| ζητεύῃς βίοτον κατὰ γείτονας, οἳ δʼ ἀμελῶσιν. | Placed in a woman – she’s perfidious. |
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| δὶς μὲν γὰρ καὶ τρὶς τάχα τεύξεαι· ἢν δʼ ἔτι λυπῇς | An only child preserves his family |
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| χρῆμα μὲν οὐ πρήξεις, σὺ δʼ ἐτώσια πόλλʼ ἀγορεύσεις· | That wealth may grow. But if one leaves two heirs |
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| ἀχρεῖος δʼ ἔσται ἐπέων νομός. ἀλλά σʼ ἄνωγα | One must live longer. Zeus, though, easily |
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| φράζεσθαι χρειῶν τε λύσιν λιμοῦ τʼ ἀλεωρήν. | To larger houses gives great wealth. The care |
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| οἶκον μὲν πρώτιστα γυναῖκά τε βοῦν τʼ ἀροτῆρα | And increase for more kindred greater grow. |
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| κτητήν, οὐ γαμετήν, ἥτις καὶ βουσὶν ἕποιτο | If you want wealth, do this, add industry |
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| χρήματα δʼ ἐν οἴκῳ πάντʼ ἄρμενα ποιήσασθαι | To industry, and harvest what you sow |
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| μὴ σὺ μὲν αἰτῇς ἄλλον, ὃ δʼ ἀρνῆται, σὺ δὲ τητᾷ | When Pleiades’ ascendancy you see |
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| ἡ δʼ ὥρη παραμείβηται, μινύθῃ δὲ τὸ ἔργον. | And plough when they have set. They lurk concealed |
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| μηδʼ ἀναβάλλεσθαι ἔς τʼ αὔριον ἔς τε ἔνηφιν· | For forty days and nights but then appear |
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| οὐ γὰρ ἐτωσιοεργὸς ἀνὴρ πίμπλησι καλιὴν | In time when first your sickles for the field |
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| οὐδʼ ἀναβαλλόμενος· μελέτη δὲ τὸ ἔργον ὀφέλλει· | You sharpen. This is true for dwellers near |
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| αἰεὶ δʼ ἀμβολιεργὸς ἀνὴρ ἄτῃσι παλαίει. | The level plains and sea, and those who dwell |
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| ἦμος δὴ λήγει μένος ὀξέος ἠελίοιο | In woody glens far from the raging deep |
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| καύματος ἰδαλίμου, μετοπωρινὸν ὀμβρήσαντος | Those fertile lands; sow naked, plough, as well |
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| Ζηνὸς ἐρισθενέος, μετὰ δὲ τρέπεται βρότεος χρὼς | Unclothed, and harvest stripped if you would reap |
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| πολλὸν ἐλαφρότερος· δὴ γὰρ τότε Σείριος ἀστὴρ | Demeter’s work in season. Everything |
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| βαιὸν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς κηριτρεφέων ἀνθρώπων | Will then be done in time: in penury |
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| ἔρχεται ἠμάτιος, πλεῖον δέ τε νυκτὸς ἐπαυρεῖ· | You’ll not beg help at others’ homes and bring |
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| τῆμος ἀδηκτοτάτη πέλεται τμηθεῖσα σιδήρῳ | Your own downfall. Thus now you come to me: |
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| ὕλη, φύλλα δʼ ἔραζε χέει, πτόρθοιό τε λήγει· | I’ll give you nothing. Practise industry |
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| τῆμος ἄρʼ ὑλοτομεῖν μεμνημένος ὥρια ἔργα. | Foolish Perses, which the gods have given men |
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| ὄλμον μὲν τριπόδην τάμνειν, ὕπερον δὲ τρίπηχυν | Lest, with their wives and children, dolefully |
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| ἄξονα δʼ ἑπταπόδην· μάλα γάρ νύ τοι ἄρμενον οὕτω· | They seek food from their neighbours, who will then |
