Aesopic Proverbs 41-50: Love, Squinting, and the Sufferings of the Soul

41.
“Love without purpose, and do not hate without reason.”
Interpretation:
“Treat those whom you meet, if it is necessary, as friends. Do not indulge your enemies in their hate against you.”
Εἰκῇ φιλοῦ, μάτην μὴ μισοῦ.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Καὶ τοὺς τυχόντας, εἰ δέοι, φίλους ἔχε·
᾿Εχθροῖς δὲ μὴ χαρίζου τὸ πρὸς σὲ μῖσος.

42.
“Sought, and not hated.”
Interpretation:
“By not wanting to visit with your friends frequently, you will become loved but not hated.”
Ζητούμενος καὶ μὴ μισούμενος.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Θαμινὰ φοιτᾶν τοῖς φίλοις οὐκ ἐθέλων
᾿Αγαπητός, ἀλλ’ οὐ μισητὸς γενήσῃ.

43.
“The one who conceals an itch simply doubles it.”
Interpretation:
“Often, an imprudent mind has worsened its symptoms by wishing to escape them.”
῾Ο κρύβων τὴν ψώραν αὐτοῦ διπλῆν αὐτὴν ποιεῖ.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Πολλοῖς ἐμεγάλυνε τὰ συμπτώματα
Νοῦς ἄφρων <μάτην> τὸ λαθεῖν ἐθελήσας.

44.
“The birthday of one’s eyes begins the suffering of one’s soul.”
<Interpretation>
“The enjoyment of the various amusements afforded to the idea give the soul pain and many laments.”
᾿Οφθαλμῶν γενέσια ψυχῆς ὀδύνη.
<῾Ερμηνεία.>
Τέρψις ὀφθαλμῶν ἀλλοτρίας ἑορτῆς
Λύπας φέρει τῇ ψυχῇ καὶ θρήνους πολλούς.

45.
“Hey Squinty, where is your little ear?”
Interpretation:
“A malicious man, imagining that nothing is well-wrought, fights even with the noble at every turn.”
Στρεβλέ, ποῦ ἐστι τὸ ὠτίον σου;
῾Ερμηνεία.
Οὐδὲν εὐθὲς ἐννοῶν δυσμενὴς ἀνὴρ
Καὶ τοῖς φανεροῖς μάχεται παντὶ τρόπῳ.

46.
“May you fall asleep and walk about your ship.”
Interpretation:
“Fortune decrees wealth to sleeping mortals with a wakeful providence.”
Σὺ ὑπνοῖς καὶ τὸ πλοῖόν σου περιπατεῖ.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Καθεύδουσιν ἡ Τύχη ἀνθρώποις πλοῦτον
Διαπεραίνει ἀγρύπνῳ τῇ προνοίᾳ.

47.
“Watch over your son, so that he does not fall into a well while you say that God willed it so.”
Interpretation:
“God has granted your reason as a guard, so that you can guard yourself against those things which must be watched out for.”
Τήρει τὸν υἱόν σου, ἵνα μὴ πέσῃ εἰς τὸ φρέαρ καὶ εἴπῃς
ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἤθελεν.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Τὸν νοῦν σου φύλακα δέδωκεν ὁ θεός,
῞Ινα σαυτῷ φυλάσσῃς ἃ φρουρεῖν πρέπει.

48.
“Swiftness has its charm.”
Interpretation:
“Those gift-givers become most pleasing, who crown every gift with the blessing of swiftness.”
Τὸ ταχὺ χάριν ἔχει.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Εὐχάριστοι γίνονται οἱ φιλόδωροι
Ταχυτῆτι στέφοντες ἅπασαν δόσιν.

49.
“Grapes ripen when looking on other grapes.”
Interpretation:
“Those engaged in some labor will accomplish what must be done when they look upon each other with a zealous mind.”
Σταφυλὴ σταφυλὴν βλέπουσα πεπαίνεται.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Εἰς ἀλλήλους βλέποντες οἱ μοχθοῦντές τι
Προθύμῳ γνώμῃ τὰ πρακτέα τελοῦσιν.

50.
“A lion inside, a fox without.”
Interpretation:
“By mixing boldness with villainy, you appear to demonstrate who you are not, and to hide what you are.”
῎Εσω λέων καὶ ἔξω ἀλώπηξ.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Κακουργίαν θρασύτητι μίξας φαίνῃ
Δεικνὺς ὃ μὴ εἷς, καὶ κρύπτων ὃ τυγχάνεις.