walls；　or　else　makes　an　end　of　their　ships　on　the　sea。
  （ll。　248…264）　You　princes；　mark　well　this　punishment　you　also；　for　the　deathless　gods　are　near　among　men　and　mark　all　those　who　oppress　their　fellows　with　crooked　judgements；　and　reck　not　the　anger　of　the　gods。　　For　upon　the　bounteous　earth　Zeus　has　thrice　ten　thousand　spirits；　watchers　of　mortal　men；　and　these　keep　watch　on　judgements　and　deeds　of　wrong　as　they　roam；　clothed　in　mist；　all　over　the　earth。　　And　there　is　virgin　Justice；　the　daughter　of　Zeus；　who　is　honoured　and　reverenced　among　the　gods　who　dwell　on　Olympus；　and　whenever　anyone　hurts　her　with　lying　slander；　she　sits　beside　her　father；　Zeus　the　son　of　Cronos；　and　tells　him　of　men's　wicked　heart；　until　the　people　pay　for　the　mad　folly　of　their　princes　who；　evilly　minded；　pervert　judgement　and　give　sentence　crookedly。　　Keep　watch　against　this；　you　princes；　and　make　straight　your　judgements；　you　who　devour　bribes；　put　crooked　judgements　altogether　from　your　thoughts。
  （ll。　265…266）　He　does　mischief　to　himself　who　does　mischief　to　another；　and　evil　planned　harms　the　plotter　most。
  （ll。　267…273）　The　eye　of　Zeus；　seeing　all　and　understanding　all；　beholds　these　things　too；　if　so　he　will；　and　fails　not　to　mark　what　sort　of　justice　is　this　that　the　city　keeps　within　it。　　Now；　therefore；　may　neither　I　myself　be　righteous　among　men；　nor　my　son　　for　then　it　is　a　bad　thing　to　be　righteous　　if　indeed　the　unrighteous　shall　have　the　greater　right。　　But　I　think　that　all…wise　Zeus　will　not　yet　bring　that　to　pass。
  （ll。　274…285）　But　you；　Perses；　lay　up　these　things　within　you　heart　and　listen　now　to　right；　ceasing　altogether　to　think　of　violence。　　For　the　son　of　Cronos　has　ordained　this　law　for　men；　that　fishes　and　beasts　and　winged　fowls　should　devour　one　another；　for　right　is　not　in　them；　but　to　mankind　he　gave　right　which　proves　far　the　best。　　For　whoever　knows　the　right　and　is　ready　to　speak　it；　far…seeing　Zeus　gives　him　prosperity；　but　whoever　deliberately　lies　in　his　witness　and　forswears　himself；　and　so　hurts　Justice　and　sins　beyond　repair；　that　man's　generation　is　left　obscure　thereafter。　　But　the　generation　of　the　man　who　swears　truly　is　better　thenceforward。
  （ll。　286…292）　To　you；　foolish　Perses；　I　will　speak　good　sense。　　Badness　can　be　got　easily　and　in　shoals：　the　road　to　her　is　smooth；　and　she　lives　very　near　us。　　But　between　us　and　Goodness　the　gods　have　placed　the　sweat　of　our　brows：　long　and　steep　is　the　path　that　leads　to　her；　and　it　is　rough　at　the　first；　but　when　a　man　has　reached　the　top；　then　is　she　easy　to　reach；　though　before　that　she　was　hard。
  （ll。　293…319）　That　man　is　altogether　best　who　considers　all　things　himself　and　marks　what　will　be　better　afterwards　and　at　the　end；　and　he；　again；　is　good　who　listens　to　a　good　adviser；　but　whoever　neither　thinks　for　himself　nor　keeps　in　mind　what　another　tells　him；　he　is　an　unprofitable　man。　　But　do　you　at　any　rate；　always　remembering　my　charge；　work；　high…born　Perses；　that　Hunger　may　hate　you；　and　venerable　Demeter　richly　crowned　may　love　you　and　fill　your　barn　with　food；　for　Hunger　is　altogether　a　meet　comrade　for　the　sluggard。　　