so that they may have a propitious heart and mind towards you, so that you may buy the land of others, and not another yours.
§342τὸν φιλέοντʼ ἐπὶ δαῖτα καλεῖν, τὸν δʼ ἐχθρὸν ἐᾶσαι· §343τὸν δὲ μάλιστα καλεῖν, ὅς τις σέθεν ἐγγύθι ναίει· §344εἰ γάρ τοι καὶ χρῆμʼ ἐγχώριον ἄλλο γένηται, §345γείτονες ἄζωστοι ἔκιον, ζώσαντο δὲ πηοί.
Invite your friend to a feast, but leave your enemy alone; and especially invite him who dwells near you; for if indeed some other trouble happens in the village, neighbors run ungirt, but kinsmen gird themselves.
§346πῆμα κακὸς γείτων, ὅσσον τʼ ἀγαθὸς μέγʼ ὄνειαρ.
A bad neighbor is a curse, as much as a good one is a great blessing.
§347ἔμμορέ τοι τιμῆς, ὅς τʼ ἔμμορε γείτονος ἐσθλοῦ.
He indeed has a share of value who has a share of a good neighbor.
§348οὐδʼ ἂν βοῦς ἀπόλοιτʼ, εἰ μὴ γείτων κακὸς εἴη.
Not even an ox would perish, unless there were a bad neighbor.
§349εὖ μὲν μετρεῖσθαι παρὰ γείτονος, εὖ δʼ ἀποδοῦναι, §350αὐτῷ τῷ μέτρῳ, καὶ λώιον, αἴ κε δύνηαι, §351ὡς ἂν χρηίζων καὶ ἐς ὕστερον ἄρκιον εὕρῃς.
Measure well from a neighbor, and return well, with the very same measure, and even better if you can, so that when in need hereafter too you may find him reliable.
§352μὴ κακὰ κερδαίνειν· κακὰ κέρδεα ἶσʼ ἀάτῃσιν.
Seek not base gains; base gains are equal to losses.
§353τὸν φιλέοντα φιλεῖν, καὶ τῷ προσιόντι προσεῖναι.
Love him who loves you, and be close to him who approaches you.
§354καὶ δόμεν, ὅς κεν δῷ, καὶ μὴ δόμεν, ὅς κεν μὴ δῷ.
And give to him who gives, and give not to him who does not give.
§355δώτῃ μέν τις ἔδωκεν, ἀδώτῃ δʼ οὔτις ἔδωκεν.
To a giver one gives, but to a non-giver no one gives.
§356δὼς ἀγαθή, ἅρπαξ δὲ κακή, θανάτοιο δότειρα.
Giving is good, but snatching is bad, a giver of death.
§357ὃς μὲν γάρ κεν ἀνὴρ ἐθέλων, ὅ γε, κεἰ μέγα δοίη, §358χαίρει τῷ δώρῳ καὶ τέρπεται ὃν κατὰ θυμόν· §359ὃς δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕληται ἀναιδείηφι πιθήσας, §360καί τε σμικρὸν ἐόν, τό γʼ ἐπάχνωσεν φίλον ἦτορ.
For if a man gives willingly, even if he gives much, he rejoices in the gift and is delighted in his heart; but whoever takes by himself, trusting in his shamelessness, even if it is small, it chills his own heart.
§363ὃς δʼ ἐπʼ ἐόντι φέρει, ὃ δʼ ἀλέξεται αἴθοπα λιμόν· §361εἰ γάρ κεν καὶ σμικρὸν ἐπὶ σμικρῷ καταθεῖο §362καὶ θαμὰ τοῦτʼ ἔρδοις, τάχα κεν μέγα καὶ τὸ γένοιτο.
And he who adds to what is already there, he wards off glowing hunger; for if you should lay down even a little upon a little, and do this often, soon even that would become great.
§364οὐδὲ τό γʼ ἐν οἴκῳ κατακείμενον ἀνέρα κήδει.
Nor does that which is stored up at home worry a man.
§365οἴκοι βέλτερον εἶναι, ἐπεὶ βλαβερὸν τὸ θύρηφιν.
It is better to be at home, since what is out of doors is harmful.
It is good to take from what is present, but a pain to the heart to need what is absent, which I bid you to ponder.
Drink your fill when the jar is newly opened and when it is failing, but spare in the middle; for sparing at the bottom is miserable.
