45

are the things said before: Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all who are not contentious. For the contentious person has the beginning of such evil from hatred, and no one would say that the contentious person loves. And again, from the opposite, the one who is not contentious has a sign of love. And no one would call the one who loves contentious; as again, Every idle person is in desires; and every quick-tempered person acts without counsel. For he signified that the soul of the idle person is sunk in all desires, and he showed that the quick-tempered person has no right counsel. And in general, these declare moral matters more, speaking of the beginning of the action, from where they are composed, that hatred precedes contentiousness; but love precedes not being contentious, and evil pleasure precedes idleness; but lack of counsel precedes being quick-tempered; and the beginning of the despised person is his despising of the law; but the fear of God precedes health; and the beginning of the soul's destruction is to have an unguarded mouth; but rashness precedes a person's being terrified. Thus, analyzing each saying, you will find it has been spoken and written for the sake of those hearing and learning the beginnings of evils and of goods, to flee the wicked things, and to do the good things. But riddles and obscure sayings, which are so secure as to annoy the one who encounters them by revealing nothing, nor offering any hint; yet when searched out, they show the meaning in them. Such as: The leech had three daughters, loved with love; and these three, and the fourth was not satisfied to say, "Enough." Hades, and the love of a woman, and Tartarus, and earth not filled with water, and water and fire will not say, "It is enough." And again: There are three things impossible for me to understand, and the fourth I do not know: the tracks of an eagle flying, and the ways of a serpent on a rock, and the paths of a ship sailing the sea, and the ways of a man in his youth; and however many such riddles there are; for they indicate some other things, and present the thought of other things; and they are obscure, but have a hidden meaning. And the scope of the book of Proverbs has this character. But the summary is in these things. In the proems concerning the proverbs themselves of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Jerusalem, to know wisdom and instruction. And that The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Concerning hearing the laws of a father, and not rejecting the ordinances of a mother. Concerning not being led astray, nor traveling the ways with those who commit lawless deeds; for they possess a common purse. That Wisdom is sung in the streets, but the impious hated perception. Since they called, and they did not obey me, for this reason, when they call me, I will not obey them. Concerning, Receive the sayings of the commandments, and your ear will hearken to wisdom, that you may understand righteousness and judgment. O you who have left the straight paths, and rejoice in evil perversion. Concerning, Let not evil counsel overtake you, that you may find smooth