Both　gods　and　men　are　angry　with　a　man　who　lives　idle；　for　in　nature　he　is　like　the　stingless　drones　who　waste　the　labour　of　the　bees；　eating　without　working；　but　let　it　be　your　care　to　order　your　work　properly；　that　in　the　right　season　your　barns　may　be　full　of　victual。　　Through　work　men　grow　rich　in　flocks　and　substance；　and　working　they　are　much　better　loved　by　the　immortals　（8）。　　Work　is　no　disgrace：　it　is　idleness　which　is　a　disgrace。　　But　if　you　work；　the　idle　will　soon　envy　you　as　you　grow　rich；　for　fame　and　renown　attend　on　wealth。　　And　whatever　be　your　lot；　work　is　best　for　you；　if　you　turn　your　misguided　mind　away　from　other　men's　property　to　your　work　and　attend　to　your　livelihood　as　I　bid　you。　　An　evil　shame　is　the　needy　man's　companion；　shame　which　both　greatly　harms　and　prospers　men：　shame　is　with　poverty；　but　confidence　with　wealth。
  （ll。　320…341）　Wealth　should　not　be　seized：　god…given　wealth　is　much　better；　for　it　a　man　take　great　wealth　violently　and　perforce；　or　if　he　steal　it　through　his　tongue；　as　often　happens　when　gain　deceives　men's　sense　and　dishonour　tramples　down　honour；　the　gods　soon　blot　him　out　and　make　that　man's　house　low；　and　wealth　attends　him　only　for　a　little　time。　　Alike　with　him　who　does　wrong　to　a　suppliant　or　a　guest；　or　who　goes　up　to　his　brother's　bed　and　commits　unnatural　sin　in　lying　with　his　wife；　or　who　infatuately　offends　against　fatherless　children；　or　who　abuses　his　old　father　at　the　cheerless　threshold　of　old　age　and　attacks　him　with　harsh　words；　truly　Zeus　himself　is　angry；　and　at　the　last　lays　on　him　a　heavy　requittal　for　his　evil　doing。　　But　do　you　turn　your　foolish　heart　altogether　away　from　these　things；　and；　as　far　as　you　are　able；　sacrifice　to　the　deathless　gods　purely　and　cleanly；　and　burn　rich　meats　also；　and　at　other　times　propitiate　them　with　libations　and　incense；　both　when　you　go　to　bed　and　when　the　holy　light　has　come　back；　that　they　may　be　gracious　to　you　in　heart　and　spirit；　and　so　you　may　buy　another's　holding　and　not　another　yours。
  （ll。　342…351）　Call　your　friend　to　a　feast；　but　leave　your　enemy　alone；　and　especially　call　him　who　lives　near　you：　for　if　any　mischief　happen　in　the　place；　neighbours　come　ungirt；　but　kinsmen　stay　to　gird　themselves　（9）。　　A　bad　neighbour　is　as　great　a　plague　as　a　good　one　is　a　great　blessing；　he　who　enjoys　a　good　neighbour　has　a　precious　possession。　　Not　even　an　ox　would　die　but　for　a　bad　neighbour。　　Take　fair　measure　from　your　neighbour　and　pay　him　back　fairly　with　the　same　measure；　or　better；　if　you　can；　so　that　if　you　are　in　need　afterwards；　you　may　find　him　sure。
