Liber Proverbiorum

Fili mi, attende ad sapientiam meam, et prudentiæ meæ inclina aurem tuam:

My son, attend to my wisdom, and incline thy ear to my prudence,

Filio meo, attende ad sapientia meo, et de prudentia meo inclina aure tuo:

ut custodias cogitationes, et disciplinam labia tua conservent. Ne attendas fallaciæ mulieris;

That thou mayst keep thoughts, and thy lips may preserve instruction. Mind not the deceit of a woman.

Ut custodias cogitationes, et disciplina labias tuo conserva. Ne attende de fallacia de muliere;

favus enim distillans labia meretricis, et nitidius oleo guttur ejus:

For the lips of a harlot are like a honeycomb dropping, and her throat is smoother than oil.

Favo nam distilla labias de meretrice, et nitiditer oleo gutture de illo:

novissima autem illius amara quasi absinthium, et acuta quasi gladius biceps.

But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword.

Novissimo autem de illo amaro quasi absinthio, et acuta quasi gladio bicepso.

Pedes ejus descendunt in mortem, et ad inferos gressus illius penetrant.

Her feet go down into death, and her steps go in as far as hell.

Pedites de illo descende in morte, et ad infero gressus de illo penetra.

Per semitam vitæ non ambulant; vagi sunt gressus ejus et investigabiles.

They walk not by the path of life, her steps are wandering, and unaccountable.

Per semita de vita non ambula; vago es gressus de illo et investigabile.

Nunc ergo fili mi, audi me, et ne recedas a verbis oris mei.

Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

Nunc ergo filio meo, audi me, et ne recede ab verbos de ore meo.

Longe fac ab ea viam tuam, et ne appropinques foribus domus ejus.

Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house.

Longe fac ab illa via tuo, et ne appropinqua foris de domo de illo.

Ne des alienis honorem tuum, et annos tuos crudeli:

Give not thy honour to strangers, and thy years to the cruel.

Ne da aliena honore tuo, et annos tuo crudeli:

ne forte impleantur extranei viribus tuis, et labores tui sint in domo aliena,

Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in another man's house,

Ne forte extranea imple vis tuo, et labores tuo es in domo aliena,

et gemas in novissimis, quando consumpseris carnes tuas et corpus tuum, et dicas:

And thou mourn at the last, when thou shalt have spent thy flesh and thy body, and say;

Et geme in novissimo, quando consume carnes tuo et corpore tuo, et dic:

Cur detestatus sum disciplinam, et increpationibus non acquievit cor meum,

Why have I hated instruction, and my heart consented not to reproof,

Quare detestor es disciplina, et ad increpationes non acquiesce corde meo,

nec audivi vocem docentium me, et magistris non inclinavi aurem meam?

And have not heard the voice of them that taught me, and have not inclined my ear to masters?

Nec audi voce doce me, et magistros non inclina aure meo?

pene fui in omni malo, in medio ecclesiæ et synagogæ.

I have almost been in all evil, in the midst of the church and of the congregation.

Paene es in omni malo, in medio de ecclesia et de synagoga.

Bibe aquam de cisterna tua, et fluenta putei tui;

Drink water out of thy own cistern, and the streams of thy own well:

Bibe aqua de cisterna tuo, et fluentos de puteo tuo;

deriventur fontes tui foras, et in plateis aquas tuas divide.

Let thy fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide thy waters.

Fontes tuo deriva foras, et in plateas aquas tuo divide.

Habeto eas solus, nec sint alieni participes tui.

Keep them to thyself alone, neither let strangers be partakers with thee.

I ab illas solo, nec es aliena participes tuo.

Sit vena tua benedicta, et lætare cum muliere adolescentiæ tuæ.

Let thy vein be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of thy youth:

Es vena tuo benedicto, et laetor cum muliere de adolescentia tuo.

Cerva carissima, et gratissimus hinnulus: ubera ejus inebrient te in omni tempore; in amore ejus delectare jugiter.

Let her be thy dearest hind, and most agreeable fawn: let her breasts inebriate thee at all times: be thou delighted continually with her love.

Cerva carissimo, et grato hinnulo: uberes de illo inebria te in omni tempore; in amore de illo delecta iugiter.

Quare seduceris, fili mi, ab aliena, et foveris in sinu alterius?

Why art thou seduced, my son, by a strange woman, and art cherished in the bosom of another?

Quare seduce, filio meo, ab aliena, et fa in sinu de altero?

Respicit Dominus vias hominis, et omnes gressus ejus considerat.

The Lord beholdeth the ways of man, and considereth all his steps.

Domino respice vias de homine, et omni gressus de illo considera.

Iniquitates suas capiunt impium, et funibus peccatorum suorum constringitur.

His own iniquities catch the wicked, and he is fast bound with the ropes of his own sins.

Iniquitates suo cape impio, et funes de peccatos suo constringe.

Ipse morietur, quia non habuit disciplinam, et in multitudine stultitiæ suæ decipietur.

He shall die, because he hath not received instruction, and in the multitude of his folly he shall be deceived.

Ipso more, quia non habe disciplina, et in multitudine de stultitia suo decipie.