§370μισθὸς δʼ ἀνδρὶ φίλῳ εἰρημένος ἄρκιος ἔστω.
Let the wage agreed on for a friend be secure.
§371καί τε κασιγνήτῳ γελάσας ἐπὶ μάρτυρα θέσθαι. §372πίστεις γάρ τοι ὁμῶς καὶ ἀπιστίαι ὤλεσαν ἄνδρας.
And even with a brother, laughingly get a witness; for trust and mistrust alike have ruined men.
Let not a woman with a flaunting rump deceive your mind, coaxing with wily words, seeking after your barn.
§375ὃς δὲ γυναικὶ πέποιθε, πέποιθʼ ὅ γε φηλήτῃσιν.
He who trusts a woman trusts thieves.
May there be an only-begotten son to feed his father's house; for thus wealth increases in the halls.
§378γηραιὸς δὲ θάνοις ἕτερον παῖδʼ ἐγκαταλείπων.
But may you die old, leaving another child behind.
§379ῥεῖα δέ κεν πλεόνεσσι πόροι Ζεὺς ἄσπετον ὄλβον.
For easily Zeus can provide vast wealth to more.
§380πλείων μὲν πλεόνων μελέτη, μείζων δʼ ἐπιθήκη.
More hands mean more work, and greater increase.
But if your heart in your breast desires wealth, do thus, and work work upon work.
When the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas, rise, begin the harvest, and the plowing when they set.
§385αἳ δή τοι νύκτας τε καὶ ἤματα τεσσαράκοντα §386κεκρύφαται, αὖτις δὲ περιπλομένου ἐνιαυτοῦ §387φαίνονται τὰ πρῶτα χαρασσομένοιο σιδήρου.
They indeed are hidden for forty nights and days, and again, as the year revolves, they appear first when the iron is sharpened.
§388οὗτός τοι πεδίων πέλεται νόμος, οἵ τε θαλάσσης §389ἐγγύθι ναιετάουσʼ, οἵ τʼ ἄγκεα βησσήεντα, §390πόντου κυμαίνοντος ἀπόπροθι, πίονα χῶρον §391ναίουσιν· γυμνὸν σπείρειν, γυμνὸν δὲ βοωτεῖν, §392γυμνὸν δʼ ἀμάειν, εἴ χʼ ὥρια πάντʼ ἐθέλῃσθα §393ἔργα κομίζεσθαι Δημήτερος· ὥς τοι ἕκαστα §394ὥριʼ ἀέξηται, μή πως τὰ μέταζε χατίζων §395πτώσσῃς ἀλλοτρίους οἴκους καὶ μηδὲν ἀνύσσῃς.
This indeed is the law of the plains, and for those who dwell near the sea, and those who inhabit the glens and valleys, far from the surging sea, in a fertile place they dwell: sow naked, plow naked, and reap naked, if you wish to gather in all the fruits of Demeter in due season; so that each of your crops may grow in its season, lest, being in need afterward, you go begging at other men's houses and accomplish nothing.
As even now you have come to me; but I will not give you more, nor measure out more to you.
ἐργάζευ, νήπιε Πέρση, §398ἔργα, τά τʼ ἀνθρώποισι θεοὶ διετεκμήραντο, §399μή ποτε σὺν παίδεσσι γυναικί τε θυμὸν ἀχεύων §400ζητεύῃς βίοτον κατὰ γείτονας, οἳ δʼ ἀμελῶσιν.
Work, foolish Perses, the works which the gods have appointed for men, lest one day with your children and wife, grieving in heart, you seek livelihood among the neighbors, and they ignore you.
§401δὶς μὲν γὰρ καὶ τρὶς τάχα τεύξεαι· ἢν δʼ ἔτι λυπῇς, §402χρῆμα μὲν οὐ πρήξεις, σὺ δʼ ἐτώσια πόλλʼ ἀγορεύσεις· §403ἀχρεῖος δʼ ἔσται ἐπέων νομός.
For twice or thrice you may perhaps obtain it; but if you trouble them further, you will gain nothing, and you will speak many useless words; and the range of your words will be in vain.
ἀλλά σʼ ἄνωγα §404φράζεσθαι χρειῶν τε λύσιν λιμοῦ τʼ ἀλεωρήν.
But I bid you to think of the release from debts and avoidance of hunger.