1 μη ζηλου γυναικα του κολπου σου μηδε διδαξης επι σεαυτον παιδειαν πονηραν | 1 Do not be jealous of the wife you love, do not teach her lessons in how to harm you. |
2 μη δως γυναικι την ψυχην σου επιβηναι αυτην επι την ισχυν σου | 2 Do not put yourself in a woman's hands or she may come to dominate you completely. |
3 μη υπαντα γυναικι εταιριζομενη μηποτε εμπεσης εις τας παγιδας αυτης | 3 Do not keep company with a prostitute, in case you get entangled in her snares. |
4 μετα ψαλλουσης μη ενδελεχιζε μηποτε αλως εν τοις επιχειρημασιν αυτης | 4 Do not dal y with a singing girl, in case you get caught by her wiles. |
5 παρθενον μη καταμανθανε μηποτε σκανδαλισθης εν τοις επιτιμιοις αυτης | 5 Do not stare at a pretty girl, in case you and she incur the same punishment. |
6 μη δως πορναις την ψυχην σου ινα μη απολεσης την κληρονομιαν σου | 6 Do not give your heart to whores, or you wil ruin your inheritance. |
7 μη περιβλεπου εν ρυμαις πολεως και εν ταις ερημοις αυτης μη πλανω | 7 Keep your eyes to yourself in the streets of a town, do not prowl about its unfrequented quarters. |
8 αποστρεψον οφθαλμον απο γυναικος ευμορφου και μη καταμανθανε καλλος αλλοτριον εν καλλει γυναικος πολλοι επλανηθησαν και εκ τουτου φιλια ως πυρ ανακαιεται | 8 Turn your eyes away from a handsome woman, do not stare at a beauty belonging to someone else.Because of a woman's beauty, many have been undone; this makes passion flare up like a fire. |
9 μετα υπανδρου γυναικος μη καθου το συνολον και μη συμβολοκοπησης μετ' αυτης εν οινω μηποτε εκκλινη η ψυχη σου επ' αυτην και τω πνευματι σου ολισθης εις απωλειαν | 9 Never sit down with a married woman, or sit at table with her drinking wine, in case you let your heartsuccumb to her and you lose al self-control and slide to disaster. |
10 μη εγκαταλιπης φιλον αρχαιον ο γαρ προσφατος ουκ εστιν εφισος αυτω οινος νεος φιλος νεος εαν παλαιωθη μετ' ευφροσυνης πιεσαι αυτον | 10 Do not desert an old friend; the new one wil not be his match. New friend, new wine; when it grows old,you drink it with pleasure. |
11 μη ζηλωσης δοξαν αμαρτωλου ου γαρ οιδας τι εσται η καταστροφη αυτου | 11 Do not envy the sinner his success; you do not know how that wil end. |
12 μη ευδοκησης εν ευδοκια ασεβων μνησθητι οτι εως αδου ου μη δικαιωθωσιν | 12 Do not take pleasure in what pleases the godless; remember they wil not go unpunished here below. |
13 μακραν απεχε απο ανθρωπου ος εχει εξουσιαν του φονευειν και ου μη υποπτευσης φοβον θανατου καν προσελθης μη πλημμελησης ινα μη αφεληται την ζωην σου επιγνωθι οτι εν μεσω παγιδων διαβαινεις και επι επαλξεων πολεως περιπατεις | 13 Keep your distance from the man who has the power to put to death, and you wil not be haunted by thefear of dying. If you do approach him, make no false move, or he may take your life. Realise that you aretreading among trip-lines, that you are strolling on the battlements. |
14 κατα την ισχυν σου στοχασαι τους πλησιον και μετα σοφων συμβουλευου | 14 Cultivate your neighbours to the best of your ability, and consult with the wise. |
15 μετα συνετων εστω ο διαλογισμος σου και πασα διηγησις σου εν νομω υψιστου | 15 For conversation seek the intelligent, let al your discussions bear on the law of the Most High. |
16 ανδρες δικαιοι εστωσαν συνδειπνοι σου και εν φοβω κυριου εστω το καυχημα σου | 16 Have the upright for your table companions, and let your pride be in fearing the Lord. |
17 εν χειρι τεχνιτων εργον επαινεσθησεται και ο ηγουμενος λαου σοφος εν λογω αυτου | 17 Work from skilled hands will earn its praise, but a leader of the people must be skilful in words. |
18 φοβερος εν πολει αυτου ανηρ γλωσσωδης και ο προπετης εν λογω αυτου μισηθησεται | 18 A chatterbox is a terror to his town, a loose talker is detested. |