do not let the smallest good gift pass you by. |
15 ουχι ετερω καταλειψεις τους πονους σου και τους κοπους σου εις διαιρεσιν κληρου | 15 Should you not leave it to others to divide your sorrows and labors by lot? |
16 δος και λαβε και απατησον την ψυχην σου οτι ουκ εστιν εν αδου ζητησαι τρυφην | 16 Give, and receive, and justify your soul. |
17 πασα σαρξ ως ιματιον παλαιουται η γαρ διαθηκη απ' αιωνος θανατω αποθανη | 17 Before your passing, accomplish justice. For in death, there is no food to be found. |
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 All flesh grows old like the grass, and like the foliage that springs forth from a green tree. |
19 παν εργον σηπομενον εκλειπει και ο εργαζομενος αυτο μετ' αυτου απελευσεται | 19 Some spring up, and others fall away. Such is the generation of flesh and blood. One is finished, and another is born. |
20 μακαριος ανηρ ος εν σοφια μελετησει και ος εν συνεσει αυτου διαλεχθησεται | 20 Every corruptible work will fail in the end. And its worker will go with it. |
21 ο διανοουμενος τας οδους αυτης εν καρδια αυτου και εν τοις αποκρυφοις αυτης εννοηθησεται | 21 But every excellent work will be justified. And whoever worked it will be honored by it. |
22 εξελθε οπισω αυτης ως ιχνευτης και εν ταις οδοις αυτης ενεδρευε | 22 Blessed is the man who will abide in wisdom, and who will meditate on her righteousness, and who, in his mind, will consider the circumspection of God. |
23 ο παρακυπτων δια των θυριδων αυτης και επι των θυρωματων αυτης ακροασεται | 23 He considers her ways in his heart, and he finds understanding in her secrets. He goes after her like an investigator, and he is constant in her ways. |
24 ο καταλυων συνεγγυς του οικου αυτης και πηξει πασσαλον εν τοις τοιχοις αυτης | 24 He gazes through her windows, and he listens at her door. |
25 στησει την σκηνην αυτου κατα χειρας αυτης και καταλυσει εν καταλυματι αγαθων | 25 He rests next to her house, and, fastening a peg in her walls, he sets up his cottage by her hands. And so, good things will find rest in his cottage as time passes. |
26 θησει τα τεκνα αυτου εν τη σκεπη αυτης και υπο τους κλαδους αυτης αυλισθησεται | 26 He will station his sons under her covering, and he will abide under her branches. |
27 σκεπασθησεται υπ' αυτης απο καυματος και εν τη δοξη αυτης καταλυσει | 27 He will be protected by her covering from the heat, and he will rest in her glory. |