Apo

1 Strive not with a mighty man' lest thou fall into his hands.

2 Be not at variance with a rich man, lest he overweigh thee: for gold hath destroyed many, and perverted the hearts of kings.

3 Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon his fire.

4 Jest not with a rude man, lest thy ancestors be disgraced.

5 Reproach not a man that turneth from sin, but remember that we are all worthy of punishment.

6 Dishonour not a man in his old age: for even some of us wax old.

7 Rejoice not over thy greatest enemy being dead, but remember that we die all.

8 Despise not the discourse of the wise, but acquaint thyself with their proverbs: for of them thou shalt learn instruction, and how to serve great men with ease.

9 Miss not the discourse of the elders: for they also learned of their fathers, and of them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give answer as need requireth.

10 Kindle not the coals of a sinner, lest thou be burnt with the flame of his fire.

11 Rise not up [in anger] at the presence of an injurious person, lest he lie in wait to entrap thee in thy words

12 Lend not unto him that is mightier than thyself; for if thou lendest him, count it but lost.

13 Be not surety above thy power: for if thou be surety, take care to pay it.

14 Go not to law with a judge; for they will judge for him according to his honour.

15 Travel not by the way with a bold fellow, lest he become grievous unto thee: for he will do according to his own will, and thou shalt perish with him through his folly.

16 Strive not with an angry man, and go not with him into a solitary place: for blood is as nothing in his sight, and where there is no help, he will overthrow thee.

17 Consult not with a fool; for he cannot keep counsel.

18 Do no secret thing before a stranger; for thou knowest not what he will bring forth.

19 Open not thine heart to every man, lest he requite thee with a shrewd turn.

Sep

1 μὴ διαμάχου μετὰ ἀνθρώπου δυνάστου μήποτε ἐμπέσῃς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ

2 μὴ ἔριζε μετὰ ἀνθρώπου πλουσίου μήποτε ἀντιστήσῃ σου τὴν ὁλκήν πολλοὺς γὰρ ἀπώλεσεν τὸ χρυσίον καὶ καρδίας βασιλέων ἐξέκλινεν

3 μὴ διαμάχου μετὰ ἀνθρώπου γλωσσώδους καὶ μὴ ἐπιστοιβάσῃς ἐπὶ τὸ πῦρ αὐτοῦ ξύλα

4 μὴ πρόσπαιζε ἀπαιδεύτῳ ἵνα μὴ ἀτιμάζωνται οἱ πρόγονοί σου

5 μὴ ὀνείδιζε ἄνθρωπον ἀποστρέφοντα ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας μνήσθητι ὅτι πάντες ἐσμὲν ἐν ἐπιτίμοις

6 μὴ ἀτιμάσῃς ἄνθρωπον ἐν γήρᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν γηράσκουσιν

7 μὴ ἐπίχαιρε ἐπὶ νεκρῷ μνήσθητι ὅτι πάντες τελευτῶμεν

8 μὴ παρίδῃς διήγημα σοφῶν καὶ ἐν ταῖς παροιμίαις αὐτῶν ἀναστρέφου ὅτι παρ᾽ αὐτῶν μαθήσῃ παιδείαν καὶ λειτουργῆσαι μεγιστᾶσιν

9 μὴ ἀστόχει διηγήματος γερόντων καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ ἔμαθον παρὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν ὅτι παρ᾽ αὐτῶν μαθήσῃ σύνεσιν καὶ ἐν καιρῷ χρείας δοῦναι ἀπόκρισιν

10 μὴ ἔκκαιε ἄνθρακας ἁμαρτωλοῦ μὴ ἐμπυρισθῇς ἐν πυρὶ φλογὸς αὐτοῦ

11 μὴ ἐξαναστῇς ἀπὸ προσώπου ὑβριστοῦ ἵνα μὴ ἐγκαθίσῃ ὡς ἔνεδρον τῷ στόματί σου

12 μὴ δανείσῃς ἀνθρώπῳ ἰσχυροτέρῳ σου καὶ ἐὰν δανείσῃς ὡς ἀπολωλεκὼς γίνου

13 μὴ ἐγγυήσῃ ὑπὲρ δύναμίν σου καὶ ἐὰν ἐγγυήσῃ ὡς ἀποτείσων φρόντιζε

14 μὴ δικάζου μετὰ κριτοῦ κατὰ γὰρ τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ κρινοῦσιν αὐτῷ

15 μετὰ τολμηροῦ μὴ πορεύου ἐν ὁδῷ ἵνα μὴ βαρύνηται κατὰ σοῦ αὐτὸς γὰρ κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιήσει καὶ τῇ ἀφροσύνῃ αὐτοῦ συναπολῇ

16 μετὰ θυμώδους μὴ ποιήσῃς μάχην καὶ μὴ διαπορεύου μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἔρημον ὅτι ὡς οὐδὲν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ αἷμα καὶ ὅπου οὐκ ἔστιν βοήθεια καταβαλεῖ σε

17 μετὰ μωροῦ μὴ συμβουλεύου οὐ γὰρ δυνήσεται λόγον στέξαι

18 ἐνώπιον ἀλλοτρίου μὴ ποιήσῃς κρυπτόν οὐ γὰρ γινώσκεις τί τέξεται

19 παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ μὴ ἔκφαινε σὴν καρδίαν καὶ μὴ ἀναφερέτω σοι χάριν

Vul

1 [Non litiges cum homine potente,
ne forte incidas in manus illius.

2 Non contendas cum viro locuplete,
ne forte contra te constituat litem tibi:

3 multos enim perdidit aurum et argentum,
et usque ad cor regum extendit et convertit.

4 Non litiges cum homine linguato,
et non strues in ignem illius ligna.

5 Non communices homini indocto,
ne male de progenie tua loquatur.

6 Ne despicias hominem avertentem se a peccato,
neque improperes ei:
memento quoniam omnes in correptione sumus.

7 Ne spernas hominem in sua senectute,
etenim ex nobis senescunt.

8 Noli de mortuo inimico tuo gaudere:
sciens quoniam omnes morimur,
et in gaudium nolumus venire.

9 Ne despicias narrationem presbyterorum sapientium,
et in proverbiis eorum conversare:

10 ab ipsis enim disces sapientiam et doctrinam intellectus,
et servire magnatis sine querela.

11 Non te prætereat narratio seniorum,
ipsi enim didicerunt a patribus suis:

12 quoniam ab ipsis disces intellectum,
et in tempore necessitatis dare responsum.

13 Non incendas carbones peccatorum arguens eos,
et ne incendaris flamma ignis peccatorum illorum.

14 Ne contra faciem stes contumeliosi,
ne sedeat quasi insidiator ori tuo.

15 Noli fœnerari homini fortiori te:
quod si fœneraveris, quasi perditum habe.

16 Non spondeas super virtutem tuam:
quod si spoponderis, quasi restituens cogita.

17 Non judices contra judicem,
quoniam secundum quod justum est judicat.

18 Cum audace non eas in via,
ne forte gravet mala sua in te:
ipse enim secundum voluntatem suam vadit,
et simul cum stultitia illius peries.

19 Cum iracundo non facias rixam,
et cum audace non eas in desertum:
quoniam quasi nihil est ante illum sanguis,
et ubi non est adjutorium, elidet te.

20 Cum fatuis consilium non habeas:
non enim poterunt diligere nisi quæ eis placent.

21 Coram extraneo ne facias consilium:
nescis enim quid pariet.

22 Non omni homini cor tuum manifestes,
ne forte inferat tibi gratiam falsam, et convicietur tibi.]