| 1 |
fili mi adtende sapientiam meam et prudentiae meae inclina aurem tuam
My son, attend to my wisdom, and incline thy ear to my prudence,
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| 2 |
ut custodias cogitationes et disciplinam labia tua conservent
That thou mayst keep thoughts, and thy lips may preserve instruction. Mind not the deceit of a woman.
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| 3 |
favus enim stillans labia meretricis et nitidius oleo guttur eius
For the lips of a harlot are like a honeycomb dropping, and her throat is smoother than oil.
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| 4 |
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.
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| 5 |
pedes eius descendunt in mortem et ad inferos gressus illius penetrant
Her feet go down into death, and her steps go in as far as hell.
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| 6 |
per semitam vitae non ambulat vagi sunt gressus eius et investigabiles
They walk not by the path of life, her steps are wandering, and unaccountable.
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| 7 |
nunc ergo fili audi me et ne recedas a verbis oris mei
Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
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| 8 |
longe fac ab ea viam tuam et ne adpropinques foribus domus eius
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house.
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| 9 |
ne des alienis honorem tuum et annos tuos crudeli
Give not thy honour to strangers, and thy years to the cruel.
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| 10 |
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,
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| 11 |
et gemas in novissimis quando consumpseris carnes et corpus tuum et dicas
And thou mourn at the last, when thou shalt have spent thy flesh and thy body, and say;
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| 12 |
cur detestatus sum disciplinam et increpationibus non adquievit cor meum
Why have I hated instruction, and my heart consented not to reproof,
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| 13 |
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?
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| 14 |
paene fui in omni malo in medio ecclesiae et synagogae
I have almost been in all evil, in the midst of the church and of the congregation.
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| 15 |
bibe aquam de cisterna tua et fluenta putei tui
Drink water out of thy own cistern, and the streams of thy own well:
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| 16 |
deriventur fontes tui foras et in plateis aquas tuas divide
Let thy fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide thy waters.
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| 17 |
habeto eas solus nec sint alieni participes tui
Keep them to thyself alone, neither let strangers be partakers with thee.
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| 18 |
sit vena tua benedicta et laetare cum muliere adulescentiae tuae
Let thy vein be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of thy youth:
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| 19 |
cerva carissima et gratissimus hinulus ubera eius inebrient te omni tempore in amore illius delectare iugiter
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.
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| 20 |
quare seduceris fili mi ab aliena et foveris sinu alterius
Why art thou seduced, my son, by a strange woman, and art cherished in the bosom of another?
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| 21 |
respicit Dominus vias hominis et omnes gressus illius considerat
The Lord beholdeth the ways of man, and considereth all his steps.
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| 22 |
iniquitates suae 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.
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| 23 |
ipse morietur quia non habuit disciplinam et multitudine stultitiae suae decipietur
He shall die, because he hath not received instruction, and in the multitude of his folly he shall be deceived.
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