: 31.
“An aged wolf lays down the laws.”
Interpretation:
“An aged evildoer, when he arrives at old age, will ordain laws to flee the young who do the same things which he himself did.”
Λύκος γηράσας νόμους ὁρίζει.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Νουθετήσει κακοῦργος εἰς γῆρας μολὼν
Φεύγειν τοὺς νέους ἅπερ αὐτὸς ἔπραξεν.
32.
“A wolf is not scared to take from the multitude.”
Interpretation:
“Neither votes, nor decrees, nor even the barring of doors will check the thieving mind.”
Λύκος ἀπὸ ἀριθμοῦ οὐ φοβεῖται λαβεῖν.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Τὸ κλεπτικὸν φρόνημα παύσει οὐδέπω
Οὐ ψῆφος, οὐ σφραγῖδες, οὐ κλείθρων θέσις.
33.
“When the ape sees its own children, it says ‘These are not beautiful.’”
Interpretation:
“Even when a mindless being is brought to perception, it recognizes that it has committed injustice in the things which it has done.”
Πίθηκος ἰδὼν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ τέκνα ἔφη “ταῦτα οὐ καλά.”
῾Ερμηνεία.
Εἰς αἴσθησιν καὶ ἄφρων ἐλάσας ποτὲ
῎Εγνωσεν ἀδικήσας ἐν οἷς ἔπραξεν.
34.
<Proverb Missing in Text>
Interpretation:
“The labors of lament [lead] to the ruin of tears, but the wailing of hunger does not seize the whip.”
< >
<῾Ερμηνεία.>
Θρήνων μὲν πόνοι εἰς δακρύων <τὴν> φοράν,
Λιμοῦ δὲ κλαυθμὸς οὐκ αἴρει τὴν μάστιγα.
35.
“A silent river runs deep below the earth.”
Interpretation:
“A wicked man, though he seems gentle to those near him, holds them as slaves to his hidden evil.”
Σιγηρὸς ποταμὸς κατὰ γῆν βαθύς.
῾Ερμηνεία.
᾿Ανὴρ κακοῦργος πρᾶος τοῖς πέλας φανεὶς
Κεκρυμμένῃ κακίᾳ τοὺς δόλους ἔχει.
36.
“Move even your hands with god.”
Interpretation:
“Don’t sleep while you look upon chance; good fortune consists of being active in deeds.”
Σὺν θεῷ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας κίνει.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Τὴν τύχην βλέπων μὴ καθεύδειν ἔθελε·
Εὐτυχία γὰρ ἀνδρὶ τὸ ἐν ἔργοις εἶναι.
37.
“God is the avenger of a silent mouth.”
Interpretation:
“He who honors fairness with his mind will have help against his enemies from the gods.”
Στόματος σιγῶντος θεὸς ἔκδικος.
῾Ερμηνεία.
᾿Επιείκειαν ὁ τῇ φρονήσει τιμῶν
Θεόθεν ἔξει τὴν κατ’ ἐχθρῶν βοήθειαν.
38.
“I honor you and you do not perceive it; I dishonor you, so that you may perceive.”
Interpretation:
“If senseless men do not rejoice in noble things, change their ungrateful minds with bad ones.”
Τιμῶ σε καὶ οὐκ αἰσθάνῃ· ἀτιμάζω σε, ἵνα αἴσθησιν λάβῃς.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Καλοῖς εἰ μὴ χαίρουσιν ἄνδρες ἄφρονες,
Κακοῖς ἀμείβου τὴν ἀχάριστον γνώμην.
39.
“A needy spirit has come near in the assembly.”
Interpretation:
“Whoever wanders in the market without money will grieve at heart as he looks upon all in vain.”
῎Ακερμος ἐν πανηγύρει δαίμων πελαζόμενος.
῾Ερμηνεία.
῞Οστις ἐν ἀγορᾷ χρημάτων δίχα φοιτᾷ,
Νοσεῖ τὴν φρένα μάτην τοὺς πάντας ὁρῶν.
40.
“From a bad money-lender a chickpea.”
Interpretation:
“When there is clear loss among all, consider it a windfall if you receive even the smallest portion.”
᾿Απὸ κακοῦ δανειστοῦ κἂν ὀρόβια
῾Ερμηνεία.
Ζημίας δήλης ἐν ἅπασι κειμένης,
Τοὐλάχιστον εἰ λάβοις ἕρμαιον κάλει.
