John Chrysostom, Fragments on Proverbs

For when a report is spread about a just man, he is praised, and his memory is immortalized; but of the wicked, not only is death untimely, but his name is even more untimely extinguished. A wise man in heart will receive commandments; but he who is rash with his lips, speaking perversely, will be overthrown. [exod. f. 48 b.] He calls wise the one who knows, and has something from nature; who also will be persuaded by law; but rash with his lips, the unwise, the one having an unguarded mouth, the one who utters everything, the one who knows how to keep nothing; who has not learned the saying, have you heard a word? let it die with you; or that sometimes speaking this, and sometimes that, such a man places obstacles in his own life; by which he will be overthrown, instead of, he will fall. He who walks simply, walks confidently. [ibid.] And yet malice seems to be a safe thing; and simplicity, easily influenced; but he says the contrary, that he who walks without guile should be of good courage; for he who perverts his ways will be made manifest; for it is not possible for the evildoer to be hidden; or instead of, he who contrives nothing against his neighbor will not receive a plot from another; but he who plots secretly, and praises to the face, this man will be known, even if he seems to be hidden for a time. Then he advises, that it is necessary to do all things with boldness. The deeds of the just are unfailingly supplied from the perennial spring which said, I am the life; but he who speaks impiously will cease when punishment follows. He who brings forth wisdom from his lips, strikes a heartless man with a rod. [exod. f. 49 a.] For so that you may not say he wished 64.685 to defend himself, I do not say, he says, that you should act insolently, but say something wise, and you will strike the enemy more than if you had a rod; for in the case of one who hates, it is also his own to strike; as if you wish, do this; for it is not insolence that strikes, but gentleness. The possession of the rich is a strong city. But the ruin of the wicked is poverty. [ibid.] The rich man is not sufficient for himself; for if he were not in a safe city, his possession would be precarious; then he also reproaches poverty; but according to the meaning, the disciples of those who are rich according to God are unbreakable; but the wicked, having nothing worthy of hearing, are poor for having no hearers; for which reason they also perish. Ways of life, those leading to virtue; but unrefuted instruction, the evil conduct of the soul, which being hidden causes error. When a tempest passes by, the wicked disappears; but the just, having turned aside, is saved forever. [exod. f. 50 b.] Because when temptation comes, he sins fearlessly; but the just man, having overcome the temptation through patience and thanksgiving, is saved forever. See how secure is righteousness; for he who has turned aside, that is, turned away, or firmly endured, is saved; but the other, although the trouble or temptations do not simply come upon him but pass by, disappears; and he sins fearlessly, not knowing the just judgment of God. The fear of the Lord adds days. Days which come from the sun of righteousness; for which David prays: Do not take me away in the midst of my days; of which Abraham, having become full, departed.

CHAP. 11.

Deceitful balances are an abomination before the Lord. [exod. f. 51 a.] For he wants our discernment to be impartial; for our judgment is a balance of things. Where insolence enters, there also is dishonor. He speaks not concerning those who are insulted, but concerning those who insult; why? For they are the ones who are dishonored; not the one who hears evil things, nor the one who suffers, but the one who does them; for all drive him away, since he is a common ruin; or by insolence he means pride; for the proud man is dishonored; but the humble man is honored and wise. For wisdom needs this first. When a just man dies, does not perish

