Some of these proverbs were a bit rough – I found some of the ‘interpretations’ rather puzzling. Corrections are welcome/encouraged!
61.
“Desire does not ascend to the top rung of the ladder.”
Interpretation:
“Desire is a sweet thing, if the possession of the objects desired can occur without toil.”
῎Ε<ρω>ς εἰς κλιμάκιον οὐκ ἀναβαίνει.
῾Ερμηνεία.
῾Ηδὺς ὁ πόθος ἐστίν, εἰ δίχα μόχθου
<Τ>ῶν ποθουμένων ἡ κτῆσις προσγενήσεται.
62.
“If you are not wicked to one, you will not become wicked to another.”
Interpretation:
“Time, flitting about from some to others, takes wealth from one and gives to the other.”
<Ε>ἰ μὴ ἄλλῳ κακός, ἄλλῳ καλὸς οὐ γίνῃ.
῾Ερμηνεία.
<῎Α>λλ<οις> ἀπ’ ἄλλων ἐπιφοιτῶν ὁ χρόνος
Τῷ μὲν ἦρε τὸν πλοῦτον, τῷ δ’ ἐνέθηκεν.
63.
“The cow fell and everyone grabbed their swords.”
Interpretation:
“The poor who rejoice in evil will set upon every wealthy person who experiences misfortune.”
῎Επεσε βοῦς καὶ πάντες τὰ ξίφη αὐτῶν ἦραν.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Πλουσίῳ παντὶ δυστυχίαν λαχόντι
᾿Επιτίθενται πένητες χαιρέκακοι.
64.
“Your guts may battle, but they are not ripped apart.”
Interpretation:
“When children stir up quarrels with their parents, they do not alter the friendliness of their relations.”
῎Εντερα μάχονται, ἀλλ’ οὐ διασπῶνται.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Δίκας κινοῦντες παῖδες πρὸς <τοὺς> τοκέας,
Εὔνοιαν οὐκ ἀλλοιοῦσιν τὴν τῆς φύσεως.
65.
“The well-dressed are honored, the undressed dishonored.”
<Interpretation>
“Those who are well put-together will have their glory on that account, but those who are ill-composed will earn their share of reproach.”
Εὐείμαντος ἔντιμος, ἀνείμαντος ἄτιμος.
<῾Ερμηνεία.>
Εὐσχήμονες ἕξουσιν ἐντεῦθεν γέρας,
Οἱ δ’ ἀσχήμονες εἰσκομίζονται ψόγον.
66.
“One’s hands are never too short for the table.”
<Interpretation>
“A man who considers how he might attain pleasure hates to fail when he plies his hands to the task.”
Εἰς τράπεζαν χεῖρες κολοβαὶ οὐκ εἰσίν.
<῾Ερμηνεία.>
᾿Ανὴρ φροντίζων ὅπως ἕξει τὸ τρυφᾶν,
Στ<υγεῖ ἁμαρτ>εῖν τοῖς ἔργοις τείνων χεῖρας.
67.
“The dog that hurries gives birth to blind pups.”
<Interpretation>
“The nature which exceeds its birth and due proportion will, when it has acted in haste, reap the fruit of misfortune.”
Κύων σπεύδουσα τυφλὰ γεννᾷ.
<῾Ερμηνεία.>
Φύσις ἤπερ πέφυκεν καὶ καιρῷ νέμει,
Ταχυτῆτι δὲ πραττομένη συμφορὰς νέμει.
68.
“Thus I do nothing and am sought after all the way to my house.”
<Interpretation>
“A man will become invisible even to himself when he undertakes impossible tasks.”
Καὶ ὧδε οὐδὲν ποιῶ καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν ζητοῦμαι.
<῾Ερμηνεία.>
᾿Ανὴρ ἀφανὴς αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ γίνεται
᾿Επιχειρῶν πράγμασι τοῖς ἀμηχάνοις.
69.
“It is a finer thing to be idle than to work poorly.”
Interpretation:
“It is a work of certain assurance to prefer doing nothing at all than doing something badly.”
Καλὸν ἀργεῖν ἢ κακῶς ἐργάζεσθαι.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Πληροφορίας ἔργον αἱρεῖσθαι μᾶλλον
Τοῦ κακῶς / τι δρᾶν τὸ μη<δὲν> ὅλως ποιεῖν.
70.
“Beauty does not keep up the household.”
Interpretation:
“Beauty causes pain when for the sake of proportion [temporal advantage?] the passing away of affairs produces hunger.”
Κ<άλλο>ς οἶκον οὐ τρέφει.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Λυπεῖ τὸ κάλλος ὅταν χάριν τοῦ καιροῦ
῾Η τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκφορὰ λιμὸν ποιῇ.