paths of righteousness. Concerning 56.374 not forgetting the keeping of the law, that you may live long in peace. Concerning you being confident in your whole heart in God, and not being wise in your own sight, but honoring the Lord from your righteous labors. Concerning not despising the discipline of the Lord; For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines. And, Blessed is the man who finds wisdom. Concerning you not being carried away, but keeping counsel and thought, that it may be a healing to your flesh. Concerning not refraining from doing good to the needy, whenever your hand has power to help. And, Devise no evil against your friend, because every transgressor is unclean before the Lord. That, The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. And concerning hearing a father's instruction. Concerning, Son, pay heed to my saying, and with all vigilance guard your heart, and the Lord will make your paths straight. Concerning not paying attention to a wicked woman; For she does not tread the ways of life; make your association far from her. Concerning, Drink waters from your own vessels; and Let the spring of your water be pleasant to you. For by conducting yourself in her wisdom, you will be one of many. Go to the ant, O lazy young man, and become wiser; because much in

45

ἐστι τὰ προειρημένα· Μῖσος ἐγείρει νεῖκος, πάντας δὲ τοὺς μὴ φιλονεικοῦντας καλύπτει φιλία. Ὁ γὰρ φίλερις ἀπὸ μίσους ἔχει τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς τοιαύτης κακίας, καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις εἴποι ἀγαπᾷν τὸν φιλονεικοῦντα. Πάλιν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου ὁ μὴ φιλονεικῶν, γνώρισμα ἀγάπης ἔχει. Καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις εἴποι φιλόνεικον τὸν ἀγαπῶντα· ὡς πάλιν τὸ, Ἐν ἐπιθυμίαις ἐστὶ πᾶς ἀεργός· καὶ πᾶς ὀξύθυμος πράσσει μετὰ ἀβουλίας. Τοῦ γὰρ ἀεργοῦ ἐσήμανε τὴν ψυχὴν ἐν πάσαις ἐπιθυμίαις βεβυθίσθαι, καὶ τὸν ὀξύθυμον μηδεμίαν ἔχοντα βουλὴν ὀρθὴν ἐδήλωσε. Καὶ ὅλως οὗτοι τὰ ἠθικὰ μᾶλλον ἀπαγγέλλουσι, τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς πράξεως, ὅθεν συνίστανται, λέγοντες, ὅτι τῆς μὲν φιλονεικίας προηγεῖται μῖσος· τοῦ δὲ μὴ φιλονεικεῖν προηγεῖται ἀγάπη, καὶ τῆς μὲν ἀεργίας προηγεῖται ἡδονὴ κακή· τοῦ δὲ ὀξυθύμου προηγεῖται ἀβουλία· καὶ τοῦ μὲν ἐξουθενημένου ἀρχή ἐστι τὸ καταφρονεῖν αὐτὸν τοῦ νόμου· τῆς δὲ ὑγείας προηγεῖται ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ τῆς μὲν ἀπωλείας τῆς ψυχῆς ἐστιν ἀρχὴ τὸ ἀφύλακτον ἔχειν τὸ στόμα· τοῦ δὲ πτοεῖσθαί τινα προηγεῖται ἡ προπέτεια. Οὕτω δὲ ἑκάστην ῥῆσιν ἀναλύων, εὑρήσεις εἰρημένην καὶ γεγραμμένην ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοὺς ἀκούοντας καὶ μανθάνοντας τὰς ἀρχὰς τῶν κακῶν καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν, φεύγειν μὲν τὰ φαῦλα, πράττειν δὲ τὰ ἀγαθά. Αἰνίγματα δὲ καὶ σκοτεινοὶ λόγοι, οἵτινες ἀσφαλεῖς μὲν οὕτως εἰσὶν, ὥστε ἀνιᾷν τὸν ἐντυγχάνοντα τὸ μηδὲν ἐμφαίνειν, μηδέ τινα ὑπόνοιαν παρέχειν· ἐρευνώμενοι δὲ ὅμως δεικνύουσι τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς νοῦν. Οἷοί εἰσι· Τῇ βδέλλῃ τρεῖς θυγατέρες ἦσαν, ἀγαπήσει ἀγαπώμεναι· καὶ αἱ τρεῖς αὗται, καὶ ἡ τετάρτη