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| εἰ δέ κεν ὀκταπόδην, ἀπὸ καὶ σφῦράν κε τάμοιο. | Ignore them. Twice or thrice you may succeed |
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| τρισπίθαμον δʼ ἄψιν τάμνειν δεκαδώρῳ ἀμάξῃ. | But if you still harass them, you’ll achieve |
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| πόλλʼ ἐπικαμπύλα κᾶλα· φέρειν δὲ γύην, ὅτʼ ἂν εὕρῃς | Nothing and waste your words about your need. |
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| ἐς οἶκον, κατʼ ὄρος διζήμενος ἢ κατʼ ἄρουραν | I urge you, figure how you may relieve |
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| πρίνινον· ὃς γὰρ βουσὶν ἀροῦν ὀχυρώτατός ἐστιν | Your need and cease your hunger. The first thing |
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| εὖτʼ ἂν Ἀθηναίης δμῷος ἐν ἐλύματι πήξας | That you must do is get a house, then find |
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| γόμφοισιν πελάσας προσαρήρεται ἱστοβοῆι. | A slave to help you with your furrowing |
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| δοιὰ δὲ θέσθαι ἄροτρα, πονησάμενος κατὰ οἶκον | Female, unwed, an ox to plough behind |
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| αὐτόγυον καὶ πηκτόν, ἐπεὶ πολὺ λώιον οὕτω· | Then in the house prepare the things you’ll need; |
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| εἴ χʼ ἕτερον ἄξαις, ἕτερόν κʼ ἐπὶ βουσὶ βάλοιο. | Don’t borrow lest you be refused and lack |
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| δάφνης δʼ ἢ πτελέης ἀκιώτατοι ἱστοβοῆες | All means and, as the hours duly speed |
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| δρυὸς ἔλυμα, γύης πρίνου· βόε δʼ ἐνναετήρω | Along, your labour’s lost. Do not push back |
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| ἄρσενε κεκτῆσθαι, τῶν γὰρ σθένος οὐκ ἀλαπαδνόν | Your toil for just one day: don’t drag your feet |
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| ἥβης μέτρον ἔχοντε· τὼ ἐργάζεσθαι ἀρίστω. | And fight with ruin evermore. No, when |
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| οὐκ ἂν τώ γʼ ἐρίσαντε ἐν αὔλακι κὰμ μὲν ἄροτρον | You feel no more the fierce sun’s sweaty heat |
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| ἄξειαν, τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἐτώσιον αὖθι λίποιεν. | And mighty Zeus sends autumn rain, why, then |
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| τοῖς δʼ ἅμα τεσσαρακονταετὴς αἰζηὸς ἕποιτο | We move more quickly – that’s the time when we |
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| ἄρτον δειπνήσας τετράτρυφον, ὀκτάβλωμον | See Sirius travelling less above us all |
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| ὃς ἔργου μελετῶν ἰθεῖάν κʼ αὔλακʼ ἐλαύνοι | Poor wretches, using night more, and that tree |
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| μηκέτι παπταίνων μεθʼ ὁμήλικας, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ | You cut has shed its foliage in the fall |
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| θυμὸν ἔχων· τοῦ δʼ οὔτι νεώτερος ἄλλος ἀμείνων | No longer sprouting, and is less replete |
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| σπέρματα δάσσασθαι καὶ ἐπισπορίην ἀλέασθαι. | With worm-holes. Now’s the time to fell your trees. |
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| κουρότερος γὰρ ἀνὴρ μεθʼ ὁμήλικας ἐπτοίηται. | Cut with a drilling-mortar of three feet |
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| φράζεσθαι δʼ, εὖτʼ ἂν γεράνου φωνὴν ἐπακούσῃς | And pestle of three cubits: you must seize |
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| ὑψόθεν ἐκ νεφέων ἐνιαύσια κεκληγυίης· | A seven-foot axle – that’s a perfect fit |
