There are several translations of Pseudo-Phocylides. Some of the maxims in Pseudo-Phocylides were copied directly into one of the
Sibylline Oracles, found in Book 2. The text of Pseudo-Phocylides is published in volume 2 of
Old Testament Pseudepigrapha edited by
James Charlesworth. Some authors, including Luke T. Johnson, believe there is a resemblance in the work to Leviticus 19, and also to how the
New Testament Letter of James is a moral code of conduct for Christians. From
Pieter van der Horst's translation: Remain not unmarried, lest you die nameless. Cut not a youth's masculine procreative faculty. And let not women imitate the sexual role of men. Long hair is not fit for men, but for voluptuous women. Other sections of the text, which were once attributed to
Phocylides of Miletos, detailed that the tongue is mightier than the sword. Do not be carried away in your heart by the delights of bold talk. Practice the art of speaking, which will profit everyone greatly. Speech is for man a sharper weapon than the sword; God has given each being one weapon: to birds, The ability to fly; to coursers, speed; to lions, strength; To bulls, horns which grow of themselves; to bees, he has given Their sting as a natural defense; to men, the armor of words. In 2005, Walter T. Wilson composed a new translation, published with attached the Greek text. Do not revel in boastfulness and rage in your heart. Practice speaking well, which will greatly benefit everyone. Surely the word is for a man a weapon sharper than iron. To each God has allotted a weapon: power to roam the air to birds, to horses swiftness, strength to lions; for bulls there are self-growing horns; stingers to bees he's given as an inborn defense, but the word to people for protection. Its authorship was deciphered by
Jacob Bernays and its contents are widely discussed and studied in theology schools even to this day. ==References==