Liber Proverbiorum

Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:

Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

Ne afera viros malo, nec desidera es cum illos:

quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.

Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.

Quia mente de illos meditor rapinas, et fraudes labias de illos loque.

Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.

By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.

Sapientia domo aedifica, et prudentia robora.

In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.

By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.

In doctrina reple cellarias, universa substantia pretioso et pulcherrimo.

Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus:

A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.

Viro sape forti es, et viro doce robusta et valida:

quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.

Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.

Quia cum dispositione intra bello, et salute es ubi multo consilios es.

Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.

Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he shall not open his mouth.

Excelso stulto sapientia; in porta non aperi ore suo.

Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur:

He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.

Qui cogita malo facere stulto voca:

cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.

The thought of a fool is sin: and the detractor is the abomination of men.

Cogitatione stulto peccato es, et abominatione de homines detractore.

Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ, imminuetur fortitudo tua.

If thou lose hope, being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.

Si despera lasda in die de angustia, fortitudine tuo imminue.

Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum, liberare ne cesses.

Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death, forbear not to deliver.

Erue illos qui duc ad morte, et qui trahe ad interitu, libera ne cesse.

Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt; qui inspector est cordis ipse intelligit: et servatorem animæ tuæ nihil fallit, reddetque homini juxta opera sua.

If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.

Si dic: vis non suppete; ipso intellege qui inspectore es de corde: et servatore de anima tuo nihil falle, et redde ad homine juxta operes suo.

Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.

Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat.

Comede, filio meo, melle, quia bono es, et favo dulci ad gutturo tuo.

Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.

So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.

Sic et doctrina de sapientia de anima tuo: quam cum inveni, habe in novissimo spe, et spe tuo non peri.

Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.

Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.

Ne insidior, et quaere impietate in domo iusto, neque vasta requie de illo.

Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.

For a just man shall fall seven times, and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

Septies nam iusto cade, et resurge: impio autem corrue in malo.

Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas, et in ruina ejus ne exsultet cor tuum:

When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:

Cum inimico tuo cade ne gaude, et in ruina de illo ne corde tuo exsulta:

ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.

Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Ne forte Domino vide, et displice ad illo, et aufer ab eo ira suo.

Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:

Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly.

Ne contende cum pessima, nec afera impio:

quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.

For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Quia non habe es spe de malo, et lucerna impio extingue.

Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:

My son, fear the Lord, and the king: and have nothing to do with detractors.

Time Domino, filio meo, et rege, et cum detractores non commisce:

quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?

For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?

Quia repente perditione de illos consurge, et ruina et utro qui nosce?

Hæc quoque sapientibus. Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.

These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.

Hoc etiam sape. Cognosce persona in iudicio non es bono.

Qui dicunt impio: Justus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.

They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.

Qui dic ad impio: iusto es: maledice ad illos populos, et detestor illos tre.

Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.

They that rebuke him shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.

Qui argue illo lauda, et super ipso benedictione veni.

Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.

He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.

Labia deoscula qui responde rectus verbos.

Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea ædifices domum tuam.

Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.

Praepera foris opere tuo, et diligenter exsercor agro tuo, ut postea aedifica domo tuo.

Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.

Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

Ne es teste frustra contra proximo tuo, nec laces ullo labios tuo.

Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.

Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.

Ne dic: quomodo fac ad me, sic fac ad illo; redde et unicui secundo opere suo.

Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:

I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:

Per agro de homine pigro transi, et per vinea de viro stulto:

et ecce totum repleverant urticæ, et operuerant superficiem ejus spinæ, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.

And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.

Et ecce urticas reple toto, et operi superficie de illo de spina, et maceria de lapides destrue es.

Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.

Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.

Quod cum vide, pone in corde meo, et exemplo disce disciplina.

Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis; pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas:

Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest.

Pauco, dic, dormi, modico dormita; pauxillo manus consere ut quiesce:

et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.

And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.

Et veni ad te quasi cursore egestate, et mendicitate quasi viro arma.