κρείσσων ἐναρχόμενος βοηθῶν καρδίᾳ τοῦ ἐπαγγελλομένου καὶ εἰς ἐλπίδα ἄγοντος· δένδρον γὰρ ζωῆς ἐπιθυμία ἀγαθή (Proverbs 13.12 LXX) → One who sincerely sets about helping is better than one who makes promises leading to hope; for a kindly urge is a tree of life.
perverse: P. and V. δύσκολος, δυσχερής.