| OLD TESTAMENT | NEW TESTAMENT | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The 7 Books | Old Testament History | Wisdom Books | Major Prophets | Minor Prophets | NT History | Epistles of St. Paul | General Writings | |||
| Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuter. Joshua Judges | Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chron. 2 Chron. | Ezra Nehem. Tobit Judith Esther 1 Macc. 2 Macc. | Job Psalms Proverbs Eccles. Songs Wisdom Sirach | Isaiah Jeremiah Lament. Baruch Ezekiel Daniel | Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah | Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi | Matthew Mark Luke John Acts | Romans 1 Corinth. 2 Corinth. Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians | 1 Thess. 2 Thess. 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews | James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation |
| 1 ὀ |
1 A gentle answer is a quarrel averted; a word that gives pain does but fan the flame of resentment. 2 The speech of the wise is learning’s ornament; the fool babbles on. 3 Go where thou wilt, the Lord’s eye is watching; good nor evil escapes his scrutiny. 4 Tongue that speaks peaceably is a tree whose fruit gives life; tongue undisciplined can break hearts. | 1 Responsio mollis frangit iram; sermo durus suscitat furorem. Lingua sapientium ornat scientiam; os fatuorum ebullit stultitiam. In omni loco, oculi Domini contemplantur bonos et malos. Lingua placabilis lignum vitæ; quæ autem immoderata est conteret spiritum. |
| 5 ἄφρων μυκτηρίζει παιδείαν πατρός ὁ |
5 He is a fool that makes light of his father’s warnings; would he but listen to reproof, he should be prudent yet. (Might is most where right is most; root and branch the sinner shall be plucked up.[1]) 6 The just man’s home guards its treasure well; the hopes of the wicked are all confusion. |
5 Stultus irridet disciplinam patris sui; qui autem custodit increpationes astutior fiet. In abundanti justitia virtus maxima est: cogitationes autem impiorum eradicabuntur. Domus justi plurima fortitudo, et in fructibus impii conturbatio. |
| 7 χείλη |
7 The talk of the wise is a seed-ground of learning; the thoughts of fools are ill matched with it. | 7 Labia sapientium disseminabunt scientiam; cor stultorum dissimile erit. |
| 8 θυσίαι ἀσεβῶ |
8 From the wicked man’s sacrifice the Lord turns away with loathing; only the just with their vows win his favour. 9 The whole course of the sinner’s life he cannot brook; pursue the right, if thou wouldst win his love. 10 Forsake the right path, and correction shall seem hard to thee; grow weary of reproof, and thy life shall pay for it. 11 Shall the Lord read the secrets of the devouring grave, and not men’s hearts? | 8 Victimæ impiorum abominabiles Domino; vota justorum placabilia. Abominatio est Domino via impii; qui sequitur justitiam diligitur ab eo. Doctrina mala deserenti viam vitæ; qui increpationes odit, morietur. Infernus et perditio coram Domino; quanto magis corda filiorum hominum! |
| 12 |
12 Warn the headstrong, and thou wilt get no thanks for it; not for him the company of the wise. | 12 Non amat pestilens eum qui se corripit, nec ad sapientes graditur. |
| 13 καρδίας |
13 Gay heart, gay looks; sad thoughts crush the spirit. | 13 Cor gaudens exhilarat faciem; in mœrore animi dejicitur spiritus. |
| 14 καρδία ὀ |
14 Truth is the quest of discerning minds, trifling the pasture-ground of the foolish. | 14 Cor sapientis quærit doctrinam, et os stultorum pascitur imperitia. |
| 15 πάντα |
15 To the friendless, every day brings trouble, but every day is a feast-day to a contented heart. 16 Better a humble lot, and the fear of the Lord present, than great riches that leave a man unsatisfied. 17 Better sit down to a dish of herbs seasoned with charity, than feast on a fattened ox in ill-will. | 15 Omnes dies pauperis, mali; secura mens quasi juge convivium. Melius est parum cum timore Domini, quam thesauri magni et insatiabiles. Melius est vocari ad olera cum caritate, quam ad vitulum saginatum cum odio. |
| 18 ἀ |
18 Any brawler can provoke a quarrel; it needs a patient man to lay it by. | 18 Vir iracundus provocat rixas; qui patiens est mitigat suscitatas. |
| 19 ὁ |
19 Idleness finds ever a hedge of thorns in its path; the man of duty walks on unhampered. | 19 Iter pigrorum quasi sepes spinarum; via justorum absque offendiculo. |
| 20 |
20 A father well content, a mother slighted, tell of a son’s wisdom or mortal folly. | 20 Filius sapiens lætificat patrem, et stultus homo despicit matrem suam. |
| 21 ἀνοήτου τρίβοι ἐνδεεῖς |
21 A man of little sense is in love with his follies; prudence keeps to its chosen path. 22 Counsel lacking, all designs go amiss; with the advice of many, they should have thriven. 23 There are times when a counsellor has good cause to be proud; nothing better than the right word spoken. | 21 Stultitia gaudium stulto, et vir prudens dirigit gressus suos. Dissipantur cogitationes ubi non est consilium; ubi vero sunt plures consiliarii, confirmantur. Lætatur homo in sententia oris sui, et sermo opportunus est optimus. |
| 24 ὁ |
24 A mind well schooled sees the way of life stretching upwards, leading away from the pit beneath. | 24 Semita vitæ super eruditum, ut declinet de inferno novissimo. |
| 25 |
25 A house where pride reigns the Lord will pull down at last; will have no encroaching on the lands of the friendless widow. 26 The schemes of wickedness he abhors; the dreams of innocence he loves, and brings true.[2] 27 Let avarice lead thee away, thy home shall be ruined; long life is his, who scorns the bribe. (Kindness and honour are sin’s purging; ever it is the fear of the Lord turns men away from harm.[3]) | 25 Domum superborum demolietur Dominus, et firmos faciet terminos viduæ. Abominatio Domini cogitationes malæ, et purus sermo pulcherrimus firmabitur ab eo. Conturbat domum suam qui sectatur avaritiam; qui autem odit munera, vivet. Per misericordiam et fidem purgantur peccata: per timorem autem Domini declinat omnis a malo. |
| 28 καρδίαι δικαίων |
28 Attentive and docile is the upright heart; from the lips of the wicked comes mischief in full flood. 29 From the wicked, the Lord withholds his presence, listens only to the prayer of the just. | 28 Mens justi meditatur obedientiam; os impiorum redundat malis. Longe est Dominus ab impiis, et orationes justorum exaudiet. |
| 30 |
30 The eye that smiles, how it cheers the heart! Good news, how it lends vigour to a man’s frame! | 30 Lux oculorum lætificat animam; fama bona impinguat ossa. |
| 31 32 ὃς ἀπωθεῖ |
31 A man’s ear once attentive to the discipline that brings life, no company shall be welcome thenceforward, but the wise. 32 He holds his life cheap, that will not listen to a warning; heed reproof, and be master of thy soul. 33 It is the fear of the Lord teaches the lessons of wisdom; humility goes first, and honour comes in her train. | 31 Auris quæ audit increpationes vitæ in medio sapientium commorabitur. Qui abjicit disciplinam despicit animam suam; qui autem acquiescit increpationibus possessor est cordis. Timor Domini disciplina sapientiæ, et gloriam præcedit humilitas. |
[1] The words enclosed in brackets occur in the Septuagint Greek, but not in the Hebrew text.
[2] The second half of this verse reads, in the Hebrew text, ‘but pleasant words are pure’; it is not certain in what sense.
[3] The Latin version gives the second maxim twice over (see 16.6 below).
Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd