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| ἥτʼ ἀρότοιό τε σῆμα φέρει καὶ χείματος ὥρην | (You’ll make a hammerhead with one of eight). |
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| δεικνύει ὀμβρηροῦ· κραδίην δʼ ἔδακʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀβούτεω· | To have a ten-palm wagon, make for it |
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| δὴ τότε χορτάζειν ἕλικας βόας ἔνδον ἐόντας· | Four three-foot wagon-wheels. Wood that’s not straight |
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| ῥηίδιον γὰρ ἔπος εἰπεῖν· βόε δὸς καὶ ἄμαξαν· | Is useful – gather lots for use within: |
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| ῥηίδιον δʼ ἀπανήνασθαι· πάρα ἔργα βόεσσιν. | At home or in the mountains search for it. |
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| φησὶ δʼ ἀνὴρ φρένας ἀφνειὸς πήξασθαι ἄμαξαν | Holm-oak is strongest for the plough: the pin |
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| νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὸ οἶδʼ· ἑκατὸν δέ τε δούρατʼ ἀμάξης | Is fixed on it, on which the pole will sit |
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| τῶν πρόσθεν μελέτην ἐχέμεν οἰκήια θέσθαι. | By craftsmen of Athene. But make two |
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| εὖτʼ ἂν δὲ πρώτιστʼ ἄροτος θνητοῖσι φανείῃ | Within your house, of one piece and compressed. |
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| δὴ τότʼ ἐφορμηθῆναι ὁμῶς δμῶές τε καὶ αὐτὸς | That’s better - if one breaks the other you |
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| αὔην καὶ διερὴν ἀρόων ἀρότοιο καθʼ ὥρην | May use. Sound elm or laurel are the best |
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| πρωὶ μάλα σπεύδων, ἵνα τοι πλήθωσιν ἄρουραι. | For poles. The stock should be of oak, the beam |
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| ἦρι πολεῖν· θέρεος δὲ νεωμένη οὔ σʼ ἀπατήσει. | Of holm-oak. Two bull oxen you should buy |
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| νειὸν δὲ σπείρειν ἔτι κουφίζουσαν ἄρουραν· | Both nine years old - a prime age, you may deem |
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| νειὸς ἀλεξιάρη παίδων εὐκηλήτειρα. | For strength. They toil the hardest nor will vie |
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| εὔχεσθαι δὲ Διὶ χθονίῳ Δημήτερί θʼ ἁγνῇ | In conflict in the furrows nor will break |
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| ἐκτελέα βρίθειν Δημήτερος ἱερὸν ἀκτήν | The plough or leave the work undone. And now |
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| ἀρχόμενος τὰ πρῶτʼ ἀρότου, ὅτʼ ἂν ἄκρον ἐχέτλης | A forty-year-old stalwart you should take |
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| χειρὶ λαβὼν ὅρπηκα βοῶν ἐπὶ νῶτον ἵκηαι | Who will, before he ventures out to plough |
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| ἔνδρυον ἑλκόντων μεσάβων. ὁ δὲ τυτθὸς ὄπισθε | Consume a quartered, eight-slice loaf, one who |
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| δμῷος ἔχων μακέλην πόνον ὀρνίθεσσι τιθείη | Skilled in his craft, will keep the furrow straight |
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| σπέρμα κατακρύπτων· ἐυθημοσύνη γὰρ ἀρίστη | Nor look around for comrades but stay true |
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| θνητοῖς ἀνθρώποις, κακοθημοσύνη δὲ κακίστη. | To his pursuit. Born at a later date |
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| ὧδέ κεν ἀδροσύνῃ στάχυες νεύοιεν ἔραζε | A man may never plough thus and may cause |
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| εἰ τέλος αὐτὸς ὄπισθεν Ὀλύμπιος ἐσθλὸν ὀπάζοι | A second sowing. Younger men, distract |