γὰρ φερομένου λόγου περὶ δικαίου, οὗτος μὲν ἐγκωμιάζεται, καὶ ἡ μνήμη ἀθανατίζεται· τοῦ δὲ ἀσεβοῦς οὐ μόνον ὁ θάνατος ἄωρος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἀωρότερον σβέννυται. Σοφὸς καρδίᾳ δέξεται ἐντολάς· ὁ δὲ ἄστεγος χείλεσι σκολιάζων ὑποσκελισθήσεται. [ξοδ. φ. 48 β.] Σοφὸν καλεῖ τὸν εἰδότα, καὶ ἐκ φύσεως ἔχοντά τι· ὃς καὶ πεισθήσεται νόμῳ· ἄστεγον δὲ χείλεσι, τὸν ἄσοφον, τὸν στόμα ἀθύρωτον ἔχοντα, τὸν πάντα φθεγγόμενον, τὸν μηδὲν εἰδότα φυλάσσειν· ὃς οὐκ ἔμαθε τὸ, ἀκήκοας λόγον; συναποθανέτω σοι· ἢ ὅτι ποτὲ μὲν, τοῦτο λαλῶν, ποτὲ δὲ ἐκεῖνο, ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐμπόδια τίθησι τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ζωῇ· ἐν οἷς ὑποσκελισθήσεται, ἀντὶ τοῦ πεσεῖται. Ὃς πορεύεται ἁπλοῦς, πορεύεται πεποιθώς. [ιβιδ.] Καὶ μὴν κακουργία δοκεῖ πρᾶγμα ἀσφαλὲς εἶναι· ἡ δὲ ἀφέλεια, εὐεπηρέαστον εἶναι· ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον φησὶν, ὅτι ὁ πορευόμενος ἀδόλως θαῤῥείτω· ὁ γὰρ διαστρέφων τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, καταφανὴς ἔσται· οὐ γὰρ ἔστι λαθεῖν τὸν κακοῦργον· ἢ ἀντὶ τοῦ, ὁ μηδὲν τῷ πλησίον τεκταινόμενος, οὐδὲ παρ' ἑτέρου ἐπιβουλὴν δέξεται· ὁ δὲ λαθραίως ἐπιβουλεύων, καὶ εἰς πρόσωπον ἐπαινῶν, οὗτος γνωσθήσεται, εἰ καὶ δοκεῖ λανθάνειν ἕως καιροῦ. Εἶτα παραινεῖ, ὅτι δεῖ μετὰ παῤῥησίας πάντα ποιεῖν. Αἱ πράξεις τοῦ δικαίου ἀπὸ πηγῆς ἀεννάου τῆς εἰπούσης· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ζωὴ, ἀνελλιπῶς χορηγοῦνται· ὁ δὲ λαλῶν ἀσεβῆ, πεπαύσεται διαδεξαμένης κολάσεως. Ὃς ἐκ χειλέων προφέρει σοφίαν, ῥάβδῳ τύπτει ἄνδρα ἀκάρδιον. [ξοδ. φ. 49 α.] Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγῃς τὸ ἀμύνασθαι 64.685 ἠθέλησεν, Οὐ λέγω, φησὶν, ὅτι ὕβρισον, ἀλλ' εἰπέ τι σοφὸν, καὶ πλήξεις τὸν ἐχθρὸν μᾶλλον, ἢ εἰ ῥάβδον εἶχες· ἐπὶ τῷ μὲν μισοῦντι, ἴδιον καὶ πλῆξαι· ὡς ἐὰν θέλῃς, τοῦτο ποίησον· οὐ γὰρ ἡ ὕβρις πλήττει, ἀλλ' ἡ ἐπιείκεια. Κτῆσις πλουσίων, πόλις ὀχυρά. Συντριβὴ δὲ ἀσεβῶν, πενία. [ιβιδ.] Οὐκ ἐπαρκεῖ ἑαυτῷ ὁ πλούσιος· εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐν πόλει εἴη ἀσφαλεῖ, σφαλερὰ ἔσται ἡ κτῆσις αὐτοῦ· εἶτα καὶ τὴν πενίαν κακίζει· κατὰ δὲ διάνοιαν, τῶν κατὰ Θεὸν πλουτούντων οἱ μαθηταὶ τυγχάνουσιν ἀῤῥαγεῖς· οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς μηδὲν ἔχοντες ἄξιον ἀκοῆς, ἀκροατὰς οὐκ ἔχοντες πένονται· διὸ καὶ ἀπόλλυνται. Ὁδοὺς ζωῆς, τὰς ἀγούσας ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρετήν· παιδείαν δὲ ἀνεξέλεγκτον, τὴν κακὴν τῆς ψυχῆς πολιτείαν, ἥτις λανθάνουσα πλάνην ποιεῖ. Παραπορευομένης καταιγίδος ἀφανίζεται ἀσεβής· δίκαιος δὲ ἐκκλίνας, σώζεται εἰς αἰῶνα. [ξοδ. φ. 50 β.] Ὅτι πειρασμοῦ ἐπερχομένου, ἀδεῶς ἁμαρτάνει· ὁ δὲ δίκαιος περιγενόμενος τοῦ πειρασμοῦ, δι' ὑπομονῆς καὶ εὐχαριστίας, σώζεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὅρα πῶς ἀσφαλὴς ἡ δικαιοσύνη· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐκκλίνας, ἤτοι μεταστραφεὶς, ἢ στεῤῥῶς ὑπομείνας, σώζεται· ὁ δὲ καίτοι μὴ ἁπλῶς ἐπιούσης, ἀλλὰ παραπορευομένης ταραχῆς ἤτοι πειρασμῶν, ἀφανίζεται· ἀδεῶς δὲ ἁμαρτάνει, τὴν δικαιοκρισίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ μὴ εἰδώς. Φόβος Κυρίου προστίθησιν ἡμέρας. Ἡμέρας τὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡλίου γινομένας· ὑπὲρ ὧν ὁ ∆αυῒδ εὔχεται· Μὴ ἀναγάγῃς με ἐν ἡμίσει ἡμερῶν μου· ὧν πλήρης γεγονὼς Ἀβραὰμ ἐξέλιπεν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΙΑʹ.

Ζυγοὶ δόλιοι βδέλυγμα ἐνώπιον Κυρίου. [ξοδ. φ. 51 α.] Ἀπροσπαθὲς γὰρ ἡμῖν βούλεται εἶναι τὸ διακριτικόν· καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἡμετέρα κρίσις, ζυγός ἐστι τῶν πραγμάτων. Οὗ ἐὰν εἰσέλθῃ ὕβρις, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀτιμία. Οὐ περὶ τῶν ὑβριζομένων, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ὑβριζόντων φησί· διὰ τί; ἐκεῖνοι γάρ εἰσιν ἠτιμωμένοι· οὐχ ὁ κακῶς ἀκούων, οὐδὲ ὁ πάσχων, ἀλλ' ὁ ποιῶν· πάντες γὰρ ἐκεῖνον ἀπελαύνουσιν, ἅτε κοινὴν ὄντα λύμην· ἢ ὕβριν λέγει τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὑπερήφανος, ἄτιμος· ὁ δὲ ταπεινὸς, ἔντιμος καὶ σοφός. Τούτου γὰρ πρώτου δεῖται ἡ σοφία. Τελευτήσαντος ἀνδρὸς δικαίου οὐκ ὄλλυται