Liber Proverbiorum

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

My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger,

Filio meo, si sponde pro amico tuo, defige apud extranea manu tuo:

illaqueatus es verbis oris tui, et captus propriis sermonibus.

Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.

Illaquea es verbos de ore tuo, et capto propria sermones.

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

Do, therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:

Fac ergo quod dic, filio meo, et temetipesca libro, quia incide in manu de proximo tuo. Discurre, festina, suscita amico tuo.

Ne dederis somnum oculis tuis, nec dormitent palpebræ tuæ.

Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.

Ne da somno oculos tuo, nec palpebras tuo dormita.

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

Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Erue quasi da de manu, et quasi ave de manu de aucupa.

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

Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:

Vade ad formica, o pigro, et conside vias de illo, et disce sapientia.

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

Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,

Que cum non que habe duce, nec praeceptore, nec principe,

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

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

Para in aestate cibo ad se, et congrega in messe quod comede.

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

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

Usquequo, pigro, dormi? Quando consurge ex somno tuo?

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

Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:

Paululo dormi, paul(l)ulum dormita, paul(l)ulum consere manus ut dormi;

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.

And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.

Et veni ad te quasi viatore egestate, et pauperie quasi viro arma. Si vero impigra es, veni ut fonte messe tuo, et egestate longe fuge ab te.

Homo apostata, vir inutilis, graditur ore perverso;

A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,

Homine apostata, viro inutile, grada ore perverso;

annuit oculis, terit pede, digito loquitur,

He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.

Annue oculos, tere pede, digito loque,

pravo corde machinatur malum, et omni tempore jurgia seminat.

With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.

Prava corde machina malo, et omni tempore iurgias semina.

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

To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.

Ad hoc extemplo perditione suo veni, et subito contere, nec i habe ultra medicina.

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

Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:

Sexu es Domino ode que, et septimo anima de illo detestor:

oculos sublimes, linguam mendacem, manus effundentes innoxium sanguinem,

Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

Oculos sublime, lingua mendace, manus effunde innoxio sanguine,

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

A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,

Corde machina cogitationes pessima, pedes veloce ad curre in malo,

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

A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.

Profer mendacias teste fallace, et illo qui semina inter fratres discordias.

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

My son, keep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

Conserva, filio meo, praeceptos de patre tuo, et ne dimitte lege de matre tuo.

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

Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.

Ligo illa in corde tuo iugiter, et circumda ad gutturo tuo.

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

When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee, and when thou awakest, talk with them.

Cum ambula, gradie tecum; cum dormi, custodi te: et evigila loque cum illos.

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

Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Quia mandato lucerna es, et lege luce, et via de vita increpatione de disciplina:

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

That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.

Ut custodi te ab muliere malo, et ab blanda lingua extranea.

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

Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:

Non corde tuo concupisce pulchritudine de illo, nec cape ad nutes de illo:

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

For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.

Pretio nam de scorto vix es de uno pane, muliere autem de viro pretioso anima cape.

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

Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?

Numquid homine pote absconde igni in sinu suo, ut vestimentos de illo non arde?

aut ambulare super prunas, ut non comburantur plantæ ejus?

Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?

Aut ambula super prunas, ut non plantas de illo combure?

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

So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.

Sic qui ingredior ad muliere proximo suo, non es mundo cum tange illa.

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

The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:

Non grandi es culpa cum qui furore es: furore nam ut esuri imple anima;

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

And if he be taken, he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.

Depr(eh)enda etiam redde septuplo, et omni substantia de domo suo trade.

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

But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:

Qui autem adultera es, propter corde inopia perde anima suo;

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

He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:

Turpitudine et ignominia congrega ad se, et opprobrio de illo non dele:

quia zelus et furor viri non parcet in die vindictæ,

Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,

Quia zelo et furore de viro non parce in die de vindicta,

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

Nor will he yield to any man's prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.

Nec acquiesce ullo preces, nec suscipe pro redemptione donos multo.