Proverbs 18

1He that hath a mind to depart from a friend, seeketh occasions: he shall ever be subject to reproach.

2A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.

3The wicked man, when he is come into the depths of sins, contemneth: but ignominy and reproach follow him.

4Words from the mouth of a man are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream.

5It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to decline from the truth of judgment.

6The lips of a fool intermeddle with strife: and his mouth provoketh quarrels.

7The mouth of a fool is his destruction: and his lips are the ruin of his soul.

8The words of the double tongued are as if they were harmless: and they reach even to the inner parts of the bowels. Fear casteth down the slothful: and the souls of the effeminate shall be hungry.

9He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works.

10The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted.

11The substance of the rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about.

12Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.

13He that answereth before he heareth, showeth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.

14The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear?

15A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction.

16A man’s gift enlargeth his way, and maketh him room before princes.

17The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.

18The lot suppresseth contentions, and determineth even between the mighty.

19A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities.

20Of the fruit of a man’s mouth shall his belly be satisfied: and the offspring of his lips shall fill him.

21Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.

22He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord. He that driveth away a good wife, driveth away a good thing: but he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and wicked.

23The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly.

24A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother.

1Occasiones quærit qui vult recedere ab amico : omni tempore erit exprobrabilis.

2Non recipit stultus verba prudentiæ, nisi ea dixeris quæ versantur in corde ejus.

3Impius, cum in profundum venerit peccatorum, contemnit; sed sequitur eum ignominia et opprobrium.

4Aqua profunda verba ex ore viri, et torrens redundans fons sapientiæ.

5Accipere personam impii non est bonum, ut declines a veritate judicii.

6Labia stulti miscent se rixis, et os ejus jurgia provocat.

7Os stulti contritio ejus, et labia ipsius ruina animæ ejus.

8Verba bilinguis quasi simplicia, et ipsa perveniunt usque ad interiora ventris. Pigrum dejicit timor; animæ autem effeminatorum esurient.

9Qui mollis et dissolutus est in opere suo frater est sua opera dissipantis.

10Turris fortissima nomen Domini; ad ipsum currit justus, et exaltabitur.

11Substantia divitis urbs roboris ejus, et quasi murus validus circumdans eum.

12Antequam conteratur, exaltatur cor hominis, et antequam glorificetur, humiliatur.

13Qui prius respondet quam audiat, stultum se esse demonstrat, et confusione dignum.

14Spiritus viri sustentat imbecillitatem suam; spiritum vero ad irascendum facilem quis poterit sustinere?

15Cor prudens possidebit scientiam, et auris sapientium quærit doctrinam.

16Donum hominis dilatat viam ejus, et ante principes spatium ei facit.

17Justus prior est accusator sui : venit amicus ejus, et investigabit eum.

18Contradictiones comprimit sors, et inter potentes quoque dijudicat.

19Frater qui adjuvatur a fratre quasi civitas firma, et judicia quasi vectes urbium.

20De fructu oris viri replebitur venter ejus, et genimina labiorum ipsius saturabunt eum.

21Mors et vita in manu linguæ; qui diligunt eam comedent fructus ejus.

22Qui invenit mulierem bonam invenit bonum, et hauriet jucunditatem a Domino. Qui expellit mulierem bonam expellit bonum; qui autem tenet adulteram stultus est et impius.

23Cum obsecrationibus loquetur pauper, et dives effabitur rigide.

24Vir amabilis ad societatem magis amicus erit quam frater.

1προφάσεις ζητεῖ ἀνὴρ βουλόμενος χωρίζεσθαι ἀπὸ φίλων ἐν παντὶ δὲ καιρῷ ἐπονείδιστος ἔσται

2οὐ χρείαν ἔχει σοφίας ἐνδεὴς φρενῶν μᾶλλον γὰρ ἄγεται ἀφροσύνῃ

3ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἀσεβὴς εἰς βάθος κακῶν καταφρονεῖ ἐπέρχεται δὲ αὐτῷ ἀτιμία καὶ ὄνειδος

4ὕδωρ βαθὺ λόγος ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνδρός ποταμὸς δὲ ἀναπηδύει καὶ πηγὴ ζωῆς

5θαυμάσαι πρόσωπον ἀσεβοῦς οὐ καλόν οὐδὲ ὅσιον ἐκκλίνειν τὸ δίκαιον ἐν κρίσει

6χείλη ἄφρονος ἄγουσιν αὐτὸν εἰς κακά τὸ δὲ στόμα αὐτοῦ τὸ θρασὺ θάνατον ἐπικαλεῖται

7στόμα ἄφρονος συντριβὴ αὐτῷ τὰ δὲ χείλη αὐτοῦ παγὶς τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ

8ὀκνηροὺς καταβάλλει φόβος ψυχαὶ δὲ ἀνδρογύνων πεινάσουσιν

9ὁ μὴ ἰώμενος ἑαυτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ ἀδελφός ἐστιν τοῦ λυμαινομένου ἑαυτόν

10ἐκ μεγαλωσύνης ἰσχύος ὄνομα κυρίου αὐτῷ δὲ προσδραμόντες δίκαιοι ὑψοῦνται

11ὕπαρξις πλουσίου ἀνδρὸς πόλις ὀχυρά ἡ δὲ δόξα αὐτῆς μέγα ἐπισκιάζει

12πρὸ συντριβῆς ὑψοῦται καρδία ἀνδρός καὶ πρὸ δόξης ταπεινοῦται

13ὃς ἀποκρίνεται λόγον πρὶν ἀκοῦσαι ἀφροσύνη αὐτῷ ἐστιν καὶ ὄνειδος

14θυμὸν ἀνδρὸς πραΰνει θεράπων φρόνιμος ὀλιγόψυχον δὲ ἄνδρα τίς ὑποίσει

15καρδία φρονίμου κτᾶται αἴσθησιν ὦτα δὲ σοφῶν ζητεῖ ἔννοιαν

16δόμα ἀνθρώπου ἐμπλατύνει αὐτὸν καὶ παρὰ δυνάσταις καθιζάνει αὐτόν

17δίκαιος ἑαυτοῦ κατήγορος ἐν πρωτολογίᾳ ὡς δ' ἂν ἐπιβάλῃ ὁ ἀντίδικος ἐλέγχεται

18ἀντιλογίας παύει κλῆρος ἐν δὲ δυνάσταις ὁρίζει

19ἀδελφὸς ὑπὸ ἀδελφοῦ βοηθούμενος ὡς πόλις ὀχυρὰ καὶ ὑψηλή ἰσχύει δὲ ὥσπερ τεθεμελιωμένον βασίλειον

20ἀπὸ καρπῶν στόματος ἀνὴρ πίμπλησιν κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ δὲ καρπῶν χειλέων αὐτοῦ ἐμπλησθήσεται

21θάνατος καὶ ζωὴ ἐν χειρὶ γλώσσης οἱ δὲ κρατοῦντες αὐτῆς ἔδονται τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς

22ὃς εὗρεν γυναῖκα ἀγαθήν εὗρεν χάριτας ἔλαβεν δὲ παρὰ θεοῦ ἱλαρότητα ὃς ἐκβάλλει γυναῖκα ἀγαθήν ἐκβάλλει τὰ ἀγαθά ὁ δὲ κατέχων μοιχαλίδα ἄφρων καὶ ἀσεβής