Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Give and Take
Hesiod, Works and Days 354-360 (tr. Hugh G. Evelyn-White):
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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.
καὶ δόμεν, ὅς κεν δῷ, καὶ μὴ δόμεν, ὅς κεν μὴ δῷ.
δώτῃ μέν τις ἔδωκεν, ἀδώτῃ δ' οὔτις ἔδωκεν. 355
δὼς ἀγαθή, ἅρπαξ δὲ κακή, θανάτοιο δότειρα.
ὃς μὲν γάρ κεν ἀνὴρ ἐθέλων, ὅ γε, κεἰ μέγα δοίη,
χαίρει τῷ δώρῳ καὶ τέρπεται ὃν κατὰ θυμόν·
ὃς δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕληται ἀναιδείηφι πιθήσας,
καί τε σμικρὸν ἐόν, τό γ' ἐπάχνωσεν φίλον ἦτορ. 360
