| μέτρῳ δʼ εὖ κομίσασθαι ἐν ἄγγεσιν· αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ | This is the harshest month, both violent |
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| πάντα βίον κατάθηαι ἐπάρμενον ἔνδοθι οἴκου | And harsh to beast and man – so you have need |
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| θῆτά τʼ ἄοικον ποιεῖσθαι καὶ ἄτεκνον ἔριθον | To be alert. Give to your men more fare |
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| δίζησθαι κέλομαι· χαλεπὴ δʼ ὑπόπορτις ἔριθος· | Than usual but halve your oxen’s feed. |
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| καὶ κύνα καρχαρόδοντα κομεῖν, μὴ φείδεο σίτου | The helpful nights are long, and so take care. |
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| μή ποτέ σʼ ἡμερόκοιτος ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ χρήμαθʼ ἕληται. | Keep at this till the year’s end when the day |
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| χόρτον δʼ ἐσκομίσαι καὶ συρφετόν, ὄφρα τοι εἴη | And nights are equal and a diverse crop |
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| βουσὶ καὶ ἡμιόνοισιν ἐπηετανόν. αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα | Springs from our mother earth and winter’s phase |
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| δμῶας ἀναψῦξαι φίλα γούνατα καὶ βόε λῦσαι. | Is two months old and from pure Ocean’s top |
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| εὖτʼ ἂν δʼ Ὠαρίων καὶ Σείριος ἐς μέσον ἔλθῃ | Arcturus rises, shining, at twilight. |
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| οὐρανόν, Ἀρκτοῦρον δʼ ἐσίδῃ ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ηώς | Into the light then Pandion’s progeny |
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| ὦ Πέρση, τότε πάντας ἀποδρέπεν οἴκαδε βότρυς· | The high-voiced swallow, comes at the first sight |
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| δεῖξαι δʼ ἠελίῳ δέκα τʼ ἤματα καὶ δέκα νύκτας | Of spring. Before then, the best strategy |
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| πέντε δὲ συσκιάσαι, ἕκτῳ δʼ εἰς ἄγγεʼ ἀφύσσαι | Is pruning of your vines. But when the snail |
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| δῶρα Διωνύσου πολυγηθέος. αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ | Climbs up the stems to flee the Pleiades |
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| Πληιάδες θʼ Ὑάδες τε τό τε σθένος Ὠαρίωνος | Stop digging vineyards; now it’s of avail |
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| δύνωσιν, τότʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀρότου μεμνημένος εἶναι | To sharpen scythes and urge your men. Shun these |
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| ὡραίου· πλειὼν δὲ κατὰ χθονὸς ἄρμενος εἶσιν. | Two things – dark nooks and sleeping till cockcrow |
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| εἰ δέ σε ναυτιλίης δυσπεμφέλου ἵμερος αἱρεῖ | At harvest-season when the sun makes dry |
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| εὖτʼ ἂν Πληιάδες σθένος ὄβριμον Ὠαρίωνος | One’s skin. Bring in your crops and don’t be slow. |
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| φεύγουσαι πίπτωσιν ἐς ἠεροειδέα πόντον | Rise early to secure your food supply. |
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| δὴ τότε παντοίων ἀνέμων θυίουσιν ἀῆται· | For Dawn will cut your labour by a third |
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| καὶ τότε μηκέτι νῆας ἔχειν ἐνὶ οἴνοπι πόντῳ | Who aids your journey and you toil, through whom |
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| γῆν ἐργάζεσθαι μεμνημένος, ὥς σε κελεύω. | Men find the road and put on many a herd |
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| νῆα δʼ ἐπʼ ἠπείρου ἐρύσαι πυκάσαι τε λίθοισι | Of oxen many a yoke. When thistles bloom |
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| πάντοθεν, ὄφρʼ ἴσχωσʼ ἀνέμων μένος ὑγρὸν ἀέντων | And shrill cicadas chirp up in the tree |
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| χείμαρον ἐξερύσας, ἵνα μὴ πύθῃ Διὸς ὄμβρος. | Nonstop beneath their wings, into our view |
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| ὅπλα δʼ ἐπάρμενα πάντα τεῷ ἐγκάτθεο οἴκῳ | Comes summer, harbinger of drudgery |
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| εὐκόσμως στολίσας νηὸς πτερὰ ποντοπόροιο· | Goats at their fattest, wine its choicest, too |
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| πηδάλιον δʼ ἐυεργὲς ὑπὲρ καπνοῦ κρεμάσασθαι. | The women at their lustiest, though men |
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| αὐτὸς δʼ ὡραῖον μίμνειν πλόον, εἰσόκεν ἔλθῃ· | Are at their very weakest, head and knee |
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| καὶ τότε νῆα θοὴν ἅλαδʼ ἑλκέμεν, ἐν δέ τε φόρτον | Being dried up by Sirius, for then |
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| ἄρμενον ἐντύνασθαι, ἵνʼ οἴκαδε κέρδος ἄρηαι | Their skin is parched. It is at times like these |
