For truly the gods have stayed the return of him who would have loved me with all kindness, and would have given me possessions of my own, a house and a bit of land, and a wife, sought of many suitors, even such things as a kindly master gives to his thrall who has toiled much for him, and whose labour the god makes to prosper, even as this work of mine prospers, to which I give heed.
ἦ γὰρ τοῦ γε θεοὶ κατὰ νόστον ἔδησαν , ὅς κεν ἔμ' ἐνδυκέως ἐφίλει καὶ κτῆσιν ὄπασσεν , οἶκόν τε κλῆρόν τε πολυμνήστην τε γυναῖκα , οἷά τε ᾧ οἰκῆϊ ἄναξ εὔθυμος ἔδωκεν , ὅς οἱ πολλὰ κάμῃσι , θεὸς δ' ἐπὶ ἔργον ἀέξῃ , ὡς καὶ ἐμοὶ τόδε ἔργον ἀέξεται , ᾧ ἐπιμίμνω .
ἦ γάρ ὁ γε θεός κατά νόστος δέω , ὅς ἄν ἐγώ ἐνδυκέως φιλέω καί κτῆσις ὀπάζω , οἶκος τε κλῆρος τε πολυμνήστη τε γυνή , οἷος τε ἑός οἰκεύς ἄναξ εὔθυμος δίδωμι , ὅς ἕ πολύς κάμνω , θεός δέ ἐπί ἔργον ἀέξω , ὡς καί ἐγώ ὅδε ἔργον ἀέξω , ὅς ἐπιμίμνω .