οὐκ ἠρκέσθη εἰπεῖν, Ἱκανόν. Ἅδης, καὶ ἔρως γυναικὸς, καὶ τάρταρος, καὶ γῆ οὐκ ἐμπιπλαμένη ὕδατος, καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ πῦρ οὐ μὴ εἴπωσιν, Ἀρκεῖ. Καὶ πάλιν· Τρία δέ ἐστιν ἀδύνατά μοι νοῆσαι, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκω· ἴχνη ἀετοῦ πετομένου, καὶ ὁδοὺς ὄφεως ἐπὶ πέτρας, καὶ τρίβους νηὸς ποντοπορούσης, καὶ ὁδοὺς ἀνδρὸς ἐν νεότητι· καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτά ἐστιν αἰνίγματα· ἕτερα γάρ τινα δηλοῖ, καὶ ἑτέρων ἔννοιαν παρίστησι· καὶ ἀσαφῆ μέν ἐστι, κεκρυμμένον δὲ ἔχει τὸν νοῦν. Καὶ ἡ μὲν περιοχὴ τοῦ βιβλίου τῶν Παροιμιῶν τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον. Ἡ δὲ ἀνακεφαλαίωσις ἐν τούτοις. Ἐν προοιμίοις περὶ αὐτῶν τῶν παροιμιῶν Σολομῶντος υἱοῦ ∆αυῒδ, ὃς ἐβασίλευσε ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, τοῦ γνῶναι σοφίαν καὶ παιδείαν. Καὶ ὅτι Ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου. Περὶ τοῦ ἀκούειν νόμους πατρὸς, καὶ μὴ ἀπώσασθαι θεσμοὺς μητρός. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ πλανηθῆναι, μηδὲ συμπορεύεσθαι ὁδοὺς μετὰ τῶν συντελούντων ἄνομα· κοινὸν γὰρ βαλάντιον κέκτηνται. Ὅτι σοφία ἐν ἐξόδοις ὑμνεῖται, ἀσεβεῖς δὲ ἐμίσησαν αἴσθησιν. Ἐπειδὴ ἐκάλουν, καὶ οὐχ ὑπήκουσάν μου, διὰ τοῦτο, ὅταν καλέσωνταί με, οὐχ ὑπακούσομαι αὐτῶν. Περὶ τοῦ, ∆έχου ῥήσεις ἐντολῶν, καὶ εἰσακούσεται σοφίας τὸ οὖς σου, ἵνα συνήσῃς δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα. Ὦ οἱ καταλιπόντες ὁδοὺς εὐθείας, καὶ χαίροντες ἐπὶ διαστροφῇ κακῇ. Περὶ τοῦ, Μή σε καταλάβῃ βουλὴ κακὴ, ἵνα εὕρῃς τρίβους δικαιοσύνης λείας. Περὶ 56.374 τοῦ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνεσθαί σε τήρησιν νόμου, ἵνα μακροβιώσῃς ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Περὶ τοῦ εἶναί σε πεποιθότα ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ ἐπὶ Θεῷ, καὶ μὴ εἶναι φρόνιμον παρ' ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ τιμᾷν τὸν Κύριον ἀπὸ τῶν δικαίων πόνων. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ ὀλιγωρεῖν παιδείας Κυρίου· Ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος, παιδεύει. Καὶ, Μακάριος ἄνθρωπος ὃς εὕρῃ σοφίαν. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ παραῤῥύεσθαί σε, ἀλλὰ τηρεῖν βουλὴν καὶ ἔννοιαν, ἵνα ἔσται ἴασις τῇ σαρκί σου. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ ἀποσχέσθαι εὖ ποιεῖν ἐνδεῆ, ἡνίκα ἂν ἔχῃ ἡ χείρ σου βοηθεῖν. Καὶ, Μὴ τέκταινε ἐπὶ σῷ φίλῳ κακὰ, ὅτι ἀκάθαρτος ἐνώπιον Κυρίου πᾶς παράνομος. Ὅτι, Κύριος ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ μεταδίδωσι χάριν. Καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀκούειν παιδείας πατρός. Περὶ τοῦ, Υἱὲ, ἐμῇ ῥήσει πρόσεχε, καὶ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τήρει σὴν καρδίαν, καὶ Κύριος ὀρθὰς ποιήσει τὰς τροχιάς σου. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ προσέχειν φαύλῃ γυναικί· Ὁδοὺς γὰρ ζωῆς οὐ μετέρχεται, μακρὰν ποίησον ἀπ' αὐτῆς σύνοδον. Περὶ τοῦ, Πῖνε ὕδατα ἀπὸ σῶν ἀγγείων· καὶ Ἡ πηγὴ τοῦ ὕδατός σου ἔστω σοι ἡδεῖα. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ ταύτης σοφίᾳ συμπεριφερόμενος, πολλοστὸς ἔσῃ. Ἴθι πρὸς τὸν μύρμηκα, ὦ ὀκνηρὲ νεανία, καὶ γίνου σοφώτερος· ὅτι πολλὴν ἐν