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| ὥς περ ἐμός τε πατὴρ καὶ σός, μέγα νήπιε Πέρσῃ | I crave some rocky shade and Bibline wine |
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| πλωίζεσκʼ ἐν νηυσί, βίου κεχρημένος ἐσθλοῦ· | A hunk of cheese, goat’s milk, meat from a beast |
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| ὅς ποτε καὶ τῇδʼ ἦλθε, πολὺν διὰ πόντον ἀνύσσας | That’s pasture-fed, uncalved, or else I pine |
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| Κύμην Αἰολίδα προλιπών, ἐν νηὶ μελαίνῃ· | For new-born kids. Contented with my feast |
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| οὐκ ἄφενος φεύγων οὐδὲ πλοῦτόν τε καὶ ὄλβον | I sit and drink the wine, so sparkling |
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| ἀλλὰ κακὴν πενίην, τὴν Ζεὺς ἄνδρεσσι δίδωσιν· | Facing the strong west wind, there in the shade |
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| νάσσατο δʼ ἄγχʼ Ἑλικῶνος ὀιζυρῇ ἐνὶ κώμῃ | And pour three-fourths of water from the spring |
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| Ἄσκρῃ, χεῖμα κακῇ, θέρει ἀργαλέῃ, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἐσθλῇ. | A spring untroubled that will never fade |
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| τύνη δʼ, ὦ Πέρση, ἔργων μεμνημένος εἶναι | Then urge your men to sift the holy corn |
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| ὡραίων πάντων, περὶ ναυτιλίης δὲ μάλιστα. | Of Demeter, when Orion first we see |
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| νῆʼ ὀλίγην αἰνεῖν, μεγάλῃ δʼ ἐνὶ φορτία θέσθαι. | In all his strength, upon the windy, worn |
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| μείζων μὲν φόρτος, μεῖζον δʼ ἐπὶ κέρδεϊ κέρδος | Threshing-floor. Then measure well the quantity |
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| ἔσσεται, εἴ κʼ ἄνεμοί γε κακὰς ἀπέχωσιν ἀήτας. | And take it home in urns. Now I urge you |
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| εὖτʼ ἂν ἐπʼ ἐμπορίην τρέψας ἀεσίφρονα θυμὸν | To stockpile all your year’s supplies inside. |
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| βούληαι χρέα τε προφυγεῖν καὶ λιμὸν ἀτερπέα | Dismiss your hired man and then in lieu |
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| δείξω δή τοι μέτρα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης | Seek out a childless maid (you won’t abide |
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| οὔτε τι ναυτιλίης σεσοφισμένος οὔτε τι νηῶν. | One who is nursing). You must take good care |
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| οὐ γάρ πώ ποτε νηί γʼ ἐπέπλων εὐρέα πόντον | Of your sharp-toothed dog; do not scant his meat |
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| εἰ μὴ ἐς Εὔβοιαν ἐξ Αὐλίδος, ᾗ ποτʼ Ἀχαιοὶ | In case The One Who Sleeps by Day should dare |
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| μείναντες χειμῶνα πολὺν σὺν λαὸν ἄγειραν | To steal your goods. Let there be lots to eat |
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| Ἑλλάδος ἐξ ἱερῆς Τροίην ἐς καλλιγύναικα. | For both oxen and mules, and litter, too. |
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| ἔνθα δʼ ἐγὼν ἐπʼ ἄεθλα δαΐφρονος Ἀμφιδάμαντος | Unyoke your team and grant a holiday. |
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| Χαλκίδα τʼ εἲς ἐπέρησα· τὰ δὲ προπεφραδμένα πολλὰ | When rosy-fingered Dawn first gets a view |
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| ἄεθλʼ ἔθεσαν παῖδες μεγαλήτορος· ἔνθα μέ φημι | Of Arcturus and across the sky halfway |
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| ὕμνῳ νικήσαντα φέρειν τρίποδʼ ὠτώεντα. | Come Sirius and Orion, pluck your store |
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| τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ Μούσῃς Ἑλικωνιάδεσσʼ ἀνέθηκα | Of grapes and bring them home; then to the sun |
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| ἔνθα με τὸ πρῶτον λιγυρῆς ἐπέβησαν ἀοιδῆς. | Expose them for ten days, then for five more |
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| τόσσον τοι νηῶν γε πεπείρημαι πολυγόμφων· | Conceal them in the dark; when this is done |
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| ἀλλὰ καὶ ὣς ἐρέω Ζηνὸς νόον αἰγιόχοιο· | Upon the sixth begin to pour in jar |
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| Μοῦσαι γάρ μʼ ἐδίδαξαν ἀθέσφατον ὕμνον ἀείδειν. | Glad Bacchus’ gift. When strong Orion’s set |
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| ἤματα πεντήκοντα μετὰ τροπὰς ἠελίοιο | And back into the sea decline the star |
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| ἐς τέλος ἐλθόντος θέρεος καματώδεος ὥρης | Pleiades and Hyades, it’s time to get |
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| ὡραῖος πέλεται θνητοῖς πλόος· οὔτε κε νῆα | Your plough out, Perses. Then, as it should be |
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| καυάξαις οὔτʼ ἄνδρας ἀποφθείσειε θάλασσα | The year is finished. If on stormy sea |