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| ἐκ δʼ ἀγγέων ἐλάσειας ἀράχνια· καί σε ἔολπα | Will wink at comrades. Let this give you pause - |
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| γηθήσειν βιότου αἰρεύμενον ἔνδον ἐόντος. | The crane’s high, yearly call means “time to act” |
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| εὐοχθέων δʼ ἵξεαι πολιὸν ἔαρ, οὐδὲ πρὸς ἄλλους | Start ploughing for it’s winter-time. It’s gall |
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| αὐγάσεαι· σέο δʼ ἄλλος ἀνὴρ κεχρημένος ἔσται. | To one who has no oxen: it will pay |
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| εἰ δέ κεν ἠελίοιο τροπῇς ἀρόῳς χθόνα δῖαν | To have horned oxen fattened in their stall. |
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| ἥμενος ἀμήσεις ὀλίγον περὶ χειρὸς ἐέργων | It will be simple then for you to say |
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| ἀντία δεσμεύων κεκονιμένος, οὐ μάλα χαίρων | “Bring me my oxen and my wagon too” |
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| οἴσεις δʼ ἐν φορμῷ· παῦροι δέ σε θηήσονται. | And it is also easy to reject |
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| ἄλλοτε δʼ ἀλλοῖος Ζηνὸς νόος αἰγιόχοιο | A friend and say “They have their work to do |
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| ἀργαλέος δʼ ἄνδρεσσι καταθνητοῖσι νοῆσαι. | My oxen.” Merely mind-rich men expect |
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| εἰ δέ κεν ὄψʼ ἀρόσῃς, τόδε κέν τοι φάρμακον εἴη· | Their wagon’s made already, foolish men. |
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| ἦμος κόκκυξ κοκκύζει δρυὸς ἐν πετάλοισι | They don’t know that a hundred boards they’ll need. |
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| τὸ πρῶτον, τέρπει δὲ βροτοὺς ἐπʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν | Get all you need together and then, when |
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| τῆμος Ζεὺς ὕοι τρίτῳ ἤματι μηδʼ ἀπολήγοι | The ploughing term commences, with all speed |
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| μήτʼ ἄρʼ ὑπερβάλλων βοὸς ὁπλὴν μήτʼ ἀπολείπων· | You and your slaves, set out and plough straight through |
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| οὕτω κʼ ὀψαρότης πρῳηρότῃ ἰσοφαρίζοι. | The season, wet or dry; quick, at cockcrow |
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| ἐν θυμῷ δʼ εὖ πάντα φυλάσσεο· μηδέ σε λήθοι | That you may fill those furrows, plough; and you |
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| μήτʼ ἔαρ γιγνόμενον πολιὸν μήθʼ ὥριος ὄμβρος. | Should plough in spring; the summer, should you go |
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| πὰρ δʼ ἴθι χάλκειον θῶκον καὶ ἐπαλέα λέσχην | On ploughing, won’t dismay you. Plough your field |
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| ὥρῃ χειμερίῃ, ὁπότε κρύος ἀνέρα ἔργων | When soil is light – such is a surety |
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| ἰσχάνει, ἔνθα κʼ ἄοκνος ἀνὴρ μέγα οἶκον ὀφέλλοι | For us and for our children forms a shield. |
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| μή σε κακοῦ χειμῶνος ἀμηχανίη καταμάρψῃ | Pray, then, to Zeus, the god of husbandry |
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| σὺν πενίῃ, λεπτῇ δὲ παχὺν πόδα χειρὶ πιέζῃς. | And pure Demeter that she fill her grain. |
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| πολλὰ δʼ ἀεργὸς ἀνήρ, κενεὴν ἐπὶ ἐλπίδα μίμνων | First grab the handles of the plough and flick |
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| χρηίζων βιότοιο, κακὰ προσελέξατο θυμῷ. | The oxen as upon the straps they strain. |
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