¹

ΜΗ ἔπεχε ἐπὶ τοῖς χρήμασί σου καὶ μὴ εἴπῃς· αὐτάρκη μοί ἐστι.

¹

Instead of a friend become not an enemy; for thereby thou shalt inherit an ill name, shame, and reproach: even so shall a sinner that hath a double tongue.

²

μὴ ἐξακολούθει τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου τοῦ πορεύεσθαι ἐν ἐπιθυμίαις καρδίας σου,

²

Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart: that thy soul be not torn in pieces as a bull straying alone.

³

καὶ μὴ εἴπῃς· τίς με δυναστεύσει; ὁ γὰρ Κύριος ἐκδικῶν ἐκδικήσει σε.

³

Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and lose thy fruit, and leave thyself as a dry tree.

⁴

μὴ εἴπῃς, ἥμαρτον, καὶ τί μοι ἐγένετο; ὁ γὰρ Κύριός ἐστι μακρόθυμος.

⁴

A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and shall make him to be laughed to scorn of his enemies.

⁵

περὶ ἐξιλασμοῦ μὴ ἄφοβος γίνου, προσθεῖναι ἁμαρτίαν ἐφ᾿ ἁμαρτίαις·

⁵

Sweet language will multiply friends: and a fairspeaking tongue will increase kind greetings.

⁶

καὶ μὴ εἴπῃς· ὁ οἰκτιρμὸς αὐτοῦ πολύς, τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου ἐξιλάσεται· ἔλεος γὰρ καὶ ὀργὴ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ ἁμαρτωλοὺς καταπαύσει ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ.

⁶

Be in peace with many: nevertheless have but one counsellor of a thousand.

⁷

μὴ ἀνάμενε ἐπιστρέψαι πρὸς Κύριον καὶ μὴ ὑπερβάλλου ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας· ἐξάπινα γὰρ ἐξελεύσεται ὀργὴ Κυρίου, καὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἐκδικήσεως ἐξολῇ.

⁷

If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first, and be not hasty to credit him.

⁸

μὴ ἔπεχε ἐπὶ χρήμασιν ἀδίκοις· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὠφελήσει σε ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπαγωγῆς.

⁸

For some man is a friend for his own occasion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble.

⁹

μὴ λίκμα ἐν παντὶ ἀνέμῳ καὶ μὴ πορεύου ἐν πάσῃ ἀτραπῷ· οὕτως ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς ὁ δίγλωσσος.

⁹

And there is a friend, who being turned to enmity and strife will discover thy reproach.

¹⁰

ἴσθι ἐστηριγμένος ἐν συνέσει σου, καὶ εἷς ἔστω σου ὁ λόγος.

¹⁰

Again, some friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of thy affliction.

¹¹

γίνου ταχὺς ἐν ἀκροάσει σου καὶ ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ φθέγγου ἀπόκρισιν.

¹¹

But in thy prosperity he will be as thyself, and will be bold over thy servants.

¹²

εἰ ἔστι σοι σύνεσις, ἀποκρίθητι τῷ πλησίον· εἰ δὲ μή, ἡ χείρ σου ἔστω ἐπὶ στόματί σου.

¹²

If thou be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide himself from thy face.

¹³

δόξα καὶ ἀτιμία ἐν λαλιᾷ, καὶ γλῶσσα ἀνθρώπου πτῶσις αὐτῷ.

¹³

Separate thyself from thine enemies, and take heed of thy friends.

¹⁴

μὴ κληθῇς ψίθυρος, καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ σου μὴ ἐνέδρευε· ἐπὶ γὰρ τῷ κλέπτῃ ἐστὶν αἰσχύνη, καὶ κατάγνωσις πονηρὰ ἐπὶ διγλώσσου.

¹⁴

A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure.

¹⁵

ἐν μεγάλῳ καὶ ἐν μικρῷ μὴ ἀγνόει.

¹⁵

Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is invaluable.