  （ll。　352…369）　Do　not　get　base　gain：　base　gain　is　as　bad　as　ruin。　　Be　friends　with　the　friendly；　and　visit　him　who　visits　you。　　Give　to　one　who　gives；　but　do　not　give　to　one　who　does　not　give。　　A　man　gives　to　the　free…handed；　but　no　one　gives　to　the　close…　fisted。　　Give　is　a　good　girl；　but　Take　is　bad　and　she　brings　death。　　For　the　man　who　gives　willingly；　even　though　he　gives　a　great　thing；　rejoices　in　his　gift　and　is　glad　in　heart；　but　whoever　gives　way　to　shamelessness　and　takes　something　himself；　even　though　it　be　a　small　thing；　it　freezes　his　heart。　　He　who　adds　to　what　he　has；　will　keep　off　bright…eyed　hunger；　for　it　you　add　only　a　little　to　a　little　and　do　this　often；　soon　that　little　will　become　great。　　What　a　man　has　by　him　at　home　does　not　trouble　him：　it　is　better　to　have　your　stuff　at　home；　for　whatever　is　abroad　may　mean　loss。　　It　is　a　good　thing　to　draw　on　what　you　have；　but　it　grieves　your　heart　to　need　something　and　not　to　have　it；　and　I　bid　you　mark　this。　　Take　your　fill　when　the　cask　is　first　opened　and　when　it　is　nearly　spent；　but　midways　be　sparing：　it　is　poor　saving　when　you　come　to　the　lees。
  （ll。　370…372）　Let　the　wage　promised　to　a　friend　be　fixed；　even　with　your　brother　smile　　and　get　a　witness；　for　trust　and　mistrust；　alike　ruin　men。
  （ll。　373…375）　Do　not　let　a　flaunting　woman　coax　and　cozen　and　deceive　you：　she　is　after　your　barn。　　The　man　who　trusts　womankind　trust　deceivers。
  （ll。　376…380）　There　should　be　an　only　son；　to　feed　his　father's　house；　for　so　wealth　will　increase　in　the　home；　but　if　you　leave　a　second　son　you　should　die　old。　　Yet　Zeus　can　easily　give　great　wealth　to　a　greater　number。　　More　hands　mean　more　work　and　more　increase。
  （ll。　381…382）　If　your　heart　within　you　desires　wealth；　do　these　things　and　work　with　work　upon　work。
  （ll。　383…404）　When　the　Pleiades；　daughters　of　Atlas；　are　rising　（10）；　begin　your　harvest；　and　your　ploughing　when　they　are　going　to　set　（11）。　　Forty　nights　and　days　they　are　hidden　and　appear　again　as　the　year　moves　round；　when　first　you　sharpen　your　sickle。　　This　is　the　law　of　the　plains；　and　of　those　who　live　near　the　sea；　and　who　inhabit　rich　country；　the　glens　and　dingles　far　from　the　tossing　sea；　　strip　to　sow　and　strip　to　plough　and　strip　to　reap；　if　you　wish　to　get　in　all　Demeter's　fruits　in　due　season；　and　that　each　kind　may　grow　in　its　season。　　Else；　afterwards；　you　may　chance　to　be　in　want；　and　go　begging　to　other　men's　houses；　but　without　avail；　as　you　have　already　come　to　me。　　But　I　will　give　you　no　more　nor　give　you　further　measure。　　Foolish　Perses！　　Work　the　work　which　the　gods　ordained　for　men；　lest　in　bitter　anguish　of　spirit　you　with　your　wife　and　children　seek　your　livelihood　amongst　your　neighbours；　and　they　do　not　heed　you。　　Two　or　three　times；　may　be；　you　will　succeed；　but　if　you　trouble　them　further；　it　will　not　avail　you；　and　all　your　talk　will　be　in　vain；　and　your　word…play　unprofitable。　　Nay；　I　bid　you　find　a　way　to　pay　your　debts　and　avoid　hunger。
  （ll。　405…413）　First　of　all；　get　a　house；　and　a　woman　and　an　ox　for　the　plough　　a　slave　woman　and　not　a　wife；　to　follow　the　oxen　as　well　　and　make　everything　ready　at　home；　so　that　you　may　not　have　to　ask　of　another；　and　he　refuses　you；　and　so；　because　you　are　in　lack；　the　season　pass　by　and　your　work　come　to　nothing。　　Do　not　put　your　work　off　till　to…morrow　and　the　day　after；　for　a　sluggish　worker　does　not　fill　his　barn；　nor　one　who　puts　off　his　work：　industry　makes　work　go　well；　but　a　man　who　putts　off　work　is　always　at　hand…gr