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| εἰ δὴ μὴ πρόφρων γε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων | You long to sail, when into the dark |
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| ἢ Ζεὺς ἀθανάτων βασιλεὺς ἐθέλῃσιν ὀλέσσαι· | To flee Orion’s rain, the Pleiade |
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| ἐν τοῖς γὰρ τέλος ἐστὶν ὁμῶς ἀγαθῶν τε κακῶν τε. | Descend, abundant winds will blow: forbear |
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| τῆμος δʼ εὐκρινέες τʼ αὖραι καὶ πόντος ἀπήμων· | To keep at that time on the wine-dark sea |
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| εὔκηλος τότε νῆα θοὴν ἀνέμοισι πιθήσας | Your ships, but work your land with earnest care |
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| ἑλκέμεν ἐς πόντον φόρτον τʼ ἐς πάντα τίθεσθαι | As I ordain. So that the potency |
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| σπεύδειν δʼ ὅττι τάχιστα πάλιν οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι· | Of the wet winds may not affect your craft |
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| μηδὲ μένειν οἶνόν τε νέον καὶ ὀπωρινὸν ὄμβρον | You must protect it on dry land, and tamp |
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| καὶ χειμῶνʼ ἐπιόντα Νότοιό τε δεινὰς ἀήτας | It tight with stones on both sides, fore and aft. |
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| ὅστʼ ὤρινε θάλασσαν ὁμαρτήσας Διὸς ὄμβρῳ | Take out the plug that Zeus’s rain won’t damp |
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| πολλῷ ὀπωρινῷ, χαλεπὸν δέ τε πόντον ἔθηκεν. | And rot the wood. The tackle store inside |
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| ἄλλος δʼ εἰαρινὸς πέλεται πλόος ἀνθρώποισιν· | And neatly fold the sails and then suspend |
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| ἦμος δὴ τὸ πρῶτον, ὅσον τʼ ἐπιβᾶσα κορώνη | The well-made rudder over smoke, then bide |
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| ἴχνος ἐποίησεν, τόσσον πέταλʼ ἀνδρὶ φανείῃ | Your time until the season’s at an end |
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| ἐν κράδῃ ἀκροτάτῃ, τότε δʼ ἄμβατός ἐστι θάλασσα· | And you may sail. Then take down to the sea |
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| εἰαρινὸς δʼ οὗτος πέλεται πλόος. οὔ μιν ἔγωγε | Your speedy ship and then prepare the freight |
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| αἴνημʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἐμῷ θυμῷ κεχαρισμένος ἐστίν· | To guarantee a gain, as formerly |
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| ἁρπακτός· χαλεπῶς κε φύγοις κακόν· ἀλλά νυ καὶ τὰ | Our father would his vessels navigate. |
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| ἄνθρωποι ῥέζουσιν ἀιδρείῃσι νόοιο· | In earnest, foolish Perses, to posse |
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| χρήματα γὰρ ψυχὴ πέλεται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν. | Great riches, once he journeyed to this place |
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| δεινὸν δʼ ἐστὶ θανεῖν μετὰ κύμασιν. ἀλλά σʼ ἄνωγα | From Cyme, fleeing not wealth or succe |
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| φράζεσθαι τάδε πάντα μετὰ φρεσίν, ὡς ἀγορεύω. | But grinding poverty, which many face |
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| μηδʼ ἐν νηυσὶν ἅπαντα βίον κοΐλῃσι τίθεσθαι· | At Zeus’s hands. Near Helicon he dwelt |
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| ἀλλὰ πλέω λείπειν, τὰ δὲ μείονα φορτίζεσθαι. | In a wretched village, Ascra, most severe |
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| δεινὸν γὰρ πόντου μετὰ κύμασι πήματι κύρσαι. | In winter, though an equal woe one felt |
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| δεινὸν δʼ, εἴ κʼ ἐπʼ ἄμαξαν ὑπέρβιον ἄχθος ἀείρας | In summer, goods at no time. Perses, hear |
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| ἄξονα. καυάξαις καὶ φορτία μαυρωθείη. | My words – of every season’s toil take care |
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| μέτρα φυλάσσεσθαι· καιρὸς δʼ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἄριστος. | Particularly sailing. Sure, approve |
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| ὡραῖος δὲ γυναῖκα τεὸν ποτὶ οἶκον ἄγεσθαι | A little ship but let a large one bear |
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| μήτε τριηκόντων ἐτέων μάλα πόλλʼ ἀπολείπων | Your merchandise – the more of this you move |
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| μήτʼ ἐπιθεὶς μάλα πολλά· γάμος δέ τοι ὥριος οὗτος· | The greater gain you make so long as you |
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| ἡ δὲ γυνὴ τέτορʼ ἡβώοι, πέμπτῳ δὲ γαμοῖτο. | Avoid strong winds. When you have turned to trade |
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| παρθενικὴν δὲ γαμεῖν, ὥς κʼ ἤθεα κεδνὰ διδάξῃς. | Your foolish mind, in earnest to eschew |
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