Chapter 1

[] Paroimiai SolomwntoV, uiou tou Dabid, basilewV tou Israhl,

dia na gnwrish tiV sofian kai paideian, dia na nohsh logouV fronhsewV,

dia na labh didaskalian sunesewV, dikaiosunhV kai krisewV kai euquthtoV,

dia na dwsh nohsin eiV touV aplouV, kai eiV ton neon maqhsin kai diagnwsin.

O sofoV akouwn qelei geinei sofwteroV, kai o nohmwn qelei apokthsei episthmhn kubernhsewV×

wste na ennoh paroimian kai skoteinon logon, rhseiV sofwn kai ainigmata autwn.

[] Arch sofiaV foboV Kuriou× oi afroneV katafronousi thn sofian kai thn didaskalian.

Akoue, uie mou, thn didaskalian tou patroV sou, kai mh aporriyhV ton nomon thV mhtroV sou.

Dioti tauta qelousin eisqai stefanoV caritwn eiV thn korufhn sou kai perideraion peri ton trachlon sou.

[] Uie mou, ean qelhswsin oi amartwloi na se deleaswsi, mh qelhshV×

ean eipwsin, Elqe meq' hmwn, aV enedreuswmen di' aima, aV epibouleuqwmen anaitiwV ton aqwon,

AV katapiwmen autouV zwntaV, wV o adhV, kai oloklhrouV wV touV katabainontaV eiV ton lakkon×

qelomen eurei pan polutimon agaqon, qelomen gemisei touV oikouV hmwn apo lafurwn×

qeV ton klhron sou metaxu hmwn, en balantion aV hnai eiV pantaV hmaV×

uie mou, mh peripathshV en odw met' autwn× apece ton poda sou apo twn tribwn autwn×

dioti oi podeV autwn trecousin eiV to kakon, kai speudousin eiV to na cuswsin aima.

Dioti mataiwV exaplonetai diktuon emprosqen twn ofqalmwn pantoV pterwtou.

Dioti outoi enedreuousi kata tou idiou autwn aimatoV, epibouleuontai taV eautwn yucaV×

Toiautai einai ai odoi pantoV pleonektou× h pleonexia afairei thn zwhn twn kurieuomenwn up' authV.

[] H sofia fwnazei exw, ekpempei thn fwnhn authV en taiV plateiaiV×

Krazei epi kefalhV twn agorwn, en taiV eisodoiV twn pulwn× apaggellei touV logouV authV dia thV polewV, legousa,

EwV pote, mwroi, qelete agapa thn mwrian, kai oi cleuastai qelousin hdunesqai eiV touV cleuasmouV autwn, kai oi afroneV qelousi misei thn gnwsin;

Epistreyate proV touV elegcouV mou× idou, egw qelw ekceei to pneuma mou ef' umaV, qelw saV kamei na nohshte touV logouV mou.

Epeidh egw ekrazon, kai seiV den uphkouete× exeteinon thn ceira mou, kai oudeiV proseicen×

Alla katefroneite pasaV taV sumboulaV mou kai touV elegcouV mou den edecesqe×

dia touto kai egw qelw epigelasei eiV ton oleqron saV× qelw katacarh, otan epelqh o foboV saV.

Otan o foboV saV epelqh wV erhmwsiV kai h katastrofh saV eformhsh wV anemostrobiloV, otan h qliyiV kai h stenocwria elqwsin ef' umaV×

tote qelousi me epikalesqh, alla den qelw apokriqh× epimonwV qelousi me ekzhthsei, alla den qelousi me eurei.

Dioti emishsan thn gnwsin kai ton fobon tou Kuriou den exelexan×

den hqelhsan taV sumboulaV mou× katefronhsan pantaV touV elegcouV mou×

dia touto qelousi fagei apo twn karpwn thV odou autwn kai qelousi cortasqh apo twn kakobouliwn autwn.

Dioti h apostasia twn mwrwn qelei qanatwsei autouV, kai h amerimnhsia twn afronwn qelei afanisei autouV.

OstiV omwV akouei emou, qelei katoikhsei en asfaleia× kai qelei hsucazei, mh foboumenoV kakon.