1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

1 Fili mi, si spoponderis pro amico tuo,
defixisti apud extraneum manum tuam:

2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

2 illaqueatus es verbis oris tui,
et captus propriis sermonibus.

3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

3 Fac ergo quod dico, fili mi, et temetipsum libera,
quia incidisti in manum proximi tui.
Discurre, festina, suscita amicum tuum.

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

4 Ne dederis somnum oculis tuis,
nec dormitent palpebræ tuæ.

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

5 Eruere quasi damula de manu,
et quasi avis de manu aucupis.

6 ¶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

6 ¶ Vade ad formicam, o piger,
et considera vias ejus, et disce sapientiam.

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

7 Quæ cum non habeat ducem,
nec præceptorem, nec principem,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

8 parat in æstate cibum sibi,
et congregat in messe quod comedat.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

9 Usquequo, piger, dormies?
quando consurges e somno tuo?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

10 Paululum dormies, paululum dormitabis,
paululum conseres manus ut dormias;

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

11 et veniet tibi quasi viator egestas,
et pauperies quasi vir armatus.
Si vero impiger fueris, veniet ut fons messis tua,
et egestas longe fugiet a te.

12 ¶ A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

12 ¶ Homo apostata, vir inutilis, graditur ore perverso;

13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

13 annuit oculis, terit pede, digito loquitur,

14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

14 pravo corde machinatur malum,
et omni tempore jurgia seminat.

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

15 Huic extemplo veniet perditio sua,
et subito conteretur, nec habebit ultra medicinam.

16 ¶ These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

16 ¶ Sex sunt quæ odit Dominus,
et septimum detestatur anima ejus:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

17 oculos sublimes, linguam mendacem,
manus effundentes innoxium sanguinem,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

18 cor machinans cogitationes pessimas,
pedes veloces ad currendum in malum,

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

19 proferentem mendacia testem fallacem,
et eum qui seminat inter fratres discordias.

20 ¶ My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

20 ¶ Conserva, fili mi, præcepta patris tui,
et ne dimittas legem matris tuæ.

21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

21 Liga ea in corde tuo jugiter,
et circumda gutturi tuo.

22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

22 Cum ambulaveris, gradiantur tecum;
cum dormieris, custodiant te:
et evigilans loquere cum eis.

23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

23 Quia mandatum lucerna est, et lex lux,
et via vitæ increpatio disciplinæ:

24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

24 ut custodiant te a muliere mala,
et a blanda lingua extraneæ.

25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

25 Non concupiscat pulchritudinem ejus cor tuum,
nec capiaris nutibus illius:

26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

26 pretium enim scorti vix est unius panis,
mulier autem viri pretiosam animam capit.

27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

27 Numquid potest homo abscondere ignem in sinu suo,
ut vestimenta illius non ardeant?

28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

28 aut ambulare super prunas,
ut non comburantur plantæ ejus?

29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

29 sic qui ingreditur ad mulierem proximi sui,
non erit mundus cum tetigerit eam.

30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

30 Non grandis est culpa cum quis furatus fuerit:
furatur enim ut esurientem impleat animam;

31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

31 deprehensus quoque reddet septuplum,
et omnem substantiam domus suæ tradet.

32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

32 Qui autem adulter est,
propter cordis inopiam perdet animam suam;

33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

33 turpitudinem et ignominiam congregat sibi,
et opprobrium illius non delebitur:

34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

34 quia zelus et furor viri
non parcet in die vindictæ,

35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

35 nec acquiescet cujusquam precibus,
nec suscipiet pro redemptione dona plurima.